BowWow Lounge Dog Daycare

Corri C.
OWNER / GENERAL MANAGER

BWL Established: September 2002

Here in the middle of my 7th year in business, I am more motivated than ever to maintain that special bond with our clients and our extended furry family! It has been a tough year for everyone and the fact that our clients continue to stay with us even if there are 'cheaper' options out there only solidifies that our commitment to our clients is firm. When I started my business in 2002, I really wanted to make Bow Wow Lounge mean something. There are cheaper options, fancier options and less hands on options out there and though there are many more now than there were 8 years ago we have had tremendous staying power. Places have come and gone, I am grateful everyday that we have and continue to succeed in such a competitive and growing field of business. I credit this to our clients who believe in what we do and what we stand for.

We not only care about the well being of the dogs and cats we see everyday but we are bonded with every human client who walks through our door. I believe in being a present owner because I LOVE the sense of 'community' it brings, I LOVE the hard work we do, I LOVE that I know every client by name, I LOVE that I really know how your dog's day went, I LOVE hiring employees that love this job as much as I do and I LOVE that you trust us with your 'babies'. It is a tough job, one that I take very seriously. I am here 99% of every week making sure we are always prepared for the day ahead, micro-management is my middle name! I  really cherish the clients we have and the big personalities that go with them, it is why I wake up everyday with a smile on my face.

Thank you for making my job better than I ever could have dreamed it to be!

Dave S.
SHIFT MANAGER / VAN DRIVER / DOG WALKER

Employed since: July 2007

He is mister happy go lucky with a very laid back attitude to handle the constant nature of the job. Never down, he always has a great spin on things. And did we mention that the dogs go berserk when he walks into the building?! The dogs know when he is around, good times follow. He will throw a tennis ball until his arm falls off, he will roll around on the ground, race around with them until they stop running first and scoop them up like babies when they need extra lovin'. Good thing he works 5-6 days a week! He thouroughly enjoys his job and the dogs all know it! He is a 'lead by example' employee. Priceless

His favorite dog was his Black Lab/German Sheppard mix who was 'the best dog ever!'. When the time is right he will have another dog but in the meantime he has 50 or so everyday which he treats as though they are his own! In his time outside of work he is a hardcore biker who depends on his amazing road bikes to get him wherever he goes, even in sub zero weather!

Chris D.
SHIFT MANAGER / VAN DRIVER / DOG WALKER

Employed since: September 2007

He is our super dependable bright and early guy, the one here before the sun rises most days out of the year and shows up with abundant energy. How he does it, most of us couldn't relate. Even having a 1 year old baby boy at home, he is the guy you early birds depend on! Once the rest of his morning support staff comes in, he is off and running the morning van route. Mister Energy, he is the one you can hear laughing at the top of his lungs when your dog does something hilarious or goofy. When he is back from the van, you can find him wearing your dogs out as hard as he can before his shift ends early afternoon. He's always the first one to jump into a project; tidying things up here, painting, cleaning, etc. The ultimate energizer bunny! I am grateful everyday that he remains as excited about his job as we are to have him!

A life long animal lover and pet owner combined with a gregarious personality made him a perfect fit and an easy role model in our BWL staff. In his 'spare time' you can find him and band 'THUNDERUNDERUS' headlining throughout Chicago. Thanks to his very supportive wife Jeny, he finds time to jam it all into his non-stop life complete with baby boy Alex and his ever faithful black lab Lotus!

Charlie W.
DOG WALKER / DAYCARE ATTENDANT

Employed since: March 2008

In the mornings before he goes out walking for the rest of the day, you can catch Charlie taking in daycare dogs and getting them settled into their morning routine. He has been with BWL now for 2 years now and he puts his heart into everything that he does. All of his walking clients glow when they tell me 'Charlie stories', they just LOVE him!

He quickly picked up his long and ever changing route of daily dog walks, replacing a long time employee and tough route, becoming an instant asset with BWL and more importantly, to the clients who trust him with their keys! His furry friends all love him; they seem to be at ease with his quiet demeanor, gentle attitude and funny personality.

Outside of BWL, he works as a professional pianist. He crams a lot into making ends meet and never misses a day, which in the dog walking world is key!

Jessica T.
DOG WALKER / DAYCARE ATTENDANT

Employed since: July 2008

She has an incredible amount of energy and is always ready to pitch in wherever we need her. She comes in ready to go no matter the hour or job at hand. Before moving to Chicago, she was a vet tech at an animal hospital out in the suburbs which makes her a welcomed addition since extra training is always helpful.

She has always had a love for animals which might have to do with the fact that she grew up with two Great Danes, two lizards, bunnies and lots and lots of fish! If you are out and about you can find her working in a crowed bar a couple times a week, so be sure to tip your barmaids!

