By Lindsey Bever

neighborsgo reporter

Benny de la Vega didn’t like the way kennels boarded his pooch. So seven years ago, he started his own doggy hotel, Benny’s Dog Resort, which at the time was called Pet Stay & Play.

How did you get your doggy daycare up and running?

“It got started after I boarded my personal dog at another facility and he came back filthy, all covered in own poop. So I did some research. I was in the corporate world at IBM. They were doing voluntary layoff after 9/11 and asked me if I wanted to take a severance package. So I did. I decided to open my own business and seven years later, here I am. It was an offshoot of what happened to my personal pup. Everything I do there is what I’d do for my own dog.”

What does the dog resort offer?

“We have a doggy hotel and doggy daycare. At the hotel, they get to go play with other dogs; they’re not in cages. They get to mix and mingle. And the day is structured with play times and rest times. For the daycare, people drop off their dogs in morning, go to work, and while they’re at work, the dogs are playing with other dogs. It’s like children’s daycare for dogs. In the daycare and hotel, they all get mixed together during the day. They get their own private rooms when they sleep and eat.”

What makes the resort unique?

“First, we have an indoor and an outdoor play area. If they want to play inside, they can. If they want to play outside, they can. Outside, we have one large swimming pool and smaller kiddy pools for smaller dogs. We have about five different pools, climbing structures and watering toys. Inside, we have games, Frisbees, tennis balls, pull toys, things attached to the ceiling. And we have lots of people interaction. Second, the play time. At most places, there’s an extra charge for playtime, or it’s really short. Here, they get to play all day, and it’s all included in the price.

“We have 60-80 dogs a day and we group the dogs according to size. They’re not as intimidated and can play more freely among themselves.”

Best vet: Benny’s Dog Resort

Where: 1415 Westway Circle in Carrollton

When: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Prices: $12-15 a visit for the daycare and $28 per night for boarding, which also includes daycare.

Contact: 972-466-3653 or bennysdogresort.com.