Business Profile: Double K Pet Hotel Boarding & Grooming

When Hope resident Tina Wallace decided to leave her job at as a veterinary assistant and groomer at a local veterinarian’s office and open Double K Pet Hotel Boarding & Grooming, she met with some resistance. After submitting her business plan to multiple lenders for consideration, she finally found a banker willing to take a chance and loan her the startup capital. Now, 20 years later, Wallace hasn’t looked back and says it may have gotten off to a rocky, uncertain start but it has been an exciting couple of decades.

The 53-year-old Hope resident recently took a few minutes out of her busy day to chat about her business, the hurdles of bringing her dream to fruition, tricks of the trade, what it means to her to be a part of the Hope community, as well as some anecdotes about some of her memorable canine guests.

Q: When did you open your business, Tina? And where did the name Double K come from?
A: I signed on my loan the day of 9/11. I was working for Best Friends Animal Care at the time and had been for about 10 years. In February of this year, I’ve been here 20 years. It is pretty exciting to think it has been that long. And then, the Double K got there because I was only going to have two children, however, with my second pregnancy I had twins. The kids’ names all start with K: Kortney, Kylee and Kolton. The twins tease me now saying I should have named it Triple K.

Q: What is your location?
A: 6300 North County Road 500 East, Hope.

Q: For those who aren’t familiar, please describe what it is your business offers.
A: We board dogs and cats. I actually groom, I am the only groomer here. I groom pretty much full-time and it is by appointment only. Right now, I am booked out to January.

Q: Are there any breeds you specialize in?
A: I groom dogs of all breeds, but Doodles are my thing. I have more than 75 Doodles I do on a regular basis of every four to six weeks.

Q: Would you please describe the accommodations Double K offers for the dogs and cats?
A: The cats are separate from the dogs and have their quiet room up front. We just redid the cat room, they can climb and they each have their separate rooms and own private space. Cats love that kind of thing. Dogs are unique in that they each have their own room inside that is heated and air conditioned and they also have doggie doors they can go out of – like porches or patios that are covered. I have staff who help out as well and they let them out to the exercise areas three to four times each day.
I also come down, because I live on the property, every evening and do a run through to check on everyone. It is kind of a peaceful thing for me. It has helped that I worked for a vet for more than 11 years.

Q: What drives your passion?
A: I’ve always loved animals. My grandfather lived on a farm and my mom and dad aren’t much of animal people, which is kind of strange. I would stop and save the turtle on the side of the road. I’ve just always loved dogs. I love cats, too. I don’t prefer cats indoors, I like my outdoor cats because they seem to be a little bit nicer than indoor ones for some reason, I don’t know what happened there. But, yeah, it has just always my goal to do this. I thought I’ve got the ground, so why not have a facility to board?

Q: How large is your facility? How is it set up to accommodate your canine guests?
A: We have 32 rooms and they’re of varying sizes depending on the size of the dog. We have a couple of extra larges that would fit Great Danes or Saint-Bernards. They have extra large doggie doors, so the dog doesn’t have to scoop way down and hurt its back when it goes out.

Q: And what about the felines?
A: For the cats there are seven rooms. And then there are two extra large cat rooms. We have one client who has three cats, so they can stay in the same room together. Essentially, larger rooms are for the households that have multiple cats that get along.

Q: What do grooming appointments look like? What is the procedure for getting an appointment?
A: A lot of times clients will call in and a lot of times I will return the call and we can discuss. I always ask what kind of hair the dog has, like if it is wavy or wiry. And we make sure they’ve been vaccinated and are current on their Bordetella vaccine. Then, once you get on my schedule, I have clients who have scheduled out six months already.

Q: What happens if a client has to cancel for whatever reason?
A: If you cancel or have an emergency it takes a while to get back into the rotation.

Q: So, what is the trick to keeping a dog content while you groom it?
A: You know what, there really isn’t a trick. I have really good dogs, I should say. When they are on my table it is all business. So there’s no playing because I don’t want them to get hurt, I don’t want to cut myself or them. Sometimes I will bribe them with a treat or two if they are good. Usually, most of them stand there. We have attachment arms to help keep them safe on the table so they don’t fall.
With first time puppies I don’t call it a full groom. It is getting used to the sound of the clippers. So I might turn the clippers on and run it over their body without cutting hair just to get them used to it. I’ve had some really mean dogs that have gotten older and have dementia, it comes to patience and time. And they know when they are on my table we aren’t playing it isn’t a game. When they are done and I put them back on the floor, I will reward them and let them out to potty and they’re fine. They usually nap until their owner comes to pick them up.

Q: How many grooming clients do you have currently?
A: I am grooming about 80 to 85 dogs a month.

