A BED & BREAKFAST THAT BOWWOWS THEM ALL
Date: Thursday, September 9, 1999 Section: NEIGHBORS Page: S8
By Tanya Fabian, The Roanoke Times

Jeb seemed to enjoy his first stay at a bed and breakfast. When he arrived, he found a welcome biscuit on the bedding in his private suite. He played soccer twice a day with a slew of new friends. He snacked on cookies. But after two nights and three days, he was ready to go home. Donna Tipton led him into the lobby, his tail wagging, his nails click-clicking on the hardwood floor.

"Here he is," Tipton, owner of Aspen Grove Bed & Breakfast Boarding Kennel in Roanoke County, announced. "Hello, sweetie," said Nancy Long, greeting her 2-year-old golden retriever. Jeb crouched low and rolled on his back, basking in attention. Tipton handed Long a bag containing Jeb's toys and blanket. Jeb wagged his tail goodbye and tugged Long out the door.

Aspen Grove is no ordinary kennel. Aspen Grove is a bed and breakfast - for dogs. Dogs are "guests" at Aspen Grove. Pens are "suites." Outdoor runs are "outdoor patios." Owners are "moms" or "dads."

"Pet music," designed to reduce pet stress from separation anxiety, plays constantly through indoor and outdoor speakers.

Relieving her guests' stress is one of Tipton's goals. "Often, there is not a lot of structure to kennel situations," she said. Tipton's quest for routine begins with the strict business hours she has set. Aspen Grove is open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Midday, no visitors are allowed, giving dogs a chance to wind down and nap.

After breakfast, dogs are allowed outside. Each 5-by-8 suite has a guillotine-style door that, when raised, allows them to access an individually fenced-in patio. Dogs participate in supervised group recreation in the play yard or one-on-one play with a staff member. Recreation includes tetherball, Frisbee and soccer.

Around 12:30 or 1 p.m., patio doors are closed and all dogs come in for a nap. Snack time follows, when Tipton makes a late afternoon visit to each suite with her cookie jar. Dogs are then allowed more time on their patios and another session of recreation before supper.

"We make it so our guests know what is going to happen next," Tipton said.

It was late afternoon. A constant flow of people and pets checked in and out of Aspen Grove. The phone rang constantly, but the busy Tipton let an answering machine take messages. "Dogs who are my guests are my priority," Tipton explained. She glanced at the answering machine before checking in Kelsie, a 9-year-old Australian Kelpie. "Twenty-three messages since 4:30 p.m.," she said.

Kelsie stood before the front counter with her tail between her legs. "Do you want group or individual recreation?" Tipton asked Mary Ann Buckowsky, Kelsie's owner. "She has a ball that we throw," Buckowsky said. "She just loves to play ball." "Once they have playtime, they don't feel as abandoned. It helps them a lot." Tipton said. "Do you want us to play individually with her?" "At first..." "She seems like she is a little shy," Tipton said.

Tipton got an emergency contact number from Buckowsky and asked her to sign a boarding contract. She opened a door, led Kelsie and Buckowsky through a short corridor and paused in front of another door.

Tipton then asked Buckowsky to listen to the quiet before she opened the next door, which led to the suites - 40 of them divided into three rooms, with 12-15 suites per room. Silence dissolved into a burst of barking when Tipton opened the door. The trio walked through the room, passing rows of cedar-paneled doors. On the door of each occupied suite hung a clipboard with the dog's name, owner's name, breed, veterinarian, and other important information.

"We're going back to Suite 19," Tipton said as she opened another door and entered. Buckowsky put toys she'd brought from home on the floor of the suite. Kelsie reluctantly passed through the door. High above her head were vaulted ceilings with rotating fans.

Kelsie sounded a lonesome bark as Buckowsky walked away, but minutes later, she tentatively explored her new surroundings. She peeked out of the door that opened onto the fenced-in, outdoor patio connected to her suite.

Usually, Tipton said, when a guest checks in, he or she is given time to adjust to the new surroundings, enjoy some sun on the patio and meet his or her neighbors. "My first objective is to get the dogs comfortable, settling any uneasiness," she said.

Mock fleece bedding, and cookies await each guest upon arrival, but Tipton encourages owners to bring a familiar towel or t-shirt, and toys from home. Some owners even bring their dog's favorite food.

"The folks I appreciate the most, are those who bag each meal separately and label it Monday, Tuesday, etc.," Tipton said. "They'll sometimes put in a special dog biscuit or a special treat."

Open for a little over two months, Tipton already has repeat customers. There's Pooh Boy, a Yorkshire terrier who has visited seven times. There's Penny the Labrador. There's Jo Jo, whose "mom" is a busy executive. And there's Gizmo, a Japanese Chin.

"It's exciting," Tipton said of her return customers. "You know what to expect from the dog. The dog knows what to expect from you."

Dog treats, toys, citrus shampoo and antique gift items are for sale at the Aspen Grove gift shop.

"This is a place I'd like to leave my own dogs," Tipton said. "My goal is to make it as homey as possible for the dogs." Tipton's own dogs - Missy, a Border Collie mix, and Coots, a Smooth Fox Terrier - often happily spend the work day with her.

Tyler the terrier was one dog who didn't seem afraid of his impending stay. As his owner, Debra Flora, checked him in, Tyler happily wagged his tail. "He loves water," Flora told Tipton. "If you ever have a hose out, he loves it. You have to spray him." Flora handed a bag of food to Tipton, who was seated behind the front counter. She carried Tyler's toys - a tennis ball and a ball filled with dog cookies and biscuits - to his suite as Tipton led the way.

Six days later, when Flora returned to pick up Tyler, he didn't seem to want to leave. "He looked at me and just turned around," Flora said. How did Flora convince Tyler to go home with her? "I'm bigger than he is," she said. "And it was time for vacation to be over. Just like us, vacation has to end."

We Welcome You

Donna L. Tipton
Director
Bed & Breakfast Boarding

Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions about boarding or training, we're always glad to entertain inquiries.

Browse our site and if you're interested in a reservation, use our online reservation!