Inside the Minato Ward Celebrity Favorite, Exploring the Exclusive Dog Nursery Where Entertainment Celebrities’ Beloved Pets Commute in Chauffeur-Driven Luxury Cars

“Everyone, come here!”

At the staff’s call, the dogs all gathered, and when they were shown treats, one by one, they began to sit down as if understanding something, lining up and waiting.

In recent years, dog daycare centers where pets are taught manners have become a trend among Japan’s elite. What exactly are they teaching? I spoke with Naomi Shiraishi, a staff member at “Haru and Mana,” the daycare center favored by Minato Ward’s elite.

“Here, we first teach basic commands such as sit, lie down, and stay, which are easier to learn when the dog is under one year old. After that, we focus on socialization skills like getting used to other dogs, people, and different sounds, to help them adapt to society.”

Generally, people send their pets to daycare for training purposes. However, some owners in Minato Ward have unique reasons.

“Some clients seem to view it like sending their children to extracurricular activities; they want their pets to have lessons too, perhaps to feel a sense of status. A well-trained pet receives compliments from others, and the owners may feel a sense of superiority as pet owners.”

As expected, it’s Minato Ward, where simply living there is a status symbol. Who are the kind of people that send their pets to daycare in such a place?

“They’re all celebrities, you know (laughs). There are company executives, doctors, and even celebrities. Living in luxury apartments, commuting to daycare in chauffeured cars, they’re truly celebrity dogs.”

The popular option is the 60,000 yen per month (excluding tax) four-day-a-week course. Finally, Ms. Shiraishi told us what she values when interacting with dogs.

“Of course, we prioritize the wishes of our customers, but we’re conscious of making the dogs feel like ‘coming here is fun!’ If they resist coming, it hinders their progress, so creating an environment where they feel comfortable coming is the most important.”

For top-tier celebrity dogs, there’s top-tier service – that’s what a dog daycare is all about.

From the March 22, 2024 issue of FRIDAY