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Show A-14 Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, December 5-8, 2015 The Park Record Marketplace Nightly Lodging Tally Projected Tally for week of December 6-12, 2015 Pooches have a new place to paddle The Dog Dive offers aqua therapy and swimming for dogs Bubba Brown Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs 41,082 Total Visitor Nights: 7,7356 (Saturday) Weekly High: 5,869 Nightly Average: 2,392,245 Year-To-Date: The Park Record Angela Dirkers, a massage therapist by trade, was used to the tilted heads, the quizzical looks, when she would tell people that she also practiced her craft on dogs. Her new business venture is unlikely to elicit a much different reaction from those who are hearing about it for the first time. She recently opened The Dog Dive in Quarry Village, a swimming center for dogs where she specializes in canine water therapy. "The best way I can get people to understand," she said, "is just like our grandparents do water aerobics in their elderly years to maintain their well-being, it's the same application for our dogs. And we share very similar physiology, so they have the same effects on dogs." The results of canine water therapy for aging or injured dogs or those with dysplasia can be startling, Dirkers said. Reduced pain and decreased inflammation in problem areas are primary benefits. She describes a dog who undergoes the therapy as being able to "turn back the clock." But there are mental benefits, too. "It is a really good psychological release for dogs, as well," she said. "We can't forget that they have a psychological aspect that influences their overall wellbeing, too. So with dogs that are in recovery, what better way for them to be happy and to regain confidence and kind of get back to their usual selves?" Dirkers offers three kinds of sessions at The Dog Dive, which features an 18-foot by 10-foot indoor pool. The first is the therapy. Those sessions are one-on-one, tailored to each dog, and include massages Dirkers does on submersible massage tables. 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 Fri Sat -0.6% (FROM SAME WEEK LAST YEAR) +1.3% (FROM YTD 2014) Nightly Lodging Tally Estimates Occupancy At: 25% Computed by adding the projected number of visitors per night for the week. Actual number of overnight visitors may vary due to last-minute reservations and walk-ins. Source: Park City Chamber/Bureau Bubba Brown/Park Record Angela Dirkers tosses a ball to her dog Hudson, a black lab. Dirkers recently opened The Dog Dive, a swimming center for dogs that focuses primarily on canine water therapy. She says the treatments are popular in many areas of Europe and are catching on in the United States and that a dog-loving town such as Park City is a perfect place to bring the trend to Utah. While aqua therapy for dogs may seem unusual to some, Dirkers said the practice is common in many areas of Europe and is beginning to catch on in the United States, where it's been done primarily on another kind of fourlegged animal. "Aqua-therapy for pets became popular with horses first," she said. "So the equine community is probably no stranger to this, of course on a much larger scale. But it's really transitioning to being a popular wellness treatment for dogs as well." The other two kinds of sessions available at The Dog Dive aren't reserved for pups with health problems. One allows dogs to play alone in the pool, which gives them plenty of exercise and a satisfying dose of entertainment. The other session is similar -- the only difference is the owner gets in the pool, too. Dirkers said that's a great way to simply have a memorable day with your pooch or for owners to form bonds with new dogs. Pricing for individual sessions range from $35 for 30 minutes in the pool with your pup to $90 for an hour-long therapy treatment, though multiple sessions can be bought at a lower rate. Regardless of which kind of session clients choose for their dogs, however, Dirkers is committed to making sure each pet has a great experience. At The Dog Dive, she explained, pups and their parents will be treated like family. "One of the things that we really focus on here is a very personalized, intimate, individual session," she said. "This isn't a group swim facility -- this is much more personal. With a business that operates that way, I am in a perfect position to treat my clients like they are family. They're family, their pets are family and I can really build strong connections." Dirkers first came to Park City nine years ago from Minnesota to ski, and like so many other residents decided to put down roots. The thought of spending her winters on the mountains was the primary allure, but Park City's reputation as a dog-loving town also caught her attention. Now, nearly a decade later, she sees Park City as the perfect place to begin turning water therapy into a popular treatment for dogs. "People are fascinated," Dirkers said. "Some people have followed the progression of this concept for a long time and have waited for something like this. And then other people, I really have to introduce it to them. But for the most part it clicks with people. It's a pretty easy concept to understand, so people here are loving it. It's such a unique community that would value something so odd for a pet. But it's something that people love here." The Dog Dive 8187 Gorgoza Pines Road Dogdivespa.com 435-604-0362 Legislators expect to discuss Medicaid Many unable to afford insurance unless state expands offerings Associated Press Gov. Gary Herbert and other officials were set to appear at a health care conference this week where they're expected to talk about how Utah will help thousands of the state's uninsured after lawmakers opted not to expand Medicaid. Herbert, Republican House Speaker Greg Hughes and others were among the scheduled speakers at a West Valley City conference hosted by the Utah Health Policy Project, a nonprofit that advocates for affordable health care. The federal government has offered to pay most of the costs if states allow more low-income people to be eligible for insurance through Medicaid. The state's GOP-controlled Legislature has rejected plans to do so, citing concerns that the fed- eral money may not be there in the future, among other worries. Utah's officials plan to tackle the issue again in 2016 after debating the issue for more than three years and failing to agree on a plan. Herbert, Hughes and four other Utah Republican leaders met behind closed doors this summer trying to hammer out a plan to expand Medicaid after GOP lawmakers rejected another proposal from the governor earlier this year. House Republicans rejected the plan during a closed-door meeting in October, citing concerns about how Utah would pay its $55 million share of the program and keep costs from spiraling out of control. The federal government would chip in about $450 million. Democrats have criticized the Republican backroom dealings and have advocated for Utah to expand the program as designed under President Barack Obama's 2010 health care law. There is no deadline to approve a plan, but Utah misses out on federal money and thousands of its residents remain unable to afford insurance unless the state expands Medicaid. s e m i - a n n u a l oriental rug sale UP TO 70% OFF We offer Utah's most complete selection of quality handwoven rugs and tribal kelims at consistently lower prices because we import directly. During our semi-annual sale, take up to 70% off our already low prices! Regular $ Sale $ 14 x 24 India Agra $13,899 $5,560 12 x 15 10 x 14 Afghan Veg Dye Mughal Iran Heriz $7,669 $4,634 $2,250 $3,476 9 x 12 8x9 6x9 Pakistan Qum Afghan Veg Dye Rasni Tibet Contemporary $6,825 $3,206 $2,268 $3,413 $962 $680 4x6 2x3 India Agra Afghan Unkhoey $1,191 $65 $596 $49 Sale prices good through Dec. 31st. 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