Darren Ferrato began Trekking Paws In January 2021 as a dog-walking company. By July he was able to open his own daycare facility.
He had previously worked at pet day cares in the Toronto area. This experience sparked his desire to start his own business in Thunder Bay.
“There hasn’t really been a doggy day care here before," he said.
"Dog socialization is very important. It’s good for your dog to have their own social life and be able to integrate well with other dogs. It helps to reduce their anxiety and stress. They also get really good exercise.”
Dogs with good socialization are more confident and their owners can have peace of mind knowing their pet is having fun with their fur friends.
Ferrato’s facility can hold 10 dogs. His clients come in all shapes and sizes, mostly medium and large breeds. He is fully certified in specialized first aid training, including CPR for dogs. Trekking Paws facility has a bright indoor space and a fenced yard in the heart of the city.
“We have the dog day care, we started doing dog grooming as well,” Ferrato said.
He’s happy to accept any dog as a client, but highlights the importance of socialization.
“It’s always best if your dog is still young, around four or five months old. They’re more easy to integrate into a group and get along with all the dogs.”
Older dogs can also blend in well as long as they have a history of socialization.
“If someone wants to register their dog we set up a meet-and-greet appointment," he said. "They bring their dog in and I introduce them to a couple dogs and see how they interact.”
From there, Ferrato can determine if the dog is ready for a daycare scenario.
“I monitor them on their first days to make sure there’s no behaviours that would be an issue.”
Trekking Paws offers its services Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. He has various packages and prices: single visits, half day and full day and 24-hour options. House visits and dog walks are also available. Trekking paws is located at 809 May St. N. They can be contact by phone at 807-623-3372, email: trekkingpawstbay@gmail.com.
Trekking Paws has a great website with more details and a Facebook page with updates and great photos.
