Santa Barbara, Calif., Couple Opens Pet Service Business.

Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

May 7--Kevin Roberson cringes at the thought of ever having to leave his beloved Rottweiler, named Bear, at a kennel or boarding service.

"It takes him out of his normal routine," he explained. "In my dog's case, he was put in a cage with a bunch of other dogs he didn't know. When I picked him up, he had lost his bark. He spent the whole time barking while he was there and wore himself out. And he's usually not a barker."

Although Mr. Roberson hated to leave Bear at a kennel