Airline tickets? Check. Hotel accommodations? Check. Hold the mail? Check. Made plans for your pet?

Heading out of town for a long-awaited vacation takes a lot of planning. If you’re a pet owner, you have the added task of ensuring that Heathcliff or Sasha is fed, exercised and well cared for while the rest of the pack is away.

NAHS: Keep pets safe while on vacation

By Angie Wood www.napervilleareahumanesociety.org March 12, 2012 5:38PM

Heading out of town for a long-awaited vacation takes a lot of planning. If you’re a pet owner, you have the added task of ensuring that Heathcliff or Sasha is fed, exercised and well cared for while the rest of the pack is away.

As stewards of the cats and dogs under our care, we at NAHS are well aware that an individual pet’s temperament, personality and social skills need to be taken into account when determining the best environment for him. Some cats and dogs enjoy being around other pets, while others are stressed by changes to daily routines. Whether you decide to board your pet or use the services of a pet sitter, choose the option that best suits your pet.

Boarding facilities

Boarding a pet might conjure images of chain-link runs and outdoor kennels. While those places still exist, many of today’s facilities offer more open environments that encourage group play. At Paws in Time, the basic accommodations include an individual room with a cot and a clear door for visual stimulation.

For more “deluxe” accommodations, child-sized beds and even TVs are provided.

During the day, Paws in Time offers cage-free play in a 20,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor facility that includes full-time supervision, toys and swimming pools in warmer months.

Paws in Time founder and head trainer Julie Nelson recommends boarding for dogs that are “social, energetic, and appreciate the ability to run around and get fresh air.” She believes that most dogs benefit from the exercise and interaction offered at a boarding facility, especially when they are trained to board.

“I encourage people to train their dogs to board,” Julie says. “Before you go on vacation, board your dog with us. Drop your dog off on a Tuesday, and pick him up on a Thursday. Do it again a month later. By the time the vacation rolls around, the pet is conditioned to know that when his toys, food and other items are gathered, he goes to Paws in Time or another facility, and then he is picked up and brought back home. When this becomes a habit, it eases separation anxiety for your pet, and he looks forward to his time away as well.”

She also suggests dropping dogs off a day before the vacation.

“When suitcases start appearing, and pet owners are focused on last-minute preparations, dogs sense our emotions and become very anxious.”

Before making a reservation, Paws in Time requires an onsite visit. Trained staff evaluate your pet’s temperament and ability to interact with other dogs.

If considering a facility for boarding, visit beforehand to check for cleanliness, staff friendliness, adequate ventilation, and the condition of the rooms or kennels and yards or play areas.

Any reputable boarding facility will require updated immunization records.

Many facilities, like Paws in Time, also provide grooming services. After a week of romping with her furry friends, Sasha may need a bath before she comes home.

For heavy travel times such as spring break, Julie recommends that pet owners make their reservation a year in advance. During other times, she suggests that pet owners reserve a spot when the trip itinerary is set.

Pet-sitting services

Another option for vacation care is hiring a professional pet sitter.

While dogs and cats of all breeds, sizes and energy levels benefit from pet sitting, the services are a good option for those pets that prefer staying in the comfort of their own homes.

There are two options for pet sitting services: pet sitters can visit the home a few times a day or can stay overnight to provide round-the-clock care while you’re away.

In addition to caring for your cat or dog, pet sitting services also give your home the appearance of being lived in. Before accepting reservations for pet sitting or house sitting, Out-U-Go! Naperville schedules an in-home meet and greet with both the pet and pet owner.

During this visit, Out-U-Go! sitters meet with your pet, learn about your dog or cat, and get a firsthand look at the pet’s daily routine.

Besides feeding, watering and providing treats for dogs and changing litter boxes for cats, Out-U-Go! will walk or play with your pets, bring in mail, alternate lights and water plants. Pet owners can schedule between two and five visits per day at 25, 45 or 60 minutes each.

Out-U-Go! also provides a “Doggy Diary,” personalized notes about your pet’s day.

