TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — With Arizona heat well into the triple digits even after the sun goes down, a midtown dog training center, Journey Agility, offers rentable indoor space for pet owners to let their dogs exercise in the AC.
Kirsten Lake takes her dogs, Bean and Ren, for training and exercise. Lake says Bean is a border collie, bred for working sheep.
"He does not take breaks," Lake said. "Even for hot weather."
Because of the high temperatures, spending hours outside exercising her dogs wasn't an option.
"I realized after I got him he wasn't going to be a dog we could work hard during the winter and then relax during the summer, I was gonna have to find ways to keep his brain learning and thinking," said Lake.
For new members, the sessions cost $30 for 30 minutes. If you're a client, it's $25 for 30 minutes. The owner, Alicia "Fluffy" Nicholas, says if that's too expensive she can accommodate a better price.
"One-hundred percent if someone comes to me and says they can't afford it, I slide a scale. One-hundred percent (because) I do not want to exclude for any reason," Nicholas said.
Agility equipment is set up for dogs upon arrival to ensure they get the most out of their time.
"We also have all the fitness discs, we have scent works boxes, so if they want to set that up they can do sniffy activities with their dogs," said Nicholas. "A lot of people just come here and throw the ball because it's 75 degrees and you can throw the ball five times and your dog is happy and nobody overheated."
This brings a different option for pet owners like Bill Babel and his dog Skye, who don't prefer dog parks.
"Most dog owners like to get up really early and walk their dogs and that's not me. The ability to come here and pick our times makes it ideal," Babel said.
If you're interested in renting a space for your dog at Journey Agility, details are here.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
