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The only boarding kennel in Williamsport is still going strong at around 70 years of business, despite city ordinance and despite its foreign name.
Oberjoch Kennels is a pet boarding service that happily houses all sorts of pets and offers grooming services, too.
Oberjoch is owned by Stacy Miller, who says the joy in working-and living-at the kennels are the smiling faces of the animals.
"They're always happy to see you and they're always wagging their tails," Miller said.
Oberjoch initially focused on dog breeding, but since its founding, the kennel has opened its doors to boarding and grooming all flavors of animals.
"I don't like snakes, but if some of the girls want to take in a snake, they can do that," Miller said. "We once had an inquiry for a pot-bellied pig. We were so excited for that, but he never came."
Oberjoch also offers daycare services for pets whose owners have long work days, or for pets that require extra attention throughout the day.
Finally, the kennels offer grooming services, which Miller explained is important for dogs.
"We take the time to ease your dog into the experience of grooming, and work with them to make them more comfortable being handled," Miller said. "A dog who comes here regularly for grooming soon gets to be an old friend. They are called by name and we cater to their personalities and habits."
Part of that personalized experience involves individual pens with 10-20-foot runs, allowing pets an opportunity to exercise in their private pen with their neighbors.
Those pens include ducted heat and air conditioning in the summer, and in nice weather the doggy doors are left open, allowing dogs to go in or out as they please.
Additionally, pets are given individualized attention by Miller's staff, which ranges from four to six people depending on the season.
"Rest assured, your pet is coming home tired," Miller said.
Miller said her manager, Melissa Confer, is a light sleeper, and checks on the animals at around 2 a.m. every night to ensure everybody is safe and happy.
Basic pricing for grooming begins at $26 an hour, which is scaled up for factors such as if more than one groomer is required, the pet demands extraordinary efforts on the part of the groomer, the condition of the coat and the complexity of the requested trim.
A mini-groom is priced at $10 less than a full groom price, and must be on a regular schedule. It includes a bath, blow-dry, thorough brushing, ear clean, nail trim, scissoring of the face, pads and around the feet and a hygiene trim.
Oberjoch derives its name from the peak of a mountain in the Bavarian Alps, where the kennels' founder, Lois Stroud, fell in love with German Shepherds.
Stroud brought the name home to Williamsport, where she founded a German Shepherd breeding kennel. Later, Stroud sold the kennel to Carl Young, who eventually sold the kennel to Miller in 2011.
"I just didn't have the heart to change the name because it had been around so long. It's a weird name, but there's too much history there, so we kept it," Miller said.
Despite wanting to be a veterinarian when she was younger, Miller said she could not have the wherewithal to follow that dream. So, she became a dog groomer, and is currently pursuing a certification as a pet aesthetician with a pet dermatologist in Arizona.
"I am learning how to treat pets with skin problems," Miller said.
Miller hopes the certification will open doors for Oberjoch in allowing her to assist pet owners with medication as prescribed by a veterinarian.
"A vet can send a dog to me knowing I'm certified, and she can make arrangements with the pet owner to bring the dog in every week for treatment," Miller said. "I am satisfied with the knowledge I will be doing a service for them with medication that needs done."
Miller said the advantage to treating pets at Oberjoch instead of home is that she has the facilities to safely treat large mastiffs or small, excitable puppies-and, that she is able to monitor week-by-week changes in the pet, document them and adjust treatment as necessary.
Oberjoch Kennels is open 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday 8 a.m.-12 p.m., and Sunday 3-6 p.m.
Although Oberjoch's website says appointments are best made two weeks in advance to ensure availability, Miller said she is booked through March at the moment.
Readers can visit oberjochkennels.com to learn more about Miller's work.
Pricing for boarding animals scales up from $17 a night for cats, $25 a night for small dogs and $28 a night for large dogs, increasing with every night the pet is boarded. The cost of boarding increases if the pet is picked up from the kennel after noon each day.