Mark & Diane M.
Mark & Diane M.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Our Big Dog Loves Playmates
We have owned Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs for 20 years and have experience with dogs from 11 weeks to 13 years. We love including dogs in our active life in the mountains whether hiking up or skiing down you can be sure your pup will get plenty of love and exercise. Our current dog is a 120 lb neutered male who loves to romp with other dogs. Your pup will have a built in companion. We have experience with dogs that require medication so we can assist with that as well. We also have experience with dogs with special dietary requirements.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Wow what a great experience having them watch Luna! Very caring, attentive and active ◡̈ Their house is set up well for the pups. Pitzi is a big gem too they hit it off!
Couldn’t recommend a sitter more. Absolutely lovely with my aussie. Took her to the dog park, hiking, sent lots of pictures. Went above and beyond with toys and even made ruby a new dog tag and collar. Ruby came home happy as when she left with a new friend - Pitzi. Will always be my go to choice when I need a sitter!! Thanks Mark and Diane- Love Ruby ❤️❤️
Mark and Diane are the absolute best! They took such great care of Ruby and made sure we both felt comfortable from the very beginning. Ruby and Pitzi became fast friends and had a great time playing together! They had so much fun that Ruby was reluctant to leave and insisted on one last play session with Pitzi and several goodbye pets from Mark and Diane! I highly, highly recommend them!!
Mark and Diane were absolutely wonderful with Birdie! From the start, they made her feel safe, loved, and right at home. Their kindness and trustworthiness put me completely at ease. Birdie had the best time with them, from hikes and lots of park play to hanging out with their sweet pup, Pitzi, who quickly became her instant best friend. It’s clear they truly love dogs and treat them like family. I would recommend Mark and Diane to anyone and would trust Birdie with them anytime!
Mark is a trustworthy caregiver for any dog! He has owned and trained many of his own, and treats them all with love. He provides a safe, stimulating and fun environment for any pup.
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I work remotely and so am always home. Diane works from home two days a week so if you need care for a work week your pup would always be under supervision. We walk our dog 2-3 times a day: early morning (5-6 am), evening (5-6 pm) and a short late night walk (9-10 pm). On the weekends we go for long walks - maybe not as early or late. If we have weekend plans that don't include dogs we make sure to get up as early as necessary to get our dog exercise and we are never gone for more than 11 hours. If our weekend plans can include dogs then your pup will get a hike or ski in the backcountry.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
We walk our dog 2-3 times a day: early morning (5-6 am), evening (5-6 pm) and a short late night walk (9-10 pm). On the weekends we go for long walks - maybe not as early or late. We don't crate our dog any longer but if you have a crate we will be happy to do so. If not we can section off our house so our dog is in one area and your pup is in another. We use a baby gate to section the kitchen off from the other areas of the house. If we are both home your dog would have free run of the house with our dog. Most of the time our pup just sleeps in the den where I am working. We have multiple dog beds so your pup could have one so they could be together - or not if your pup prefers. We have a fenced yard so if your pup needs extra potty breaks we can let him/her out multiple times per day. At night our dog sleeps in our bed and if there is room your dog is welcome to join us. If we are watching TV we have a large couch that accommodates large puppies if they want to join us. Our dog eats twice a day - breakfast and dinner. And we give treats on walks. There is a ready supply of water at all times. We also use toys with treats (Kongs usually) to help them with mental stimulation.
Pets
A typical day
Your dog will sleep where he/she is comfortable. Please bring a bed but if you don't have one we have many and Pitzi doesn't mind sharing. He sleeps in our bed anyway. We are up early (4:30 am) and your pup and Pitzi will join us for a 30 - 45 minute walk to a local park, usually around 5:30 am. We are there early enough that we let Pitzi off leash and if you are comfortable we will let your dog run free as well. We return by 6:30 am for breakfast. While I work from home I can bring your pup's bed into the office where your pup and Pitzi will curl up and watch me keep the global economy afloat. We will let them out at least once a day while we work and we give treats for good behaviors (sit, come, lie down, etc.). We have several food puzzles that we use to engage Pitzi and we can use those with your pup as well. The afternoon walk will be at the close of the work day. If it is summer time we may let your pup out in the back with Pitzi to take care of business and then walk your pup when the sun has gone down and it's cooler. Your pup will have ample access to water while we are gone. Dinner is after the evening walk. We prefer to have your dog's specific bowls just to ensure your pup is comfortable. If you like we have plenty of extra bowls. If your pup has a specific toy he/she loves please send it. We can't guarantee Pitzi won't take an interest but we do our best. On the weekends we are out and about and bring Pitzi wherever he is welcome. We love hiking so your pup would definitely get exercise. If it's the winter we know many ski tours with little to no avalanche danger. We have a small place in the mountains and if you are OK we will bring your pup with us when we go up. If this is not acceptable we will stay home but either way your pup will get exercise outside.