YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --
What happens to pets on Yokota Air Base when their owners go on temporary duty or vacation? The answer for many is on the south side of base, between the Auto Hobby shop and the Par Three course.
The Pet Care Center provides Yokota personnel with boarding and grooming services for their cats and dogs. The center is run by a staff that puts a focus on behavioral development in the way that they deal with the pets. Owners can board their pet for any reason, even if only to provide them with a little discipline.
Buck Yabeno, Pet Care Center pet boarding manager, explained that the center does not advertise for dog training, but he and the animal care providers incorporate dog training techniques in day-to-day care.
"When they leave we like to think they're better," Yabeno said. "And each time they come back they get better and better."
Yabeno has worked at Yokota for 20 years, but it wasn't until two years ago that he finally got his dream job as the pet boarding manager at the Pet Care Center.
"Since then I've been the happiest guy ever," Yabeno said. "This is my dream job because I love helping people and their pets. I see a lot of people who don't know how to discipline their dogs and I'm happy to say a lot of my customers do ask for help. I love it when people say their dog is doing a lot better. When they thank me, that's when I'm really happy."
Yabeno welcomes the opportunity to help his customers train their dogs. He described his dog-care style as discipline first, love second. For Yabeno, training means teaching respect and recognizing humans as their alpha, or as dominant over them.
"I have some customers who board their pets here just because they get discipline and go home a better dog," Yabeno said. "The animals have to respect us and we'll respect them."
Yet, it's not all discipline at the Pet Care Center. The staff wants to make sure that the animals are also loved.
"We do a lot for the pets," said Gouldner Trisha Gouldner, Pet Care Center animal care provider, "I almost feel like we should be called dog maintainers."
Goulder explained that because of her experiences with animals, she understands the care that they need.
"I'm an animal lover and I know everyone else I work with is too," said Gouldner. "My cat is my baby. I cried the first time I took her to the vet, so I understand a pet owner's concerns. I want people to know that we take good care of them. We definitely try to love them, that's for sure."
Gouldner described the routine she goes through every day, cleaning each dog and cat kennel three times over and putting down fresh food and blankets. Each dog individually gets time to roam in the enclosure outside. Each kennel also has access to an outside half of the cage through a door. In good weather the dogs can go outside, and inside the building they have blankets and heating.
The job is not without its challenges and humorous moments. She recalled an adventure she had with a particular dog one morning.
"We had this big strong lab-looking dog," said Gouldner. "One morning we were cleaning and we had all the food out and he snuck in from the yard. I tried to grab him so he wouldn't eat all the food and he dragged me all the way across the floor."
Despite any challenges, the staff works every day to make sure both the customers and the animals are taken care of.
"We have a lot of pride here," Yabeno said. "I try to keep all my employees happy, and happy employees take care of the animals better. My goal here is not to be the best in Japan, but the best in the world. I welcome people to come on over and see what we do."