Margaret B.
East Palo alto, CA
Special needs care for your pups
Pet care experience
My own dogs have medical and behavioral issues so I know how hard it is to find someone you trust with dog care. Will my sitter remember their meds on time? Can they handle my dog's behavior quirks? Will they keep them safe? YES! I'm here to take over so you can relax while you are away. I've been through it all, and I know how you're feeling. My experience comes from fostering dogs of practically every age and breed for multiple dog rescues (a lot of dogs!). I worked my way up from the easy happy-go-lucky ones to the most challenging cases. Rest assured, I'm your person. Bring on your biters, your hard to medicate, your separation anxiety crate-breakers. I'm also well versed in taking untrained dogs from wild to well mannered. I've cared for young puppies to seniors, fearful and reactive dogs and managed aggression safely. I've lived through emergency vet visits and staying up all night to give the right care. All dogs who come into my home are treated as if they were my own. That means I'll go the extra mile. I'm a full-time teacher so I'm organized, consistent, and used to being responsible for the well-being of others. I also take a "never stop learning" approach to life and continually add to my skill set. I have worked with sport dog trainers, and trainers focused on behavioral modification to increase dog manners and safety. I recognize that there are many training philosophies out there, and I'm comfortable continuing with your method of choice.
Reviews
Margaret took such amazing care of our dog! And she has a great backyard for dogs to play around.
Margaret and her dogs welcomed Quincy, our labradoodle, as a temporary member of their pack. It was great for him to be with other dogs and a very dog-savvy human. Margaret’s very observant, very caring and ready to help new dogs learn good behaviors. We hope Quincy will be able to stay with her in the future.
Margaret was wonderful. She walked Murphy, clipped his nails, socialized him with the other dogs and sent me updates. Murphy doesn’t like being alone so it was great having humans and other dogs too to keep him busy. He also loved the backyard. Plenty of room to explore and sniff around. When I picked him up, he wasn’t anxious to leave because he had already adapted to his new environment. Murphy was well taken care of. I’m so grateful that I had Margaret to hang with Murphy for four days.
Margaret is the best! We feel so fortunate to have found her. We have a mixed breed puppy almost 1 years old now that we adopted from a shelter several months ago. He's a very social guy and loves other dogs but still needs a lot of training and guidance. When he stays with Margaret, he gets to spend time with her sweet band of dogs, and her background in working with dogs means she is completely comfortable with his age and needs. We trust her inherently and are so grateful that she offers sitting through Rover. Thank you Margaret for taking amazing care of Cooper! He looks forward to hanging out with Ranger et al again next time.
About Margaret B.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have large and small dogs in my pack for your dog to socialize with, but all are crate trained if the social experience isn't your thing. My large back yard is dog friendly for zoomies and games, sniffing and lounging. Inside the house I reinforce good manners through repetition and routine. We have a "no dogs on furniture" rule, but there are many comfy dog beds for lounging. I also have cameras set up to check on them when away from home.
Home
Information Margaret B. would like to know about your pet
I'm happy to take on special needs dogs as long as I have all the information about them (food, medical, behavior, training goals). Your openness and honesty will help me be the best caretaker I can be. I have no breed or size restrictions. Crate trained dogs are given priority - happy to help you crate train your pups if you're interested. Please make sure your dogs are up-to-date on vaccines (or titered) and use flea and tick control to keep my pack healthy.
A typical day
I keep as regular a routine as possible so things are predictable and comfortable for dogs visiting my home. Dog guests can get fresh air and zoomies in my large yard in the morning before crate time while the humans are at work. Walks, obedience training, and playtime as well as nature walks on the Baylands trails are all possibilities. Let me know what your dog needs.
Services
Margaret can host
Availability
My partner and I have offset work schedules so dogs can get breaks every 4 hours if needed. As a teacher, I have a regular work schedule Monday through Friday with evenings and weekends free. I love that dogs are the start and the end to my days.
About Margaret B.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have large and small dogs in my pack for your dog to socialize with, but all are crate trained if the social experience isn't your thing. My large back yard is dog friendly for zoomies and games, sniffing and lounging. Inside the house I reinforce good manners through repetition and routine. We have a "no dogs on furniture" rule, but there are many comfy dog beds for lounging. I also have cameras set up to check on them when away from home.
Home
Information Margaret B. would like to know about your pet
I'm happy to take on special needs dogs as long as I have all the information about them (food, medical, behavior, training goals). Your openness and honesty will help me be the best caretaker I can be. I have no breed or size restrictions. Crate trained dogs are given priority - happy to help you crate train your pups if you're interested. Please make sure your dogs are up-to-date on vaccines (or titered) and use flea and tick control to keep my pack healthy.
A typical day
I keep as regular a routine as possible so things are predictable and comfortable for dogs visiting my home. Dog guests can get fresh air and zoomies in my large yard in the morning before crate time while the humans are at work. Walks, obedience training, and playtime as well as nature walks on the Baylands trails are all possibilities. Let me know what your dog needs.
Location
East Palo alto, CA
Pets
Margaret B.
East Palo alto, CA