When Corey Murry ponders the Big Why—why did he and his siblings decided to build and operate of all things a hotel for dogs—he ambiguously and abstractly meanders a little about wanting to build an easily cleaned and odorless facility or being imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit inherited from his father before finally coming to rest on the simple fact that he's a bit of a softy.
Having grown up with on a farm in Eugene surrounded by cows and chickens and, of course, dogs, he and his siblings—brother Casey and sister Jamie Mollas—learned to care for animals early on. But it wasn't until Murry, charged once with the task of boarding his father's dog, realized that traditional kennels could use a good makeover, not just for the dogs, but for the emotional comfort of their masters, too.
When Murry arrived with his father's dog, they were greeted, he says, "with chain-link fences and a choir of barking."
"He peers up and he's got that look that melts my heart. It was awful."
Photo: Heather Zinger
Portland's First Luxury Hotel for Dogs
Around this time, Mollas noticed an interesting trend in the growing multi-billion-dollar pet industry: luxury doggie day care. And having toured the facilities around the country and visiting countless trade shows and, the three put their minds to work on planning and building a deluxe hotel for Portland's favorite four-pawed domesticates.
But Sniff, which opened its doors on May 25, is not so much a dog hotel and resort as it is a neighborhood. There are places to sleep, but there's also a park, a public bath, a salon and a boutique, or hotel gift shop. If one's pet has the propensity to be more nerdy and socially awkward, there's a skylit study-like multipurpose space where dogs can attend a variety of classes or find some simple respite. There's even a gallery with framed canine photos by local portraitist Lara Blair and, coming by summer's end, a "café for humans," where masters can grab shots of espresso and quick bites to eat or unwind with a leisurely glass of wine while they wait as their pups are primped and preened.
Among the many services the Sniff staff offers are bubble baths, massages, groomings (including nail trimmings and "paw-dicures"), daycare, daily wakings and as many as 17 different types of obedience and training classes, where pets learn to simply stay put or learn to shake, jump, dance and speak.
Tiki gets a paw-dicure. Photo: Heather Zinger
Likewise, Sniff's amenities ran the gamut, from the practical to the indulgent:
- A concierge is always present, 24 hours a day;
- Every room, no matter the dog or the rate at which it's boarded, includes plush leopard-print cushioned raised beds, as well as raised food and water bowls;
- Every entrance and exit to the building has dual gates to prevent the more excitable and squirrely pups from escaping outdoors;
- Every room is wet-vac ready for quick, easy cleaning and each room drains into a central drain that's flushed away into the sewer system several time a day, keeping air fresh and premises sanitary;
- All suites have their own ventilation systems, eliminating the spread of "kennel cough" and trapping and pumping out the hormones released by pups in heat, which Murry says maintains relaxing stays for Sniff's male guests;
- The many deluxe suites are 60 square feet and have large windows that let in the natural light (the penthouse suite is 70 square feet and includes a floor-to-ceiling skylight window);
- And to try to re-create the verisimilitude of home, all suites include televisions, and some are even equipped with DVD players.
Luau in the play area with K9 grass. Photo: Heather Zinger
Sniff's most hyped state-of-the-art amenities are its facility-wide HVAC system that filters out any malodorous air several times an hour each day, as well as its K9 grass. Developed with both the dog and its caregiver in mind, K9 grass is a durable padded synthetic turf that absorbs the routine shocks on a dog's joints and includes a space-age drainage system, so that any "spills" are instantly swept away, keeping the "grass" clean and dry.
For customers who don't need boarding, Sniff also caters to pet owners' other needs.
Ever taken your dog for a stroll through Washington Park's muddy trails after a Sunday spring rain? Sniff has a self-service drive-up dog wash that allows folks to clean and dry their pets before letting them back inside the house.
Tiki gets finishing touches at the grooming station. Photo: Heather Zinger
“We wanted to have a plan where anyone could afford our facility," Murry says about his desire to reach out to customers and pet-lovers across the Portland metro area. "We wanted to have options to attract any pet owner."
But the prized mythic customer whose trust Murry says he most hopes to gain is the one who's never boarded a pet.
“We want to bring in new customers who've never used facilities before because they're not comfortable with existing facilities."
Ultimately, he’s looking for someone whose worries he can ease because he himself has known those same worries. He’s looking for someone who reminds him a little of himself not so long ago.
One of the windowed rooms. Photo: Heather Zinger
Sniff Dog Hotel is located at 1828 NW Raleigh Street. Rates start at $37 a night and can run up to $75 a night. To further inquire about additional rates, packages and services, dial 503.208.2366 or visit them online at www.sniffdoghotel.com.
Why Sniff?
Corey Murry on naming his inaugural and ambitious boarding facility:
"It's one of the hardest things, really. It's an emotional decision, I mean, you're naming your child."
After brainstorming dozens of names and eliminating them all in several rounds, Murry says Sniff just stuck. Since so much planning went into making sure the the hotel was as odorless as possible, it was practical decision, but it was also, he says, a little funny and, in the end, the obvious choice. "(People) shake hands, but sniffing, that's what dogs do, that's how they meet each other."
Photo: Heather Zinger
Great pics, Heather! Nice article, Chad!