Best dog groomer, Dogma Photo by Jay Paul
Best Dog Groomer Dogma Grooming & Pet Needs 3501 W. Cary St., 358-9267 To hear Shop Manager Didi Tremblay tell it, Dogma's canine clients are just as discerning as human customers. "They know when they're being treated well," she says, adding, "They get the same groomer every time, so they build a relationship with them." 2. The Barking Lot 3. Linda Tate at Short Pump Animal Hospital Best Dog Park Barker Field friendsofbarkerfield.org Richmond's first dog park is still one of its most popular, offering four-legged visitors to Byrd Park a safe space in which to frolic off-leash with fellow canines. The city helps with maintenance, but a lot of the heavy lifting is done by the Friends of Barker Field, which encourages tax-deductible gifts for the dog park's upkeep. 2. Ruff House Dog Park 3. Church Hill Dog Park at Chimborazo
2013 Best & Worst
Best Pet-Friendly Apartment Complex Malvern Manor 41 1/2 Malvern Ave., 358-8771 With doggie stations, no weight or breed limits for pets and a surrounding neighborhood that seems built for walking Fido, Malvern Manor has plenty to recommend it this category. But when you add bringing a pet photographer to the complex and Sept. 9's Doggie Swim, when Malvern Manor allows canines to splash around in the pool before it's closed for the season, you have a clear winner. 2. (Tie) Estates at Horsepen; Hamptons at Hunton Park 3. (Tie) Atrium Lofts at Cold Storage; Kings Crossing; Lava Lofts Best Dog Trainer 2SpeakDog What's the biggest challenge in dog training? People. "It's teaching the person to communicate with the dog," says Kasey Herrera, who co-owns 2SpeakDog with master trainer Jennifer Kyzer. "It does take work. It's not an overnight fix." The duo is getting ready to open a new facility at Glenside and Broad, where they plan to continue their obedience training workshops while adding structured day care for a limited number of dogs. 2. Impawsible Pups 3. Holiday Barn Pet Resorts Best Place to Walk Your Dog Deep Run Park This Henrico County park has long been a favored destination for dog lovers, with walking trails through the woods and around ponds, plus an elevated boardwalk over a creek bed, all of which make an evening walk with your canine companion that much more enjoyable. 2. Byrd Park 3. Belle Isle Best Doggie Day Care Holiday Barn Pet Resorts 900 Southlake Boulevard, 794-5400, or 3800 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, 672-2200 "Doggie day care is similar to child daycare," says Holiday Barn's "Head of the Pack," Michael Hughes. "It's group play." Dogs are matched first by size and then by temperament to ensure a good time. Both locations feature indoor and outdoor play areas, as well as baby pools and, at the Glen Allen facility, a full-size pool that's just under 3 feet deep. 2. (Tie) Diamond Dog House and Impawsible Pups 3. Pets at Play Best Local Pet Service Canine Adventure In addition to pet-sitting and dog-walking standards, Canine Adventure offers a little more than your average stroll around the block. "Dogs walking in the city is only but so interesting," says owner Josh Rickey, which is why he and his dog handlers regularly take dogs out for "adventure walks" at places like the James River Park System, where they can add swimming and rock hopping to your canine's daily agenda. 2. Dogma Grooming & Pet Needs 3. Cool Dogs Petsitting Best Local Veterinary Practice Betty Baugh's Animal Clinic 5322 Patterson Ave., 288-7387 The lizards in tanks around the reception area — former pets who've been surrendered to the clinic — make waiting for an appointment here a lot more interesting, but in the end, we're guessing that it's good old-fashioned service that earned Betty Baugh's your votes. "Clients get a lot of hands-on attention at and after appointments," says Dr. Todd Gaffney. 2. Church Hill Animal Hospital 3. Wellesley Animal Hospital Most Dog-Friendly Neighborhood The Fan It's gotta be the sidewalks. Or maybe it's the fact that you can take your dog on a stroll and get a lot of your errands done in this pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, while Fido gets to enjoy all the smells of city life. Wait, maybe it's the smells … 2. Woodlake 3. Church Hill Best Place to Board Your Pet Holiday Barn Pet Resorts 900 Southlake Boulevard, 794-5400, or 3800 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, 672-2200 In addition to pampering your dogs while you're away, Holiday Barn also has multilevel kitty condos for your feline family members, with a window, views of a fish tank and a private litter box. There's even a play patio for cats, though there's no group play. "I don't know if that's the next frontier or if I'm a brave enough man to start trying that," says Holiday Barn's Michael Hughes with a laugh. 2. Impawsible Pups 3. DogServices Best Dog Treats Three Dog Bakery Stony Point Fashion Park, 330-3536 All of Three Dog Bakery's treats are baked on-site using human-grade ingredients, with no refined sugars, salt, or artificial flavors or coloring. This can lead to some confusion when one of their most popular treats, Let ‘Em Eat Carrot Cake, goes home. "We've had many husbands eat the carrot cake when they see it in the refrigerator," says owner Myra Holden. 2. Best Bully Sticks 3. Clementine's Munchies
