Dog Lovers Bond At The Ruff House

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Dog Lovers Bond At The Ruff House

Dogs get preferred status at The Ruff House.
Dogs get preferred status at The Ruff House.
Angie Guiter and first dog Milo enjoy a fall afternoon at The Ruff House.
Angie Guiter and first dog Milo enjoy a fall afternoon at The Ruff House.

The green space grabs your attention upon pulling up to The Ruff House on West Van Buren near downtown Harlingen. 

It’s a well-kept spot with ramps for dogs to climb and jump off. There are large ovals on stands nearby, the next stops on an obstacle course of fun for dogs to romp. The open space is fenced but looks inviting as does the dog boutique store next to it. 

Both spaces connect one and the same to The Ruff House. It’s a lovely place for dog lovers and their “fur babies” to enjoy and share their bond with others who feel the same. It’s all the creation of Angie Guiter, a former mortgage industry manager who left big banks behind in San Antonio to return to her hometown to help care for her parents and focus on her own health.

And, as it turned out, her return home would also mean opening a small business. It wasn’t something she planned to do, but if was to happen, it would be dedicated to her love of dogs. During a recent visit to her Ruff House, Guiter had Milo by her side. The friendly chocolate Labrador Retriever followed her everywhere as she gave a tour of the store and its adjacent playground.

A Paw Paw Bakery of dog treats are among the specialties at The Ruff House.
A Paw Paw Bakery of dog treats are among the specialties at The Ruff House.

A variety of food and snacks for dogs fill Guiter’s store, along with clothing and accessories of all sorts for furry family companions. Cups and signs proclaim, “Dog Dad,” and of course, “Dog Mom.” The Ruff House is also a place for dog birthday parties and celebrations to mark training program graduations. Dogs and their human parents can hang out back in a covered patio that has a large ceiling-mounted television.

“All my favorite things rolled into one special place,” Guiter said of The Ruff House in a social media posting.

And indeed, humans can enjoy adult beverages under the shaded patio watching the Dallas Cowboys on a sunny Sunday afternoon while their “fur babies” frolic in the playground.

Open green space provides a place for dogs to romp at The Ruff House.
Open green space provides a place for dogs to romp at The Ruff House.

“The whole thing is so much fun,” Guiter said of her business that features the boutique, members-only playground, patio and self-wash station. “I’ve had people say, ‘I can’t believe something like this is in the Valley.’ They would expect to see it in San Antonio or Austin, but not here.” 

Dog & Downtown Friendly

The Ruff House is contributing to a rejuvenation of business on West Van Buren.

There’s also a trendy coffee shop down the street and a well-done remodeled office for architects just across the way. The Ruff House fits right into this revitalized area near downtown Harlingen. 

When Guiter and her husband, who is also a Harlingen native, returned home in 2020, a drive around brought them to Van Buren and a former restaurant site. The open space that would become the dog playground caught her attention first. The initial idea was to have a playground, with a monthly fee, for owners to bring their dogs to gather while also enjoying a safe public space. 

Dog pillows adorn the back patio at The Ruff House.
Dog pillows adorn the back patio at The Ruff House.

That idea went well with nearly 50 dog owners signing up. A boutique for dogs would soon spring from that notion. After reorienting the space from a restaurant to a specialty store for dogs, Guiter opened the business in early 2021, just as many people were returning to work at offices and schools. Dogs who had become accustomed to their owners being at home full time now had to face being alone again. 

“Transitioning out of the pandemic has been very hard on dogs,” Guiter said. “Poor puppies, you know there has been a lot separation anxiety.”

The Ruff House for some months became a doggie daycare as owners couldn’t bear to leave their furry loved ones at home. Guiter’s business was a welcome spot for worried owners and anxious dogs alike.

“It’s a love of dogs,” she said. “This is a safe place for their dogs.”

Moving forward, Guiter wants her Ruff House to become better known and continue to serve as a gathering place for all things dogs – and those who love them.

Ricardo D. Cavazos is a Rio Grande Valley native and journalist who has worked as a reporter, editor and publisher at Texas newspapers. Cavazos formerly worked as a reporter and editorial writer at The Brownsville Herald, Dallas Times Herald, Corpus Christi Caller-Times and San Antonio Light. He served as editor of The Monitor in McAllen from 1991-1998 and from there served for 15 years as publisher at The Herald in Brownsville. Cavazos has been providing content for the Valley Business Report since 2018.

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