EDMONDS, Washington (STPNS) -- Cindi and Doug Howell have turned a good idea into a great idea.

As owners of The Whole Pup, a dog day care (and more) center, they provide a needed service to dog owners and the opportunity for their pets to be around other dogs and socialize instead of being cooped up in an empty space when their owners are away at work.

The dogs also have a chance to take classes with their owners at The Whole Pup.

That's the good idea.

The great idea is when they decided that The Whole Pup is a perfect vehicle to help sponsor Old Dog Haven.



Old Dog Haven is a small, nonprofit group, headquartered in Lake Stevens, using a large network of people to provide a loving, safe home for abandoned senior dogs.

In short, they offer hospice, assisted living and placement assistance to dogs in need of help in the latter days of their lives.

The Old Dog Haven goal is that the dogs' final years are happy and that they die safe and at peace, knowing they are loved.

The Whole Pup has just moved into a new, larger facility at 21010 70th St W, just west of the PUD office on Hwy 99.

They feature large indoor, rubber-floored play areas for the dogs, as well as grooming and boarding.

The operators' love for the animals they care for is immediately evident. The facility is clean, with lots of room for the animals to run and socialize with other dogs.

The dogs are split into groups according to size and temperament. They eat and have a short rest period after eating by themselves.

They then spend time with the other dogs in a large indoor area with a human keeper (meaning to throw balls and other toys and clean up any accidents.)

The Whole Pup's philosophy is: "A tired pup is a good pup!" Your pet gets to come and play with a bunch of other canine friends in a safe and clean environment, and you can come home at the end of a long work day to a tired dog that is ready for some snuggle time with you.

The Howells made the commitment to help Old Dog Haven after learning of the great things they do for dogs with special needs.

"Our goal is to provide a loving, safe home for senior dogs abandoned at this stage of their lives," Old Dog Haven officials say.

"When we have room, and the means, we take these dogs into our homes; if possible we adopt out those with a reasonable life-expectancy. We care for the rest as long as they have good quality of life.

"In addition, we try to assist owners in finding new homes for their senior dogs through our website and referrals."

Why is there a need for these services? Many dogs of advanced years find themselves terrified and confused at shelters, where their chances of adoption are almost zero.

Others are desperate for a new home because of a move, owners working much longer hours, trouble with small children in the home, a death in the family, or bad financial circumstances.

Many of these dogs are in poor physical condition as well, making them even less appealing to others.

Helping them is sometimes challenging and often costly, but the work and commitment by Old Dog Haven volunteers is pretty amazing.

It's also very expensive.

For instance, in 2009, Old Dog Haven took in 284 dogs and posted another 184 for adoption. They adopted out 143 of the dogs they took in and 56 of the dogs through the referral.

Another 83 dogs died in their care, often in their arms. Their veterinary expenses average around $27,000 per month ($324,255 total for 2009.)

Old Dog Haven works with two kinds of dogs, those they rehabilitate until they are able to adopt them out and those that are in "final refuge." Dogs in final refuge live happily in homes with volunteer families who love and cherish them as valued family members.

The Howells hope to both adopt an old dog for final refuge and help introduce the program to others. The program is in great need of both volunteers and contributions from donors.

For more information on The Whole Pup, call 425-776-3083 or go to www.thewholepup.com.

For information on Old Dog Haven, call 360-653-0311 or go to www.olddoghaven.org.