John F.
John F.
Contact for Boarding
from $65 per night
Highlights
Pet care experience
Calm Boarding + Fenced Yard
I provide calm, attentive boarding in a quiet home with a fully fenced backyard. I keep my boarding group intentionally small, hosting no more than four dogs at a time, and carefully consider each dog’s temperament, needs, and compatibility. This allows me to provide a lower-stimulation environment, consistent routines, and plenty of personal attention without operating like a high-volume kennel. I’m currently taking a break from pet ownership after my own dog passed away, so visiting dogs receive my full focus while they’re here. My home has no resident pets and no children, which can be especially helpful for dogs who may feel overwhelmed in busier boarding settings. I have over 20 years of experience caring for dogs and cats, including senior pets and pets with medication or special care needs. During the COVID period, I fostered 12+ dogs through Schenectady Homeward Bound, which gave me experience with a wide range of temperaments, routines, energy levels, and adjustment needs. My goal is to provide a safe, clean, comfortable home-away-from-home where your dog can settle in, enjoy the yard, go for walks, and keep as much of their normal routine as possible.
Cat care experience
John also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
John was a dream to find for our two dogs! They can be a little “needy” and have some quirks, and finding the right person to care for them is everything. We were gone overseas for 10 days and looked forward to John’s daily updates, photos, and videos of our dogs. Having peace of mind seeing them SO HAPPY with him brought us a lot of joy. They came home with smiles on their faces and we knew we’d found a good 2nd home for our pups when we travel. His responses showed he already had gotten to know and love our dogs and we will definitely be relying on him for future care. Your fur babies are in good hands with John!
We had a great experience with John. Not only was he able to help us out in a pinch, (just before a holiday weekend with meet and greet promptly scheduled) our dog loved him and he executed care instructions as planned. He exceeded our expectations of a drop-in sitter. John was a great communicator, giving us daily updates about our dog, sending pictures, and reaching out with major things of notice (nothing bad, but our cat was up to no good). We plan to book John again the next time we need some help with our dog!
Hudson had an amazing visit with Andre!
Andre was amazing with Hudson!! Hudson was a little anxious at first and Andre gave him a chance to settle in to his new surroundings and relax. I received so many pictures and messages from Andre while Hudson was there and I never worried how he was doing. I had so much peace of mind and Hudson had a great visit!
John was great. He sent me notes, pics, and videos. I highly recommend him.
John was absolutely wonderful with my anxious rescue dog. This was our first time boarding since I rescued my dog, and John was incredibly responsive and would send multiple updates every day which helped me immensely! John was very accommodating and allowed my dog to approach him on his own terms, and truly made my anxious dog very comfortable. John followed all of my instructions perfectly, even doing my dog's meals via enrichment and scatter feeding rather than a bowl as I requested. John's home space is quiet and peaceful, and the fenced in yard makes it perfect for any dog, but especially good for those who need a calm environment. Cannot recommend him enough!
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I work full-time, but I often work from home and live close enough to stop in frequently during the day. This gives me the flexibility to provide regular walks, potty breaks, and companionship. I'm available for boarding and drop-in visits on evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
Safety and comfort are my priorities. My home has a fully fenced backyard for supervised outdoor time. I generally host pets from one household at a time, which allows me to provide a calm, home-based experience with plenty of individual attention. I carefully consider temperament, size, routines, and compatibility, and I can separate pets for meals, rest, or individual attention when needed. I follow care instructions closely, including feeding schedules, medications, crate routines, walking preferences, and any specific comfort needs. Written instructions are especially helpful because they allow me to keep your dog’s routine as consistent as possible while you’re away. I keep a clean, calm, non-smoking home and aim to prevent the stress that can come with crowded boarding environments. Dogs have regular potty breaks, backyard time, walks, companionship, and downtime throughout the day. You’ll receive regular photo and message updates so you can relax knowing your dog is safe, comfortable, and well cared for. For the safety and comfort of everyone involved, I generally require a meet-and-greet before accepting a first-time boarding request. It gives us a chance to make sure your dog is comfortable with me, my home, and the yard, and that I’m a good fit for their needs. Once we’ve met and everything feels like a good match, I can usually accept future booking requests right away.
A typical day
A typical day includes meals on your dog’s usual schedule, supervised backyard time, neighborhood walks, potty breaks, play or sniffing time, and plenty of companionship. I balance activity with calm downtime so dogs can relax and settle into the home. Because I often work from home and live close by when I’m at the office, I can provide regular check-ins, potty breaks, and attention throughout the day. I’ll also send photo updates so you can see how your dog is doing while you’re away.
- Cats0 to 15 lbs16 to 40 lbs41 to 100 lbsover 101 lbsSpayed and neutered dogs onlyNo females in heatTakes only 1 client at a timeJohn can host up to 3 pets per night
- I’m best suited for friendly, house-trained, crate-trained dogs who are comfortable in a home setting. I generally host one household at a time. Please tell me honestly about your dog’s behavior around other animals, including any guarding, reactivity, fear, or need to be the only animal in the home. Pickup and drop-off may be available depending on distance and scheduling. The listed rate applies to nearby clients; longer-distance transportation may require an adjusted fee.