Caitlin F.
Caitlin F.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Experienced Foster & Dog Owner
📝 About me Hi! I’m Caitlin, a full-time educator, longtime dog owner, foster, and experienced pet sitter based in downtown Montclair. I’ve spent more than a decade caring for dogs of all ages, sizes, and personalities through dog ownership, fostering, rescue work, and pet sitting. I’ve been fortunate to build a wonderful group of repeat clients, and many of the dogs I care for return to stay with me regularly. I genuinely enjoy getting to know each dog’s personality and routine, and I want my home to feel like a comfortable second home for the dogs who stay here. 🏡 Personal, low-volume boarding I generally host one guest dog at a time, in addition to my own dog, Georgia. On occasion, I will host two guest dogs when I know both dogs well and feel confident that their personalities and routines are compatible. This model allows me to provide considerably more individual attention than a traditional boarding environment. Visiting dogs live as part of the household: they can relax on the couch or bed, follow their usual routines, join me for walks around Montclair, and have plenty of quiet space and downtime. Georgia is friendly, calm, and accustomed to sharing her home with visiting dogs. Because maintaining a peaceful environment is important to me, I prioritize dogs who are comfortable in a home (apartment) setting, have good household manners, and can coexist calmly with another dog. Because I keep boarding intentionally small and want every stay to be a good fit, I require a meet & greet before accepting a new boarding client. For longer or extended stays, I strongly prefer to schedule a daycare day beforehand if possible. This gives your dog a chance to get comfortable with me, Georgia, and my home before their stay, and gives all of us an opportunity to make sure it feels like the right fit. You’ll receive regular updates and plenty of photos throughout the stay. My goal is for you to be able to enjoy your time away knowing your dog is safe, comfortable, and getting lots of individual attention. 💊 Experience & special care My background in fostering has given me experience with a wide range of breeds and needs, from puppies and giant breeds to seniors and dogs requiring medications or additional support. I’m comfortable administering medications and following detailed feeding, allergy, mobility, and care routines. I also have ramps available for dogs with mobility restrictions and indoor cameras for added safety when I’m away from home for brief periods.
Cat care experience
Caitlin also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Pierre had a great visit with Caitlin. She sent us pictures and it was clear she was taking excellent care of him. We are grateful for the time and attention she gave him. We hope she will care for him again in the future,
Caitlin is a wonderful cat sitter!! They both warmed up to her super quickly 💛 She was thoughtful, detail oriented, and made sure our fur babies were fed and cared for.
Caitlin was fantastic! I really appreciated all her morning updates while we were away. We never worried that Indy was in good hands.
Caitlin is wonderful, bright, cheery, and great with my Selina (2 year old, bougie kitty). Selina takes a while to warm up to someone new, so I asked Caitlin to do 30 minute drop-ins while I was away for Labor Day weekend. By the time I returned Selina was giving up the tummy to Caitlin for belly rubs. :) We are ready for my 2 weeks in India now. Caitlin is excellent with the daily communication and pics, and was even concerned to take my trash out worried about the possible smell from the litter scoopings. I was worried about finding a solid replacement for my previous cat sitter. I am worried no more. Thanks, Caitlin!
Caitlin was so wonderful to work with! She was always on time and Leo loved his walks with her!
Caitlin was wonderful with our cat Harlow! She was a great communicator, gave lots of detail about Harlow’s daily moods and activities with each visit, and promptly informed me of any concerns. Most importantly, Harlow seemed to be very happy under her care and was well taken care of. I would definitely request her services again!
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
As a full-time educator, my schedule allows for especially flexible boarding throughout the summer and during school holidays and extended breaks. These are ideal times for longer stays, as I’m able to spend more of the day at home with my guests. During the school year, my regular availability is primarily weekends, but I do consider weekday boarding on an individual basis. Dogs who are comfortable relaxing at home and accustomed to being alone during the workday can be a great fit for my routine. I’m always happy to discuss your dog’s needs and determine whether my schedule will work well for them. Making sure each dog is a good fit for my home, routine, and resident dog is an important part of providing safe, individualized care.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
Safety is always my top priority. I provide a calm, structured environment and closely supervise all dogs in my care. I’m thoughtful about introductions, routines, and each dog’s individual needs. I have experience caring for senior dogs and dogs with medical needs, and I’ve completed a canine CPR course. I’m attentive to subtle changes in behavior or health and know when something may require prompt veterinary attention.
Pets
A typical day
There’s no one-size-fits-all “typical day.” I try to maintain the routine your dog already knows at home. For an active dog, that might mean longer walks, enrichment, playtime, and plenty of opportunities to explore. For a senior or laid-back dog, it might mean shorter outings and a lot more couch time. I adjust activity, feeding, rest, and attention to the individual dog rather than expecting every guest to adapt to the same boarding routine.
- 0 to 15 lbs16 to 40 lbs41 to 100 lbsover 101 lbsSpayed and neutered dogs onlyNo females in heatCaitlin can host up to 2 pets per night
- Please tell me about your dog’s normal routine, personality, training, feeding schedule, and any medical or behavioral needs. I’m especially interested in how they behave at home, around other dogs, on walks, and when left alone.