
By Stephen Dafoe
Morinville – Plenty of Morinville residents hit the gym on a regular basis for a little exercise mixed with socialization, but a new business in Morinville’s industrial park is offering some of those same services to dogs. Popular Pooch Daycare & Fitness, located at Unit 2 9802 90 Avenue, is hoping their new facility will make happier, healthier, more balanced and calmer dogs.
“We are busy people. We are a busy society, and we don’t have the time to walk our dogs and give our dogs all the stimulation and all the socializing that they need,” said Popular Pooch owner Francie Pipke. “This is a place where they can do that – especially in Morinville where we don’t have a dog park.”
Pipke said socializing is important to dogs and although people can have great relationships with their pets they are not dogs. “Dogs need other dogs, whether it’s in your home or not,” she said, adding the socializing is particularly important to dogs who live at home alone. “They need that social interaction because although we love them and cuddle them and everything else, we’re not a dog. We don’t have the same psychological mindset as a dog. The stimulation one dog feels, another dog can feel. A human doesn’t really get that. Dogs are a pack mentality and they need to be in a pack.”
From pet owner to business owner

The benefits Pipke’s dog received from daycare prompted the entrepreneur to bring those benefits to Morinville. After training with the daycare her mastiff had been spending time at she went on to become certified in training and behaviour management, specializing in daycares, through the Edmonton Humane Society. Soon after Pipke decided to open her business close to where she lived.
That business allows dog owners, particularly those who work in the city, to drop their dogs off in the morning and pick them up again after work. “When the dogs get dropped off, we will get them on the treadmills as quick as possible,” Pipke said, adding each animal does a 30-minute run on one of her two treadmills. “We’ll have indoor / outdoor play space, sandpits, swimming pools [and] ball throwing for dogs. Basically they play.” By early afternoon the dogs are ready to settle down for a while in their own nap time. Higher energy dogs will receive an extra run on the treadmills.
Popular Pooch Daycare & Fitness is open Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. They are also trying out Saturday hours from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
This is great, I hope the best for this business. It’s nice to have the option of a dog daycare since the majority of us folks work in Edmonton.
Even a couple days a week would be a nice treat for a pooch.
It’s about time Morinville has a place for our four legged friends. This is a GREAT start!!
All the best Francie!