When Mike and Kari Enmon decided to expand their lifelong passion for dogs by building and operating a pet resort, their vision was to make their resort ‘the ultimate pet destination’ - and they didn’t skimp on anything.

“We both have a corporate America background,” says Mike Enmon. “I spent thirty years in banking, and my wife is a CPA. And, I grew up on a farm where we cared for 200,000 chickens seven days a week. We’re no strangers to work; we knew what a commitment operating a pet resort would be.”

The Enmons are active dog people who train and compete with their retrievers in field trials.“Owning big dogs, we knew the importance of having lots of room for them,” says Mike. “When we started planning and designing our resort, we knew that we wanted a facility that had plenty of room for the pets, but was still close to the city.”

Mike and Kari bought forty acres in Waller, Texas. It’s out and away from all of the hustle and bustle, but still close enough to Houston to be convenient for their clients.

Their magnificent 13,000 sq. ft. Kickapoo Ranch Pet Resort opened in February of 2011.

When they were designing the facility, Mike wanted it built along the lines of an Orvis Lodge – but Kari envisioned it more like an Aveda Spa. They compromised, and together with their architect, they designed the Kickapoo Ranch Pet Resort. “It is rustic, but at the same time, very elegant,” says Mike.

They have beautiful stonework both inside and outside the building. The facility sits back 700 feet from the road, with gorgeous meticulously manicured and landscaped grounds. The Enmons built two lakes that cover over four acres. “You don’t have to be as fancy as we are to provide excellent pet care,” shares Mike. “But when people bring their pets here – it’s a special experience – from the moment they enter our drive.”

There are fifty-two Ranch Rooms and thirteen luxury suites for dogs. Each of the climate-controlled Ranch Rooms are constructed of block. Each room has a window to provide natural light, and they all have full-spectrum lighting. They have stainless steel fronts and gates, as well as seamless, antibacterial flooring. A waist-high planter filled with live plants runs down the middle of each building. It is not only beautiful; it helps give the dogs privacy from the dogs across the aisle from them. The luxury suites all have flat screen televisions and are equipped with webcams. This allows the owners to view their pets whenever they want to.

Kickapoo Ranch has all-indoor boarding. Each dog is taken out five times a day for potty breaks and exercise. They have twenty-seven 15’ by 60’ enclosures where the dogs can run. “We take them out five times a day for several reasons,” says Mike. “It breaks the monotony for the dogs; they are not just stuck in their rooms 24/7. It allows them to interact with people, and it relieves stress. And, it gives us five times a day to observe the dogs and how they are handling the boarding experience.”

“We officially start the day at 5:30 AM, but either Kari or I are here all the time,” Mike continues. “In fact, we live here – in the upper level of the resort. After the dogs are fed and taken out for the second time, we clean the enclosures from top to bottom. To avoid problems, we are very rigid on immunizations. Every pet must be up to date on their shots – NO exceptions!”

The resort offers a multitude of unique activities and special services for their four-legged boarders. For example, the Nature walk is a 1¼ mile stroll through their beautiful, wooded nature trails. There are several water activities – from swimming sessions to dock dog retrieving. They even offer room service. They have Pampered Pet Sessions, which are one-on-one activities that are customized for each pet’s special interests. Their cat clients are also included in the pampering. They have eighteen luxury cat condos and they have add-on activities for them…special treats, playtimes, and tuck-in services.

The resort holds Day Camp (daycare) Monday through Friday. The dogs are divided into camps (groups) of 12 to 14 dogs, depending on their size and temperament. Dogs that are boarding can also participate in the Day Camp fun activities. If the weather is inclement or it is too hot outside, there is a huge indoor room for Day Camp. And, all of the visitors can enjoy a luxurious spa experience while they are being pampered by the specialists in the Kickapoo Ranch grooming department. They offer facials, wraps, aromatherapy, full grooms, and spa packages to rejuvenate, renew, or refresh their VIP guests.

The resort has a ‘Bark and Ride’ pet shuttle service. They will pick-up dogs and cats at their home and take them to the resort for their grooming appointments, or when they are boarding. Then, after their stay, return them to their homes.

The training program at Kickapoo Ranch Pet Resort is directed by Mike Enmon. They have been extremely successful with their Board and Train Program. Mike does all of the training. The training is done one-on-one – they do not offer group classes. Although he has trained everything from Pugs to Great Danes, the majority of his clients are big, retrieving breeds who want to focus on off-leash obedience training.

Mike and Kari each have their own specialties. Mike is in charge of the day-to-day management, training, grounds keeping, and maintenance. Kari manages the front desk, does the reservations, and schedules all the guest activities. She does all of the accounting and marketing duties, and designed and maintains their website: www.kickapooranchpetresort.com, which has been highly instrumental in introducing and bringing clients to the resort, especially when it first opened. You can take a video tour of the resort, check out all of the activities and special services that they offer, and read reviews of guests. They also have a huge following on Facebook.

“What sets us apart is our attention to detail,” shares Kari. “We have an excellent staff of fifteen. They work hard and develop personal relationships with the pets we care for. Our clientele are looking for peace of mind – not price. They want to know that their pets are well-cared for and, if they need anything – we will do it for them.” And, that’s exactly what makes Kickapoo Ranch Pet Resort ‘THE ultimate pet destination!’

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