Please don't support this business, the owners are not only unprofessional, they got violent when we were there.
I would never stay here again. The owner told us dogs were allowed, and then shot our dog when it got one of his birds. Then his wife started hitting the dogs owner and when another one of our group stepped in between to stop the violence, she threatened my friend with a gun.
The owner had actually offered to refund the money as the incident was happening, but later went back on his word. Unable to follow up on it at the time -- because I was so shocked by the initial dog killing and the subsequent attack on humans -- we packed up and left. When we hadn't gotten our money refunded in a week, we emailed him to refund the money -- which he'd offered -- and apologized for his duck/s, even gave the offer to do something restorative like make a donation in the dog's name to a good cause. When we hadn't heard from him in a week, we called for the refund.
He said, "I thought about it and I changed my mind. I'm running a business here." I don't run a business, but wouldn't it seem like basic business acumen to act with integrity? To keep your word? To try and make amends---or maybe just go for any little bit of positive PR?
When I reminded him that he had offered the refund after the killing Linus and his wife's actions, he said, "You made the choice to leave." I told him A) He offered us the refund before we left. and B) It was not a choice. After his wife's violence (she had hit one of our party and even threatened another with a gun unless my friend left the property immediately), I did not feel safe enough to stay. Neither did anyone else in our group of 10 people, after seeing the way his wife drove one of our group off the property--threatening to get her gun--and hit another one of our group (the owner of the dog who was sobbing at the time).
Again, I'm sorry about the ducks. It was a dog friendly place we were told, we had been warned to drive slowly because he had little dogs running around and that there's a fire ban, so not to start a fire, but we had not been warned about keeping dogs on leashes. I wish I would have now, but the dog was chewing a bone on the porch peacefully and that is an honest mistake on our part. That dog had never done anything like that before and we had no knowledge he would go after a duck.
Whether or not we kept our dog on a leash is an communication mistake on both our parts, guest and host. I apologized. What happened afterwards, him shooting and killing Linus is beyond saddening, as the dog was beloved by many, but especially the way he and his wife dealt with the situation, as humans and as business owners, is shocking and questionable.
Again, I am so sorry that Linus wasn't on leash and would go back in time and do that all differently if I could--I keep going back to it in my mind--and am sorry about the ducks. We are all sorrier than the owner can guess, but we haven't heard any remorse at all from him since that night when he apologized for his wife and offered a refund. Since then it's been, "I've had to shoot many dogs over the years, even ones wearing collars. I'll do it again." and "I hope you learned a lesson." Since we cannot go back in time, I was eager to move forward, to get the refund and create a donation in Linus's name, either a scholarship for students or a donation to a local org like Lakota animal fund! (And even gave him the opportunity to choose to do that himself--to make some amends--or just give us our promised refund).
But! He went back on his word about giving us a refund. Not surprising in the least, considering his previous questionable actions and constantly changing story (first he said, "I thought it was a stray" and then when we pointed it out that Linus was wearing a collar and bandanna, he said, "I thought it was a neighbor's dog. I've had to shoot my neighbors' dogs before. I'd do it again.")! Not getting a refund is definitely not the worst thing that came out of that stay, but just another symptom of the lack of responsibility and remorse from this business owner. (Even when given the opportunity to do something good in a horrible situation).
When we first arrived, I had so much hope for returning often to the place, as it's beautiful and the cabins are cute, but I definitely won't return and would give warning to all guests who might be looking to stay there: Don't! (And definitely don't bring man's best friend!)