The Ruff House: new indoor dog park open in Portland’s Southwest Waterfront

Get ready for a little rough housing. Vesna Ader just opened The Ruff House in Southwest Portland just off the freeway at 4th and Lincoln.

It is a full-service doggy daycare, boarding facility, spa and indoor dog park.

“People can come in, hang out with their dog, have a drink, a snack,” Ader said. “All of that's available here.”

Vesna got the idea for an indoor space after spending many rainy Portland days at the dog park with her first dog, Livvy. Although her dogs was having fun, she says she was often cold and wet.

“I really dreamed of a place where we could hang out inside, play with other dogs and I can socialize with friends as well,” she said.

Vesna offers what she calls Doggy Daycare 2.0, a different approach that she thinks is starting to catch on with more facilities.

“There are a lot more interactions with the staff; we do agility equipment, we work on cues,” Vesna said. “We do a new trick every month.”

Vesna wants The Ruff House to be about one thing in particular: community.

“What better way to connect us and bring us together than with our dogs,” she said. “We love our dogs and it's a great way for us to get to know each other and connect.”

For more information visit www.ruffhousepdx.com.