Jessica & Derek G.
Columbus, NE
A real home away from home!
Pet care experience
Derek and Jessica have fostered and owned a mix of breeds, including rescues, puppies, and seniors - big and small. We recognize that every pup is an individual and demands custom-tailored care and attention, and we work to keep your pup on the schedule s/he's used to (for care, for meals, and for play!). Each dog has a unique personality, and we love making their time away from home as comforting and fun as possible. It makes us smile when regular clients have reported that their pups perk up when approaching our house...to know that we can give that kind of confidence is a gift! Our oldest resident pup is Effie ("EE-FEE" - a playful brindle Coonhound mix). Effie is a playful girl who adapts to the energy level of our guests. We adopted a pair of new rescue pups in August 2021 and are accepting bookings from new clients again. We are still working with ChaCha and Jive on positive interactions with new people, so you may not be able to meet them at a Meet and Greet. They're friendly with dogs but unsure about new humans, so this is for everyone's benefit while we develop healthier behaviors. All of our girls are up-to-date on vaccines and spayed The pups live for Nylabones, TOYS!, and cuddling with us in-between guest stays.
Reviews
Jessica and Derek are awesome! Rio loves going there! They are great at sending updates and pictures while we are gone!!
Gracie loves going to Jessica's house. She gets a lot of love and attention there.
Jessica and Derek are the most amazing dog sitters out there! Highly recommend them! I fully trust them with our two pups!
I give this family 10 stars!!! they kept giving us updates and pictures. I think coco was very very happy. Will use her again!!
About Jessica & Derek G.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
AUGUST 2022 - we are not accepting new clients until further notice. We're moving house in October, and need to take this time to prepare and sell our current home. Current clients will be accepted if at all possible during this time. We will notify guests about our new address in Columbus once we're moved! OUR HOME Located near Hobby Lobby in Columbus, our home offers a cozy space for pups to relax & play indoors. We have hardwood floors with area rugs, and guests are allowed free access to the ground floor during the day. We have gates to divide the space in case it is needed, and extra guest dog beds which are cleaned between stays. We keep a couple of extra dog bowls too, in case you forget one. A 4.5-foot chainlink fence secures the backyard, to offer supervised potty breaks and playtime outside. We have 4 stairs to go up/down for potty breaks. Our home is a fixer-upper in a state of constant change, and we always keep it SAFE for 4-legged guests. When your dog arrives, we will clip on a Guest Tag to their collar; this red dog tag advertises that they are a GUEST and ON VACATION, and to CALL THE SITTER FIRST. We have not had a single guest get away on us, but this extra precaution is one way to help you rest easier if your pup is an escape artist!
Home
Information Jessica & Derek G. would like to know about your pet
It's important for us to know your pup's usual schedule: feeding times, sleeping arrangements, and how s/he lets you know s/he needs to go outside. Information about their personality, quirks, and sleeping habits helps us set up their stay for success. We also need to know any special care instructions, allergies, and if your dog has any fears or triggers (fireworks, thunder, vaccuums, plastic bags etc). Hey, our dog is afraid of plastic bags. Yours isn't!? WHAT TO PACK - Enough food for the stay plus an extra day, just in case - Food bowl(s) - Medications and instructions - Favorite toy(s) or treat(s) - Dog bed (or we have extras, no charge!) - A crate - ONLY if that is their preferred sleeping/den spot; we do not require a crate. - Jessica recommends also packing an old t-shirt, blanket, or towel for first time guests who may have separation anxiety. Being able to provide your scent is soothing in a new environment. MEET AND GREETS We like to book a Meet before a first booking when possible. This introduces your pup(s) to our home and our dog, allowing us to be sure everyone is comfortable and to be able to discuss your pup's needs in person. An introduction before the stay helps reduce anxiety when vacation starts! Weekdays after 5:00 p.m. or weekends work well for these. We do NOT give a full home tour.
