It started with a German Shepherd puppy and a dream. 

Today, the dream has been realized with the recent opening of K9 Country Club, a 12,000-square-foot, state-of-the art pet facility just on the Spokane Valley side of its eastern border with Liberty Lake. 

Owners Nick and Jacqueline Lungu opened K9 Country Club as a compliment to the couple's professional dog training and premier German Shepherd breeding business, I-Guard International, which will continue to operate separately.

K9 Country Club features a full pet store, puppy/dog obedience training, doggie daycare area, pet boarding and grooming, as well as animal rehabilitation services with hydrotherapy. 

"It's truly a one-stop shop for your dog or cat," Jacqueline Lungu said. "We want to provide services and products you can't get anywhere else."

The Lungus began I-Guard International 12 years ago in Pullman. The couple moved there from Portland to help care for Jacqueline's ailing father. 

IF YOU GO ... The grand opening festivities for K9 Country Club are planned for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 14. Attendees can enter drawings for giveaways, including one providing free dog food for a year.

In the early years, Nick trained a couple dogs on a large lot in Pullman. Purchasing a German Shepherd puppy from a Portland breeder he worked with, Nick expanded into breeding and sold two to three puppy litters a year.  

During this time, Jacqueline handled the business side of I-Guard while working outside the home.  

"This whole thing is Nick's dream and vision," Jacqueline said. 

When Jacqueline's father passed away, the couple began looking for a way to expand the business. 

"Pullman is a tiny little college town," Jacqueline said. "The population isn't there to support anything like what we are building now."

It took more than a year of searching, but the couple found a home with 5 acres in Otis Orchards and moved in 2009.

Since the move, the couple grew the business from two to three litters a year to eight to 10 litters.  The private training grew from one or two dogs to 10 dogs.

"Moving to Spokane really took our business to the next level," Jacqueline said.  "It really became something. We always wanted to grow it into something bigger."  

Outgrowing the 5-acre facility, the couple decided to expand its services and open K9 Country Club.

"It's been a slow progression to get where we are," Jacqueline said. "There is a demand, and there is nothing like this in Spokane or Coeur d'Alene."

The Lungus spent two years planning the new facility, plus seven months negotiating the purchase of a building and lot at 19223 E. Appleway Ave. 

Constructing their dream required taking out a $1.5 million dollar loan. Landscaping the 2-acre campus cost an additional $100,000. 

Construction began in late May. The K9 Country Club campus houses a 2,000-square-foot pet store in the front of the facility with a wide selection of dry and canned food, toys and other pet products. Jacqueline said they can offer customers solutions to problems with animal diets as they have access to several different brands of pet food.

"We'll have everything for cats and dogs," Jacqueline said. "The level of customer service won't be like anything else. We pride ourselves in providing top-notch customer service. That is what makes us different."

To rehabilitate animals and provide physical conditioning, the Lungus purchased a $50,000 canine hydrotherapy treadmill. 

"The main goal is to provide a place for dogs recovering from any surgery," Jacqueline said. "Swimming is so much easier on the joints. They come and get the exercise they need."

A separate room is designed for the service with a Plexiglas tank filled with water to cover the animals' legs.  A 400-gallon tank pumps water in to fill the hydrotherapy tank. The Lungus are asking for veterinarian referrals for animals to use the hydrotherapy machine as the time spent on the treadmill will be per individual vet's instructions.

A 57-dog kennel and cat boarding area is located on the west side of the campus. Having a staff member living on-campus means the Lungus can provide 24-hour care, including providing for late pickup or drop-off. 

"This location is perfect because it's close to Spokane and Coeur d'Alene," Jacqueline said. "It's right off the freeway and easy to find."

The one service the new location won't provide is vet services, but the couple plans to work closely with Legacy Animal Hospital in Liberty Lake.

"We're just a mile down the road," Jacqueline said.

The couple's 10-year goal is to have more facilities similar to K9 Country Club, perhaps even franchising the concept.

