Patricia & James D.
Patricia & James D.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Open for your furkids
We both work from home full time, which means your dog will be supervised and cared for without being left alone for long hours. My pets are our children and we treat guest dogs with the same level of love, care, and “are you comfortable, do you need anything, do you want a snack” energy. We lost our beloved dog-ter in May, and while we’d love to adopt, I’m not ready. We really miss having a dog in our home so watching yours will gladly fill that void. I’m experienced with senior dogs and those with medical needs, with the note that my home does have stairs and tile floors. My home is best suited for smaller cat-friendly dogs, whether they’re zoomie-powered chaos goblins or professional couch potatoes. I can handle both ends of the spectrum. I can help reinforce good manners but because I do have cats, I can’t accommodate dogs with toy resource guarding. The boys love to carry off dog toys which wouldn’t be fair for a visiting dog that has a level of resource guarding. Potty trained pups are a must unless you have a clear, established protocol for incontinence. If your dog enjoys being loved, supervised, and treated like the main character, we’ll get along just fine.
Qualifications
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I work full time from home, which allows pets to be fully integrated into my daily routine rather than left alone for long stretches. I work East Coast hours, so mornings start early with an early potty break in the yard and meal time followed by an afternoon neighborhood walk (typically 0.5–1 mile). Throughout the day, dogs receive regular attention, supervision alongside scheduled potty breaks in the morning, mid afternoon, afternoon, and evening. We take another potty break before bed to ensure comfort overnight (I mean don’t go to bed without going potty?!). Because I am home all day, it’s easy to adjust for senior needs, medications, rest breaks, or higher energy dogs who need more frequent activity. Pet care is part of my normal day, not something squeezed in before or after work, which allows for consistent routines and attentive care.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
I have a fully fenced yard, but dogs are never left outside unattended. Potty breaks typically happen in the backyard, or the front yard if leashed if grabbing the mail or doing a quick walk around the block. I have two dog friendly cats, and pets share common areas together. My home is two levels with tile flooring. There is no permanent dog gate, but I can absolutely use one if a dog has difficulty with stairs or if limiting access is safer while unattended. Sleeping arrangements are flexible and based on your dog’s routine. Dogs may sleep crated, in my bed, or in their preferred spot provided they are reliably potty trained. Dogs who are still working on overnight accidents will need to sleep in a crate for everyone’s comfort and safety. My goal is to maintain your dog’s normal routine as closely as possible.
Pets
A typical day
The days are pretty low key. Mornings start with potty time and a walk around the neighborhood, tailored to your dog’s vibe, slow and sniffy or a little more energetic. Midday is calm: food, meds if needed, more potty breaks, and more lounging. Evenings are for another walk, dinner, couch time, and winding down, with a final potty break before bed. Dogs we’ve watched before and know well may also come along for on leash beach walks or outings if owner approved.