Everyone knows the phrase about "man's best friend,¯ but Jimmy Dillard, owner of Pike Road Kennel, chooses to be "dog's best friend". He and wife, Gail, along with their trained
staff, take tremendous care to make sure every dog enjoys their visit as much as possible. From the lush 80-acre setting of the kennel to the special care and attention each dog receives,
the kennel aims to be a spot where any dog can have fun being a dog.
Jimmy's interest in this business began with field trialing Labrador Retrievers. After moving from Montgomery to the Pike Road area of Montgomery
County, he heard about a field trial being held in Selma and went to watch. He enjoyed it so much, he decided to begin training and trialing
Labradors as a hobby since he still worked full-time for Regions Bank. Spending many hours a week on training, his dog qualified for the Nationals and
came within three points of earning a field champion title.
Jimmy retired from trialing some ten years later, shifting from field trialing to obedience training, boarding and grooming in 1992.
He and his staff share the philosophy of Cesar Millan, known as the "Dog Whisperer", "In order to have a successful relationship with any dog, you must
be able to read the dog. That's what makes Millan such a success,,¯ Jimmy points out "Dogs, by nature, are pack animals.
If you group them by size and personality, they can enjoy their visits even if they've never been boarded before - much like a child enjoys going to summer camp.
After a 37-year career with Regions Bank, Jimmy retired and expanded the kennel into the current facility, which can accommodate over 150 dogs. The indoor
air conditioned and heated kennel offers each pet a private boarding run - a five by ten custom built run with a comfortable cot in each run and solid
sanitary separation walls. Large doors roll up on nice days to allow the dogs a view of the surrounding countryside. The outside kennel features a covered
building with runs made from commercial fencing and equipped with fans. , From a 200-pound Bullmastiff to a two-pound puppy, the kennel groups guests by
age, size and temperament. Golden Retrievers and Labs, Shih Tzus and Terriers, the kennel welcomes all kinds of canines. They offer special care for the
ones who need it, administering medicine and extra attention at no additional charge.
A typical day at the kennel begins with a supervised morning romp around the fenced yards. While the dogs play, a staff member cleans and disinfects
each dog's run and refreshes the water. Every dog occupies its own walk-in run with a cot and individual food and water dishes. "We continually clean
all day long,,¯ says Jimmy. When the dogs go back inside, they each get a dog cookie for a treat. The kennel provides high quality dog food, but they
are happy to feed dogs their own food from home, too. After lunch and some "quiet time,¯ they go back out to play. Of course, each dog gets a pat on
the head or a tummy rub and lots of individual attention every day of their visit. The guests go out again late in the afternoon before going to bed for
the night.
With the treats and special attention, it's easy to see why "dogs always enjoy coming back here", says Juli Thomas, manager and trained vet tech. Juli and husband Todd live nearby
with 10 year old son, Ty. Juli not only works directly with the dogs, but also manages bookings for the company. Along with Juli, the company employs three full-time and three part-time
employees.
Summer marks the peak of their boarding business, yet the kennel stays busy year round. They board dogs (and cats) twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. One of the kennel's canine
guests stayed almost a year while his owner was on military duty in Afghanistan. Some dogs are almost like extended family to the Dillards, such as two Jack Russell terriers that have been
coming to Pike Road Kennel for nearly twelve years. "These two, we keep inside the house", says Jimmy.
Jimmy believes that "service is what counts"¯, He's the last MonCre customer on his line, and he appreciated the first rate service. A member of the Better Business Bureau,
Jimmy understands the value of quality customer service and care for pets."He knows that just as people are different, so are dogs. At Pike Road Kennel, dogs and their people receive
the individual attention they deserve.
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