Our Story — The Anti-Kennel

LHDC is a local, family owned & operated company providing cage free doggie day care, overnight care, and in-home pet care. We’re the only trained dog care experts in the area offering 24 hour cage free care in a familiar, home-like setting for your pups to safely have fun with their Furiends! We are wholeheartedly 'dog people' to our cores, and our certified trainers & dedicated caregivers have been working with, teaching, spoiling, and most importantly, loving dogs for over two decades. Our extensive histories putting in long hours at dog kennels and doggie daycare & boarding facilities motivated us to embark on this little venture that we proudly dubbed 'The Anti-Kennel.'

There are countless wonderful dogs who do not fit in or excel at socialization in the overcrowded & confining atmosphere of a kennel or doggie day care facility. Often it’s because they’re uncomfortable, anxious, and scared of the loud, hectic, unnatural setting. We envisioned creating a 'Cozy Canine Clubhouse' with the opposite environment of a crowded, busy kennel, and our vision came to life in 2015. 😃 As our pack grows bigger with each passing year, we receive plenty of wet & sloppy daily affurmations reminding us just how much our life’s work is valued & appreciated. 🐶 We could truly never dream of a more rewarding or important job than to be entrusted with the care of your four-legged family member!

Our experienced team specializes in small, constantly supervised play groups in a spacious activity yard — on real grass in a natural outdoor environment! We host no more than 7 furry guests at one time. Although our play yard can accommodate more dogs, a smaller pack size ensures the safest, most enjoyable time for everyone. Smaller play groups allow each pup to receive plenty of individualized attention so that we’re able to cater to each dog’s own unique traits. Like humans, all dogs are different and each have their own fears, likes, and dislikes. It’s very easy for large daycare & boarding facilities to overlook a dog’s personal needs or issues when just one worker is assigned to supervise 30+ dogs! This is unfortunately common practice at most large doggie daycares & kennels.

Many pups understandably feel anxious, irritated, withdrawn, or even fearful when overcrowded in a room with countless other dogs, then locked in a cage all night long and periodically throughout the day, like at a typical day care or boarding kennel. This is especially traumatic for dogs who are not accustomed to being caged or confined in a small space. This can create a volatile, unstable situation for your precious pooch. Rest assured that your fur baby’s needs will never be neglected when they’re in our care. Our small pack sizes and familiar home-like setting promotes a peaceful & fun energy — the polar opposite of a kennel’s high stress, deafening, chaotic environment.

We are absolutely not a kennel, as we often stress to newcomers. We pride ourselves in being the only local company with experienced, certified dog trainers & professional pet-sitters providing 24 hour cage free care — unlike kennels and boarding facilities, where no one is there with your dog overnight! You’ll never have to worry about your best pal being left alone when they’re with us. We’re the cozy, home away from home your best friend needs, giving you the peace of mind you deserve so you can actually relax while you’re away. No one wants to go out of town and constantly worry about their devoted dog, who is spending their time either locked in a cage or anxiously attempting to navigate a jam-packed kennel. We’re a stark contrast from your typical industrialized, overcrowded dog boarding facility — with rows of cages, unhappy barking dogs, chain link fences, concrete floors, and astroturf. LHDC is a place where your pup can relax and truly be themselves — in a natural home setting, with a large, safely fenced outdoor play yard on real grass.

Alternatively, if you need dedicated & reliable professional pet sitters to travel to your home and feed/water your pet, walk and/or play with them, administer medication, or provide another type of care, we’ve got that covered too! We offer in-home pet care for several types of companions besides dogs & cats as well, as our caregivers are very experienced with many kinds of animals. Our convenient home visits are very popular with loving pet parents who are often too busy to give their cherished companions the care & attention they need. This service is also great for senior or special needs pets, or for animals who just need to stay in their own home when their humans are away.

Our clients usually refer to us as their dog's second family because that's genuinely what we are. Every guest that spends time with us is treated as a member of our family, and we treasure our relationship with each & every furball (and their humans too 😉). Contact us today to request your meet & greet, which is a free & fun play date for your pup!