Best of the Best

4 BEST OF THE BEST FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 • NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE PROMOTIONAL SUPPLEMENT Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette A lot of people wonder if Dog Party USA is a national chain or franchise. With a name like that, who can blame them? However, it is not – the location in Northwest Arkansas is the only one there is. Dog Party USA is celebrating its 10th anniversary this fall and staff members say it has been an amazing 10 years with the dogs, the staff and the family. When they first opened Dog Party USA in 2005, Chaddie Platt and Priscilla Kumpe anticipated getting to know lots of dogs, but little did they know how much they would grow to love them and their families. "In this business, you become aware of what is going on in people's lives, both the happy and sad occasions such as weddings, births, funerals and illness," Platt said. "People usually think of vacations when they think about boarding their dogs, but there are many other occasions in people's lives that require the pups to come and stay. We are glad to be able to ease the owner's minds when something comes up that is out of their control, such as illness, damage to their house, or a family member who needs their help out of the area. "Now that it has been 10 years, we have seen romances turn into marriages and then children come along. We are with the dogs from puppyhood to old age and are thankful to count them as friends." Platt said that every day is a new day at Dog Party USA. "Some people might think that working with dogs all day would get old, but that is far from the reality," Platt said. "They all have such different personalities, and you get to know them better over time as your relationship grows closer." With five play groups from which to choose, the staff is continually striving to make sure each dog is in the right play group for their size, temperament, play style and age. These are all important factors to consider when evaluating a dog for group play, in addition to breed, body language, amount of past socialization, and confidence level. All of these factors are continually evolving as a dog grows and gains con - fidence, or ages and becomes less playful or agile. With seven outdoor play areas and six indoor play areas, dogs are able to play all day no matter what the weather is like outside. "We have some great projects planned for the coming years, such as an agility field and a swimming pool – stay tuned for more fun and games," Platt said. Dog Party USA Where dogs just want to have fun SPECIAL TO NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Dog Party USA was named runner-up in the Pet Boarding category. HHH RUNNER-UP: PET BOARDING HHH nwadg.com/best Dog Party USA Runner-Up

• Cover