LAKE STEVENS – George Schlosser didn’t know what a doggy day care was five years ago. Now he owns one.
“I thought doggy day care was for a whole bunch of spoiled rotten dogs,” George Schlosser said. “Then, after seeing one where a whole bunch of dogs are running around – it’s just dogs socializing.”
Schlosser and his wife, Lynn, built K9 Korral, at 9612 115th Ave. NE, in 2002 and opened in November of that year.
The Schlossers have lots of experience with dogs. Their own two dogs – Ace, a black Labrador, and Blitz, a dalmatian – have been part of dog search-and-rescue teams throughout the Northwest for the past decade.
All that time spent with dogs started to pay off when George Schlosser was laid off from JC Penney two years ago after 21 years with the company.
Creating K9 Korral “was just meant to be – it was a sign,” he said.
The years of search-and-rescue training taught them how to deal with dogs – just like family.
“We treat our ‘guests’ as we want our own dogs treated,” George Schlosser said.
The Schlossers offer obedience training, overnight boarding and basic doggie day care.
Rather than lock Fido in the house or keep him barking on a chain out back, the Schlossers’ customers bring them to K9 Korral to spend the day with other dogs, while the Schlossers keep an eye on things.
Schlosser said busy dogs are happy dogs. They’re not home alone tearing up the house or yard. Plus, at the Korral, they get some obedience training.
Dave Webb and his wife took a 10-week obedience class with their dog.
“I didn’t even know what doggy day care was when I first heard about it,” Webb said. “After one of our dogs died, the other’s behavior was starting to get out of hand.”
Webb said he now uses K9 Korral to board his dog during parties and large gatherings at his house.
“It’s great during Christmas parties or a large group of people coming over,” Webb said. “It’s not like they are put in a cage; they have places to roam.”
The business, run out of a remodeled horse barn, started slowly.
“But this year – mostly because of word-of-mouth – business has exploded,” George Schlosser said. They average about 16 dogs on weekdays and 22 on weekends – compared with days in the beginning when there were no dogs – but during Memorial Day weekend 33 dogs stayed at the kennels, George Schlosser said.
The business is not yet profitable, however. The Schlossers have sunk about a half-million dollars into creating K9 Korral, and they’ll spend even more to double the capacity over the next year. They hired their first employee last week
K9 Korral has 20 kennels that multiple dogs from the same family can occupy, and three cat cages.
About half the dogs are there just for the day, and the other half spend several days while their owners are on vacation, Lynn Schlosser said.
“Some people bring their dog here so they can have a night off,” George Schlosser said.
For $16 a night and $8 per additional dog, the Schlosser’s will feed, walk and exercise the dogs.
George Schlosser said he believes every dog deserves to get out and exercise, not stay cooped up in a cage while the owner is away.
The Schlossers said they hope to become profitable enough to hire more help. Until then, they’ll keep working from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, including weekends.
“It’s hard work,” George Schlosser said. “But it’s because of how we do things that we are looking to expand – and maybe take a vacation ourselves one day.”
Evan Caldwell: 425-339-3475 or ecaldwell@heraldnet.com
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