“Pet sitting allows dogs and cats to stay in the comfort of their own home, eat out of their own bowls and sleep in their own beds,” says Aschley Hopkins Yanda, owner and top dog of Out-U-Go! Naperville. “We treat each pet like our own and offer personalized care to meet each furry family’s specific needs.”

Out-U-Go! accepts reservations by phone, email and even through its website.

Aschley says that Out-U-Go! is available to support same-day reservation requests to meet the changing needs of busy pet owners.

For more information about Paws in Time, go to pawsintime.net, and for details about Out-U-Go! Naperville, go to Naperville.outugo.com.

Angie Wood is executive director of the Naperville Area Humane Society.
Contact her at 630-420-8989. Visit
www.napervilleareahumanesociety.org.

http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/lifestyles/11243938-423/nahs-keep-pets-safe-while-on-vacation.html

A free doga session compliments of Out-U-Go!, pet care experts.

If you’ve been wondering about doing doga, an activity that integrates humans and their dog partners in traditional yoga exercises, you’ve got another opportunity to try a free session this Saturday, February 13, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Lululemon Athletica, 1627 N. Damen, Chicago, 60647.

Becky Solomon, founder of Lakeshore Athletic Club’s “Paws and Flow” class, will lead local pet parents in a free doga session compliments of Out-U-Go!, pet care experts, and Lakeshore Athletic Club, with space donated by lululemon athletica, a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company. Solomon, who has been leading doga classes for three years, will help introduce pets and their parents to the new phenomenon of doga.

The session will be a combination of socialization, stretching, and bonding techniques. Pets and their parents will practice breathing and relaxation while also learning different doga poses and stretches during the hour-long session.

For less patient pets, Out-U-Go! pet specialists will provide complimentary care and outdoor exercise for the dogs while owners enjoy the doga class. All participants and pups will receive Out-U-Go! goodie bags—including a chance to win pet portrait services from Sutton Studios. David Sutton (suttonstudios.com) has a unique style. His beautiful, fine-art, black and white pet photos have been highlighted in newspapers, magazines and television shows across the country.

Lakeshore Athletic Club Illinois Center is located at 211 N. Stetson in downtown Chicago. Paws and Flow Doga takes place monthly, on Saturdays at 12pm. Classes are free to members, and $10 for non-members. Contact Becky Solomon at (312)616-9000 x211 or log onto LSAC.com for more information.

Thanks for the info to Katie Patterson of Out-U-Go! www.outugo.com: Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Chicago, Out-U-Go! provides professional, personalized dog walking and pet sitting services with the ultimate mission to make the world a better place for pets and people. With a focus on its local communities, Out-U-Go! helps support rescue programs and environmentally responsible business practices.
For more info: about the free doga event or to register, call 773-227-1869.
And remember, you can subscribe to my column via the button at the top of the page–or add it as RSS feed to your own web page.
FEBRUARY 9, 2010 | BY: SUSAN NC PRICE

http://www.examiner.com/article/doga-this-saturday-chicago

Out-U-Go! Oak Park’s walker, sitter, and blogger John Beisner expounds on the human hazards of dog walking.

Monday was exceptionally gloomy. Windy conditions coupled with the dreaded “wintry mix” made for a wet and cold start to the week.

Perhaps it’s fitting, then, I came across this excellent blog post on Monday authored by “John,” apparently a former California resident and current employee of pet sitting service in Oak Park. The post is about walking dogs  — “large and lunging beasts who have four-wheel drive” — during the often brutal Chicago winter. He writes:

“I’m growing a beard (or trying–hurry up!) not because it makes me look deep and sophisticated (it makes me look stupid and crazy) but because it counts as an extra layer in a place where one counts layers, and that extra wool helps keep my jaw from falling off.  And if my jaw falls off, how will I complain about the weather?

My dogs, on the other hand, don’t seem to mind.”

It’s well worth a read, especially if you’re an owner of pets, a hater of winter or maybe a little bit of both.

Posted by Casey Cora (Editor), January 23, 2012 at 10:37 pm

http://oakpark.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/the-winter-dog-walker-s-lament

Amanda Kania ditches job as market researcher, starts local dog walking company.

Instead of hiring a dog walking service, Amanda Kania became one.

