Party time for pups

Barb Gilkison can always tell when her two yellow labrador retrievers have had fun at K-9 Playtime.

"They're exhausted," Gilkison, of Green Oaks, said of her dogs, Beauty and the Beast. "They'll go home and sleep all night."

Gilkison is among the roughly 300 clients at K-9 Playtime, which has offered day care for dogs -- and many other services -- in Mundelein since 2005.

Tucked into an industrial park at 403 Washington Blvd., the 5,000-square-foot space is owned and operated by Marla Lunt of Libertyville. A lifelong dog lover, Lunt had jobs in advertising, marketing, sales and other trades before starting the venture.

She was inspired by her own pooch, a schnauzer that needed day care when it was younger.

"I'd been thinking about it even since she was a puppy," Lunt said. "She's 12 now.… . I wanted to finally do this."

K-9 Playtime has two large, indoor play areas where Lunt and her staff of four part-time employees can play with the dogs or let them frolic by themselves.

There's also a fenced-in, outdoor space with three pools. Some of the dogs -- but not all -- like the water, Lunt said.

"We have one pug who comes flying out and hurls herself into the water," she said. "We call her the Fish."

Many of Lunt's clients live in Lake County, but some come from as far away as Kenosha and Chicago. Some of those travelers work in the Mundelein area, Lunt said, while others "think we're worth driving (in) for."

Lunt and her employees care for between 25 and 35 dogs on an average day. Some of the dogs come every day, Lunt said, whereas others only drop in once a month or so.

Kristin Kerr has been bringing her shepherd/collie mix, Farnsworth, to K-9 Playtime since it opened, leaving him to play romp around excitedly -- which he certainly does -- while she's at work.

"He loves it here," said Kerr, of Lake Bluff. "I love that he interacts with other dogs instead of having someone come to the house because he loves to play."

Gilkison brings Beauty and the Beast to K-9 Playtime once a month, and they're always excited about the visit.

"That's when the cleaning lady comes," Gilkison said. "She won't come in the house with the dogs."

Any dog is welcome at K-9 Playtime, regardless of size or breed, as long as it's not aggressive and passes an evaluation designed to ensure it plays well with other pets. The process sometimes disqualifies otherwise-perfect dogs that get overwhelmed by the atmosphere at K-9 Playtime, Lunt said.

"Usually it's (a lack of) socialization early on," Lunt said. "It's kind of like, if you lived in a cave until age 7, and then you went to a cocktail party."

In addition to day care, K-9 Playtime also offers overnight stays, training and grooming. The lobby is filled with dog treats, toys and miscellaneous pet paraphernalia for sale, too.

On Saturday mornings, Lunt turns the facility into an indoor dog park where human owners are welcome, too.

"We have a whole group of people who come here (on Saturdays) who aren't even day care dogs," Lunt said. "They stay and they play."

Fees for K-9 Playtime's services vary. A full play day is $29; a half days runs $18. Overnight visits are $20 a night, plus the cost of daycare. Passes and prepayment plans that offer discounts are available, too.

For more information, visit www.k-9playtimeinc.com or call (847) 970-7529.