
Joey S.

Joey S.
Contact for Doggy Day Care
from $20 per day
Highlights
Pet care experience
Say hi to your dog for me!
Or better yet, drop them off at my house and let me watch them! I have over 35 years of taking care of dogs. Specialties include ear rubs, belly pets, fetch, and lounging on the couch and/or bed. I also have experience taking care of senior doggies, as my late Maggie, the adorable springer spaniel in my photos, was diabetic in her last days, meaning that I can dispense medication like a pro. I am a disabled writer with Stiff Person Syndrome (shout out to my girl Celine Dion!), so I wouldn't be good with puppies. I can offer short walks, but 15 minutes is my threshold, and because I walk slowly (and with a cane), I would not do well with a dog that pulls too much. I do, however, have a fenced-in front yard.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Joey took great care of my fur baby while I was away. When I picked her up she was calm and happy. His home is a great environment for her.

Joey is amazing!! He cares deeply about the dogs he takes care of. I know Chibones is having the best time and getting all the love when he is with Joey. Joey is also super easy to work with and makes the process to book, drop off, all the things really simple. I'll for sure book again!!

Joey took great care of my fur baby. She is quite fond of him and came back a happy pup. He also was a prompt and reliable communicator, making sure I got photos and updates each day.

Joey S. cancelled a booking 2 days before it was scheduled to begin.
Please, DO NOT CHOOSE Joey. TLDR: he’s incapable of actually caring for dogs. I’m convinced he’s the last person you should allow to care for your dog and firmly believe he would be incapable of assisting your dog in any type of emergency. 20 minutes into my dog’s stay I was told it was best if I come back to pick up her up because she was pacing and whimpering. My dog was with him a total of 41 minutes and I regret every second of it. Joey was unable to care for my 12 year old dachshund. When we arrived, we tried to explain to him she takes a little time to calm down and warm up to people but, she will calm down. She was barking when we dropped her off, a common reaction for most dachshunds I know. As we were explaining how she reacts and trying to speak to him he got short with us and dismissed us, telling us “we should just leave.” We text him about 10 minutes after we left and he told us he let her out in his front yard and she was struggling with getting back up the stairs. He then asked if she could do stairs, I asked him if he could pick her up and his response was “she finally made it.” I’m appalled that he allowed my dog to struggle getting up the stairs after his profile boasted that he was suited for small senior dogs. He changed his profile the same day to say dogs must be able to do stairs; I would have never left her with him had his profile said must do stairs prior to my dog’s experience. It’s disgusting what my dog had to endure in order for him to discover a new requirement for dogs to be left with him. We asked if she was ok after she went back inside and he said she was pacing and whimpering, his next message, not even 20 minutes into her stay was, “I think it's best if you come back.” And then he said “This is not good for my disability.” It took me 18 minutes to get back to pick her up, when I walked into the house to get her, she was sitting quietly next to him… her disposition when I walked in to pick her up showed me that he lacks the ability and patience needed to care properly for animals. He needs to realize that loving to pet dogs and caring for them are two very different things. Just because you love dogs does not mean you will actually make a good pet sitter. I hope he realizes his limitations before someone’s pet suffers due to his incompetence. I can’t imagine how he would handle any type of emergency since he couldn’t even help my dog up the stairs or deal with her whimpering and pacing for less than 20 minutes. If you have a comatose potato or don’t mind your dog to being a trial and error experiment, Joey might be for you. However, if you actually care about your dog’s wellbeing, I highly recommend you find another sitter; I am kicking myself for leaving my dog with him and she was only in his care for an agonizing 41 minutes.
Joey is a caring and responsible animal lover who will treat your dog like his own. I can confidently recommend him to anyone looking for someone who will provide loving, professional care for their pup.
Calendar and availability
Schedule
Most days, I'm home all day long. However, there are two times a day I take medication, and I often have to nap. Happy to have your dog nap with me, or I can crate them if you like. I'm flexible. I have a standing appointment on Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
I have a fenced-in front yard. I follow instructions well, so you'll never have to worry about your dog missing feeding time or their daily pill. I live in a rowhouse and alternate my time between the living room on the ground floor and the master bedroom on the second floor, so it's important that your doggo can climb stairs.
A typical day
A typical day with me depends on the dog. If they want to play fetch, we'll play fetch. If they want to chill on the couch and watch the latest episode of Drag Race, then shantay we will stay right on the couch. Tug of war? Your doggo is gon win for sure.
- 0 to 15 lbs16 to 40 lbsDogs over 1 year oldSpayed and neutered dogs onlyNo females in heatCrate-trained dogs onlyTakes only 1 client at a timeJoey can host up to 1 dog per day
- Because of my disability, I prefer dogs with low to medium-low energy. A few stories to illustrate: My late great Mags (the springer spaniel) was a medium-low energy dog. Example: she loved a good game of fetch. It was her favorite. Well, maybe her second favorite (she also loved to tear a stuffed animal to shreds). But after about five or ten minutes of playing fetch, she'd give up, and she'd come to lie down next to me for pets. (Side note, stuffy wreckers are totally welcome. There was nothing but joy for both of us when new toys would arrive, only for them to last for five minutes.) This would happen several times a day. Tico, the chihuahua pictured here without me, was low-energy. For several years, he just wanted to be around people—nothing else. He didn't want to play or take a walk to the park—he just wanted to cuddle on the couch.
