Hi! My name is Alexa. I live on a small farm in cordesville, just outside of Moncks corner. I have 5 dogs, an indoor cat, horses, rabbits, and free range chickens. Animals are my passion, life simply isn't complete without wet noses, tail wags, and tongues that curl from panting after some intense play or exercise! I have never lost a dog in my care, your dog will not be the first. Dogs are never left unattended outside. Not even tethered. I understand the importance of keeping pets active when they are away from their normal. I have other dogs that can be played with, however if that isn't your dogs cup of tea no worries! I have my home set up so your pup won't have to see another dog their entire stay. I have some agility equipment, a flirt pole, a spring pole, and many many more activities to engage your dog's mind as much as their muscles! When new dogs arrive I like to take some time, allow them to adjust, and build some mutual trust. During this time I also decided which of my dogs to introduce first, or if I think there will be personality clashes between anyone. Some dogs just don't speak the same play language as others. Once your dog and I have had a chance to get to know one another, and they have settled in some I start introducing dogs outside in my play yard. I always have another person available incase the greeting goes any way other than wonderful. We can easily separate the dogs before anything gets out of hand! All dogs react to the stress of a new environment differently, some don't get stressed at all, while others are completely different dogs than when at home or in a familiar environment. Whichever side your dog falls on, we will adjust as necessary to ensure your dog has the most relaxing stay possible! If you're dog hasn't seen chickens before, or is known to try and chase, play with, or eat chickens that is not a problem! I have worked a lot of dogs past this. One of my 5 has killed a chicken in the past, but he can now be trusted around them alone. Please ask me about this if you'd like to know more. Because every interaction you have with an animal, one of you is training the other I am going to talk about training some. I use balanced training methods, which means I find the balance between rewards and corrections for each individual dog. This is very different dog to dog so I keep a variety of tools in my training toolbox. I only use the tools that are appropriate for the dog in front of me. If a dog isn't motivated by food, I'm not going to continue shoving food in their face, that is counterproductive. I will find something that does motivate them as a reward! This includes dogs here for boarding, a safe stay starts with trust, and a structured environment. I work from home taking care of my animals, petsitting, training, and I make paracord dog collars and leashes. I can give your pup the maximum amount of attention! I live in the country on about 5 acres of land. There are several different fenced sections that I use for different purposes. Two are used for dogs, we have the yard right around the house for going potty (mainly anyway. Play happens here too). We also have the play yard, a fenced field out at the front of the property. When you arrive for your meet and greet, my dogs will all be crated so my attention is all yours! When your pup comes to stay, I will also have my dogs up for a couple of hours while your dog adjusts to the new environment. This also gives them time to realize that you are gone. When it is time to meet the other dogs, it will be one at a time giving each dog a chance to get to know the other and how they play before being put in a group to play. Dog's will be crated during downtime and overnight. If you're dog hasn't been previously crate trained, no worries! I will take some time to properly condition them to the crate to keep it from being a scary or negative experience. I also have an Arlo camera in my dog room, so I can check on the dogs from anywhere at anytime!