July 2023 Business of the Month: Mountain Dog Lounge
Owners Tracy and Joel Chacon started Mountain Dog Lounge in their home basement in 2016. After operating for a little over two years from their home, the couple found a great location along Heber City Main Street on the north end of town. Operating at the current location for the last four plus years, the couple have been in business for a total of seven years now. Tracy knew she wanted to own her own business just three years into her prior grooming experience. So she set out to make her dream a reality and put all she had into starting her company.
With their larger location, Mountain Dog Lounge has been able to expand the services offered and with it, increase its staff. Today, Mountain Dog Lounge offers expert grooming services, quality training classes, daily day care including pet taxi pickup and drop off services, and customized dog nutritional support, along with a retail section in the storefront where pet owners can pickup food, treats, training supplies, and more!
Tracy is passionate about her business. She has created a friendly facility that focuses on the dog’s comfort and well-being and provides complete care for dogs – for the mind, body, and soul of each pet. And Tracy expects the same level of care from her staff and trainers. In fact, she requires new hires to train and illustrate their skills with her personal dogs before they can work with a customer’s beloved pet. The care and concern shown for each animal is vital to decrease stress and increase a healthy experience for all – people and pets.
With a complete health and wellness focus, Tracy has an “inside out” approach for holistic dog health. Starting with healthy food, treats, and toys to ensure each dog is feeling its best. She pairs this approach with a healthy, positive, dog-focused environment. Her experienced team is a big part of creating this dog-friendly atmosphere and a huge part of her ongoing success. Tracy implements a thorough hiring process and takes her time to find the right fit for the dogs, the other staff members, and the space, in general. Only highly qualified training professionals are used to lead training services, which they offer for both puppy and adult dogs. And all staff members are required to have or obtain certifications beyond the minimum state requirements. Plus, Tracy offers an apprenticeship program where those interested in learning about grooming services and dog handling can understudy the experienced and certified staff. This is a great way to help others join the industry and provide excellent apprentice education.
For nervous or high-energy dogs, Tracy and her team offer grooming de-sensitization services that help dogs relax and become more comfortable for grooming. Tracy’s obvious passion for dogs, coupled with her passion for owning her own business, has created a wonderful, safe space for dogs and a strong work-family atmosphere for staff. Customers can see the happiness of their pets when they drop them off and pick them up at Mountain Dog Lounge. And the convenience of drop-in hourly day care services allows owners to run errands or take meetings, for example, while their dog is cared for in an enrichment-based and productive environment where both kennel-free and kennel options exist (dependent upon what the dog owner wishes). Many customers have appreciated the flexibility this doggy day care service offers for busy days and hectic schedules.
And, if that wasn’t plenty already, Tracy and her qualified team also offer customized nutrition consultations for dogs who need that level of care. The retail section carries raw food, natural shampoos and conditioners, and high-quality treats and toys. If Tracy won’t feed it to her own dogs, she won’t carry it in her store. She has to trust the products as much as her staff.
So, if you’re looking for dog training, as needed day care, grooming services, or anything else to do with your own “Fido” family member, then stop at Mountain Dog Lounge and learn how they can help. The staff is well-educated and very helpful.
