Pictured above: The first kennel built originally for training, now called "Middle Wing"
Robinhood Kennels was created when two Tallahassee women, who had developed a passion for training Labrador Retrievers, decided to turn their hobby into a profession. Selling their homes, they purchased property on the Old Bainbridge Road and moved with a husband and five young boys in tow. Lyn Griffin (now Lyn Grant) and Barbara Forehand (now Barbara Genthner) opened their first kennel building in the summer of 1970.
Originally, the focus was on keeping and training Retrievers for hunting and field trials. However, it wasn't long before clients and friends began requesting Lyn and Barbara to keep their pets for a few days. In this way, boarding pets became a part the business and soon grew to be an important component. As their positive reputation began to spread, Lyn and Barbara had to build extra wings to accommodate their growing number of overnight guests.
The next three decades ushered change. The partners split with Barbara moving, taking the Labrador training side of the business with her. Lyn stayed and concentrated on the boarding. As the trend for more pampered pets developed, Lyn spotted the pattern and renovated the
kennel and designed new buildings that boast indoor heated and air-conditioned
runs. Robinhood Kennels offers 70 large climate controlled pens
and a separate cat building.
Today,
clients of Robinhood Kennels still leave their pets in the care
of the Griffins. Jay Griffin, Kennel Manager, is the youngest of
those five boys integrated into their mothers' dreams in 1970. A
full time kennel employee at 13, Jay has been a driving force in
the operation and direction of the kennel for over 20 years.
The
past 30 years of taking care of Tallahassee's pets have brought
growth and change to Robinhood Kennels. However, one aspect remains
constant. The management and staff of Robinhood Kennels provide
a modern facility where pets and owners feel comfortable about their
stay.