Looking for a way out of her marketing research consultant job that frequently required draining overnight trips to San Francisco, Kania saw an ad from Out-U-Go!, a dog walking company, looking for someone to manage a location. So, instead of hiring the company to walk her dog, she took over the Downers Grove location in August of 2010.

A little more than a year later and Kania is in the process of becoming the franchisee owner, a move she hopes becomes official sometime early next year.

It’s a natural fit for 32-year-old Kania, who once thought a career in a research field was what she wanted. Kania’s first job out of college was research related, and that first job eventually turned into a string of similar jobs until Kania realized she wasn’t much of the office-job type.

“I started thinking about how [the marketing research job] wasn’t what I wanted to do the rest of the my life, and i started thinking about what i enjoy doing, and it came back to animals,” Kania said. “I’m not the person to sit in front of a computer all day in an office. It was starting to drive me crazy.”

Now, Kania’s car frequently acts as her office, as she shuffles around the region, walking dogs, feeding cats, giving medications and anything else pet owners need her to do for their animals. In addition to any animal duties Kania handles, she’s also acts as HR, sales, marketing, operations and everything else for the Downers Grove location.

It’s a lot of work, and a lot of risk in a troubled economy, but Kania isn’t worried.

“I read an article that said people in a recession don’t stop spending money on their kids and pets,” she said. “I’m like that as well and I’m definitely not the only one that feels that ways.”

Of course, an article isn’t the only comfort Kania has to lean on. According to Kania, Out-U-Go! is celebrating its 15th year and has been growing and doing well the past few years, reassuring indicators to Kania. Additionally, Kania said her location has been doing well since she took over.

“We’ve had a couple of months that were down but every month we’ve been up and we’ve really done nothing but grow,” she said.

Out-U-Go!’s strength is also the reason Kania opted to become a franchisee instead of starting her own company.

“There’s so much they have figured out from all their years of experience,” Kania said. “There’s so much that was handed to me, all these systems and efficiencies that if I were starting from scratch i wouldn’t know where to begin.”

And though Kania knows where to begin, trying to build a new career for herself in a down economy hasn’t given her much time to stop.

“I’m pretty much always working,” Kania said. “My personal life and my work life are jumbled into one. One minute I’m washing dishes and the next minute I’m taking phone calls. Every hour I’m awake I’m probably working in some way.”

Kania hopes to have office space in Downers Grove next year after she officially becomes owner.

Posted by Robert Bykowski, November 23, 2011 at 04:34 am

http://downersgrove.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/in-face-of-economy-woman-changes-career-path

Every day from noon to 2 p.m. is naptime at this Longmont daycare center.

After lunch, the little ones lie down with their own water to drink (some don’t like to share or feel uncomfortable drinking around others). The staff turns on the air conditioning and fans and Satellite Radio on the spa channel for soothing music.

Some $2,000 worth of air purifiers is constantly running. So are the flatscreen TVs in the luxury suites, typically on Animal Planet or National Geographic — so the little ones won’t miss their favorite shows, the website boasts.

These rooms cost $12 more a day, but they’re designed to look like a mini house, with windows, raised beds and warm lighting.

This setup sounds more extravagant than even the priciest of childcare centers.

The catch: This is Happy Hounds doggie daycare.

And in Boulder County, going to these lengths for furry friends is not unheard of. In fact, the doggie daycare and dog-walking scene is rapidly growing, local businesses report. And with that, it is becoming a more legitimized, professional field.

Dog-walkers are no longer just the nice retired lady down the street. They are sophisticated national franchises based in brick-and-mortar buildings with extensive insurance coverage and mega databases, serving thousands of local dogs per month.

Out-U-Go dog walking and in-home pet sitting (Outugo.com) has eight buildings in Denver and Boulder with about 30 employees. Dan Lipschultz, owner, says people are “absolutely blown away that we’re a legitimate business with employees.”

“If you go back 10 years ago, working with dogs, the only real, sophisticated business was a doggie daycare facility. What we’re doing is redefining all of that,” he says.

And even the doggie daycares are striving to be more professional and comprehensive.

