Melissa M.
Bouldin, TX
WFH dog mom with fully fenced yard
Pet care experience
I've taken care of dogs of all kinds, from my own pets to the dogs of friends and family. I have potty-trained three separate puppies, and am experienced in training various commands (sit, stay, come, down) as well. I am a very active person myself, and my current pup, Mika, gets a morning walk & evening walk, along with ample playtime throughout the day in our fenced yard.
Reviews
Melissa was so great with my pup! I got daily updates from her and Roscoe had the best time. She’s very communicative and knowledgeable which made me feel comfortable the whole time I was away.
Belle had a blast with Melissa and Mika! Melissa sent daily updates along with pics. She was accommodating to my dog Belle and showed great care :)
Piper had a great time with Melissa and Mike! Melissa took them on a walk and Piper had a lot of comfy nap time. She can’t wait to go back to play!
Melissa is great! She sends regular updates and pictures and made my normally anxious pup feel right at home! 10/10 recommend!
About Melissa M.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have a 2 year old pup of my own who is super friendly & loves to play; perfect for any dog owner who wants their pup tired out for them with some playtime scheduled in their day! I will only watch one dog / one family's dog(s) per day to ensure a safe environment, and to ensure that my dog and any dog I'm watching both get a lot of individual attention. Mika is very beta and has never instigated a fight of any kind. She is cautious in the first 30 seconds of meeting, and then will try to play. If your pup is older and/or doesn't want to play, I have baby gates set up to ensure peace & separation. I have a very dog-friendly house, with couch covers that allow dogs to be on furniture, and a baby gate that separates the upstairs from the downstairs both to provide separation between rounds of play, and also to remove access to the upstairs if your pup cannot handle stairs.
Home
Information Melissa M. would like to know about your pet
Most importantly, your dog will need to get along with my 2-year-old female dog Mika. If your dog dislikes playful young dogs, it will likely not be a good match. Other things I would need to know the following about your dog: 1. If your dog is friendly / playful 2. General potty schedule 3. What length of walk your dog needs 4. Any protective behaviors (food/toys) 5. Any triggers (squirrels, mailman, cats, etc) 6. How vocal your dog is 7. Any food allergies 8. How long your dog can be left alone at home (I may need to step out to run errands and thus cannot watch dogs that have such severe separation anxiety that they cannot be left alone at home. If your dog needs to be crated when left alone at home, let me know in advance and bring your dog's crate. In any case, I always gate Mika separately from other dogs whenever I leave my home).
A typical day
On a typical weekday, I go on a morning walk at around 8am around Bouldin Creek, a super dog friendly neighborhood. I work from home fully remote, and usually have meetings starting at around 10:30/11am so any daycare pups would need to be dropped off by then. Throughout the day, I will let pups outside in the fully fenced backyard for playtime / fetch / potty breaks. I can practice tricks & train at around lunchtime or do other enrichment activities (treats wrapped up in a towel, frozen dog food stuffed in a kong, etc). You can request this, or specifically request NOT to do this (if your dog has toy/food protectiveness). I also believe dogs should take breaks from each other, so I will gate my dog Mika upstairs for an hour at a time (especially around meal time) to ensure rest & digestion. In the evening, I go on an evening walk depending on the temperature & daylight. In the winter, around 5pm, and in the summer, around 8pm. I always check the pavement with my hand to make sure the asphalt isn't too hot. I can put booties on your dog if you request. Please let me know the typical duration/length of walks that your pup requires; I can be very flexible with more or less as needed!
Services
Melissa can host
Availability
I work remote full time, so I am home throughout the day. I always go on a morning walk (at ~8am) and an evening walk (at ~7:30pm), and I live near a couple short greenbelt sections so pups also have the option of a little trail walk. I have a fully fenced front yard and backyard that my desk looks over, so I can let pups out for potty breaks as often as they need. On weekends, I often go to McKinney State Falls for a longer walk and/or a dog friendly brewery for some socialization. If your older and/or less social pup would prefer a quieter life, then we can also stay at home and just chill in our private yard on our quiet neighborhood street.
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About Melissa M.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have a 2 year old pup of my own who is super friendly & loves to play; perfect for any dog owner who wants their pup tired out for them with some playtime scheduled in their day! I will only watch one dog / one family's dog(s) per day to ensure a safe environment, and to ensure that my dog and any dog I'm watching both get a lot of individual attention. Mika is very beta and has never instigated a fight of any kind. She is cautious in the first 30 seconds of meeting, and then will try to play. If your pup is older and/or doesn't want to play, I have baby gates set up to ensure peace & separation. I have a very dog-friendly house, with couch covers that allow dogs to be on furniture, and a baby gate that separates the upstairs from the downstairs both to provide separation between rounds of play, and also to remove access to the upstairs if your pup cannot handle stairs.
Home
Information Melissa M. would like to know about your pet
Most importantly, your dog will need to get along with my 2-year-old female dog Mika. If your dog dislikes playful young dogs, it will likely not be a good match. Other things I would need to know the following about your dog: 1. If your dog is friendly / playful 2. General potty schedule 3. What length of walk your dog needs 4. Any protective behaviors (food/toys) 5. Any triggers (squirrels, mailman, cats, etc) 6. How vocal your dog is 7. Any food allergies 8. How long your dog can be left alone at home (I may need to step out to run errands and thus cannot watch dogs that have such severe separation anxiety that they cannot be left alone at home. If your dog needs to be crated when left alone at home, let me know in advance and bring your dog's crate. In any case, I always gate Mika separately from other dogs whenever I leave my home).
A typical day
On a typical weekday, I go on a morning walk at around 8am around Bouldin Creek, a super dog friendly neighborhood. I work from home fully remote, and usually have meetings starting at around 10:30/11am so any daycare pups would need to be dropped off by then. Throughout the day, I will let pups outside in the fully fenced backyard for playtime / fetch / potty breaks. I can practice tricks & train at around lunchtime or do other enrichment activities (treats wrapped up in a towel, frozen dog food stuffed in a kong, etc). You can request this, or specifically request NOT to do this (if your dog has toy/food protectiveness). I also believe dogs should take breaks from each other, so I will gate my dog Mika upstairs for an hour at a time (especially around meal time) to ensure rest & digestion. In the evening, I go on an evening walk depending on the temperature & daylight. In the winter, around 5pm, and in the summer, around 8pm. I always check the pavement with my hand to make sure the asphalt isn't too hot. I can put booties on your dog if you request. Please let me know the typical duration/length of walks that your pup requires; I can be very flexible with more or less as needed!
Location
Austin, TX
Pets
Melissa M.
Bouldin, TX