Katrina M.
Katrina M.
Contact for Boarding
from $33 per night
Highlights
Pet care experience
Safe, happy home with fenced yard
I’ve been a devoted dog owner since 2009, and my dogs have always been cherished family members. Our home includes two friendly dogs who get along very well with others, plus two kids who love being part of the “pack.” We have a little pug friend that stays with us sometimes too, but he is also super social! We have a secure 6-foot privacy fence for safe playtime, and I can work from home when hosting dogs that need extra attention or frequent potty breaks. We love taking care of fur babies, and we love families who go to such great lengths to make sure their fur babies are cared for!
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Kat and her family took excellent care of our dog! She is knowledgeable, flexible, and a great communicator. Highly recommend and will definitely trust her with care of our pet again!!!
I had a disappointing experience with this booking. Ruger is a high-energy puppy, and I was upfront about that before booking. During the meet and greet, the sitter did not express any concerns about watching him and had mentioned having experience with other high-energy dogs. I explained that we kennel Ruger for about two hours a day to maintain his routine, but that he is not normally kenneled when we leave the house and does not typically destroy things in our home. The only things he has occasionally gotten into are items like food wrappers if they are left within reach. He also had not had an accident in our home for weeks prior to this stay. I was honestly hesitant about leaving him in the first place because he had previously only stayed with my mom. We were also over nine hours away attending a wedding when I began receiving a very large number of messages about issues throughout the stay, and eventually a phone call while we were at the wedding. It was extremely stressful because there was very little we could do from that far away, and we had to scramble to arrange for someone to pick him up. Unfortunately, the situation ended up causing a lot of stress and honestly ruined much of our trip. During the booking, I also learned that Ruger was being left alone in the house more often than I had expected. The sitter later told me she would not have accepted a dog needing this level of care if she had known he could not be left alone and needed a kennel. This was frustrating because I feel the expectations about kenneling, how long he would be left alone, and the level of supervision he would receive should have been discussed more clearly before the booking. Unfortunately, Ruger apparently became anxious after accidentally locking himself in a bedroom while she was away and caused damage to the carpet. I am truly sorry that happened and understand why she needed to find a safer arrangement for him afterward. However, this behavior was very out of character for him and occurred in a stressful, unfamiliar environment. I do not feel that it accurately reflects his normal behavior at home. I appreciate that she communicated with me and that we were ultimately able to get him picked up safely. However, I would encourage future sitters and owners to have very clear expectations beforehand about whether how long they may be left alone and what level of supervision is expected.
She always goes above and beyond for exceptional dog care. Very understanding, knowledgeable and will work with you if your dog had issues during stay. Highly recommended.
Katrina and her children are great pet sitters! I love the photos and videos that show me that my dog is having a great time! I know that when Waylon is visiting, he is well cared for and having a safe experience. Highly recommend!
It is hard to find someone as flexible, as watchful, and as loving as Katrina :) Would recommend 100%
Kat and her kids took great care of our 11 year old beagle. When our pup got anxious because mom wasn’t coming back at bedtime, Kat and her daughter gave cuddles and love. They sent pics and updates!
Calendar and availability
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Schedule
Life here is relaxed. Our dogs run and play in the yard, nap on the couch, and soak up attention all day. Our neighborhood is very dog friendly with clear sidewalks and access to a path around the lake if your dog would like to go on walks! I work in Ames and can work from home if pups need more company during the workday. My kids love to help with feeding, walks, and snuggles. I am even available during ISU football games to swing by, feed, or let your dog out.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
In our home, pets are treated like family. Visiting dogs can play safely in our fenced yard, relax on the furniture, and enjoy plenty of supervised attention. I make sure water is always available, follow any feeding or medication instructions, and keep a close eye on interactions with my own dogs to ensure everyone is comfortable. My kids also pitch in with gentle play, walks, and extra snuggles, so your pup will feel right at home. If you have any specific rules, recalls or commands that you would like us to use for consistency, please let us know!
Pets
A typical day
The best part about having multiple dogs is that they tend to entertain each other. As long as the weather is nice, the back doors open while I am home so they can come and go as they please into the fenced yard. Between wrestling and exploring, most dogs who stay with us don't seek much attention from me during the day. At night, we like to do a little bit of TV and sometimes a movie. Our couch expands to fit all the dogs and kids for snuggles (if that's their thing)