In addition to features that rival the offerings for human daycare facilities — such as swimming pools, “joint-friendly” flooring, live webcams, daily report cards, nightlights and on-site kitchens for meal requests — doggie daycares come with a slew of surprising rules, etiquette and behavior expectations.

Some places say no barking or — there’s really no way to put this politely — humping. Others require specific collars or that outside food be transported in airtight containers. All require trial days or behavior testing before admission; some applications span 15 pages long, with questions like “Does your dog eat rocks/gravel?,” “Where does your dog sleep?” and “Where are your dog’s favorite areas to be petted?”

And the services can be more expensive than childcare, too, reaching upwards of $35 per dog per day. One center’s contract claims that if you don’t pay your daycare bills, they get the right to keep your dog and sell it to make up the costs.

Dogs are big business in Boulder County.

‘These are their kids’

Olivia Neill, who runs Happy Hounds (Happyhoundscolorado.com) with her husband, says her facility is intentionally set up like a children’s daycare, with lunchtime, naps, a flexible pick-up and drop-off time and high standards for cleanliness.

“We take this seriously,” Neill says. “For a lot of people, these are their kids”

She understands firsthand. She and her husband don’t have children and don’t plan on having any. Their three dogs are their family.

Her desire to open a doggie daycare, training, grooming and boarding center was sparked after her honeymoon. The newlyweds left their dogs at a boarding facility on the East Coast.

When they returned, one dog had been so anxious that he chewed up his tail. The animals had shredded their bedding and it was not cleaned up. One had a small cut, and the other had been gnawing on his front legs.

“I couldn’t go on vacation after our honeymoon and not worry,” Neill says.

So after a year of research and planning, they opened Happy Hounds in 2007.

She says the features that seem extravagant are actually well thought-out efforts to make the experience as pleasant as possible. The TVs and spa music block out foreign sounds, thunder and barking that can distress dogs. The air purifiers keep the place smelling clean, in addition to killing germs. The special fencing prevents dogs from cutting themselves while playing or trying to squeeze under. The nightlights are calming, she says.

“A lot of thought went into it because we want to keep the dogs safe. It’s our pride tied into this,” Neill says. “There are people who might think it’s excessive, but … better to err on the side of too much care for the dogs than the other extreme.”

Other facilities have their own special features.

Divine Canine (Divinecanine.net) offers “Kuranda raised orthopedic beds and soft fleece mats.” Here — for one of the least expensive rates of $23 per day — dogs play and rest on 1.5-hour rotating schedules.

Uptown Dog (Uptown-dog.com), “the next generation in dog care facilities,” offers climate control, four individual ventilation systems, a 24-hour monitored security system and boasts that its location one mile from a Longmont police and fire station.

Uptown Dog has specific drop-off and pick-up times; requires nylon collars with snapping buckles; and promises at least one staff member per 10 to 12 dogs. This facility says it specializes in dog behavior and dog psychology, providing physical and psychological challenges and progress updates. Staff “interviews” the dog for a full day before enrollment and takes dogs on “pack walks” before they are allowed to participate in play time.

“That’s why we go well beyond the typical ‘dog daycare,'” the website explains.

A booming business

When Happy Hounds first opened, Neill says, in the heat of the recession, there were few daycares in east Boulder County.

“It was a struggle to sell the concept, because people were losing their jobs or not taking vacations,” she says.

Maybe it’s a sign of the end of the recession, she says. Or maybe people have to work more hours to make ends meet. Whatever the reason, now Boulder County has several dozen doggie daycares. Happy Hounds alone gets five to 10 new customers each week, Neill says. The facility averages 35 to 40 dogs per day.

That number is more than doubled at Boulder’s Camp Bow Wow, which regularly sees 100 dogs per day, according to owner Sue Ryan. The local franchise is one of the busiest in the nation.

Camp Bow Wow boarding and daycare (campbowwowusa.com) started seven years ago in Boulder and now boasts more than 200 locations across the nation and Canada — including 55 new franchises in the last three years, according to the website.

Last year, the “camps” served more than 7 million dogs, generating more than $48 million.

A single franchise alone hits sales of $464,000 to $982,000 per year, the website says.

