At Lake Mary

The Dog Lodge is not a typical kennel. It is not a doggie spa. It is not a daily doggie day care. Very simply, The Dog Lodge is a safe, loving home on 25 acres about 30 miles west of the Twin Cities where you can bring your dog when life takes you away from home, be it vacation or business. We limit the amount of dogs that we accept to 3 dogs at a time, which allows us to provide individual attention. We want to be a home for your pet where he's not just a face in the crowd.

Scout

If I was a dog, heading out to a dog spa where I was brushed, fed gourmet home cooked biscuits and read a bed time story would surly sound good. But not as good as heading out to the country to live with a real family who brushed me, gave me a treat, tossed my ball for me, and at bed time let me curl up without a kennel if that is what I was used too. I'm a dog for goodness sakes, all I really want is to hang out with my peeps! The only bedtime stories your pet will get are the tales he hears while hanging around the campfire on a nice night.

We give your pet what they really want..... attention. Your pet becomes a member of our family while you are gone, we are their home away from home. We try to stick as close to their normal routine as possible and you provide their normal food. We want you to be able to take a vacation without worrying. The thought of putting our own pet at a kennel made us sad, even if they promised he would have plenty of time to run. Our dog likes to curl up by the fire in the winter, or stretch out on the cool floor in the summer. He likes to hang out with us at the pool or take a ride in the boat. He likes to sit under the dinner table hoping we drop something. (OK, I hate that part, but it does keep the floor clean). In short our dog is a member of our family and there was no place else he was going to get close to that comfort and level of care unless he went to live at someones home. What we wanted was a home away from home, and that is what we offer your pet.

I would have gladly paid more than kennel rates to have our beloved old dog at a home where he received undivided attention. So why not offer that peace of mind to some other lucky dog without charging an arm and a leg, or a bone and a biscuit as the case may be, hence The Dog Lodge was born. Our 25 acres border a clean fishing lake with plenty of space to run, play and explore. Our safe, fenced yard is park like with amenities like a swimming pool, shade trees, green grass and if your dog notices our beautiful house I guess that is a bonus. Our home is set up for family enjoyment, and your pet is along for the ride. There is always something shaking here, and never a shortage of neck rubbing and belly scratching hands for your dog. We incorporate each new four legged family member based on their needs and routine. So if your dog likes to be outside by day and inside by night we will make that work. Each dog is different, just like people.

The backyard where your dog hangs out with us

But don't just take my word for it, I suggest making a trip out to our home to see the surroundings for yourself. We have humans who wish they could stay here, so I am confident your dog will be satisfied. No gimmicky stuff, no extra frills like facials and bubble baths (those things are really just a way to market toward humans anyway), no waiting area with retail goods tempting you to purchase them, just good 'ol fashioned love. If you want a television for your dog to watch his favorite show, then let us know and we will probably think you are crazy. When we pet your dog we don't call it a massage (unless we are being silly), and when we give a good brushing it's just that, not a salon visit. Throwing the ball is not routine exercise, it is play, and there is not an extra charge for it! If your dog ends up dirty from lounging in the yard we will give him a bath, and we don't charge extra for that either!