High End Boarding House for Dogs to Open in Shirlington

A new business in Shirlington will offer man's best friends suites, condos and a rooftop play area for when their people are at work or out of town.

The Board Hound, 3520 S. Four Mile Run Drive, will tentatively open the first week in January. It's been two years in the making, and General Manager Jessica Ward was excited to talk about the new venture.

"Even as a kid, I would find stray dogs and always bring them home and be like, 'Dad, can we keep him?'" she said.

An Arlington native, Ward and her four-legged friend Taz have been getting the final prep work done at the doggy daycare and boarding house. Growing up, Ward wanted to be a veterinarian — but decided against the idea when she realized how difficult it would be to cope with not being able to save an animal's life.

The Board Hound will have a capacity of 50 to 60 dogs. Large dogs will have two large indoor play areas; small dogs, one. The actual boarding area is divided into "suites" and smaller "condos" in order to help distinguish the business from a traditional kennel.

Recycled water circulates under the concrete floor in order to cool it in summer and warm it in the winter.

A mid-sized dog bath tub is located adjacent to the front reception area. Anyone will be able to use it. Cost: $10 per bath.

Boarding starts at $75 for two days of daycare and one overnight stay. Daycare is a flat rate of $30 per day, though discounts are applied to purchases of bulk day passes.

Doggy daycare is just like the service offered to children, Ward said: People drop them off on their way to work and pick them up on their way home. Dogs are evaluated before accepted to ensure they can play together. Nearby trails or even Shirlington Village are available for walks. And, of course, there's the rooftop.

"This is our bread and butter," Ward said, heading toward the stairs.

"It looks really good to the owners. Especially in this area, the dogs are kept inside all day… People are going to see this and say, 'Wow, you guys have an outside!' This is totally unique. The dogs can get some fresh air."

The Board Hound has a gated parking lot accessible from the rear, off 27th Street.

The business currently has three employees. Ward expects to grow to about 15, considering the facility will need to be staffed 24/7.

For more information, call the Board Hound at 703-382-9143 or visit their website.

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