Things to NOTE: 1. I do NOT take unaltered pets and I limit new clients to one new family at a time. Therefore, I may have openings, but if you are a new client I may not have a spot for you. 2. A recent back injury means I must carefully screen any Golden and Lab Retriever clients -- basically with rare exceptions I do not take retrievers younger than 7 years old. 3. I do work and drop offs and pick ups must be scheduled around my work hours. If you're here, you're family! That's how I think about all the pups who come to visit me. I think I offer something special to my clients in that I am NOT just someone who absolutely loves dogs and opens their home to them. I am also a "retired dog professional" with 20 years of experience in dog training, fostering, sheltering and boarding. I can give your dogs a homey place to stay with a professional edge focusing on safety and enrichment. A true "bed and bark-fest". My yard is fully fenced and gates are kept locked at all times to keep your pup safe. There is a fenced and covered dog run in my yard (10'x10') for little guys who may feel a little overwhelmed by a quarter acre. The Snoqualmie Valley Trail is nearby for walks and Carnation has its own fenced off-leash dog park three blocks away. We also have a doggy playroom with a cement floor to use when the heat gets to be too much outside -- or as a place to shake off the mud during the rainy season before everyone goes into the house. There are 2 of us with two legs and opposable thumbs to keep an eye on the pooches. The house and yard are very dog friendly -- we keep it clean and neat, but don't panic if someone digs a hole or scratches a door or has an accident. Sometimes a new pup is a little shy and likes to have a quiet place to himself so we offer one of our bedrooms for a sanctuary. Before long, most are poking their heads out so join in play. If you have rules about not letting your pup on the furniture, etc., we will enforce those during the stay -- otherwise we just want your dog to feel right at home! About this sitter: Simple....I love dogs. They add so much to my life that spending time with them has turned out to be cheaper and more efficient than therapy. :) I do everything with a dog or two involved. When my kids moved on, I had a lot of excess energy and attention and pups have become the perfect focal point for it. Having once boarded my own dog in a traditional kennel, I decided that is an experience no one should have to endure. My solution is to open my home and heart to your companion dogs while you are away. Why I love dog sitting I got my first dog as an adult in 2000 and it was a life-changing event! I started by attending dog training classes...and couldn't stop because they were so much fun. When we finished the classes, I began studying to become a trainer myself. My motivation was this: Dogs bring so much to my life, I want to add joy to theirs. Well-mannered dogs simply get to do more, go more places! I started training at the Humane Society, then at Petsmart and now I am boarding and training on my own. I am entering my third decade of working with dogs as a trainer and a boarder. I specialize in socialization challenges and basic obedience, although I also work with K9's. Meet my pets Do squirrels count? :) In addition to my dogs, we have cat who thinks he is a dog and 5 dog-savvy chickens in a secure...and I mean SECURE...run. Boarders ignore the "funny looking dogs" for the most part much to my surpise. About my yard The quarter acre lot is fully fenced. There is a smaller, fenced dog run for little guys if needed. Gates have padlocks so no one can accidentally release a dog. I don't use pesticides or herbicides on my lawn and I don't freak out at a little digging. My experience administering medication Absolutely. Oral or injection.