
Dianna Young, owner of K9 Country Club Pet Center in Spokane Valley, pictured in one of five VIP suites.
| Tina SulzleAfter more than three decades spent in the world of police dogs, executive protection, and animal cruelty investigations, canine behavioral specialist Dianna Young has returned to her Spokane roots and purchased K9 Country Club Pet Center, in Spokane Valley.
"I've been looking for opportunities to get me into the Spokane Valley area for the last five years," Young says. "And this was really, really nice."
Located at 19223 E. Appleway in Spokane Valley, the 13,000-square-foot facility is situated on 2.4 acres and was built in 2013.
The pet center features a wide variety of services, including dog and cat boarding, training and behavior modification, grooming, and hydrotherapy.
“We’re really one-stop shopping,” says general operations manager Kevin Patton.
The facility employs 14 staff members, including two full-time trainers, two bathers, and a groomer.
The facility has 58 total suites, including five VIP suites equipped with large-screen TVs playing Animal Planet and other dog-friendly programming. Owners can check in through a two-way video to see how their pets are doing.
Prices for boarding range between $32 for cats and up to $85 for VIP suites. Full-day daycare starts at $35 a day.
Young declines to disclose the terms of the transaction.
In addition to boarding and training, the facility includes a 2,000-square-foot retail area with pet products and foods.
She says her team specializes in behavioral challenges, sometimes serving as a last resort for pets facing euthanasia.
“We deal with all kinds of aggression, including inter-female aggression, inter-male aggression, possession aggression, and aggression toward humans," she says.
The property also includes a 2,400-square-foot veterinary clinic built in 2021.
“Dr. (John) Freeman is still here,” Young says. “He’s been a veterinarian in the community for nearly four decades.”
Young completed the purchase in April 2025, following months of discussions and planning. Scooter Gillis, with Windermere Realty, reached out to Young on multiple occasions before finalizing the purchase, Young says.
“At the time, I was in the middle of another project and didn’t give a lot of attention,” Young says.
Finally, she toured the facility in July of 2024 and thought, “Why have I not been paying attention to this?”
Young’s canine-training career began in the late 1980s with a four-year apprenticeship in Germany, studying police service work, search and rescue, scent and bomb detection, and border patrol tactics.
After returning to the U.S., Young attended West Virginia Canine College. Following graduation, she apprenticed under a certified master trainer in New Milford, Connecticut.
“I worked primarily with police service dogs, executive protection dogs, and security,” Young says. “We did a lot of work with celebrities and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. I specialized in very niche work in my 20s and 30s.”
Eventually, Young transitioned over to the pet side of the business.
In addition to her work in training and pet care, Young spent five years as an animal control officer in East Fishkill, New York, and 16 years elsewhere in Washington state. She’s served as an expert witness in cruelty cases in Washington, New York, and Montana, and continues to be contracted for similar work.
“People know my background and reach out when they need an expert in a criminal animal case,” she says.
Young is also a self-published author. Her book, "Think Like Your Dog and Enjoy the Rewards," has earned 14 awards and remains a bestseller in its Amazon category, says Young.
Small Bites
CATCH by Just Poké, a Seattle-based franchise, has opened in the Spokane Valley Walmart located at 15727 E. Broadway. The new restaurant opened on Saturday, June 7 and serves a variety of Hawaiian-inspired cuisine, including teriyaki chicken bowls, smoked kalua pork bowls, acai bowls, and fresh poké bowls made with salmon and ahi tuna.
The company is also planning an opening in the Airway Heights Walmart, located at 1221 S. Hayford Road.
The chain currently has 33 Just Poké restaurants located throughout the Pacific Northwest. This will be the second and third Walmart partnership for the franchise. Nine Washington locations are set to open in 2025.
Angie’s Tacos, which has operated as a food truck since 2022, has opened a restaurant at 3616 N. Division. Operating hours will be Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
According to a social media post, the company will continue to operate its food truck located outside The Drinkery, at 828 W. Garland.
Sahils Halal Market has opened in the former Alpine Deli location, located at 417 E. Third. The market carries a variety of food and retail items, including dry goods, deli meats, and Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian specialty foods. The market is expected to offer fresh-made bread in the near future. Operating hours will be daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.