Happy customers enjoy time on the grass lawn at K-DOGS Pet Lodge in Hull. Brad and Deb Krommendyk started providing boarding for dogs when they moved to their Hull acreage in 2016.
HULL—For people who love their dogs as much as the Krommendyks do, K-DOGS Pet Lodge in Hull is a must-visit.
Whether a canine needs boarding while its family is away, daily day care, swimming, play groups, training or more, K-DOGS Pet Lodge hopes its services make time away from home feel like a doggy vacation.
The venture began in 2016 when Deb and Brad Krommendyk moved to an acreage a couple miles southwest of Hull.
“We had recently fallen in love with our Bernedoodle, baby Zoe,” Deb Krommendyk said. “She was getting big, and no one around here really offered boarding for large dogs. We were building a shed on our property for my husband’s business and decided to just add a few runs in case we needed them for our dogs.”
Over the last seven years, the Krommendyks have added 20 kennels and continue to grow.
“It was a very unexpected blessing for me,” Deb said. “I found my passion at 40 years old. I love everything about it — I love the administrative side; I have been so lucky and have had the joy to work with some wonderful employees, girls who love dogs as much as I do.”
Deb works as the general manager and point of contact for K-DOGS — she also loves to work shifts with her canine clients. Brad takes care of payroll and manages construction of the lodge space as he runs his own recruiting firm — Great Plains Consulting — also on the property.
Nine women work with Deb at the lodge, where a deep love for dogs sets K-DOGS apart. The Krommendyk’s pet lodge most recently won the Best of N’West agriculture/animal pet boarding/training award for 2024 in The N’West Iowa REVIEW.
“I grew up on a farm and have always loved animals,” Deb said. “When our oldest son was 7, I really wanted him to have a dog. We got our first pup! A few years later we added another and then another. Today, we have two large Bernedoodles. They are awesome in every way.”
Days at the lodge often vary. Some days dogs receive specialized training while others are left to their own devices of fun.
However, daily activity is a guaranteed constant.
“Every day we start at 6:30 a.m., and the last shift is completed at 9 p.m. Throughout the day, we make sure the dogs get plenty of exercise, love and attention,” Krommendyk said. “We are pretty good at finding out what a dog’s love language is. Whether it is chasing a ball for 30 minutes straight, running and playing with friends, going for a walk, getting some belly scratches or just sitting on our lap, we want to make sure they are not just being boarded, but they are having their very own vacation.
“Our hope is the next time they come back, they are pulling their owners into the door.”
Providing day-care services often means pets are brought to K-DOGS in the morning and picked up in the evening. Boarding — also known as the Krommendyks’ “all-inclusive pet resort” — means some clients stay at K-DOGS for weeks at a time. Krommendyk remembers the longest time the lodge cared for a pup was up to a month, showing K-DOGS’ versatility in ensuring whatever an owner’s needs are, their pet is cared for.
One of the most important things in caring for a dog is ensuring clients have well-rounded opportunities for growth, Krommendyk said.
“One of the things that sets us apart are our indoor/outdoor runs,” she said. “All the spaces are kept at room temperature round year. We have two turf yards and recently added two more large grass yards. We call the front one our dog park. The dogs absolutely love having the room to run and sniff. We like to use pools when it’s hot and have lots of shade trees now. We also have a large indoor space for days when it just isn’t fun to be outside.
“We also have an on-staff dog trainer. Makinzey Soodsma is a certified dog trainer and runs our enrichment day care. With this structure, dogs not only get the fun of playtime, but they also get to exercise their brain, making for a more confident, happy and healthy dog.”
Whether it’s welcoming back a regular visitor, or introducing a new client to other boarders, Krommendyk said every morning she gets to spend with dogs simply “doesn’t get old.”
Celebrating K-DOGS Pet Lodge’s seven-year anniversary this fall with the addition of a people’s choice accolade, Krommendyk said she is thankful to all who have supported the lodge and looks forward to continuing to serve pets in the best way possible.
“We love dogs,” she said. “Everything we do, from the way we structure our play groups to requiring drop off and pick up hours, is because we want to do what is best for the dogs.”
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