I don't leave my pets very often or without a lot of carefully placed trust, so I checked out Cameo Kennels and the proprietors thoroughly before my first encounter nearly twenty years ago. This kennel has been in Ridgecrest for many years, started by a well respected man named George who himself founded the Ridgecrest Kennel Club. When he retired, he encouraged his best protégé, Lurine Norwood, and her husband Phil to take it over. They have owned it now for over two decades. Lurine holds a certificate from Ian Dunbar's prestigious Pet Dog Trainers program, and is certified as an AKC tester in the Canine Good Citizen program. She is a real dog person going back to childhood and has the AKC titles on her own dogs and those she's trained for others to prove it (all the way through Utility Dog Excellent which is their highest title) She has several beautiful champion show Collies that live on the premises with her and Phil. Their daughter, Anna, who has her own dog grooming business in town, is also a well respected canine professional. This is a true dog loving family and Lurine's association with Ian Dunbar testifies her preference for positive reinforcement and utmost regard for the dogs' well being.
The kennel itself is fairly small, a perfect size for a couple living right on the property to oversee and care for. I liked that aspect very much. There was a veterinary facility doing boarding in Ridgecrest that burned down overnight just a few years back because no one was there to notice until the building was engulfed. Knowing Lurine and Phil live right on the premises gives me a great measure of peace of mind. Also when I had to leave an older little dog one time, Lurine refused to put her in the kennel because she felt it would cause her too much stress and kept her inside the apartment instead. To me that speaks volumes for her compassion and my little one came through just fine.
The kennels are cleaned at least twice daily and there are two big exercise yards for young energetic dogs to play under supervision. Each of the runs has an indoor and outdoor segment and the heating and cooling are kept at temperatures you would keep your own home. Each dog gets personal human interaction several times a day, and any dog with a health concern or just advancing age is carefully monitored. I witnessed this myself on more than one occasion and was very impressed. Cats are also welcome, and the feline units are large with hiding boxes for nervous guests.
A part of Cameo Kennels is Cameo School of Dog Training which Lurine conducts several times a year with classes held at the Kerr McGee center. Going through one of these classes (I've been through several now) will really show you how much Lurine is dedicated to her love and understanding of dogs. She is a rare professional in this field - honest maybe to a fault, but her concern for the dogs and promoting an understanding relationship between dog and owner is always foremost. I really respect that.
This is not a brand new facility with high tech bells and whistles to impress you, but instead it's a small, safe, clean, old fashioned family operation run by people who have a genuine love for and real understanding of dogs. As I said, I don't leave my pets often, but the only place I have come to thoroughly trust with them is Cameo Kennels. read more
