Summer at Doggy’s Island…
This August, 2025, I had the privilege of interning at Doggy’s Island, a resort that specializes in the hospitality and care of dogs and their families. The resort provides a unique experience, where guests are able to bring their dogs with them to experience a relaxing resort atmosphere in Chiba, Japan.
This internship was an opportunity to build on my previous hospitality experience, taking me beyond the restaurant and hotel work I've done in the past into the world of resorts. I gained hands-on experience across each department of the resort, from caring for the animals to lounge work and running workshops for children.
A New Kind of Hospitality
Dogs are the first priority at Doggy's Island. I worked closely with the experienced animal handlers to walk the dogs, feed and groom them, and have them interact safely with children. Through my experience, my perception of hospitality work expanded. The service that Doggy's Island provides is one that centers the dogs for the benefits of their owners. Doggy's Island understands how for their clients, dogs are not just pets, but valuable members of each family. As such, I was trained on how to treat the dogs with the same kind of care and respect that is usually shown to human clientele, and in doing so create a space that dog loving families are excited to return to each summer.
Work in the Lounge
When I wasn't busy with the animals, I worked in the lounge. I was able to leverage my previous food service experience, making drinks, taking orders, and serving food to guests, while keeping up with the summer rush.
Working With Kids
As an artist, inspiring creativity in kids is some of my most gratifying work. I had the opportunity to work with a children's summer camp at Doggy's Island, where I led workshops. Together we made teru teru bozu, a traditional Japanese children's craft that involves creating a ghost out of tissue and is said to bring good weather. I also led a lantern ceremony, where children wrote messages on lanterns before letting them fly into the night.
