Delhi's first dog cafe: Puppychino Cafe and Spa

“And once you can develop some emotional engagement around a pursuit, rather than simply an intellectual one, the excitement flows and the energy explodes.” these lines from Robin Sharma’s novel ‘Discover Your Destiny’ inspired a former engineering student and B.Ed. graduate Nayani Tandon to open the first café in Shahpur Jat, South Delhi, called ‘Puppychino Café and Spa’ in April 2016.

Nayani Tandon with her dogs.

Tandon’s love for dogs intensified when she adopted Bobo, the Labrador in 2013. This drove her to set up a cafe, where she didn’t have to worry about leaving her dog alone, at home. The Puppychino cafe has two branches, one at Shahpur Jat, South Delhi and the other in Janakpuri, West Delhi at present, as they are planning to expand.

Puppychino Café and Spa, is Delhi’s first pet friendly cafe that welcomes dogs and other pets. The extensive menu features cafe staples as well as specialises in dog food. Puppychino also provide dog boarding facilities and houses a dog Spa, where dog owners can get their furry friends showered, groomed and scented. People can buy accessories like bandanas, leashes, collar and more for their pets. They also provide gluten free baked cakes for dogs. Talking to The Citizen, Tandon, said “the dog food items are tried and tested for at least a month before they get included in the menu. There’s a dish called ‘Snoopy Spaghetti’, which is a whole-wheat spaghetti cooked with fresh vegetables, in coconut oil.”

The cafe is bifurcated into a regular dining area where people can sit with their dogs while there is a separate playground for them to play. The people who visits the cafe without their pets can play with Puppychino official mascots; Bobo (Labrador), Simba (Husky), Moose (Labrador) and Kiara (Husky).

Puppychino is a self-funded café that hosts adoption events to promote and support ‘adopting over buying’ lifestyle. They work in collaboration with NGOs and shelters like ‘Friendicoes’, ‘Paws for a Cause for dogs’ and ‘Adopt till you Drop’ and “Purrfection” for dogs and cats to help them find a home and an owner that can provide them with love and affection along with basic amenities.

Dogs and their humans

Talking to The Citizen, Tandon said, “It’s amazing when people just come and have an amazing time with their pets. Earlier, people only with pets used to come but now all animal lovers drop by to have fun and play with cute furry creatures.”

Celebrating Dog’s birthdays

When asked about the process of crossbreeding the dogs to form or create new breed, Tandon said that, she find it ‘stupid’ as all animals are pretty and beautiful and the need to crossbreed doesn’t really exist. She also added if it has to be done then only the trained professionals should do the job with following all the safety measures, as the people with less or experience hurt dogs and ruin the normal body functioning.

Puppychino in collaboration with Pet Home Boarding also organises Pool party for both dogs and humans where people have access to Food and Beverages.

They introduced India’s first beer for Dogs called “Woozy Boozy” last April. “Mutt Mingle- GAME OF BONES” which was organised to mark the first anniversary of Tail lovers Company (TLC) that was on 8th April 2017. It was also marked as India’s first dog beer festival. Woozy Boozy is a 100% natural drink which is alcohol free and non-carbonated.