BUSINESSMAN’S BEST FRIENDS: Dog day care center reflects owner’s love of animals

Wayne Ragen makes sure those who come to his day care center are taken care of “mentally and emotionally” with group play and meals. Aggressive types aren’t allowed.Those factors might apply to small children, but Ragen isn’t taking care of toddlers — he has opened Dawg Gone It, a day care center for dogs, in North Monterey.

“There are some analogies for a children’s playground,” said Ragen, 54.

This is Ragen’s first business venture with dogs, but he has spent nearly half of his life working with cats.

Big cats. He worked with lions and tigers, training them, performing. He had them on a ranch when he lived in the Southern California desert.

“It’s where I derived my own passion for proper animal care,” said Ragen. “I harp on it all the time. All their needs come first.”

Ragen, who has had dogs since he was a boy, was a zoology student as California State University-San Luis Obispo when he took a summer job at Marine World Africa USA, which was then in Redwood City.

He didn’t plan on it, but the next thing Ragen knew he was working with Ron Whitfield, training lions and tigers.

“He had the most amazing, loving rapport” with the animals, Ragen said.

When Whitfield entered the lion cage, “they all greeted him like he was part of the pride. Some people have an innate way with animals, and some don’t.”

Ragen didn’t return to college, instead embarking on a 26-year career traveling as a trainer and a performer. He split his time between

lions and tigers, but “my true love was lions.”"What’s key is understanding the animal’s basic behavior,” Ragen said, “whether it’s a domestic dog or a lion or tiger.”

Ragen said he received a few scratches, but nothing serious — he’s got all his fingers.

“Every scratch or bite represents a mistake on the trainer’s part,” he said.

Nine years ago, Ragen said, he had been “full circle” with lions and tigers, and left the industry. He moved to Salinas and took a job in computer-aided drafting.

But after his job was eliminated a year ago, Ragen started thinking about opening a place to board dogs.

“I soaked up everything I could (about the business) like a sponge,” said Ragen, who knew he would be one of a few, but not the only, business of its kind on the Peninsula.

Ragen’s day care costs $25. He also offers overnight boarding and plans to offer training. He has a staff of eight people.

He said he chose the Peninsula because he finds it dog-friendly. In addition to locals, he hopes to draw business from people who are staying in hotels that don’t allow dogs, but who want to bring their pets on their trip.

Ragen can accommodate 39 dogs in “suites” of 20 square feet and up.

The larger suites, Ragen said, are for multiple dogs “from the same family.”

That’s the same human family, not the canine type.

Dawg Gone It is at 539 Ramona Ave., Monterey. For information, call 920-1487.