Above: Bark & Play general manager Terrie Whiting, left, and, right, owner Ann Crowner are shown at the Burlington business. Below, Crowner is shown training Lulu. Photo/Andy Schneider
By Andy Schneider
Ann Crowner is a dog lover, and taking care of dogs is her passion.
Crowner is the owner of Bark & Play Daycare and Suites in West Burlington and The Bark Spa in Burlington.
After experiencing a bad boarding situation in California when she was a traveling x-ray tech, Crowner set out to make a dog daycare and spa that was all about caring for the dogs.
“Bark & Play is not here to make a million dollars, I’m here to make dogs happy,” Crowner said.
In 2014, Crowner leased the building and started the Bark & Play at 312 Dry Creek Ave. in West Burlington.
In 2015, she purchased the building and in 2016 she tripled the size of the building.
Crowner was able to expand the number of dogs that she is able to accommodate up to 45 dogs at one time.
“Bark & Play is daycare and boarding. What’s special about here is that all of our boarding kids are integrated with our daycare kids. We have regulations that we abide by, so everyone is in pack playing every day,” Crowner said.
Boarded and daycare dogs are integrated, giving them a chance to intermingle throughout the day. While enjoying each other’s company, dogs are separated by temperament and energy level.
Dogs are never left in cages and instead are placed in high-walled “suites” when they are confined so that it doesn’t give off feelings of a pound.
“Here at Bark & Play our mission statement is to have the client trust in us and believe in us,” Crowner said.
Crowner’s staff is always present even on weekends to give the dogs a human presence. The employees stop by even after hours to give the dogs evening meds, potty breaks, or evening treats before bedtime.
This is the level of dedication that Crowner strives to provide.
“Saturdays and Sundays, we are the only ones in the area to offer drop-offs and pickups,” Crowner said.]
Above: Bark & Play owner Ann Crowner is shown training her newest dog, Lulu.
In 2020, she opened The Bark Spa at 1200 N. Seventh St. in Burlington to add a service to groom dogs and offer TheraClean services. TheraClean is an advanced cleaning process using only water.
The TheraClean process sends microbubbles into the dog’s hair follicles to clean, refresh, and rejuvenate.
Presently, the Bark Spa has three groomers on staff, and they can meet the needs of any sort of dog and any level of styling.
All of the staff at Bark and Play and the Bark Spa are certified in pet CPR and first aid. Crowner and her husband are certified pet CPR instructors. If you drop your dog off at either location, you can be sure that it is in capable hands.
“TheraClean, is a therapeutic bath where they soak in water for 20 minutes. It helps with any kind of skin allergies. It helps seniors with arthritis, it helps with mange, it helps yeast, etc.” Crowner said.
Few places offer TheraClean service, with The Bark Spa being the only facility in Iowa.
The closest places offering TheraClean are in St. Louis or Omaha. TheraClean alone would make The Bark Spa stand out, but Crowner is focused on going the extra mile.
Crowner’s goal is to make her boarding and daycare, just like home for the dogs.
Crowner also wants to be sure that her spa provides great grooming services that always put the dog’s comfort first.
Crowner wants to make sure that customers can trust her businesses with their pets.
“Even though this is my place, my dogs are my kids,” Crowner said.
That sentiment is shared among the staff of both of Crowner’s businesses. If you’re looking for a caring staff to work with your dogs in terms of boarding, daycare, or grooming, Ann Crowner and her team are ready to help.