Earlier this year, Entrepreneur magazine named Camp Bow Wow one of the top 500 successful franchise businesses. It ranked 72 on the list of the fastest growing franchises and 88th for low cost.

The model is simple: Camp Bow Wow offers “all day play,” so no naps (which often translates into kenneling) unless requested. Kennels, aka “cabins,” are bigger than most: 5-by-10 feet for bigger dogs. And Camp Bow Wow offers live webcams, as well as an app to watch on your smartphone.

Staff separates dogs into different play areas based on their size and temperament, so the big, timid, old lab or the 6-pound poodle don’t get fenced in with a hyperactive puppy. Instead, they can kick it in the “small dog/old dog lounge.”

At night, boarded dogs get “Bedtime Campfire Tasty Treats” (Kongs with a treat and peanut butter) to eat in their “cozy sleeping cots with fleece blankets.”

“It’s a lot like kid care, and the same kind of emotion wrapped around it as kid day care,” says Ryan. (In fact, some doggie daycare websites offer tips on how to minimize separation anxiety when dropping off in the morning, and some say separation anxiety is a bigger problem than aggression.) “We come at it from that point of view that it’s an incredible responsibility that we’re taking on. We’re taking on people’s babies.”

Contact Staff Writer Aimee Heckel at 303-473-1359 or heckela@dailycamera.com.

http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_18576054

Chicago-based Pet Care Company Continues to Grow
CHICAGO, June 14, 2011

Today Out-U-Go!®, the nation’s premiere pet sitting and dog walking service, opens its Tallahassee location. The company’s eighth location and first in the state of Florida location.. Recognized for its customized pet care, Out-U-Go! will provide local pet parents with piece of mind when they are on vacation, at work or simply on-the-go.

“We can’t wait to meet our new pups, kitties, critters and pet parent friends,” said Elizabeth Tull, Top Dog of Out-U-Go! Tallahassee. “I can’t wait to introduce Out-U-Go! to our new Tallahassee neighbors!”

As pet specialists, Out-U-Go! is recognized for the individual attention provided to customers, and more importantly, their favorite furry friends. With flexible scheduling, a full-time office staff, competitive rates and trustworthy, trained pet sitters, the company demonstrates an unmatched customer service mindset.
“Our growth exemplifies the increasing need for quality pet care and reflects the success of our focused, yet fun culture,” said David Lipschultz, President, Out-U-Go! Franchising, LLC. “Out-U-Go! has been extremely well received by the pet parents and local communities.”
For more information about Out-U-Go!’s dog walking and pet sitting services in the Tallahassee area call 850-228-7467 or e-mail Tallahassee@outugo.com.

About Out-U-Go!®

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Chicago, Out-U-Go! provides professional, personalized dog walking and pet sitting services with the ultimate mission to make the world a better place for pets and people. Since then the company has grown to include eight locations in Colorado, Florida, and the Chicago-area and a formalized franchise business. Future growth plans include the opening of additional national locations.
With a focus on its local communities, Out-U-Go! helps support rescue programs and environmentally responsible business practices. The company carries all appropriate insurance and is a certified member of Pet Sitters International. For more information about Out-U-Go!, please visit www.outugo.com.

Entrepreneurial Franchise Model Opens Second Location in Colorado

Today Out-U-Go!®, pet care, opens its seventh location, the second in the Boulder-Denver area. Out-U-Go! was founded in 1996 and its growth is characterized by the fun entrepreneurial spirit they describe as “Awesome Pet Care”. Recognized for its dedication to high-end professional care for both its pet and human clients, Out-U-Go! Boulder will provide local pet parents with peace of mind when they are on vacation, at work or simply on-the-go.

“I have enjoyed working with Out-U-Go!’s founder for over a decade. When we say we provide awesome pet care we mean it.” said Dan Lipschultz, Top Dog of Out-U-Go! Boulder and Denver. “This expansion to the Boulder area reflects the community’s demand for a professional pet care service like ours. Nothing brings me more happiness than doing what I love in the place I call home. I can’t wait to meet our new dogs, cats, and pet parents in Boulder!”

