A passion for dogs
by Kathleen Stinson

DESERT HILLS – “Dogs are people too” is the philosophy of one local dog retreat owner extraordinaire.

Paula Doerr, owner of Santa Fe Dog Retreat in Desert Hills, a no‑kennel, dog day care and boarding facility, unquestionably has a passion for dogs.

A former school teacher, Doerr quit teaching to spend more time with her husband. Now she spends a lot of her time at a home she has created for dogs.

The house–nice by human standards–is inhabited solely by her dog guests and those who care for the dogs. The animals wander together freely inside and outside the house. More like a dog social meeting place than anything else, the house is filled with beds and couches for the dogs. The term “you lucky dog” comes to mind when visiting the place.

“This is my passion. It’s so much fun,” Doerr says. “This is more like child care–only the children are dogs.”

At any given time, anywhere from 12 to 20 dogs of various sizes and breeds cavort together, strolling from room to room, competing for Doerr’s attention. A doggie door leads out to a large  fenced backyard which includes a pond.

Doerr’s establishment knows how to throw a party, too.

If a dog has a birthday, each of the other dogs visiting for the day get to take home a doggie bag containing great dog treats. And the birthday dog gets a stuffed animal, treats and a couple of dog balls or other toys.

“They get to choose their favorite toys,” Doerr says.

At Christmastime, each dog gets his picture taken with Santa Claus to take home to its owner. On Halloween, Doerr and her assistants dress the dogs up in costumes and they dress up in costumes themselves–all in the spirit of fun, she says.

Doerr pre‑screens her clientele to make sure the dogs can coexist peacefully. Many of the dogs have been coming to her day care once or twice a week since she opened it in 2001.

If a new dog wants to join the fun, he must first meet her malamute, Pavarotti, on either side of a metal fence. If the dog passes that test, he goes on to meet Sweet Pea, her German Shepherd. The dogs visit at short intervals a few times before getting invited to stay for the day.

Doerr says the positive experience at her retreat can change a dog’s personality.

“Sweet Pea used to be afraid of all dogs and people,” Doerr says. “She must have been abused. We’ve corrupted her (with love). There’s no way we could give her away now. We love her too much.”

“The Retreat is so needed for the dogs who are not used to being kenneled at night,” Doerr says, adding when a dog owner goes on vacation, dogs don’t know if their owner is coming back.

Doerr and her care assistants prepare a variety of food for the dogs.

The dogs spit out their vegetables so Doerr puts carrots, apples or other fruit in a juicer. The employees cook rice with something like green beans, asparagus and some prime rib, chicken or salmon, to serve over the dog’s dry food.

“This is like a resort for them,” she says.

After they eat, the dogs’ teeth are brushed. Employees also clean the canines’ ears and eyes daily.

Before the dogs go to bed at night, each dog is dressed in a nightshirt. “It calms them down,” Doerr says.

Someone is always at the house–24 hours a day/seven days a week. Doerr keeps a bedroom for herself and her husband, Kenneth who is an engineer, for when they stay overnight. Doerr and her husband live in their own home in another area of Desert Hills.

The dogs are so easy to handle because they are so happy, says Karmen Wuollet, a retreat care assistant.

Another part‑time care assistant, Virginia Steffen, says, “This is fun–not like work. It’s like getting paid for fun.”

Doerr’s godmother, who knew of her passion for animals, left her some money in her will, which Doerr used to start the business and make her dream come true.

And evidently, the dreams of dogs, too.