The Barking Lot

Business Details

Your Trusted Pet Care Partner in Des Moines

The Barking Lot is a family-owned business dedicated to providing comprehensive pet care services for cats and dogs. Our team combines over 50 years of collective experience in pet grooming, animal behavior, training, and healthcare to deliver personalized care tailored to each pet's unique needs. We prioritize creating a stress-free environment through specialized attention, including soothing music, essential oils, and customized activity plans. Our staff maintains ongoing education to stay current with industry advancements, ensuring the highest standards of care. We offer boarding, grooming, training, and daycare services with flexible scheduling options to accommodate pet owners' lifestyles. Transparency and trust are central to our operations, with open invitations for facility tours at any time during business hours.

Our commitment to treating every pet as part of our extended family has established us as a trusted choice in the Greater Des Moines Area. We maintain clear communication channels through multiple contact methods and operate with defined business hours that balance accessibility with quality service delivery. Our facility features specialized spaces for different services, including premium boarding suites and a dedicated cattery, designed to enhance pet comfort and well-being. This comprehensive approach positions us to serve as a reliable partner in pet care for local pet owners seeking professional, compassionate services.

Services

Boarding Grooming Training Daycare Cattery

Highlights and features

Family-owned business with 50+ years of combined pet care expertise
Specialized services tailored to individual pet needs and behaviors
Modern facilities featuring premium boarding suites and dedicated cattery
Comprehensive training programs from puppy basics to advanced behavior
Flexible visitation policy with no appointment required for facility tours

Website

Update Listing

Services

Boarding

Our premium boarding suites feature laminate walls, glass fronts, and Kuranda beds to create a comfortable environment. Staff monitor pets daily while providing four walks and specialized care. We use calming techniques including music therapy and essential oils to reduce stress during stays.

Grooming

Professional grooming services include bathing, scissor finishing, ear cleaning, and nail trimming. Our experienced groomers provide one-on-one attention to address pet anxiety while maintaining coat health. Continuing education ensures up-to-date techniques for all breed standards.

Training

We offer puppy socialization classes covering basic commands and care essentials. Private lessons address specific behavioral needs with customized programs. Our six-week group courses focus on developing obedience skills and strengthening owner-pet relationships through positive reinforcement methods.

Daycare

Customized daycare plans match dogs to appropriate play groups using behavioral assessments. We balance physical exercise with mental stimulation activities to ensure tired, happy pets. Limited-capacity programs allow personalized attention while maintaining safe social environments.

Cattery

Our dedicated cattery features sound-isolated rooms with picture windows and cat condos. Boarding cats receive individual roam time in specially designed spaces that minimize stress. Pricing options accommodate multiple-cat households while maintaining separate living arrangements from dog areas.

Questions

What pet services do you offer?

We provide boarding, grooming, training, and daycare services for cats and dogs with specialized care options for each species.

Are your staff trained in pet emergency care?

Our team maintains current knowledge in canine CPR and animal first aid as part of our ongoing professional development requirements.

Can I tour the facility before boarding?

Yes, we welcome walk-in tours during business hours with no appointment required to see our boarding suites and cattery spaces.

What are your business hours?

Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm for general services, with boarding drop-off/pickup available until 5:30pm. Weekend visits by appointment only.

Do you offer cat-specific boarding?

Yes, our front-facing cattery provides separate, quiet accommodations for cats with picture windows and custom cat walks.

How are pets exercised during boarding?

Boarding pets receive four daily walks plus in-suite activity monitoring to ensure proper physical and mental stimulation throughout their stay.

Reviews (5)

Write a Review

Michelle Plotzker

May 15, 2022 Report

I can not recommend Kayla highly enough. I am a veterinarian and my pup Daisy is my baby. She is anxious being kenneled or blow dried. When I brought her to Kayla for the first time a few months ago she hadn't been professionally groomed in 9 months (since we moved to the area) and my baths and brushing weren't cutting it. Kayla listened to my explanation of Daisy's quirks with infinite patience and did an amazing job of getting rid of the undercoat that I hadn't been able to.

She even put special earmuffs on her to block out the noise of the dryer! Daisy is just back from her second visit and looking fantastic! I love having her groomed at the start of summer to finish out the spring shedding season. Kayla took excellent care of her once again and it's obvious that Daisy feels like a million bucks. She's the only person in town I'll be bringing my sweet pup to for grooming. Thanks Kayla!

James Dekezel

Jan 09, 2022 Report

I have a very Hairy German Shepherd. Kayla did a great job of making sure she gets brushed before bathing and removing as much fur as safely as possible. She does a great job trimming up around her sanitary areas and under belly. Definitely not the cheapest place in town, but I like the way my pup is treated at the facility.

Carol Holland

Dec 27, 2021 Report

Trisha is always welcoming. My dog lights up when he seed her and that shows me he is in great hands for a fantastic haircut@

Dennis DeBruin

Oct 25, 2021 Report

Best of everything for caring for your dog. Good grooming, good boarding. If you have a herding dog with lots of fur, get a grooming with Helena, she knows how to handle herding dogs, she has a lot of them.

Nicole Roth

Feb 03, 2021 Report

We just got our dog back today from grooming and he looks awesome as always. We asked for his hair to be cut shorter this time, but not buzzed. They did a perfect job. We have tried to do this haircut on him at home, but it doesn't look even after we do it and we can't get his hair so incredibly soft like they do. Thanks so much for being the #1 dog grooming and boarding for our family!