K9 Country Club — Local services in Deerfield Township

I have taken my dog, Betty, to K9 Country Club approximately twice a month since last summer. She is a large young dog with lots of energy and our family operates under the philosophy that "a good dog is a tired dog." With that said, we do a lot of off leash hiking, jogging, and occasionally, during inclement weather, doggy daycare, to ensure she has ample opportunities for exercise.

Every time I have picked her up, I have heard that she "loves to play," is "energetic," and "had a great time." Until today.

Today I dropped her off around 1:15PM and was called by Amy, the owner, at 2:16PM and told I needed to come and pick Betty up immediately. Fearing something had happened, I called her back. Amy indicated that Betty was "very aggressive" and had nearly caused two fights already. This was shocking to me and I asked Amy why she would be so problematic out of nowhere. Amy proceeded to tell me that every time Betty comes she is rambunctious and doesn't stop. Ummm...yes, I know...she's a puppy. I asked why I had never heard this before and she told me she "didn't know" but I needed to come and get her.

When I arrived I asked again why I hadn't heard that she was a problem prior to this visit and was told that Betty acts "like a bull in a China shop" (yep, she's a large puppy) and that the other dogs don't appreciate it and that her play style is totally inappropriate (again this is the first I am hearing this). So I asked "Is she aggressive or are the other dogs just tired by the time she arrives and she's too much?" To which Amy responded, "It's like a party, she's just arriving but everyone else is already drunk and wants to relax." Ok, good to know because that's very different from "your dog is aggressive and starting fights."

When I asked "So, can I bring her back?" Amy responded "What? Bring her back three more times until she bites someone? No, she's not welcome." Ok...wow. We go from "loves to play," "energetic" and "has a great time" to no longer welcome. That's pretty extreme. Is it warranted? I don't know, I wasn't there. What I will say is this....you're in the customer service business. It's about relationships. Don't blindside people by taking their pup and their money for the last 12 months and then turning around and saying their dog's behavior is deplorable. Additionally, perhaps there is a solution somewhere between "your dog is banned" and "your dog is welcome." Perhaps it is...bring Betty in the AM when all the dogs are ready to rock and she'll be well received.

I'll end this by saying I was in the doggy daycare business for 15 years. The company I worked for focused on relationships and customer service because building into clients builds business. Based on my own experience and the reviews I've read today, it sounds like Amy could use some help in this...

I would have given a negative score if possible. This place cannot handle dogs with strong temperaments (and it’s also a sketchy looking place so I’m glad my dog “failed” her evaluation). I called and was very honest that my dog would be challenging until she got comfortable with the daycare and employees. She can smell fear and if she knows your scared of her she will capitalize on it. They assured me that they could handle her but that was far from the truth. I don’t think they have any formal training/experience with dogs. The two girls that came to check my dog in both looked terrified of her and she was acting like an angel at that point. When I handed her lead over the girl quickly freaked out after I had reminded her that my dog would bark and growl but would be fine once she got used to everything. The girl continued to show fear and started yelling at my dog which just egged her on to bark more. In less than 5 minutes they told me she wasn’t suited for daycare without really giving her a chance. We just moved to the area and for the last 5 1/2 years my dog had been going to daycare twice a week and never had a problem. She would act aggressive but as soon as she realized you weren’t scared of her she would back down and be your best friend. The previous daycare owner even cried when we moved! I now take her to West Chester Doggy Daycare and Pet Resort locations and they are amazing! Much nicer facilities and a staff that is well trained to work with all kinds of dogs. They fell in love with my little girl! I would never recommend K9 Country Club to anyone, even if you have a sweet, submissive dog. They are unprofessional and have little...

We love K9 Country Club. We have been clients for awhile. It had been awhile since we boarded a dog there, only because we had no need to. Unfortunately, that dog passed away in March. We adopted another dog and when we needed to board him, it was the first place I went. Not only did they accommodate my needs, they actually remembered my dog who passed. I hadn't been there in years. It is the type of service you get at K9CC. They treat your animals like their own.

Biggest advantage with K9CC, is their facilities. They do not keep dogs in a run until it is night time. The dog we adopted recently, had been through some rough times, including several trips to the pound. He is the sweetest older dog, but I was worried about how he would do being in a run again. I had zero things to worry about! I took him in a day before boarding as a test run, something they require for new animals to their place, and he didn't want to come home! He was happy to see me, but wanted to go back and play! :) It was great to see him play like a pup. Although, he did come home and crash for several hours. :) That made boarding him so much easier on me. They are reasonably priced and offer great customer service. It is the only place where I will board my dogs. I highly...