Q: What are the protocols for boarding?
A: It’s the same kind of thing. We have to make sure they are current on vaccinations. We also have clients fill out a form to let us know the temperament of the animal, like does he play well with others? Is the animal a fear biter? I’ve been here long enough I can kind of tell if a dog is scared, usually. Once they are here and adjust and we are feeding them and they know we aren’t going to harm them they’re fine and settle down.

Q: Can owners bring some of the pet’s items from home, like food or toys?
A: You can bring your own food, especially if the dog has a special diet or a sensitive stomach, I will request the owner brings own food. You can bring toys and blankets from home. We have cots we provide if dogs are used to lying on the couch or bed. Most of the dogs love the cots. If it is an animal’s first time, if you have something that smells like you that you put it in a bag for the dog. It kind of makes the owner feel a bit better too. And as far as the dog, it smells from home it is all good.

Q: What has been one of your most memorable overnight canine boarders?
A: I had an episode a couple of years ago where someone brought in a down feather comforter with their beagle. The dog was making a nest and when she did she put a hole in the comforter. We had feathers everywhere. We had them in our hair and eyelashes. It took us forever to clean up. Someone else once brought a bean bag with Styrofoam balls in it once. Same thing. Stuffing everywhere. I could probably write a book about some of the things that have happened here. So I always say please don’t bring any Styrofoam ball or feather filled things.

Q: How do animals normally adjust to staying with you? Does age play a role?
A: It depends on the individual dog. Most of them do really well. I am not going to lie, there are a handful that don’t do well in a boarding situation. There is always that fine line. I would say 90 percent of animals do great, they adjust. Honestly, we probably do more with them than people do who work an eight or ten hour day, because they aren’t home with them at all to do anything with them.

Q: How many employees do you currently have?
A: Six part-time. I am very particular about who I hire.

Q: What would you say is the biggest challenge with running a specialty business such as this?
A: Since COVID, trying to get people to work on the weekends and holidays. Someone has to be here 365 days a year. It is like milking dairy cows, it has to be done. That is my biggest struggle right now, to make it fair because some of these kids are in activities and I try to make it right. But there are some weeks I am working seven days a week with no break. That is a big challenge.

Q: Did you ever think you would have a business like this?
A: I didn’t think it would take off this fast and grow as much as it has. When I first started out I had to go to several different banks to get a loan and no one was confident I could make the money to prove to them I would stay in business. Finally, I found a banker who stood behind me and here I am 20 years later.

Q: Would you do anything differently if given the chance?
A: I might make some of my rooms, like the food and med rooms, bigger. But, honestly, I am pretty satisfied.

Q: If grooming appointments are six months out, how soon do clients need to contact you if they want to board their animal?
A: Fall break starts soon and we’ve been full for that for about three or four months now. So, easily a few months out. We’ve actually got a waiting list, too. We aren’t fancy and don’t send out automated messages. It is like one of those ma and pop stores. It is more personal.

Q: How would you describe the benefits of being a small business owner in the Hope community?
A: It’s great because I employ several kids from the area and I think as small businesses we all reach out and try to support one another. I have several Hope residents whose dogs I groom. It is just a neat family-based area. It is cool. There’s a lot of support. I try to support others in the community when I can.

Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
A: The people and the pets. You get to know them like they’re your family.

Q: How do you not get horribly attached to the animals?
A: It is hard, trust me. We’ve had owners who’ve lost dogs to old age. I see some that have dementia, they get it like people do in a different form. I’ve had to say, ‘I can’t groom your dog anymore because it isn’t fair to him and it isn’t fair to me.’ and that is really a heartache. It is hard. You still cry and get upset.

Q: What are your hours of operation?
A: We are here Monday through Friday and someone is here all day. We are also doing some doggie daycare. Drop off times are 8 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. and that is Monday through Friday. Saturdays we are here 8 to 10 a.m. Sundays we are open to the public from 4 to 5 p.m.

Q: Who is one of the most unique puppies you’ve met?
A: There are so many. We have a dog named Henry who comes in for daycare. He’s been coming in since he was a pup and he runs the place. The front office is his area. Everyone knows Henry and if he isn’t here people ask where he is. He’s a Weimaraner and he’s hilarious. He comes in on Tuesdays and Thursdays and hangs out with us for the day. I swear he should come in every day with a business suit on since we all say, ‘Henry is in charge today!’ He is pretty special to everyone around here.

Q: Looking ahead, what do you see in the future for Double K Pet Hotel Boarding & Grooming?
A: Honestly, I wish at some point in time to find someone to take over some of the kennel part of it and remain involved so I can focus on my grooming. I will go as long as I can still go. It is fun and some days are more challenging than others.