As a University of Colorado alumni and long-time resident, Top Dog Dan knows the community and has managed the Denver location for four years serving over 500 pet parents and providing more than 35,000 pet care visits. Boulder’s pet friendly culture makes it a natural opportunity for Out-U-Go! to open a new location.

As pet specialists, Out-U-Go! is recognized for the individual attention provided to customers, and more importantly, their favorite furry friends. This includes:

• Visits customized to each pet’s and pet parent’s needs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee;
• Proved and dependable pet care backed by more than 15 years of experience
• Fun, friendly and professional pet sitting staff – all graduates of Out-U-Go!’s Dog Walk UniversitySM;
• Easy and convenient scheduling online or with the dedicated full time office staff

“Our growth exemplifies the demand for high quality pet care. Our unique approach creates professional sitters and office staff that have a love for what they do. The result is great people providing awesome pet care. ” said David Lipschultz, Top Top Dog, Out-U-Go! Franchising, LLC. “Our track record proves that our customers value our enthusiastic and reliable service”
For more information about Out-U-Go!’s dog walking and pet sitting services in Boulder call 303.974.7090 or e-mail Boulder@outugo.com.
About Out-U-Go!®

Based in Chicago, Out-U-Go! has provided awesome pet care since 1996. As a high-end, full service dog walking and pet sitting business, the pet care company offers professionally trained pet sitters providing secure, reliable, and individually tailored pet care every day of the year. The company has provided more than 500,000 pet care visits and is consistently recognized as one of the top businesses in the pet industry. Over the past few years, Out-U-Go! has grown to include seven locations in Illinois and Colorado as well as a formalized franchise business.

With a focus on its local communities, Out-U-Go! supports rescue programs and environmentally responsible business practices. The company carries all appropriate insurance and is a certified member of Pet Sitters International. For more information about Out-U-Go!, please visit www.outugo.com.

BOULDER, CO., September 7, 2010

Out-U-Go!® Chicago hosts a dog yoga event at lululemon in Bucktown.

As this column noted last week, a free doga session was held Saturday, December 5, from 8:30-9:30 a.m., in space donated by Lululemon Athletica, 1627 N. Damen, Chicago, with activities compliments of pet care experts Out-U-Go! and Lakeshore Athletic Club.

Becky Solomon, founder of Lakeshore Athletic Club’s “Paws and Flow” class, introduced pets and their parents to the new phenomenon of doga, which combines socialization, stretching, and bonding techniques. Solomon has been leading doga classes for three years. See her and the class this past Saturday in the accompanying slide show.

