About Us
The Start of The Kennels at Choco Ranch
We became kennel owners when we bought the property about 13 years ago. Not sure what to do with it, the kennels sat as storage until 2023. We ran kennels in Miami but that was not a very hands on thing for us. We bought operating kennels what were staffed and we handled the back office. We did learn about the big issues- cleanliness, disinfection, good staff and re-training the others. We learned that a good kennel provides a safe and clean environment but great kennels reinforce good doggie citizenship and use the same commands and uphold the same expectations as the owners. Our dog is a 14 year old Chocolate Daschund named Choco so the Ranch and Kennels are named after him.
We decided to open The Kennels at Choco Ranch in March of 2023 and had our first paying customer May 12, 2023. At the Kennels at Choco Ranch we use the same commands the owners use and uphold the same expectations but most importantly we attend to each dog as he or she would like. Some wanna carry sticks, others wanna chase balls, and some wanna sit in our laps. Every dog is taken out for a bathroom break before bed time, which is about 1 hour after dark and each morning around 8:00. We wash every kennel every day and disinfect every kennel with Rescue between visitors. Every dog gets to spend time in our fenced run every day and we walk every dog every day through pastures, back country paths, or out to the mailbox whichever is appropriate for the size, age, and health condition of each dog. My wife and I do all the work so when you stop in, you will be talking to the owners. Occasionally we do have some help but not often, the two are also husband and wife and dear friends who love dogs as much as we do.
We are proud to be a 100% cashless business. All customers reserve their kennel, submit their paperwork and pay online, prior to arrival. Occasionally, a new customer may struggle with the technology but a quick phone call and we get them up and running without a hitch.We spend our time with the dogs not checking paperwork or taking payments.
At the Kennels at Choco Ranch, you will find a Dog Boarding setting unlike any other. No waiting room, restrooms, kitchens, or offices we focus completely on our doggie guests. Every dog has a private fully dog shielded indoor kennel that measures 8ftX8ft of climate controlled indoor space that is attached to an additional 8ft by 20ft personal outdoor run. No dark dingy crates here.
A group dachshund walk
Doggie families are walked together and pottied together and spend time in the common run together. However, we never mix dogs who are not part of the same doggie family.
Keeping your training going
When owners list the commands their dogs respond to we post them on a clipboard at the front of the kennel and use those commands each day while we interact with each doggie guest. It is fun because some of our doggie parents use languages other than English for their dogs so we occasionally are surprised by a dog's response to a particular word 😃