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Rocky Mountain News (CO) November 10, 2001

PET-LOVER UNLEASHES GOOD IDEA

Rebecca Jones News Staff Writer

Pet-sitter Teresa Torab doesn't take dogs for a walk. She takes them for an adventure. ``I'm here for people who don't have the time to really let their dogs get out and do things that are good for their soul - things better than going around the block,'' says Torab, owner of Dog-Gone-Fun, a dog day-care and pet-sitting service in Boulder County. ``This is for people who really value that in their dogs' lives.''

Thus, a typical outing with Torab may mean a two-hour off-leash hike along an Open Space trail. It may mean a swim in Boulder Reservoir. Come winter, it may mean a half-day romp in a snowy field. Whatever, it's guaranteed to wear out the most energetic dog. And as any dog owner will tell you, a tired dog is a good dog. ``When Teresa shows up, Misha knows exactly what's coming next,'' says Scott Peppet, a law professor at the University of Colorado and owner of a 95-pound mastiff / Labrador retriever mix who is one of Torab's regular clients. ``She just gets hyper to get in Teresa's truck.'' On weekends, Peppet likes to take Misha out on long hikes himself. But at age 2, Misha is barely past puppyhood, so she's got lots of energy to expend on weekdays, too. Torab, 35, is ideally suited to take dogs on strenuous outings. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in animal behavior and a master's degree in conservation biology, so she knows dogs and she knows wildlife. She's also a personal trainer and teaches rock climbing in her spare time. She returned to Boulder earlier this year after a stint in California because she yearned for the Colorado lifestyle. She launched her company in April, figuring it would be a way to combine her love of the outdoors with her love of animals. ``Taking a dog off-leash requires a lot of knowledge about dogs,'' she says. ``It also requires a lot of responsibility.'' Torab has some strict guidelines about her off-leash outings. She won't take more than two dogs - plus Jesse - unless she can recruit another person to go along, too. And she'll only take two dogs if she's positive they'll get along well together. The dogs must be trained so they're under voice control. Mostly, she counts on Jesse to keep the other dogs in line. ``Jesse will follow me, whatever I do,'' she says. ``And the other dogs will follow Jesse's lead.'' In that respect, she says, Jesse is an invaluable business partner. Cost for an off-leash outing with Torab is $20 per dog for a two- to four-hour romp. An all- day ``snow-scapade'' is $35. Torab offers discounts for multidog households and for regular customers. She also offers pet-sitting and pet valet services. She currently serves customers in Boulder and Niwot, but intends to expand into Louisville soon. Torab has temporarily suspended her doggie-adventure services until mid-December. But she'll be back in time to help dog-owners in need of holiday pet-sitting services, she says. INFOBOX For information on Dog-Gone-Fun, check Torab's Web page, www.doggonefun.org or call (720) 562-6181 after Dec. 15.