Bow-Wow Vows

Canine owners who travel and are tired of asking friends or family to play dog-sitter now have an alternative. On March 11, the Howling Dog Inn, a hotel for dogs, opened near Nashville, Ind. \nKaren McCarell, the owner and founder of the Howling Dog Inn, said she has been wanting to start a dog hotel "forever," and "things kind of fell in place" and was excited to see the opening of her facility.\n"This has been a 20-year dream for me, and it finally came true," she said.\nMcCarrell said that her facility is the only pet hotel in the area that she's aware of. The building is 1,575 square feet and features rooms of three different sizes. The smallest rooms are three by five feet, and the largest ones measure six square feet. Also, a 15-by-15 foot "playroom" is located in the building.\n"For the most part, the people who have been here so far have said, 'This is the coolest place.' You really have to come here and see it to get a sense of it," McCarrell said.\nAs for the service, McCarrell said they "like to keep it personal," referring to the Inn's family ownership and four-person staff.\nBeyond simple lodging, the inn provides a multitude of other services to its clients and their dogs.\n"We do boarding, grooming, doggy daycare and training," McCarrell said. "We also do pet weddings. It sounds bizarre, but people do it." \nMcCarrell said she added the service because she thought it would be "something neat to do." The animals appear in dress and tuxedo for the ceremony, which an ordained minister performs. McCarrell has held two weddings in her pet-care career, one for her own dogs and one for those of a friend. She said even pets of different species could be married at the inn. \nA ceremony has yet to be performed at the Howling Dog Inn, but the staff will be offering the service to anyone interested. The cost of the rituals starts at $200, a price which includes video-taping service, wedding cakes for the bride and groom, music, a pretend marriage certificate and flowers for the bride. The staff will also help write vows for the couple, McCarrell said. \nWeddings can be more expensive depending on what additional features pet owners might want. A night in a honeymoon suite or a ceremony in which other pet and human friends are present would be more expensive, McCarrell said. The facility doesn't currently have a honeymoon suite, but McCarrell said they could create one in a day if necessary.\n"I've never had anyone request anything like that, but you never know," she said. \nAnother unique service the Inn offers is "color enhancements," or dye jobs for pets. \nMcCarrell said fluorescent colors, like hot pink and vivid purple, have been most popular lately. She also dyed many animals green for St. Patrick's Day.\n"We have a poodle in here right now that is purple," McCarrell said.\nIn addition to the inn's basic grooming services, the facility also offers spa treatments for pets, such as jacuzzi soaks, hot oil treatments and massages. \nDarlene Dugan, one of the first customers of the inn, recently dropped her three Yorkies off for a 10-day stay.\n"(McCarrell) called us because we were old customers," said Dugan, who previously entrusted her dogs to McCarrell for grooming service. \nDugan had a trip planned and, thanks to the inn, instead of having to stay behind and watch the Yorkies, Dugan's husband was able to accompany her on the trip she said.\nDugan said that they were leaving their pets for the first time and that she had complete trust in McCarrell's pet-caring abilities.\n"She's very, very, very good, very gentle and knows what to do if (the dogs) have a problem," Dugan said. "She's a great lady with animals." \nIn addition to founding the inn, McCarrell is a "master groomer" of 35 years, a title she received from the National Dog Groomers Association of America. Prior to working in the Nashville area, McCarrell was a groomer at Delilah's Pet Shop in Bloomington.\nAs well as being highly skilled and professional in her handling of pets, McCarrell tends to the lighter side of dog care with unwavering emphasis as well.\n"We play with them, talk to them, and my husband makes gourmet dog treats," McCarrell said.\nThe Howling Dog Inn is located on Hwy. 46 in Nashville. There is a two-day minimum for overnight boarding time but no maximum, so extended stays are welcome.