A typical day
During a stay in our home, care is customized for what your pup is used to and what they need to make it a positive stay. Personal attention and cuddling are a hot commodity around here! We have a large neighborhood to walk around, with a park nearby, if regular walks are on the agenda. Treats are given as you instruct, and we'll even work on reinforcing training as needed. We believe in positive reinforcement with limited correction (correction is rare and usually just a stern "No", unless your dog is familiar with another method). Most guests sleep while Jessica works, having meal times as they're used to at home and going out for potty breaks every couple of hours. On breaks, Jessica interacts and plays with pups and our evenings are often spent playing before bed, as it seems to be a very common routine for our guests. --- In the case that Jessica is not available (usually due to business travel), Derek will happily step in. Otherwise, we work as a team.
Services
Jessica & Derek can host
Jessica & Derek can watch in your home
Availability
SCHEDULE Jessica works as a manager full-time from home, and loves spending break times interacting and playing with pups! This allows for flexibility in routine during a stay, and some flexibility in drop-off / pick-up times (Jessica has a lot of meetings, and works around those). Derek is home in the evenings during the week, and we're both around the house most of the time on weekends. In our down time we're usually gardening while playing fetch outside, taking a guest on a walk, or relaxing while the dogs play with a guest pup in the living room - every pup's best friends!
About Jessica & Derek G.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
AUGUST 2022 - we are not accepting new clients until further notice. We're moving house in October, and need to take this time to prepare and sell our current home. Current clients will be accepted if at all possible during this time. We will notify guests about our new address in Columbus once we're moved! OUR HOME Located near Hobby Lobby in Columbus, our home offers a cozy space for pups to relax & play indoors. We have hardwood floors with area rugs, and guests are allowed free access to the ground floor during the day. We have gates to divide the space in case it is needed, and extra guest dog beds which are cleaned between stays. We keep a couple of extra dog bowls too, in case you forget one. A 4.5-foot chainlink fence secures the backyard, to offer supervised potty breaks and playtime outside. We have 4 stairs to go up/down for potty breaks. Our home is a fixer-upper in a state of constant change, and we always keep it SAFE for 4-legged guests. When your dog arrives, we will clip on a Guest Tag to their collar; this red dog tag advertises that they are a GUEST and ON VACATION, and to CALL THE SITTER FIRST. We have not had a single guest get away on us, but this extra precaution is one way to help you rest easier if your pup is an escape artist!
Home
Information Jessica & Derek G. would like to know about your pet
It's important for us to know your pup's usual schedule: feeding times, sleeping arrangements, and how s/he lets you know s/he needs to go outside. Information about their personality, quirks, and sleeping habits helps us set up their stay for success. We also need to know any special care instructions, allergies, and if your dog has any fears or triggers (fireworks, thunder, vaccuums, plastic bags etc). Hey, our dog is afraid of plastic bags. Yours isn't!? WHAT TO PACK - Enough food for the stay plus an extra day, just in case - Food bowl(s) - Medications and instructions - Favorite toy(s) or treat(s) - Dog bed (or we have extras, no charge!) - A crate - ONLY if that is their preferred sleeping/den spot; we do not require a crate. - Jessica recommends also packing an old t-shirt, blanket, or towel for first time guests who may have separation anxiety. Being able to provide your scent is soothing in a new environment. MEET AND GREETS We like to book a Meet before a first booking when possible. This introduces your pup(s) to our home and our dog, allowing us to be sure everyone is comfortable and to be able to discuss your pup's needs in person. An introduction before the stay helps reduce anxiety when vacation starts! Weekdays after 5:00 p.m. or weekends work well for these. We do NOT give a full home tour.
A typical day
During a stay in our home, care is customized for what your pup is used to and what they need to make it a positive stay. Personal attention and cuddling are a hot commodity around here! We have a large neighborhood to walk around, with a park nearby, if regular walks are on the agenda. Treats are given as you instruct, and we'll even work on reinforcing training as needed. We believe in positive reinforcement with limited correction (correction is rare and usually just a stern "No", unless your dog is familiar with another method). Most guests sleep while Jessica works, having meal times as they're used to at home and going out for potty breaks every couple of hours. On breaks, Jessica interacts and plays with pups and our evenings are often spent playing before bed, as it seems to be a very common routine for our guests. --- In the case that Jessica is not available (usually due to business travel), Derek will happily step in. Otherwise, we work as a team.
Location
Columbus, NE
Pets
Jessica & Derek G.
Columbus, NE