Think of all things that make Hilton Head Island such an amazing place for a vacation: sunshine, relaxation, a playful sense of fun and the way each day seems to leave you wonderfully tired yet refreshed and revitalized. That’s the kind of experience your dogs have at Red Rover.
“It’s basically a vacation for your dog,” manager Danielle “Dani” Peterson said. Walking past the expansive suites of Red Rover’s sprawling footprint, she points to the trappings of each room, noting that most enjoy a window, offering a bright space even with the lights off. Spacious suites with off-the-ground beds give each pampered pooch in residence plenty of space to lounge and relax.
“Dens,” a small collection of 3-5 private rooms, boast names like Turks & Caicos, Virgin Islands, Fiji, Tahiti. Constantly deep-cleaned and sanitized, these dens are part of an elevated experience that includes filtered water, an air-cleaning system and even aromatherapy to help dogs settle in.
Accommodations are only half the experience. Doggie PlayCare at Red Rover is a full day of Lowcountry sunshine, playing to their hearts’ content in the runs out back, shaded by a network of canopies. Some areas offer a relaxed place where a more calm-tempered dog can simply bask in the sunlight. In others, dogs race back and forth with gleeful abandon, chasing streams of water, bubbles and often one another. And when it’s rainy or too hot, the upstairs at Red Rover is completely dedicated to dry, air-conditioned play.
“They play out there to their hearts’ content,” Peterson said, looking out on the play area where dozens of tails wagged behind furry blurs of activity. Supervising this whirlwind is the expert staff. “We separate the dogs by size, energy level and age, since you often have little dogs with big personalities and big dogs with little personalities and youngsters who need no drama. We have two daily objectives: keep all dogs and people safe and ensure all have a positive experience,” Peterson explained.
Whether here for a nail clip and Dremel, a haircut, a bath, or for PlayCare, all are VIDs (Very Important Dogs) and treated accordingly. For both two-legged and four-legged clients, the service at Red Rover is renowned for being friendly, thorough and thoughtful.
To that end, owner Paige Grisette has created in Red Rover a complete full-service experience for dogs. The “Double-Bubble Spaw Experience”—a warm bath, nail trim, ear cleaning, anal glands expressed, and a thorough brush out—anchors services that include de-shedding, flea dip and haircuts from professional groomers.
There is even DIY dog washing in huge tubs with temperature-controlled water, specialty shampoos and all the tools anyone could think of, including aprons for mom and dad!
“Saturdays are especially busy for DIY,” Peterson said. “But we welcome our DIY customers every day of the week.”
“Aside from being the only DIY bath available on Hilton Head, one of the key differentiating factors at Red Rover has got to be our people,” Grisette said. “We have a very thorough training program, from dog language to group supervision to bathing. I get comments every day about how great the Red Rover team is. Music to my ears … I’m like a proud mama.”
Every detail, even the way the phones are answered with a cheery “Red Rover … Speak!” has been thought through. Red Rover is truly the best thing to happen to Hilton Head Island since the bridge!
To find out more, visit theredrover.info or better yet, come on over!
