My Generation August 2010 - Keep Me Current

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12 Big-spending boomers pamper their pooches (Continued from Page 11) for dogs of all ages and sizes, with toys ranging from soft toys for puppies, to tougher chew toys for adult dogs and even a line of softer toys for older dogs. “There are a lot of pampering options out there,” Hussiere added. In fact, some of the pampering options for dogs are more expensive than products for humans. For example, one online retailer, which goes by the apt name “Upscale Pup,” advertises spa robes for dogs. One robe, the Darling Duckie, goes for $19.99. A plain robe of similar quality for humans is advertised on one major retailer’s site (no names, but think “Tar-jay”) for $16.99. But, hey, the dog robe has a duckie on it. While it’s very important to keep your pet’s nails trimmed, colored nail polish is a little over the top. But if you want your dog to be on the cutting edge of canine fashion, Upscale Pup has six colors of dog nail polish in colors like “fi re engine red” and “bow wow green” for $11.95 a bottle. Looking at our major retailer, a similar size bottle of polish costs $4.99, but “bow wow green” is sadly, unavailable. But pooch pampering goes far beyond bathrobes and nail polish. How about a stay in an upscale hotel? Portland’s Eastland Park Hotel welcomes pets for a fee of $30 per night (added to the regular room rate). But that fee does more than just get the dog into the door. Each pooch checking in to the Eastland gets a special edible treat, a toy to take home, a copy of “The Ultimate Guide to Dog Parks, Beaches and Trails in Maine” and a copy of Downeast Dog News. They even offer dog walking services for those guests whose human companions want to spend some extra time out exploring the city. But what about the times when the dogs aren’t staying in a hotel, dreaming about room service Milk Bones? There’s always doggie day care. In recent years, doggie day cares have become a booming business. They are exactly what their name implies, places where dog owners who don’t want their furry friend alone all day can bring their dog to play and socialize with other dogs. One such place is Camp Bow Wow in Portland. A franchise of a national company, Camp There are more and more options out there for boomers and others to pamper their dogs, with one such option being doggie day care. These dogs at Portland’s Camp Bow Wow – with prices starting at $26 a day – are happy to run and play with their furry friends all day. Bow Wow is owned by Jill and Gary Mansir, who turned their love of dogs into a business two years ago. Jill Mansir said that she not only owns a doggie day care, she is also a pet owner herself, and she knows a thing or two about pampering her three dogs. “We buy them special food,” she said. “They probably have more beds in the house than any one of us have. They have three beds in the living room and two beds in the bedroom besides sleeping in our bed.” Her dogs also have their own special cookie treats and they have a large toy box that they can rummage through. At Camp Bow Wow, the dogs have all the comforts they could possibly need. When they arrive, they are taken to a large indoor/outdoor play yard, which is separated by the dogs’ size, so smaller dogs are with dogs of their own size. A recent visit to Camp Bow Wow found all the dogs playing and eagerly barking to welcome the visitors in their midst. Mansir said that she has seen her share of lovingly pampered pooches come into Camp Bow Wow; in fact, some of them are regular customers. “We have a handful of dogs come in fi ve days a week. Some of those dogs get a bath once a week and a nail trim,” she said. “People are always spending money on that type of thing.” A day at Camp Bow Wow starts at $26 for one dog, and 10- and 20-day packages are available at a discount. Grooming, which is by appointment only, ranges from $15-$32, depending on the size of the dog. And people who miss their dogs while they are off having fun at camp don’t have to worry. They can watch their dogs on a live, streaming web cam and now even on their mobile phones thanks to an iPhone application that allows pet owners to watch the feeds from the cameras from anywhere in the world. “A lot of people will spend that $1.95 so when they go away on trips they get to watch their dogs,” Mansir said, adding that she also hears from people who have been keeping track of their dogs throughout the day. “I can’t tell you how many people will call and say, ‘I can’t see my dog on the camera, where are they?’” she said. Dog owners with an iPhone can check up on their dogs from anywhere in the world on Camp Bow Wow’s iPhone application. Some dog owners want nothing but the best for their dogs and this luxury cabin at Camp Bow Wow certainly fi ts the bill. It features artwork, a large bed and even a fl at screen TV. Staff photos by Mike Higgins Camp Bow Wow also has facilities for dogs that need to stay overnight while their families are out of town. These range from simple “cabins,” which are large wire crates with beds and food and water, which start at $37 per night for one dog, all the way to the “luxury suites,” which feature a private room with a large bed, toys, food and water, piped in music and a small fl at-screen television mounted on the wall. The luxury suites start at $46 per night for one dog. “At night, we pipe in ocean sounds and CDs that we rotate,” Mansir said.
AUGUST <strong>2010</strong> 13 look better and better 55+ communities Look around many suburban areas, nd you are likely to fi nd age-restrictd communities catering to adults ho have hit the magical age of 55. At this age you may be thinking of etirement or are ready to put in a few ore years on the job. What you may e looking for is a home that is less aintenance, meets your needs (intead of the needs of kids who have ong left the nest), and offers conveience items all in one package. That s just what 55+ communities, also nown in some places as “active adult” r “lifestyle communities,” offer. Forget preconceived notions about senior living.” These are not nursng homes or assisted living facilities. hey are simply subdevelopments hat traditionally offer homes and menities to an age-restricted group. Some communities will even allow individuals ages 18 and older to live in the homes, provided there is at least one other individual in residence who meets the age requirement. 55+ housing offers many advantages to interested individuals: • Amazing amenities: Active adult communities are more than just homes. They typically are built on a sprawling campus complete with clubhouse, pools, exercise rooms, and nature trails. Most offer recreational activities such as craft classes, movie trips, card games, and much more. • Proximity to friends and family: Active adult homes are cropping up in suburban areas all around the country. Their popularity and availability has grown as more baby boomers reach age 55. Because of this, individuals can still live close to friends and family – and continue all of their social visits – but have the convenience of adult living. • Desireable home designs: New homes are being built with open fl oor plans in a variety of styles. Many feature single-level living, to eliminate the need for scaling steps. Energy effi cient materials and many other features make these homes desireable and attractive. • Security and safety: Many communities are gated with announced visitors and have private security patrols. Some are located in close proximity to hospitals and other medical care in the event there is an emergency. •Social gatherings: It’s easy to meet friends of similar ages and like- minded interests in a 55+ development. •Transportation convenience: If you don’t like to drive, that’s taken care of in an active adult community. Transportation to stores, places of worship, and even doctors’ appointments can be arranged, with costs generally covered in monthly association fees. • Maintenance-free: For those who want to forget about snow shoveling or lawn mowing, 55+ communities are perfect. Dues cover most exterior maintenance, such as snow removal, trash pick-up, lawn/garden maintenance, pool care, and general grounds maintenance. Depending upon the development and ownership of the home, interior repairs may also be covered.
Page 1 and 2: AUGUST 2010 Big spenders
Page 3 and 4: PUBLISHER’S NOTE No question, boo
Page 5 and 6: Advanced medical testing (Continued
Page 7 and 8: AUGUST 2010 7 Luxury, not leisure H
Page 9 and 10: High-end vacations: Luxury, not lei
Page 11: A dog’s life By Mike Higgins Let
Page 15 and 16: AUGUST 2010 Greater Portland Conven

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