Hound Haus opens on State Route 150

One of the area's newest businesses has gone to the dogs.

Hound Haus (German for "house") recently opened along State Route 150 between Chester and Steeleville, offering obedience training, daycare and boarding - with grooming available after Jan. 1.

"This has been two years in the making," said Dave Hasemeyer, who owns Hound Haus with his wife, Debra. "We were seeing a need for it in the community."

Hound Haus currently offers six 4'x4' climate-controlled indoor kennels, with plans to expand to 12 kennels eventually.

Each kennel has access to a 4'x8' dog run and dogs will be in a daycare play area a minimum of two hours per day.

Each kennel is equipped with private food/water bowls, bedding and a raised flooring system. Hound Haus also has isolation chambers for dogs with special needs.

"We encourage people if (the dog) has a favorite blankie or anything, they can bring that along and we'll put that in there," Hasemeyer said.

Daycare rates are $10 per day, with daycare available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those bringing multiple dogs will receive half price, provided they can stay in the same kennel.

Boarding rates are $18 per day, with $16 per day for three days and $14 per day for seven days.

On the obedience side of things, Hasemeyer is a member of St. Louis Schutzhund Association, which specializes in training protection dogs.

Group training is held on Saturdays at 8 a.m. at a cost of $20 per hour. Individual training rates are $40 per day.

Training includes the commands of heel, sit, down, stand, recall and stay. Vaccinations are required for training.

"All kinds of training is important, but if you want the dog to listen to you, you have to do group training," said Hasemeyer.

Hasemeyer also highlighted the socialization aspects of group training with dogs.

"There's really no set age," Hasemeyer said. "You can bring them as young as puppies to get them socialized."

Hasemeyer emphasized the cleanliness of the facility, which has four trench drains and two septic tanks.

"Cleanliness is probably the most important thing on where people decide to take their dogs," Hasemeyer said.

For more information, visit Hound Haus online at www.hound-haus.com, on Facebook at HOUND HAUS, or call 618-615-3174.