If you’ve spent any time around these parts, you know that the true master of the house is Ivan. I come up short in second place, and Scott falls to third. When Miah was still with us, that meant that we all got bumped down a notch, as no dog has ever commanded a house like Miah did.

Miah-5However, while we lived in DC we rarely ventured away from home because I worried so much about daycare and boarding. Sadly, I am only just NOW finding the place I would have felt 100% comfortable taking Ivan (and Miah) for play dates and nights away: Reserved Barking in Alexandria and Springfield.

reservedbarking-2I had a chance to visit the Springfield facility and get a tour of the place and truly see what goes on behind the scenes. The truth is that there isn’t a ‘behind the scenes,” since everything is so transparent – a rare gem in the boarding world. Not only is this the prime spot for daycare and boarding, but all your needs are met with options for training and grooming – a one-stop-shop to pamper your pet.

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In truth, the lobby is nicer than most hotels – marble floors, modern pieces, stunning canvas photos (taken by the owner himself) of real pet clients adorn the walls. It’s a showroom, and a perfect representation of how Reserved Barking treats your dog the moment you arrive.

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Behind the lobby is an organized, methodical approach to safety and care for all pups – including a patent-pending approach to introducing brand new dogs into the group. There are separate inside play areas for large and small dogs, as well as two fabulous and large outdoor play areas. As an owner, I love that the dogs still have the “outside” principle attached to daycare, as pottying inside is not hygienic and is counterproductive to training at home. (For the record, I hate the word “potty”, but I thought it was too crass to say anything else…)

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Small Dog Play Area

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Large Dog Play Area

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Small Dog Rooms

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Large Dog Inside Play

reservedbarking-9 reservedbarking-10 reservedbarking-12 reservedbarking-17 reservedbarking-119The boarding rooms are very large, and instrumental, calm mood music floats through the air throughout the facility. But while those details are impressive, what resonates with me is the love and respect that all employees have for each and every dog. It was obvious how much they adore their pet clients, and the way the pack followed the people around was evidence of how much they feel adored by their caretakers.  Knowing how much I love Ivan, and how his needs are ALWAYS #1 in this house, it was beyond impressive to see that the same level is applied at Reserved Barking.

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Want your chance to win $250 for Reserved Barking?? All you have to do is submit a photo of your dog enjoying summer, and the photo with the most votes wins! All the details are here: Dog Days of Summer Photo Sweepstakes! So go enter and then let us know so we can help spread the word and cast a vote!!

Tell us: what do you love most about YOUR dog??

*We received compensation in exchange for writing this review. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are our own*