The Specialized Recruiting Group

DO NOT GO!!\r \r Lap it Up in Durham, NC is a big disappointment. I wanted to be happy there because there is a swimming pool for dogs. But facility is not ADA compliant and you could get get hurt taking young strong dog up and down steps. \r \r I have been to several classes at LIU. At first, I thought it was an amazing facility. The special dog swimming pool was especially alluring. However, Diana (the apparent owner) acts as though she is more concerned about money than what is best for the dogs. I expressed a concern that two of the classes were teaching my pup different methods and philosophies. Diana's response was to ask me 2 times about whether I or my elderly mom *stole* a leather leash! \r \r Diane never mentioned or addressed my concerns. In addition, when my pup was in heat, she was not allowed by LIU to take classes. That's fine - but Diane never offered make up classes. That's bc its all about $$. \r \r Please go somewhere else like Durham Kennel Club or Autumn Winds Agility. And your dog can always swim at Jordan Lake.\r \r Diana threatened to sue me if I spoke about my experience. She emailed me: ""Be very careful Cheryl. Defamation—also called calumny, vilification, or traducement—is the communication of a false statement that harms the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government, religion, or nation. Most jurisdictions allow legal action to deter various kinds of defamation and retaliate against groundless criticism.""\r \r I hope Diana has not intimidated others into keeping bad experiences to themselves. It must be about the pups first and foremost! more

Highly Recommended. Clean, spacious facility with friendly staff and a wide variety of classes taught by highly qualified instructors. I have been training dogs for over 15 years and recently took a class on conditioning that was awesome. The pool is wonderful for both my 3 year old and 15 year old dogs. well worth the price. more

Took my dog to the swim class at Lap It Up and we both loved it!! There is so much to do at Lap It Up... Mazes, track, classes. We are taking obedience class now and finding it incredibly helpful. Would definitely recommend this place to any dog lover. But a word of caution, especially after reading the previous reviews, this is not a dog park! There are clear guidelines for entering the space because not alll dogs that come here are social. I used to have a dog that hated other dogs getting in her space and was always shocked by the owners who let their dogs wonder up without regard. Now I have a very social dog, but I keep that in mind whenever I have him around other dogs. My current dog is a mutt from the shelter and was very welcomed at Lap It Up!! So were all the dogs that came through the door... But yes, the people who work at Lap It Up do want the dogs to be given space and are more focused on dogs being active with their owners than socializing with other dogs. So if you're looking for a fun place to be with your dog, and not so much a place for your dog to socialize, than I would highly recommend Lap It Up! more

This place is terrible! I have never met such a tense, rude business owner in my life. I was made to feel like a second-rate customer because my dog is a mix from the shelter. The owner told me off because the other dogs there were ""working"" dogs. That must mean their money is worth more than mine? We were just there for the group swim and had to pass by other dogs on our way in and out. Guess what horrible thing my dog did? She...SNIFFED ANOTHER DOG! Gasp! The anxiety and tension were palpable in this horrible facility. I will never, ever be back. If you have a mutt you will not be welcome here! more

Me and a friend of mine took our dogs to Lap It Up in Durham and had an awful experience. The owner opened the door and the first words out of her mouth were rude. No ""Hi!"" or ""Welcome"". The entrance was not good for dogs coming and going. We were coming in with our two dogs and a woman in the small area at the entrance freaked out that we were so close to her. Our dogs were just standing there. You could cut the tension in the place with a knife in this place. We were there about 15 minutes and left. We were trying to leave and a guy came in with his dog and both my friend's dog and the other started to sniff each other in passing. Nothing was out of control or irresponsible. The owner (Diana Boos) was uptight about the situation and my friend calmly stated, this was natural behavior for dogs and the owner told her she was no longer welcomed back. I emailed her to let her know the way she treated us was not appreciated and she responded by saying, ""If you want a free for all where you can interact with any dog I highly recommend you stay at the dog park."" There was no ""free-for-all"". Just two dogs trying to get through a small space. Everyone was courteous, except Diana. They've only been open 2 weeks and this is how they conduct business. more