Lauren W.
Lauren W.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Passionate, qualified, experienced
Calm, Attuned Dog and Cat Care — From Someone Who Takes This Seriously Hi, I'm Lauren. I'm a qualified dog trainer and behaviourist, but more than that, I'm someone who has spent years building a genuine understanding of how animals think, feel, and cope, and who refuses to treat care as a numbers game. I offer dog and cat boarding, daycare, and house sitting built around real attention: structured walks across varied terrain, mental enrichment, rest, and routines that adapt to each animal rather than the other way round. Your pet isn't "another booking." They're someone I'm paying close attention to, the whole time they're with me. Specialties - Puppy and kitten care, including early training support - Senior pets, with gentle, comfort-focused routines - Nervous or sensitive animals - Disabled pets and animals recovering from illness, injury, or surgery, adapting environment, pace, and handling to what their body and confidence need right now - Small to medium dog breeds, including poodles, doodles, and schnauzers, plus cats of all temperaments For daycare, I have access to a private, secure play barn and other adventures. I have many ideal places for safe off lead exploration, decompression walks, and quiet confidence building, especially for dogs who find the world a lot. Why my experience actually matters here My background isn't just dog training on paper. I bring years working in behaviour and therapeutic settings, plus hands on experience running my own dog care service, including a wedding dog minding role and regular house sits, so I've handled real, varied, sometimes unpredictable situations, not just theory. I read body language and stress signals closely, and I go beyond spotting a problem to actually anticipating it: recognising when an animal is deferring to another, catching the early signs before a scuffle starts, adjusting the environment before they even have to ask. I've also cared for a genuinely wide range of animals, from playful Bengal cats to chickens and a 100 year old tortoise, so adaptability isn't a claim, it's a habit. I'll be honest: I don't believe in cutting corners to scale up, using inexperienced staff as a shortcut, or following the industry's loosest standards just because they're allowed. A proper care culture has to be built deliberately, and I hold myself to that, every booking. What owners tell me they value most - Calm, consistent care with clear routines - Regular photo and video updates - Honest, transparent communication - A carer who understands why an animal is behaving a certain way, not just what to do about it
Cat care experience
Lauren also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Hudson has a lovely time with Lauren. She considered his needs even lifting him into the chair! She provided him with adventures and new games. She provided lots of updates which were great to see, as this was the first time he had stayed with her. He was very comfortable and happy when I went to pick him up. She provides a lovely, warm and caring environment and Hudson will definitely be back!
Lauren was just great looking after Bert and Bella - by the looks of the photos they had a wonderful time!
Lauren is amazing! She is helping me to train my new puppy and she’s so kind and comes with lots of enrichment toys and treats. She is really helping me to calm Lily down and has given me lots of tips, to help me integrate a dog into a household with autistic children. She’s a brilliant communicator too and so helpful, brilliant, punctual, calm and supportive in every way. Lily loves her coming round and is so happy with her so I cannot recommend Lauren highly enough!
Lauren was wonderful with Frankie. He can be a nervous dog, especially with new people coming into the house, and she put so much thought and care into helping him feel safe before the sit even began. She arranged several settling-in visits, took things entirely at Frankie’s pace, used calm body language and “calming signals”, and never pressured him for contact. It was clear she really understood anxious dogs and wanted to build trust properly. By the time we went away, Frankie had made huge progress with her. She sent thoughtful updates, photos and videos, asked all the right questions about his routines, triggers, no-touch areas, walks, food, vet details and house quirks, and was very considerate about the heat and his comfort. Frankie ended up relaxed, happy and clearly very fond of her. We came home to a well-cared-for dog that had been looked after too. We felt completely confident he was in kind, capable and very attentive hands. I’d happily recommend Lauren, especially for anyone with a sensitive or anxious dog who needs someone patient, gentle and genuinely invested in getting it right.
Lauren was fabulous, would not hesitate to book again! We came home to two extremely calm and happy dogs. She was also very flexible and sent regular updates.
