Today we’d like to introduce you to Jean Stelten Beuning.
Hi Jean, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have loved dogs since I can remember. The evidence was clear and my mother said the first word out of my mouth as an infant was “dog”. I rescued my first 4-legged child when I was age 8 . . . found a little beagle mix in an abandoned truck in a farmer’s field. As a young child I claimed that someday I was going to “save unwanted dogs”.
After graduating college and as I entered the workforce, I was already asking myself “what am I going to do that will leave my mark on this world”. I started a career with Marriott Lodging in sales and marketing management, consulting, general management and regional VP. I traveled every week and had 4 Shelties at the time with a house and dog sitter to stay with them while I was away. She backed out one trip and I was scheduled as a presenter at a conference so I could not cancel it. Reluctantly I tried a kennel . . . that’s all there was in the early 90’s . . . and had a horrible experience. I vowed I would fix this industry as there had to be a better way to care for dogs when people travel.
I spent the next 10 years developing the concept for Top Dog Country Club. I took my passion, solved a problem, and arguably forever changed an industry. Top Dog Country Club opened in October of 2000, so we just celebrated our quarter-century anniversary. It has been an amazing 25 years. Top Dog was the first facility of its kind and truly set a new standard worldwide on caring for dogs when their people travel. We have been featured in The New York Times in 2006, NBC’s Today Show (Voted the #2 story of the year in 2006), The World Herald in Paris, and news outlets in Bogata’ Columbia and The Netherlands; as well as all over the US.
Top Dog Country Club is a World-Class Vacation Club for dogs . . . the “un-kennel”. I created a place that dogs aren’t sure they want to leave when their owners pick them up; and a place that provides dog parents peace of mind when they travel, knowing their dogs are safe, happy, and having the vacation of their lives.
Top Dog has been a success beyond my wildest dreams, and after 25 years it remains this special, one-of-a-kind gem nestled on 39 acres of property just 15 minutes west of Lake Minnetonka. Everything about this place is designed for the enjoyment of the dogs. My 4 Shelties were the original board of directors and the deciding factor. If they liked something, it was part of the plan. If they didn’t like it . . . it did not make the cut!
We have dogs 8 weeks of age to 19 years of age that vacation with us and we customize their experience based upon their abilities and their owners wishes.
• The guests enjoy:
24,000 sq. ft. play yards surfaced with artificial turf, separated into 3 different yards. We also have a senior garden for some of the elderly guests and an indoor play room for those cold days.
• 5-6 hours every day of adult-supervised group play
(At Top Dog we have more than 150,000 hours of pack behavior & group play experience)
• As part of our play time, dogs also receive training. We are actively working with them to teach good social skills. We don’t turn away dogs for behavior. We work with them to make them more social dogs.
• 34-foot heated swimming pool
• An endless supply of toys & balls and people to toss them.
• Yappy hour with fresh baked biscuits daily
• Biscuits and bedtime stories before we tuck them in at night.
• Suites (not kennels) with stone, heated floors, textured walls, incandescent lighting, fully air conditioned and air purified.
• Custom made wrought-iron beds with upholstered mattresses.
• Music 24 hours a day; a little jazz in the afternoon and a little classical at night.
• We have spa services including bathing, brushing, dental care & massage.
• Other services include pick-up and delivery, and professional training.
Top Dog was the first facility of its kind in the country. In the past 20 or so years there have been many dog boarding businesses opening. However, none have been able to duplicate the experience. The Top Dog difference is:
The facility:
We have 39 acres in a country setting with fresh air and lots of wildlife for the dogs’ amusement. There is no traffic or smog or warehouse feel. This space allows us to play outdoors in large yards where the dogs can run and play and bark with delight. There are no noise or space restrictions like there are in metro locations. Our pool is wide open in the fenced yard so dogs can run across the yard and leap into the pool after a tennis ball; they can splash and play without limitations. We have a senior garden for some of the less active dogs where they can lay on the soft grass and watch the birds and the butterflies and take in all the action in the adjacent play yards. We have separate yards for big dogs, for little dogs and for the crazy players. Dogs get plenty of physical exercise, 5-6 hours daily.
