As part of my coverage of this event, I will be exploring the veterinary aspects; traveling with dogs, pet therapy, training and health of dogs involved in the professional dog show circuit. Some of of my first questions were: where do the dogs stay in the city, how do they adapt to the stress of travel and city life, and just where do all of those dogs "go for a walk" to relieve themselves?
I found the answers to many of my questions from Jerry Grymek, of the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. Like the Westminster dog show, the hotel has a rich history as well, including being the subject of Glenn Miller's famous song, "Pennsylvania 6-5000". Each year, the staff at Hotel Pennsylvania wholeheartedly welcome the dogs and their people with soothing live music, special order foods and treats, and their own "Doggie Concierge" on site to make sure everything runs smoothly with so many pet visitors in the hotel at one time.
Here are some of the highlights from a January 2008 press release issued by the hotel:
- "The hotel will greet dogs with live piano music that’s "sound healthy" in the lobby on Saturday, February 9th. The result of a four year pioneering study on the impact of our noisy soundscapes on canines, the music has been specially designed and clinically demonstrated to be twice as effective in calming dogs as "regular" classical music."
- "The hotel will convert function space into what is perhaps the largest in-door doggie spa in all of New York. Located within the lower level of the hotel, the 1st In-Line, Inc. sponsored Green Room Salon & S’paw’ dog grooming/comfort station offers a variety of amenities these show participants require: bathing/beauty parlor/salon, exercise area, walking area, and even his and her’s relieving area. This year will again feature the Dog-tor’s Corner, which includes a canine masseuse and an animal communicator."
Submitted by Jerry Grymek, LMA Communications Inc.
In addition to the stress of travel and being in new surroundings, it is well known that animals will pick up on the emotions of their humans; and stress is certainly "transferable" from humans to pets (and vice versa). Even though I won't be at the Hotel for the "sound healthy" music, I will be interested to find out more about this "clinically demonstrated" calming music, and wonder if it is available for my mp3 player as well being a calming force for the dogs.
As for the Green Room Salon & S’paw, that does answer some of my questions. I do think that I will need to see this in person, and will be sure to take many photos for the Westminster 2008 photo gallery on this site.
Thanks for checking in. More stories about city life for dogs, veterinarians at the show, and pet therapy show dog stories will be posted here soon.
