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About Northstar Kennels
Northstar Kennels has been a premier dog boarding destination since 2008. It is located on 10 acres in Thorhild County, a short drive north of Edmonton, Alberta, and is a dog-friendly location with fully fenced play areas and numerous walking trails.
Sharing Our Love for Animals in Our Kennel
Core Values and Philosophy
Northstar Kennels is a smaller kennel that prioritizes dedication to its customers above all else. It values safety, security, and transparency in all of its operations. Northstar Kennels believes in individual care and attention for each boarder and aims to be the difference it wants to see in the dog boarding industry, based on negative personal experiences. Northstar Kennels also emphasizes old-school customer service.
Kennel Features
- Each run is equipped with an in-floor heating/cooling system dependent on the season.
- Each run has a Kennel Cam that keeps owners connected with their pets.
- Each run provides 24/7 access to a personal outdoor run so that dogs can go potty on their schedule.
Hygiene and Cleanliness
- Hygiene and cleanliness are deeply held values.
- Northstar Kennels is noted to be very open and clean without the usual “kennel smell”.
Staff and Training
- The staff are dedicated and caring.
- All staff are trained in Canine First Aid
Establishing an Excellent Facility for Pets
Our property is lined with tall trees, providing shade for your furry friends as they explore the lands in our facility. We also offer heated indoor kennels, each of which is accessible from a large, outdoor play area. Here, your pet can socialize with other dogs or have the whole area to his or herself.
Meet the team
ALEX (Owner):
Hi my name is Alex, and my love for dogs started from the day I was born. Me and my partner Susan are the new owners of Northstar Kennels. I grew up with an awesome Rottie who was only a few months older than me. I swear she must’ve taught me a lot about dogs and their mannerism from a very young age as I have always seemed to have a natural connection with dogs with intuition into their behaviors and feelings. As my parents would say, I was raised by dogs!
Throughout my life I have had various different breeds of dogs each with their own unique personalities and characteristics. I have had Rottweilers, an Australian Cattle Dog, a Scottish Terrier, Siberian Husky, a Min Pin/Manchester Terrier mix, an American Pitbull Terrier, Beagle/Basset hound crosses, a Pug/Chihuahua, Dobermans, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, English Mastiff and a big ole goofy Irish Wolfhound. From big to small I love them all. One thing that I have learned is a dog is a dog, they may come in different shapes and sizes but they are the same animal and the connection that they have with us dates back 40,000 years. As humans its our duty to them to understand that connection, their needs, how we treat them and what we have to do to foster that relationship so it is happy and healthy for both us and them. They truly are (wo)mans best friend.
For 6 years I helped run and maintain a dog sledding kennel that had up to 40 dogs. I have gone on multiple weeks long trips through the mountains on the back of a dog sled, ran hundreds of miles in dog sled races, taught the skill to interested people. It is my dream that one day I have my own dog team and can resume this lifestyle. Ultimately I am hoping that Northstar Kennels is the vehicle that can help turn my dream into reality.
Throughout high school I worked at a pet store selling puppies and kitties. Looking back it is a little cringe, because I am now an adamant believer that pet stores should not be selling dogs. With that being said my time spent there taught me a lot about proper canine nutrition, safe grooming techniques, proper toy and treat selection and a lot of knowledge about breeds that I have not had the privilege of owning myself (yet).
On Christmas of 2016 I adopted my first rescue dog from Mexico. A beautiful chocolate Doberman with big floppy ears named Tequila. The poor girl came from Puerto Vallarta to Canada in the middle of winter and had barely any hair! Working with Tequila as a rescue was challenging at first. When you rescue a dog you also have to rescue them from their past traumas this was a learning curve for both of us. As Tequila spent the years with me she evolved from being an untrusting unpredictable reactive “guard dog” to my loyal friendly snuggly companion. This taught me the compassion, and patience that is required when dealing with unfamiliar dogs in unfamiliar situations. Tequila changed my life as well, she led me down the path to looking to become involved in the dog boarding and animal care industry. I made this choice for her with her well being in mind, and unfortunately Tequila my Dobie passed away quietly in her sleep at the age of 13.5 the day before we took possession of Northstar.
I have spent the majority of my adult life working on the pipeline which in itself makes owning a dog all the more difficult. Moving 2-4 times a year across the country for unknown durations in time showing up to work in remote camps, I’ve often had to rely on different boarding kennels and their services. These have not always been good experiences. This has been another major driving inspiration to go ahead and get involved in the dog boarding industry, to focus on delivering a reliable, safe, transparent, quality service that really puts the well being of the animals first.
Susan (Owner):
My name is Susan Hickey and Alex and I are SO excited to be starting this kennel owning adventure. We are dedicated to providing the best kennel experience for you and your furry loved ones as possible.
I started my working life driving an ambulance and doing first aid jobs/volunteering with St. John Ambulance. I’ve always enjoyed helping people in need and I look forward to providing the same service for your dogs. I am a certified trainer for canine first aid through Canine Health Canada, an amazing organization I encourage everyone to check out.
I am also certified through the Association of PEMF Professionals to provide Red Light Therapy and PEMF services for your furry friends. As our Dobie Tequila aged we noticed how effective these therapies worked in helping her live her best life in her old age with comfort and grace. This inspired me to want to get involved and help all dogs access the same life changing services that we experienced.
Eventually I went back to school and became a pipeline welder. Hard work, long days and even longer time away from home. That’s where Alex and I met. Alll these years later we have decided to pursue our passion and get involved in the dog industry. We have five of our own; Monke our Rottweiler, Tweeter the Greater Swiss mountain dog, Whisky our Doberman, Dude is our gentle giant Irish Wolfhound, and finally our newest addition to the pack Ursa, our English Mastiff puppy.
Our previous experiences with kennels have been less than stellar and we recognized a gap in the dog boarding industry that we know we can improve upon with our excellent facility and exceptional service. We know It’s hard to leave your pets with strangers, however we ask that place your place your trust with us, and we will prove that we deliver a truly fantastic experience, both you and your pets will love. You can feel confident in choosing Northstar Kennels for all your dogs needs.
Chantille (Manager):
Hi, my name is Chantille, I own a sweet old chihuahua/dachshund named Kara and she is my number one! I am the kennel manager at Northstar Kennels and I have been a part of the team since the summer of 2014. I met Sam (the previous owner) through my Dad, and when I had the opportunity to work with dogs I jumped at the chance. I am a lifelong lover of all animals, especially dogs. Working at Northstar kennels gives me joy as I get to spend my days playing with and looking after all kinds of different dogs. My favourite part of the day is the times I get to spend in the play area spending time with, and getting to know each of our guests.
I am trained in Canine First Aid, through Canine Health Canada, as well as Red light Therapy and PEMF for dogs through the Association of PEMF Professionals. With this and addition to my years of experience at Northstar I am well equipped to help provide that individualised dog first care our clients have grown to love.
I decided to stay on after the transition and continue working with Susan and Alex as I can see their genuine love for animals and their vision to continue offering the premium care and service in the dog boarding industry that customers have come to expect from Northstar Kennels. I look forward to continuing to be there for all my four legged friends who I have come to know and love over the years, and help to continue to grow Northstar into the ultimate dog destination.