At the end of the day, they are exhausted and sleep very well. At night, you can hear a pin drop in Top Dog . . . the dogs are wiped out and resting to get ready for more fun the next day.
The Staff:
We average 1 staff for every 5-8 dogs in the building on any given day; which is unmatched in the industry. We are here working with the dogs 15 ½ hours each day and there is a manager in the building every minute that it is open. My home is on the same property and there is someone here 24 hours each day. My all adult staff is carefully selected for their love for and patience with dogs. We have more than 150,000 hours of pack behavior experience, and we are actively working with them to teach them social skills, pack etiquette and good behavior
. . . just part of the added value of the Top Dog experience.
The passion:
Our unshakeable promise is that “It’s All About The Dogs”. They are the number one priority in every decision we make. This has never been about money for me. It is about taking my passion and making that my life’s work and I cannot think of any greater success.
Top Dog Foundation . . .
The creation of Top Dog Country Club was part of a greater plan to build “Bentley’s Place” . . . for the care of senior dogs or “ElderPups” as I like to refer to them; those that have been orphaned with the passing of an owner, or when an owner is moved to assisted living and the dog can’t follow.
10% of Top Dog Country Club profits are set aside each year for this purpose. Land has been donated and we are in a capital campaign to raise the funds to build it. It will not be a shelter . . . instead . . . think “Super Hip Senior Living” . . . but for dogs. We are trying to change the way society values senior life . . . both human and canine.
The Ultimate goal is to embed a Top Dog Foundation facility within senior living campuses in every major market; providing an answer for people that want to continue to enjoy dogs into their senior years, and providing a place for those dogs when they are orphaned, giving them an amazing Second Act.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Top Dog is the most challenging thing I have ever done, the greatest risk I have taken, and the best decision I have ever made.
Creating this new concept and busting through all the zoning rules and restrictions was a challenge.
Staffing a business in a rural location has been a challenge.
I have a business that relies nearly 100% on people’s ability, willingness and desire to travel. Facing 911 ten months after opening was a test. The 2008 and 2009 market crash was another test, and Covid where there was virtually no travel for 14 months was the greatest test of all. I had 28 staff when Covid hit, little revenue coming in, and so I had to get really creative starting a daycare bus and promoting board & train for clients that were getting puppies.
In the last 25 years I have averaged 80+ hours per week of work. First 6 years of Top Dog I opened the building at 5:30 every morning and closed it down at 9:30, 10:30 11:30 or later every night, 365 days a year . . . pure adrenalin and a passion to succeed. The only days I took off were days when my pups died. A full career is 40 years x 2000 hours totaling 80,000 hours. I have worked two career lifetimes already.
All that said, Top Dog Country Cub and now Top Dog Foundation is the greatest thing I have ever done. My father taught me a great lesson. As a kid he sat me down and said “Jeannie . . . I want you to learn to live without debt”. I took his words to heart and built my business without debt . . . that is the reason we survived 14 months of no travel. I learned another valuable lesson from Mr. Bill Marriott. He always said, “Success is never final” and that has pushed me to never get comfortable and to always improve . . . celebrate the successes yes . . . but always improve.
We’ve been impressed with Top Dog Country Club / Top Dog Foundation, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
After graduating college and as I entered the workforce, I was already asking myself “what am I going to do that will leave my mark on this world”. I started a career with Marriott Lodging in sales and marketing management, consulting, general management and regional VP. I traveled every week and had 4 Shelties at the time with a house and dog sitter to stay with them while I was away. She backed out one trip and I was scheduled as a presenter at a conference so I could not cancel it. Reluctantly I tried a kennel . . . that’s all there was in the early 90’s . . . and had a horrible experience. I vowed I would fix this industry as there had to be a better way to care for dogs when people travel.
I spent the next 10 years developing the concept for Top Dog Country Club. I took my passion, solved a problem, and arguably forever changed an industry. Top Dog Country Club opened in October of 2000, so we just celebrated our quarter-century anniversary. It has been an amazing 25 years. Top Dog was the first facility of its kind and truly set a new standard worldwide on caring for dogs when their people travel. We have been featured in The New York Times in 2006, NBC’s Today Show (Voted the #2 story of the year in 2006), The World Herald in Paris, and news outlets in Bogata’ Columbia and The Netherlands; as well as all over the US.
