K9 Games Reno established a health club for dogs

When Susan Kijowski and Vicki Rhode first met about eight years ago, they realized they both had a deep passion for dogs.

Kijowski had been an independent dog trainer for 17 years and Rhode herself had years of experience breeding canines.

Rhode recognized their skills complimented each other. When they opened their new venture, K9 Games Reno last January, the plan was to establish a health club for dogs.

The duo quickly realized there wasn’t a sustainable market for a canine health club.

“We wanted an athletic club kind of like Curves for dogs, were these guys could do swimming or run on a treadmill; that sort of thing,” Rhode said. “That whole concept that we will exercise the dogs, pretty much went out the window.”

But what they also discovered was a big need to train and even rehabilitate canines to function in everyday life, so they shifted their focus. The foundation for K9 Games is that various breeds and behaviors can’t be trained in a one-size-fits-all model.

When owners bring in their companions, they are given a questionnaire to get a sense of a dog’s behavior. Kijowski and Rhode along with their staff of trainers also observe the dogs for a broader picture of behavior.

K9 Games categorizes dog behavior in three levels: green, yellow and red. Green is for the mild-mannered dogs, yellow is for the more difficult dogs that may be insecure, fearful and sometimes aggressive, and red is for a dog with extremely aggressive behavior that’s on the verge of being put down. They also work with owners to understand the behavior, how to interact with the dog successfully and develop the dog/owner relationship.

The duo insist on taking any kind of canine, regardless of breed or behavioral level, even the ones with notorious reputations.

“No dog should lose life over behavior issues,” Kijowski said. “Medical problems maybe, because you can’t control that. Behavior, we can absolutely control that.”

For example, Kijowski once got a call from a veterinarian about a 10-month-old Rottweiler with severe behavioral problem. It was about to be put to sleep because nobody felt like he could be rehabilitated. K9 Games immediately took in the puppy and put him through a 10-week “boot camp” that changed his life.

K9 Games is situated in an approximately 6,500-square-foot space in the south end of the Great Western Marketplace in northwest Reno, the former home of a Super Kmart.

Among the amenities that makes K9 Games stand out from others in the industry is its treadmill system. Originally constructed for use by Navy Seals, it can accommodate up to six dogs at a time. To their knowledge, K9 Games’ treadmill is the only one to be used for dogs.

“The people who build the treadmill have a client list that includes NASA, robotics companies and there’s us,” Kijowski said with a laugh.

They said the treadmill is essential to the business because, Kijowski says, it is the best way dogs can bond. But it is costly. The treadmill costs roughly $45,000.

They offset the cost by renting it out to groups or individuals to walk their dogs, particularly when the weather is bad.

K9 Games utilizes 1,500 square feet in what used to be the former superstore’s fenced-in outdoor nursery department for the obstacle course and other activities. In warmer seasons, K9 Games also sports a lap swimming pool and is installing a dock diving pool for next summer.

The health club concept is still a small aspect of the business, offering programs for weight loss or muscle toning. In the rear of the space are “penthouse suites” for each dog to catch a nap.

Down the road, Kijowski and Rhode are looking to rent empty booths at the Great Western Marketplace and construct kitchen, or medical office settings to train canines to be obedient in various situations.

In the year since its inception, business has been steady, if not booming. On the day, NNBW interviewed Kijowski and Rhode, they said they had 20 dogs in the facility and can accommodate up to 30 canines.

They said the location in northwest Reno has turned out to be ideal because dog-friendly residential areas including the Somersett master-planned community and several dog-related service businesses are nearby. They originally wanted to open the business in South Reno, but were unable to find a space that suited their needs.

Kijowski and Rhode are always interested in new techniques and equipment in dog training.

“We’re always looking at the newest things out on the market; what’s working in the industry and what’s not,” Rhode said. “We’re always looking. There are many things out there. If the dogs respond to it, we’re all for it.”

Kijowski said there is interest in taking the concept to the national level, which could bode well for its current staff of eight employees who serve as trainers and handlers or, as she says, “trainers in training.” K9 Games may be looking to add staff as the company grows.

“We’re always accepting applications,” Kijowski said. “The nice thing about our crew is that most of them have either been with us from the get go or for six months, are pretty sure this what they want to do and, since we’ve been asked to take this nationally, its an opportunity for them to grow with a small company.”

For details on K9 Games Reno, go online at www.k9gamesreno.com.