"We have big dreams," Jacqueline said. Multi-faceted pet facility opens near SV-LL border

By Valerie Putnam

Splash Contributor

It started with a German Shepherd puppy and a dream. 

Today, the dream has been realized with the recent opening of K9 Country Club, a 12,000-square-foot, state-of-the art pet facility just on the Spokane Valley side of its eastern border with Liberty Lake. 

Owners Nick and Jacqueline Lungu opened K9 Country Club as a compliment to the couple's professional dog training and premier German Shepherd breeding business, I-Guard International, which will continue to operate separately.

K9 Country Club features a full pet store, puppy/dog obedience training, doggie daycare area, pet boarding and grooming, as well as animal rehabilitation services with hydrotherapy. 

"It's truly a one-stop shop for your dog or cat," Jacqueline Lungu said. "We want to provide services and products you can't get anywhere else."

The Lungus began I-Guard International 12 years ago in Pullman. The couple moved there from Portland to help care for Jacqueline's ailing father. 

In the early years, Nick trained a couple dogs on a large lot in Pullman. Purchasing a German Shepherd puppy from a Portland breeder he worked with, Nick expanded into breeding and sold two to three puppy litters a year.  

During this time, Jacqueline handled the business side of I-Guard while working outside the home.  

"This whole thing is Nick's dream and vision," Jacqueline said. 

When Jacqueline's father passed away, the couple began looking for a way to expand the business. 

"Pullman is a tiny little college town," Jacqueline said. "The population isn't there to support anything like what we are building now."

It took more than a year of searching, but the couple found a home with 5 acres in Otis Orchards and moved in 2009.

Since the move, the couple grew the business from two to three litters a year to eight to 10 litters.  The private training grew from one or two dogs to 10 dogs.

"Moving to Spokane really took our business to the next level," Jacqueline said.  "It really became something. We always wanted to grow it into something bigger."  

Outgrowing the 5-acre facility, the couple decided to expand its services and open K9 Country Club.

"It's been a slow progression to get where we are," Jacqueline said. "There is a demand, and there is nothing like this in Spokane or Coeur d'Alene."

The Lungus spent two years planning the new facility, plus seven months negotiating the purchase of a building and lot at 19223 E. Appleway Ave. 

Constructing their dream required taking out a $1.5 million dollar loan. Landscaping the 2-acre campus cost an additional $100,000. 

Construction began in late May. The K9 Country Club campus houses a 2,000-square-foot pet store in the front of the facility with a wide selection of dry and canned food, toys and other pet products. Jacqueline said they can offer customers solutions to problems with animal diets as they have access to several different brands of pet food.

"We'll have everything for cats and dogs," Jacqueline said. "The level of customer service won't be like anything else. We pride ourselves in providing top-notch customer service. That is what makes us different."

To rehabilitate animals and provide physical conditioning, the Lungus purchased a $50,000 canine hydrotherapy treadmill. 

"The main goal is to provide a place for dogs recovering from any surgery," Jacqueline said. "Swimming is so much easier on the joints. They come and get the exercise they need."

A separate room is designed for the service with a Plexiglas tank filled with water to cover the animals' legs.  A 400-gallon tank pumps water in to fill the hydrotherapy tank. The Lungus are asking for veterinarian referrals for animals to use the hydrotherapy machine as the time spent on the treadmill will be per individual vet's instructions.

A 57-dog kennel and cat boarding area is located on the west side of the campus. Having a staff member living on-campus means the Lungus can provide 24-hour care, including providing for late pickup or drop-off. 

"This location is perfect because it's close to Spokane and Coeur d'Alene," Jacqueline said. "It's right off the freeway and easy to find."

The one service the new location won't provide is vet services, but the couple plans to work closely with Legacy Animal Hospital in Liberty Lake.

"We're just a mile down the road," Jacqueline said.

The couple's 10-year goal is to have more facilities similar to K9 Country Club, perhaps even franchising the concept.

"We have big dreams," Jacqueline said.