Destiny D.
GROOMER / DAYCARE ATTENDANT / DOG WALKER

Employed since: December 2008

Destiny began working with dogs as a dog bather and within a few months was trained to become a full service groomer where she spent 2 years honing her skills in Northbrook. After that she worked in her first daycare in the city where she did grooming, dog walking and supervised daycare play groups. We were lucky enough to get her a little over a year ago and is best known for her incredible grooming skills! As much as she loves daycare and walking her special calling is, without a doubt, grooming. She likes being able to transformation her furry friends from shaggy to snazzy. EVERYONE loves Destiny and will wait weeks to get their dogs groomed by our perfectionist!

In her spare time she juggles her 2 year old baby girl Simone and her other love, vocal and dance performance. She is also very active in social organizations involving womens rights and various community needs.   

Justin M.
DAYCARE ATTENDANT / DOG WALKER

Employed since: January 2009

Justin grew up in the South Suburbs of Chicago with his dogs, Dusty and Cody, a rabbit named Reinaldo and three cats. All of the dogs adore Justin and they are always very excited to see him. Any dog who is worried when they first start gravitate toward Justin, he is the king of 'special needs' and he LOVES it! When he's not in the play area making sure the pups are happy and having fun, he's out running around the neighborhood on walks. This is the guy we depend on to organize all of our overnight dogs and their gear! During certain times throughout the year it can be quite a task but one he really enjoys. Since he works a late shift he is in charge of the evening feeding schedule and daily organization. We also have some resident cats who are feral but come out to greet Justin who is in charge of making sure they are fed, watered and are in general good health!

In his spare time he's an avid homebrewer but you will also see him throughout the year over at Metropolitan Brewery, across the street, giving them a hand on brew days. He is the drummer in his band and an incredible screen printer. 

CJ A.
DAYCARE ATTENDANT / DOG WALKER

Employed since: March 2009

CJ has always loved dogs and has been working professionally with them for over 4 years. He excels in all aspects of his day from walking to daycare. For our needs here, CJ was a special find because he's able to approach any situation to learn how to meet the needs of each individual dog he works with. He is always thinking of ways to improve and he is no stranger to hard work. I keep him running from the time he gets here until he leaves for the night and is easily bored when there is any downtime! Always looking for extra things to do, one of his most challenging daily tasks is getting everything shut down for the night and ready for the morning crew.

Outside of work he keeps busy with his practicing and performing with his band or traveling around becoming more familiar with all the different Chicago neighborhoods (Pilson is his favorite place at the moment).  

Daemon G.
DAYCARE ATTENDANT

Employed since: October 2009

Daemon quickly became at home working with us here and at 19 he is the youngest in our group and he was immediately and affectionately dubbed 'the baby'! Though young, he has years of experience around dogs and definitely has a passion for animals. He has a quiet demeanor and the dogs really enjoy his presence in daycare. Mostly a 'behind the scenes' guy, you will see him mostly mid day bringing your dogs into daycare or if you pick up before 4pm. He is sure to be around a long time.

A part time student at North Eastern, he is studying to become an art teacher. If he is as good with kids as he is with dogs I have no doubt he will be an amazing mentor and teacher!

Anna C.
DAYCARE ATTENDANT

Employed since: October 2009

Anna is also an art student and thinks dogs are pretty much the most hilarious animals ever. She enjoys dogs dressed like people, watching them chase their own tails and giving belly rubs. She grew up in the south suburbs with two Boxers and a Great Dane. Since she has only had large dogs we often find her in the little dog area laughing at their cute ways, letting them crawl all over her and giving them a lot of extra hugs!

 

She is regretfully not a current dog owner, so when the opportunity arose to work at Bow Wow Lounge, she was excited to gain a new furry family! In her spare time she dreams of the kind of dog she will have when the time is right and the landlord allows! This decision changes with every new dog that joins our extended BWL family! When she is not working you will find her in art labs around the city, working hard balancing her school work with her work schedule!

 

John K.
DAYCARE ATTENDANT

Employed since: January 2010

Johns long history of working with dogs began when he was a young child where his step father involved him in his hobby of rehabilitating abandoned and abused dogs. Through this close mentoring, John learned how to communicate with animals using eye contact, body language and his own naturally calm energy. Through the years he has assisted his step father in the rehabilitation of over 100 dogs and to him the most important lesson learned was that every dog has a chance to live a normal and happy life.

He is currently the proud owner of 4 rescued dogs, 3 female American Pit Bull Terriers (Althea, Ginger & Milie) and a 12-year old male Border Collie (Dallas). Eventually, he hopes to use his pack to teach troubled dogs how to function normally in a social environment, until then he uses his natural and developed skills making him an excellent addition at BWL.