Kathy Diehl, a lifelong resident of the Upper Perkiomen Valley, opened Dog Daze on Main with the support of her husband, Michael Diehl, and their four children. 

From left to right; Phoebe, Kelly Diehl, Zander, Kathy Diehl (owner), and Blue.

            Diehl, who currently resides in Green Lane, has always had a love and fascination for dogs, owning many different breeds throughout her lifetime.  She always knew she'd end up working with dogs in some capacity, whether as a dog trainer or handler in dog shows, but figured it would come after her children were grown. 

            When Diehl got her dream dog, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (GSMD) named Zander, in 2017, youngest daughter Kelly, now 14, expressed her desire to handle Zander in conformation dog shows.  The family delved into training classes, as well as events with the regional GSMD club they are members of.  The training has paid off, as Kelly has handled Zander to his Grand Championship, CGC title, Trick Dog Novice title, and they are currently working on a Rally title.  Their greatest accomplishment came when Zander made the Top 20 in the nation for his breed in 2019.

            It was during the training sessions for Zander that Diehl began thinking about the possibility of opening a business.  "It was an idea we had tossed around for quite a while.  With all our events, we were often meeting in dog daycares.  That's when the idea of it became more real and attainable.  It certainly wasn't something that we entered into lightly," stated Diehl. 

            Following months of hard work and planning, Dog Daze on Main opened its doors on October 1, 2018, and has been welcoming their four-legged friends since then.  Then the pandemic hit, and it made things much more difficult for the new business. 

            "It's been rough…very uncertain.  But I think any business owner could tell you that.  We are faithful people, so a lot of prayer was involved.  I was honest with our clients and just said, 'if this is a business you'd like to see in the future, please consider supporting us now.'  And that's exactly what they did.  It was amazing to see the support that came.  We are so grateful for each and every one of our clients because they all did what they could in those moments to support us," said Diehl.

            Beyond the trials of the pandemic, Diehl has many hopes for the future of the business.  She is planning on becoming a certified professional dog trainer, so she can offer classes and training in addition to dog daycare services.  Long term goals include training K-9 dogs and founding a non-profit organization, which will blend feeding the homeless with therapy dogs.

            Dog Daze on Main is still accepting applications for new dogs to come and join their "pack".  The business is offering an October special in celebration of its two-year anniversary. 

            For more information Dog Daze on Main can be reached by email at dogdazeonmain@gmail.com, phoned at (215) 679-2009, or followed on Facebook @dogdazeonmain. 

            Registration packets are also located in the box outside the front doors at 738 Main St. in Pennsburg.

Contributed by Emily Irwin