Last week, Evergreen resident Chris Holmes came up to Kalispell to work out. He brought along his workout partner, Jake. They like to jog together before Chris hits the weights, while Jake hangs out and offers moral support to his buddy.
Jake doesn’t lift the weights because he is a 70-pound dog with a gorgeous brindle coat and sweet disposition, but his presence at the Walk Your Dog Club is enough to keep Chris moving.
“It’s motivation,” Chris said after his workout. “I have a workout partner.”
Jake loves coming to the club, which is motivation for Chris to keep bringing him here, and working out with his dog.
That’s the symbiotic relationship Suzanne Johnson and Robbi Christopherson had in mind when they opened the Walk Your Dog Club, an indoor dog park, in mid-October.
The 22,000-square-foot facility sits on East Idaho Street, near the intersection of U.S. Highways 2 and 93, and is bright, clean and inviting. The first floor holds the social area, where dogs and humans can mingle and get snacks.
For the humans, the food options come courtesy of John’s Angels Catering, with offerings like salmon salad sandwiches for purchase, and coffee from Montana Coffee Traders, an organic blend called Howling Wolf.
For the pooches, there is a wide selection of dog food and treats from Withey’s Health Food, and plenty of water fountains providing fresh, filtered water throughout the building.
The first floor also houses the dog daycare, which provides gated areas for the dogs to roam and web cams covering the area so the dogs’ humans can get a peek at what their furry friends are up to.
Johnson also had a slab of living, growing grass placed inside for the dogs to do their business, because the city wouldn’t allow an outdoor potty area.
And finally, the first floor contains the massage area, which for now is just for humans, but Johnson said she is talking with people who could do massage and rehabilitation works for canines.
For now, the dogs just get to relax while their person gets pampered.
“Your dogs can come lay on the pillows while you’re getting a massage,” she said.
Upstairs, a waterproof, rolled-rubber track dominates the floor. Johnson said it is made specifically for dogs and people, and only one company in the world, located in Canada, could make it for them.
There are optional dog obstacles on the track for canines who are feeling like adding a bit more to their workout. In one corner, a set of weight machines gives people a chance to work on their lifting, while their dogs can stay tethered safely to a nearby wall.
Johnson hopes to get classes going for the space, along with gatherings for different types of people, like singles’ nights or an outreach program to seniors who have had to move and give up their pets.
The track offers a chance for dogs and their people to get out and move during the day, she said, even on days with inclement weather.
“I’ve always wanted a place inside to walk the dogs,” Johnson said, while her two dogs, Gracie and Maverick, snagged a quick drink during a walk around the track.
While doing her research before starting the business, Johnson found other people feel the same way. And the club’s on-leash policy doesn’t deter many from stopping by; most dogs aren’t interested in playing with other dogs anyway.
“Really, what dogs want is their people’s undivided attention,” she said.
Still, she is considering an off-leash time, much like a free skate at an ice rink.
The club is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., allowing for walks and drop-offs before work and pick-ups and workouts after work.
And on Friday, everyone gets to relax and mingle at the Happy Yappy Hour, during which the catering company serves drinks to members. There were about 40 people and their dogs there last week, Johnson said.
Memberships can include use of the gym and daycare, and that option starts at $75 a month. Just gym access starts at $39 for families. Drop-in use costs $5.
As far as Johnson is concerned, keeping the costs doable for a large swathe of the community is part of the goal, because it will bring in more four-legged friends.
“We have a lot of fun,” she said.
For more information on the Walk Your Dog Club, visit www.walkyourdogclub.com or call 406-890-2220.