DECEMBER 7, 2009 | BY: SUSAN NC PRICE

http://www.examiner.com/article/pets-and-their-people-enjoying-doga

Dec 2, 2009

Out-U-Go Inc., a pet care business, announced plans to expand and has opened its newest
location in Downer’s Grove, Ill.
The Chicago-based company has added three new Chicago-area locations in the last four
months. Out-U-Go’s newest location serves the Chicagoland neighborhoods of Lombard,
Oakbrook Terrace, Oak Brook, Westmont, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Warren Springs, LaGrange,
LaGrange Park, Brookfield, Westchester, Broadview, Elmhurst and Villa Park.
The newest franchisees, Michele DiMaso and Kim Wade will manage the Downers Grove location
and will be very involved in the local community.
“As a former real estate agent I started out with Out-U-Go as a pet sitter after the slowdown in
the housing market. I’ve seen firsthand the high-quality care Out-U-Go provides to pets and
parents. I can’t wait to introduce Out-U-Go to our new Downers Grove neighbors,” Michele
DiMaso said in a company release.
Out-U-Go provides pet sitting and pet walking services through a staff of full-time, professionally
trained workers.
Out-U-Go’s President David Lipschultz gave DailyVista more details on the company’s continued
growth plans for the near term.
According to Lipschultz, this newest location is part of a larger growth plan for Out-U-Go, and the
company plans to continue expanding.
“We’re eventually looking toward full national growth. We’re in Denver now, so to continue
expanding nationally, we’ll look to grow over the next three to four months with three to four
locations in the Chicago area,” Lipschultz said.
After that, he said that the company will have full coverage in the Chicagoland area and will then
will expand nationally, beginning in the Midwest. Ultimately, Out-U-Go hopes to have 100
locations across the country, Lipschultz said.
When choosing a locale for the next Out-U-Go franchise, Lipschultz said that the company looks
for cities with a young, urban clientele but also takes into considerations cities in the Midwest
that are relatively close but will allow the company to capitalize on growth.
“Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis are the next tier of where
we’ll look to expand,” he said.
In addition to new locations, Lipschultz said that Out-U-Go wants to establish itself as the
premiere service nationally, as a one-stop-shop for all dog and cat needs.
“Whether it’s a need for walks or vacation care or help with puppy issues, things like supplies and
training, what we’ll do is continue to build on the services we already offer and build relationships
with other businesses that allow us to expand on our menu of services as we continue to grow,”
©2009 DailyVista. All Rights Reserved. (877) 339-1513. info@dailyvista.com
he said.
Lipschultz said that Out-U-Go’s marketing efforts are very grassroots and community-oriented,
especially since the company operates on a very local level.
“Our growth and marketing is about working with the local community and we do that with a lot
of local organizations, be it local pet shelters or rescues or nonprofit organizations that have
creative programs working with dogs,” he said. “Working within the community allows us to grow
locally, and we do work with a lot of local businesses, both in the pet industry as well as
professionals.”
Lipshultz said that one of the challenges that the company will be addressing is in line with the
high expectations Out-U-Go has for its franchisees.
“It’s not about funding, we look for so much more and really it’s about finding good people who
see the world like we do,” he said. “It sort of puts us on the path of building a franchise system
that is on a less than traditional path.”

©2009 DailyVista. All Rights Reserved. (877) 339-1513. info@dailyvista.com

Chicago-based Pet Care Company Continues to Grow.

Chicago, IL – November 30, 2009 -(PR.com)– Today Out-U-Go!®, the nation’s premiere pet sitting and dog walking service, opens its Downer’s Grove location. Over the last four months, the company has added three new Chicago-area locations. Recognized for its customized pet care, Out-U-Go! will provide local pet parents with piece of mind when they are on vacation, at work or simply on-the-go.

“We can’t wait to meet our new pups, kitties, critters and pet parent friends,” said Michele DiMaso, Top Dog of Out-U-Go! Downers Grove. “As a former real-estate agent I started with Out-U-Go! as a pet sitter after the slow down in the housing market. I’ve seen first hand the high-quality care Out-U-Go! provides to petsand pet parents. I can’t wait to introduce Out-U-Go! to our new Downers Grove neighbors!”

Top Dog Michelle will manage the new location alongside business partner and Pack Leader Kim Wade. Both women are very involved in the local community.

As pet specialists, Out-U-Go! is recognized for the individual attention provided to customers, and more importantly, their favorite furry friends. With flexible scheduling, a full-time office staff, competitive rates and trustworthy, trained pet sitters, the company demonstrates an unmatched customer service mindset.

“Our growth exemplifies the increasing need for quality pet care and reflects the success of our focused, yet fun culture,” said David Lipschultz, Top Top Dog, Out-U-Go! Franchising, LLC. “Out-U-Go! has been extremely well received by the pet parents and local communities. We plan to continue our expansion by opening three additional Chicago area locations at the beginning of 2010 and beginning a nationally focus expansion plan starting in late 2010.”

The Out-U-Go! Downers Grove location will service the following neighborhoods: Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace, Oak Brook, Downers Grove, Westmont, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Western Springs, LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Brookfield, Westchester, Broadview, Elmhurst, Villa Park

About Out-U-Go!®

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Chicago, Out-U-Go! provides professional, personalized dog walking and pet sitting services with the ultimate mission to make the world a better place for pets and people. Since then the company has grown to include five locations in Denver and the Chicago-area and a formalized franchise business. Future growth plans include the opening of additional Chicago-area locations within the next year.

With a focus on its local communities, Out-U-Go! helps support rescue programs and environmentally responsible business practices. The company carries all appropriate insurance and is a certified member of Pet Sitters International.

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