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Marisa and Merrill Lahman

photo credit: Amanda Jones

About Us

Long time animal lovers, Merrill and Marisa Lahman took their passion for dogs and developed a career that would allow them to not only be around dogs full time, but to learn from them and develop personal and special relationships with them.

“Dogs follow us, please us and love us. We symbolize playtime, pack behavior and of course food and shelter. We love what we do!”

Over the years Merrill and Marisa have gained knowledge through books, trainers, and veterinarians and even attended an accredited veterinary technician school in the Roaring Fork Valley. They have been playing with, talking to, rescuing, healing and loving all kinds of animals for 20+ years.

Walkin’ The Dog began as a mobile hiking and boarding service in 1998. In 2002 the dog daycare facility was added.

The goal was for the center to be not only clean and safe, but homey and loving – to feel comfortable and to provide a place for dogs to have fun and to learn.

The Lahmans have participated in APDT (Association Of Pet Dog Trainers) annual conferences and continue to renew their knowledge of dog behavior and pack mentality.

Most important is their experience; undeniably the number one way of knowing how to do something is having the experience of doing it yourself. Merrill and Marisa are always at work. They run the daycare, mobile service and the dogs board at their home.

Walkin’ the Dog Vail is not a big business but rather a couple, committed to providing the best dog daycare business possible. They understand what it means to feel comfortable about who is watching your dog.

Merrill and Marisa take great pride in their business and the relationships they have forged with clients.