Top Dog Country Club is a World-Class Vacation Club for dogs . . . the “un-kennel”. I created a place that dogs aren’t sure they want to leave when their owners pick them up; and a place that provides dog parents peace of mind when they travel, knowing their dogs are safe, happy, and having the vacation of their lives.
Top Dog has been a success beyond my wildest dreams, and after 25 years it remains this special, one-of-a-kind gem nestled on 39 acres of property just 15 minutes west of Lake Minnetonka. Everything about this place is designed for the enjoyment of the dogs. My 4 Shelties were the original board of directors and the deciding factor. If they liked something, it was part of the plan. If they didn’t like it . . . it did not make the cut!
We have dogs 8 weeks of age to 19 years of age that vacation with us and we customize their experience based upon their abilities and their owners wishes.
• The guests enjoy:
24,000 sq. ft. play yards surfaced with artificial turf, separated into 3 different yards. We also have a senior garden for some of the elderly guests and an indoor play room for those cold days.
• 5-6 hours every day of adult-supervised group play
(At Top Dog we have more than 150,000 hours of pack behavior & group play experience)
• As part of our play time, dogs also receive training. We are actively working with them to teach good social skills. We don’t turn away dogs for behavior. We work with them to make them more social dogs.
• 34-foot heated swimming pool
• An endless supply of toys & balls and people to toss them.
• Yappy hour with fresh baked biscuits daily
• Biscuits and bedtime stories before we tuck them in at night.
• Suites (not kennels) with stone, heated floors, textured walls, incandescent lighting, fully air conditioned and air purified.
• Custom made wrought-iron beds with upholstered mattresses.
• Music 24 hours a day; a little jazz in the afternoon and a little classical at night.
• We have spa services including bathing, brushing, dental care & massage.
• Other services include pick-up and delivery, and professional training.
Top Dog was the first facility of its kind in the country. In the past 20 or so years there have been many dog boarding businesses opening. However, none have been able to duplicate the experience. The Top Dog difference is:
The facility:
We have 39 acres in a country setting with fresh air and lots of wildlife for the dogs’ amusement. There is no traffic or smog or warehouse feel. This space allows us to play outdoors in large yards where the dogs can run and play and bark with delight. There are no noise or space restrictions like there are in metro locations. Our pool is wide open in the fenced yard so dogs can run across the yard and leap into the pool after a tennis ball; they can splash and play without limitations. We have a senior garden for some of the less active dogs where they can lay on the soft grass and watch the birds and the butterflies and take in all the action in the adjacent play yards. We have separate yards for big dogs, for little dogs and for the crazy players. Dogs get plenty of physical exercise, 5-6 hours daily.
At the end of the day, they are exhausted and sleep very well. At night, you can hear a pin drop in Top Dog . . . the dogs are wiped out and resting to get ready for more fun the next day.
The Staff:
We average 1 staff for every 5-8 dogs in the building on any given day; which is unmatched in the industry. We are here working with the dogs 15 ½ hours each day and there is a manager in the building every minute that it is open. My home is on the same property and there is someone here 24 hours each day. My all adult staff is carefully selected for their love for and patience with dogs. We have more than 150,000 hours of pack behavior experience, and we are actively working with them to teach them social skills, pack etiquette and good behavior
. . . just part of the added value of the Top Dog experience.
The passion:
Our unshakeable promise is that “It’s All About The Dogs”. They are the number one priority in every decision we make. This has never been about money for me. It is about taking my passion and making that my life’s work and I cannot think of any greater success.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love summer and fall in Minnesota . . . it’s pretty hard to beat with all the lakes, the trails, the trees. The weather is spectacular this time of year.
I least like our winters . . . too cold and too long.
I also think Minnesota has become very un-business friendly and I would like to see that change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.topdogcountryclub.com https://www.topdogfoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/topdogcountryclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/topdogcountryclub
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@topdogcountryclub
