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The Barker Lounge: a rover retreat
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Members of the small dog group playing on the gym.
Attention all dogs! Bored of chasing the cat into the basement? Tired of vacuuming the kitchen floor for crumbs? Has barking at reruns on Animal Planet got you feeling like your social life is in the dumps? Maybe you need to get away for a day of fun at The Barker Lounge.
The Overall Picture: 4.5 out of 5 wags
The Barker Lounge is a doggie daycare facility that also provides boarding, grooming, and training services. If you've been hoping to find a way to help keep your active dog from bouncing off the walls, keep reading! Clean facilities, a friendly staff, and a fun day of group play highlight this "one-stop shopping" dog care facility.
Location: 3.5 out of 5 wags
Located in a somewhat hidden, inauspicious industrial building in Roselle, I wasn’t expecting much when I arrived with Juneau. However, the daycare is surprisingly pleasant once you get inside. The front lobby is colorful and fun, and the whole site smelled much fresher than I thought it would. A large viewing window to the back area allows parents to see their pups at play. The play areas are separated into indoor and outdoor pens, and the big and little dog “packs” are rotated between the two locations throughout the day. The outdoor pens are covered in tumbled pebbles for better sanitation (helps with drainage) without being too rough on tender paw pads. It was also set up with ramps and tunnels for the dogs to explore.
Staff: 5 out of 5 wags
The front desk staff was very friendly, and on our first visit, they offered me a tour of the facility. From what I saw, they are gentle with the dogs, taking time to interact with them, pet them, and give them treats. Each dog group is kept with the same handler throughout the day to promote pack confidence and unity. And on our return visits, I was glad to find that they remembered me and Juneau.
Services: 4 out of 5 wags
Before using the daycare facilities, parents are encouraged to bring their dog for a free trial run to make sure that he will be happy during his stay – aggressive and very frightened dogs are not good matches for The Barker Lounge daycare. Shy but otherwise laid back dogs may take a few visits to adjust. I did get a report after Juneau’s second visit that one of his pack mates had been trying to mount him throughout the day (poor Juneau!), but that seems to have been a one time occurrence.
When your pup arrives, he will join either the large dog group or the small dog group. Halfway through the day, the dogs are taken to their own private crate for a break and given a peanut butter Kong to chew. When you bring your dog home, expect him to be a dirty and completely tired out (like a kid coming home from the playground). I do wish some effort was made to send the dogs home about as clean as when they arrived, but seeing Juneau get excited once he realizes where we're going is worth a little extra grime.
Cost: 3.5 out of 5 wags
Be prepared to pay for the services – they aren’t cheap – though there are discounts offered for buying packages. A package of 5 all-day daycare visits, for instance, will run you $125. A bath for Juneau cost us $45, which was about $15 more than I expected. However, I did love the free trial daycare visit, and my dog comes home happy and tired every time I take him. In this case, you get what you pay for.
Remember to mention this article when you bring your dog to visit!
For more info: Call The Barker Lounge at 908-298-1444 or visit their website.
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