Sometime during the pandemic, Frankie Lemer was walking through her neighborhood when her puppy Macy was attacked.
βIt sent me down this path where dogs have to have a safe place to play,β Lemer says.
With the help of business partners Terry and Brandy Randolph, Lemer opened Dogs of Tucson with her husband Robert last month. Itβs part indoor dog park, part canine social club at 3805 W. River Road.
βI started talking about the concept in June of last year, just asking my social media and friends out there, just saying, βWhat do you think, dog lovers out there? What do you think about this?ββ Lemer says. βAnd I got a list of almost 1,000 names of people who thought it was a fabulous idea.β
To ensure the safety of all the dogs, the indoor dog park β dubbed The Bark Park β is open to members only. Dogs must be neutered or spayed and at least six months old with up-to-date vaccinations.
Dogs also go through a 15-minute social test so staff can make sure theyβre ready to play nicely with others. Staff have a range of experience β some worked in grooming or doggie daycare. Others are veterinary students, volunteered in animal shelters, grew up with dogs or are certified vet assistants. All of them are dog lovers.
βOne of the reasons we have the requirements we have and are membership-based is that safety factor,β Lemer says. βIf we have a drop-in day of play, itβs not as safe. We donβt know the dog, we donβt know how itβll react to other dogs in the facility. With member dogs, we know the dogs, we know the sounds, we know how they play.β
Once youβre a member, your pup gets access to unlimited play at the park, which is currently open six days a week, but hopefully seven soon. Membership starts at $60 monthly.Β
When everyone in the park is a member, the Dogs of Tucson team is able to get to know each dog to better understand their needs . Staff are also able to get to know the owners.
For example, one pup named Luke is learning to tap on a button that says βoutsideβ when he needs to use the restroom. Lukeβs mom brought the button into the park so he can practice using it.
βThe idea is weβre meeting the dogs where theyβre at and giving them the resources they need,β Lemer says.
More than anything though, Lemer wants to build a community. The space is for the humans as much as it is for the dogs.
βI love the idea of a community. Tucson has a lot of great communities, if you will,β Lemer says. βWe have such unique people here, brought from all over the country, and I just felt like β¦ I wanted to bring that love of dogs to one place where it could feel like a community β a place where you belong.β
βThe No. 1 thing was to keep it safe,β Lemer says. βI started researching doggy daycares and boarding facilities and they all missed that community feel.β
Inside the dog park,Β dogs can run around off leash rain or shine. There's WiFi and two TVs, allowing the humans to sit down and pick something to watch while the pups play. Thereβs also complimentary coffee, which Lemer hopes to supply locally, and a βbarkeryβ that sells local dog treats. A couple of selfie areas are also set up around the park.
Dogs of Tucson is also beginning to host several events, many of which are free to members. Thereβs dog yoga, trivia, movie nights and a dog-themed book club.
Eventually, Lemer hopes to bring in talents from the community to host paint nights or unplugged music. Larger events might be a Motherβs Day tea with food trucks parked outside serving meals that youβll be able to eat inside the park with your dog. Doggy birthday parties are also an option.
βThe whole idea is, letβs get people here and get activities here and things theyβd love to do with their animals in a safe, cohesive place,β Lemer says.
βItβs not just for the dogs β itβs for the whole family,β general manager Marie Kettenring says. βI think building the community is really our biggest thing β itβs one thing to say that but we want to.β
Dogs of Tucson also offers boarding and doggy daycare, in addition to a slew of resources. From dog training to the best hairbrushes, if Dogs of Tucson doesnβt know the answer, they have a large network of dog people they can ask.
βWhen people ask a question about a dog online, sometimes people shame them and make them feel bad for asking β and they donβt answer the question,β Lemer says. She hopes Dogs of Tucson can be a βsafe place where they can ask questions and not feel shamed for not knowing.β
βPeople need that support,β Lemer says. βEverybody wants to be an amazing dog family but some people donβt understand what that means so they need guidance and help and if we can be some of that, thatβs the goal.β
While there arenβt separate play areas for big and small dogs inside the park, there are areas for dogs that might need something a little more mellow. There are also Timid Tuesdays, when dogs will get a βprivate sniff sessionβ if you arenβt sure how theyβll react to the regular park.
βWeβre working with Gabriel, a labradoodle, and heβs a nervous guy,β Lemer says. βThe first time he came here, he just sniffed. We gave him some treats. Heβs now been here four times and heβs playing with the dogs.β
Kettenring says itβs a rewarding experience to watch dogs progress during their play sessions β from paws sweating and shaking in a corner to being a βbouncy little ball of joy.β
Both Lemer and Kettenring have played the part of anxious dog mom. But they both agree β watching dogs play is a joyful feeling.
βWe just want more dogs β we want to meet everybodyβs dog in Tucson,β Lemer says.
βIf we can change lives of a few animals and make them happier, thatβs whatβs going to make us feel successful,β Lemer says.