Pet Lodge Pet Resort
The Ultimate Destination for Pampered Pets
By Kathy Hosler
Photos Courtesy of Pet Lodge Pet Resort
“‘Are you the one that has the swimming pool for dogs?’ That’s what a lot of people asked when they called Pet Lodge Pet Resort,” recalls office manager, Megan Kirven. When the Pet Lodge first opened, their bone-shaped swimming pool was the talk of the town. And, the resort has never stopped planning and creating new and fun activities for their guests, all the while keeping the safety of the pets uppermost.
Pet Lodge Pet Resort has been family owned and operated since 1978. The owner is Iris Morrison. She has been running Pet Lodge alone since her husband Ken Miller passed away in 2012.
It is located on thirteen beautifully landscaped acres in Alpharetta, Georgia. As people pull up to the property, they see their huge outdoor play yards and beautiful pavilions. And when they enter the lobby and reception area, they are welcomed into a world that gives pets the vacation of a lifetime!
“When people walk into Pet Lodge Pet Resort, we want them to say Wow!” says Jeff Hoehn, the general manager and director of training. “We want to always be a step ahead and offer new and unique services to our guests.
“We were one of the first in our area to offer all indoor, climate controlled standard and luxury boarding, and special fun activities for our overnight and daycare guests. There is someone living on the property at all times. The resort has lots of room and we make use of all of it. Even our standard rooms are a spacious 5′ X 10′.”
The resort has 200 standard rooms, 47 luxury suites, and 6 presidential suites. Every overnight guest gets to select a daytime activity to enjoy. They can choose from a group swim, group or private playtime, agility, and more. They can even take a nature walk through the many trails throughout the beautiful wooded property where turkey, deer, rabbits, and other wildlife make their home.
Pet Lodge has special accommodations for their feline guests. Cats have their own private area that overlooks the bone-shaped pool. They have multi–level kitty condos with lots of open space, comfy beds, and toys. There is a giant playroom with ledges and climbing platforms, and windows with a great view. And they also offer a multitude of kitty playtime activities supervised by the resort staff.
They board exotics too. They have boarded everything from parrots to pot bellied pigs, turkeys to tarantulas, and snakes to skunks. They always have quite an assortment. It is not unusual for the resort to care for 400 over a holiday.
Pet Lodge has special programs and activities that cater to all their guests from playful pups to special needs seniors. They offer a geriatric and wellness program that gives undivided all–day attention to the guest. The pet has their own personal staff member with them for the entire day. Whatever the dog wants to do…swim at the pool, go on a nature walk, have a relaxing massage, or play, they are accompanied by that staff person. Throughout the day, pictures of the pet doing the fun activities are taken and a report card is emailed to the owner.
Pets who come for daycare get to enjoy the same resort activities as overnight guests. Pet Lodge has over 20,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor play areas, filled with balls, toys, agility equipment, and more. They can also enjoy the nature trails, and swim in the bone–shaped pool. There is endless fun and activities for the dogs who attend all–day play. They are grouped according to size and activity level. There is one handler for every ten dogs in daycare.
To further pamper the canine and feline guests at the resort, they have a grooming department that provides spa services and everything from relaxing bubble baths to complete makeovers. And, any guest of the lodge can take advantage of their pet taxi service, that provides door–to–door pickup and delivery service.
The training programs at the resort offer many options. They have group beginner and advanced basic obedience, private lessons, agility lessons, a board and train program, day training, and even in–home training.
“When you sign up for our group obedience classes, you get a lifetime membership for that pet,” says trainer, Jeff Hoehn. “If they ever need a refresher course, they can attend the classes again at no charge—even if it is years later.
“We always try to be on the cutting edge and really give each guest a real resort experience,” states Jeff.” Our website, www.petlodge.us provides lots of information about our facility and services. It used to be that people would call us and we would have to mail them a brochure. Now, they can get the information they need in seconds.”
Pet Lodge is in the middle of a huge expansion. “We are constructing a splash pad water park. It’s going to be a colossal aquatic center for dogs,” Jeff shares. “There are several different areas for the dogs to play in, and it is great fun for any size dog. In one section the water is just six inches deep, and there are computer controlled jets that spray water for the dogs to chase and play in. Other areas shoot water into the air and different configurations spray water from the edges into a gentle shower into the middle of the splash pad. There is a misting palm tree that provides shade for the staff and the dogs.”
A future project is already in the planning stage. It will be a totally new concept in canine fun. The resort will be using landscape architecture to create new and completely unique play yards. Rolling hills will have tunnels built right into them, and areas for climbing will be incorporated into the interactive landscape.
The Pet Lodge Pet Resort has been a real industry leader in innovative entertainment for their guests. Maybe that’s why everyone who visits it says “Wow! My pet gets to have more fun on his vacation than I do on mine!”