Before they became owners of Woodlands Doggie Village in 2013, Tati and Kenny Dry both worked high-stress jobs.

Tati, who worked in finance, and Kenny, who worked in the construction industry, both came to realize they wanted to do something with a slower pace that was also rewarding, Tati said.

“I had always loved working with dogs and being around dogs,” she said. “I just found it very therapeutic.”

Woodlands Doggie Village offers boarding, grooming and daycare for dogs of all sizes. On an average day, 20-30 dogs will be at the facility. During the summer, traffic increases to 45-50 dogs, and during the holidays the business can handle up to 60 dogs.

“We’re more like a family-owned business,” Kenny said. “We’re small. We’re not a franchise. We’re affordable, but we also cater to people [who] don’t want to go to the big facilities and just have their dog put in a cage all day. Our dogs are out playing.”

The facility keeps large dogs apart from small and medium-sized dogs with corresponding indoor and outdoor play areas. The kennels are floor to ceiling with plenty of floor space.

Inside, dogs can play with toys or lounge on couches to watch TV. Outside, a grassy area and play structures give dogs an outlet for stored energy.

“We do pride ourselves on giving the dogs as much outside time as possible and a lot of group play and socialization and interaction with each other,” Tati said.

Tati and Kenny started offering boarding services at their home in Magnolia in 2010. Lakeside Doggie Lounge, the name of their home location, is still open for long-term boarding with a minimum of three days.

The building they salvaged for Woodlands Doggie Village—near the intersection of Sawdust Road and Glen Loch Drive—was in foreclosure and had previously housed everything from a gas station to a Mexican restaurant, Tati said.

“The neighbors are really happy that we came in and made improvements,” she said. “Kenny, thankfully because of his construction background and knowledge, he was able to oversee a lot of the work that needed to be done. He enjoys doing it so he’s always adding and doing new stuff around here.”

Tati and Kenny typically employ six workers. During the summer and the holidays, they hire additional seasonal help.

“[Owning a small business] has its different stresses, but at the end of the day when we’re able to just sit and love on the dogs and just see them happy and running around, then that’s the end result that we desire,” Tati said.


Boarding and grooming costs

Day care rates:

  • Half day (5 hours)-$20
  • Full day (9 hours)-$25
  • Additional cost per hour (after 9 hours)-$3

Daily boarding rates:

  • Small dogs-$27
  • Medium dogs-$33
  • Large dogs-$36
  • Extra large dogs-$39

Grooming rates:

  • Baths-$25 (on average)
  • Grooming-$45-$90 (depending on dog size and grooming needs)