Like most day cares, Diana Weston's new operation will likely be loud, messy and a little chaotic.

As for nap time, that might be a little tricky to enforce since Weston's charges will be of the four-legged variety.

Like a true entrepreneur, she saw a glaring commercial absence in the community and decided to fill it.

"We just moved from Richmond six months ago and we used to take our dog to daycare all the time there," she said. "We went to Oly's pet store and they said there isn't one. That's what planted the seed that this is a great idea for a business."

To be clear, Just for Small Paws Doggy Daycare is not a kennel, as there are certainly a few of those in Chilliwack. This is a day care where dog owners drop off their four-legged friends in the morning and pick them up at the end of the day.

"Basically the concept is that instead of leaving your dog at home, it's just like taking your child to day care to play with other kids," she said. "Here they'll play with other dogs. They have full roam of the premises, they can sleep on the couch. It's like being at home."

Weston had to go through a public hearing at city hall recently for the temporary use permit to operate Just for Small Paws in a small commercial building on Vedder Road.

She had to apply for the permit because the business is so unique it was difficult to place in any existing zones, according to the staff report presented to council. There were no complaints and council agreed to issue the permit so now Weston is planning to open up in early October.

As the name suggests, Just for Small Paws is for smaller dogs, specifically under 30 pounds. Her permit allows her to have as many as 15 dogs and they can only use the outdoor exercise space for two hours between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Dog day cares are more common in larger urban centres and they are becoming more and more popular.

Weston and her husband have a one-year-old miniature dachshund named Lucy. They don't have children, so they understand first-hand how dogs are just like members of the family for some people.

"More and more married couples are not having children or they are waiting later in life to have children," she said. "A lot of people are having dogs instead."

Weston calls her business "luxury doggy daycare" and eventually she plans to have grooming services in addition to retail organic food products and doggy clothing.

She hopes that there are enough people who feel bad leaving their dogs alone all day that her day care will be busy.

"The number one reason people surrender their pets to the SPCA is that dogs are destructive in the home," Weston said. "But that's usually because they are being left alone a lot during the day and not being exercised enough outside."

On Oct. 2 from noon to 4 p.m. she's hosting an open house at the day care at 5462 Vedder Rd. Check out www.smallpawsdoggydaycare.ca for more on the business.