Our story
The idea for Woofy began with a unique dog named Cognac and his human, Melis.
My name is Melis and I’m on a mission to create a dog hotel and daycare that’s worthy of my dog.
My dog’s name is Cognac and I adopted him from a Spanish shelter when he was 5 months old.
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Like all dogs, Cognac is the best dog in the world. He is a needy little bundle of love and his weird quirks make me laugh on the daily. His well-being is one of my life’s top priorities, which means I totally spoil him and he knows it too.
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Cognac is a happy and relatively social dog but he is also very nervous by nature. Any loud situation or brusk mouvement will quickly put him in a state of anxiety where he’ll start trembling or squeaking. Taking good care of Cognac requires slow movements and lots of sweet reassurance in that dog voice. In other words, he doesn’t thrive in places where he is over-stimulated among too many dogs and too many people.
I couldn’t find a doggy daycare that was right for him.
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I used to work a full-time office job and required regular doggy daycare services for Cognac. I went through a series of professional dog walkers and “pensions” in the region, but either Cognac came back more stressed than before or I got frustrated by the customer service. Long story short, I couldn’t find professional dog care services that were gentle enough for Cognac and high quality enough for me.
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So that’s what I decided to do: create the space where dogs live their best lives with lots of attentive love, while their owners can work and travel without worrying.
2022
Professional accreditation in pet care
Completion of professional training and work experience on pet care (FSIFP), including official accreditation by the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office.
Market research and interviews
Interviewed and organised workshops with dog owners to conceptualize Woofy and its services.
2023
Working with architects & business advisors
Collaborated with architects and dog care experts to design the unique interior of Woofy and the services.
Crowdfunding Campaign
In November 2023, Woofy successful completed a We Make It crowdfunding campaign to finance Woofy's first pop up in Lausanne.
2024
Opening Woofy in Beaulieu, Lausanne!
In May 2024, Woofy is opening its first location at the heart of Lausanne, on the grounds of Beaulieu.
Our Values
Innovative
We are passionate about simplifying the lives of pet parents while maximising the wellbeing of their dogs, and we enjoy thinking of new creative solutions.
Caring
We truly care for the wellbeing of our dogs, clients, teams and partners. Through our services, we aim to inspire kindness and respect towards all living beings.
Community-Driven
Woofy was created with the goal of helping the local community of pets, pet parents and pet lovers. We are proudly designed for and funded by this community, and strive to create joyful connections between the dogs and humans of Lausanne.
Join our team
We are always open for spontaneous applications. If you share our values and love animals, apply!