Lauren was wonderful with our lively cocker spaniel and had fantastic creative ways to keep her engaged- thank you! ☺️
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
Dog care is currently my main business and I run it as you would expect a nursery to be run. It is run thoughtfully and structured around the needs of the dogs, my needs, safety and hygiene. I assess the dogs carefully before choosing activities but usually we would have morning walks, afternoon mental stimulation and then a afternoon nap followed by more play or a walk. The dogs are guided through these routines by providing visual cues for different phases of the day. Sometimes if there is extreme weather there are very early morning walks, of shorter duration and an encouragement to be less active. In hot weather or very cold weather dogs would be kept occupied with more enrichment than walks.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
I deliver high quality, bespoke care for you and your pets, it is important to me to provide care that works for you. You can trust me to; - Provide so many cuddles and other types of attentive touch. I have a past as a massage therapist and I connect through my fingers and senses so grooming the dogs with brushes or some other kind of tool forms part of the daily diet of dog care and boarding. - Build a rapport with you and communicate daily to keep you updated. You can also access the Toebeans cameras to see, speak to and give treats to your dog. - Provide appropriate levels of stimulation for your dog based on close observation of how they are. We have a large range of resources, paddling pool, scented bubbles, licky mats, treat dispensers, toys (tug toys, balls, soft toys) etc - Play with your dog choosing their preferred toy or interaction to let them know I care about their preferences. - Provide varied, well thought out, risk assessed walks in clean safe and risk assessed transport. - Care for your animal as you yourself would wish to care for them and include my own knowledge and skills and your pets preferences and Welfare into the mix. - Watch your pet attentively and analyse the way they interact and ask for things and try to meet them where they are at. - Be sensitive to and check for what boundaries your pet has regarding touch, medicine administration, grooming and handling. - Keep your animal safe and hygienic . If your animal is a dog I am prepared for every eventuality. I have on hand safe, effective cleaners and a contingency plan for most problems. Having been a nanny for 15 years and trained in Level 3 childcare I know how to carryout risks assessments, think for those who can't think for themselves and provide safe environments. I will ask many questions and make some recommendations for keeping your dog safe when they come to me. - Make sure your dog has daily checks and attention to prevent health problems such as bloat (from exercising after a meal or drinking to fast) and that their body is given close attention so any injury is not missed. - Provide a safe garden for your dog to play in. Disinfectant is used on the patio. Poo is picked up twice a day. All the plants are dog safe. The fence is 6ft and we are due to add bamboo to double the efforts of providing a secure garden. - Supervise your pets as often as I can including using Furbo if I have to leave them and analyse footage to check I am providing them with the best care at other times. - Ensure all products used within the house are animal safe. - Have a meeting with you and a trial session for dog walking, boarding and daycare.
Pets
A typical day
A typical day usually involves getting out to the countryside for a walk, I'm not far from some incredible country parks. We have been everywhere from the closest parks such as Crystal Palace, South Norwood Lakes and South Norwood Country Park to further afield to play in a really muddy secure field. The dogs will usually be cleaned off and then the dogs have a chance for free play with the toys. Later on I could initiate some human interaction such as playing tug, fetch, grooming or blowing bubbles. Or I may make them a delicious combination of foods to have on a licky mat or do a treat hunt. We then have our daily nap club after fun activities.
- Cats0 to 7 kg7 to 18 kg18 to 45 kgLauren can host up to 4 pets per night
- I will want to know; 1.your dogs personality 2.favourite activities 3. Need for down time and ability to take it. 4. Commands in their language 5. Daily routines of note eg bedtime rituals 6. Background, where did they come from? 7. Emotional events and how long ago eg rehomed, family breakdown, other dog rehomed/died, accident, vet stay etc. 8. Any previous training with a behaviourist? 9. Socialisation history both exposure to other dogs, sounds and multiple textures and environments. 10. Their high value reward is it treats, toys, games or cuddles? If it is treats please supply them. 11. Emergency contact. 12. Vet details are non optional along with vaccination status and proof and proof of neutering or being spayed. 13. Details of last flea and wormer. 14. Any behavioural issues eg lead pulling, lead biting, running away, digging, separation anxiety, barking when left alone, food stealing or any other daycare/boarding disrupting behaviour etc. 15. Areas on the body they don't want touched. 16. Food amount and timings. 17. Allergies and sensitives. 18. Previous boarding/daycare experience, with whom and what was the feedback. 19. Medical issues. 20. Experience having walked as a pack. 21. Toileting schedule 22. Exercise requirements 23. If they get on with all animals, children, genders etc. 24. Recall 25. Your contact preferences and expectations regarding daycare. 26. Whether you are happy to board your dogs together 27 whether you are happy for your dog to mix with and stay with other dogs. 28. Frequency of toileting and routine.