4.9

Thank you for your interest! Before sending a booking request, please read my entire profile so you know what to expect. I hope to meet you and your canine companion(s) very soon! . . ***Important Notice Effective Nov. 1st 2022*** Due to the current outbreak of an extremely serious canine respiratory virus in the Piedmont NC area, all clients must be current on ALL vaccines, particularly Bordetella (Kennel Cough) and Parainfluenza. *This notice is still in effect as of 03/10/2026 Additionally, I will not be accepting any dogs that have been to a commercial daycare/boarding facility and/or dog park within 14 days of their scheduled stay. This is a very serious situation, please be honest with me when requesting a booking. I appreciate your understanding. . . . First-Time Rover Users: Use my referral code "RACHEC59810" at checkout for $20 off your first booking! . . . About Me & My Dogs: I have a vast amount of experience in caring for and handling dogs, cats, and various small animals. I am committed to providing highly individualized attention and special care for your family member, no matter the breed, size, or special needs. Also, my home is 100% smoke and vape free, so if your dog has any respiratory sensitivities, I can assure you that won’t be an issue here. Some of the larger training or commercial dog care facilities often have large training groups and playgroups of 15+ dogs, which can be very overwhelming for some dogs. Here, your dog can either have the yard to themselves or have fun romping around with my dogs in much smaller, more individualized, and heavily supervised play and training sessions. Whichever they are more comfortable with! Please note that as I am a trainer, all services in my home operate as train & stays. Training is included in the price and is purely positive-reinforcement unless we have discussed at length a training plan using methods that incorporate other quadrants of training. Training includes a wide variety of topics such as general manners (threshold training, sitting politely for petting, etc.) cooperative care, beginner through advanced obedience, handling skills for humans, AKC CGC prep, Therapy Dog prep, trick training, and much more. I also offer a Headstart program for owners with busy schedules! Please note when booking that Sunday’s are my busiest days, and as such, drop-off and pick-up windows are limited and are usually for later in the afternoon/evening. I will work with you to the very best of my ability. Enrichment is a huge part of every day here, so your dog will never be bored. I have been certified in Canine First Aid and CPR since 2013 and I complete yearly recertifications to stay up-to-date on the latest first-aid procedures. I have experience in giving medications, both oral medications and injections. I have been training my own dogs since I was 12, and that passion has stuck with me through the years. As a result, I have a strong knowledge of canine behavior and body language. I also have substantial experience in working with nervous, insecure, and reactive dogs. I have experience in training some branches of behavioral modification, trick training, task training (for Assistance/Service Animals), AKC Canine Good Citizen manners, therapy dogs, and a wide array of sports. I have also worked with many dogs that have issues with impulse control and/or hyperarousal in loud, busy, stimulating environments. I utilize positive-reinforcement (+R) methods and science-backed LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) training methods, it's all tailored to each dog's individual needs. I always employ as much positive reinforcement in my training as humanly possible. My ultimate goal is happy, healthy dogs and happy owners! I have been heavily involved in the canine sporting community for many years now, and I currently have 3 working/sporting dogs of my own. I have titled all of my dogs and competed in a variety of sports with 2 of my 3 dogs. Minnie is a service dog program wash-out and she now enjoys the more laid-back pet life. She unofficially participates in sports occasionally, but she is perfectly happy to cheer on her housemates from the sidelines. Akela currently holds her FGDCh-30K (Flyball Grand Champion 30k points) title in flyball, which we earned through many years in the lanes together. We qualified for UpDog International Finals (UPDIF) for canine disc in 2018 - 2023. Now at age 11, she is fully retired from sports and living her best life, either snoozing on the bed or sunbathing. Akela and I also qualified for K9 Toss & Fetch League Worldwide Championships in 2020, 2021, & 2022 before she retired. Rumble is a working-line Malinois with a very strong pedigree full of extremely successful sporting and working dogs, including his mother who is a dual purpose certified detection K9 imported from the Czech Republic. Rumble and I have turned our attention away from flyball for the time being and we have focused more on protection sports, which he has been thoroughly enjoying. We are still playing disc competitively, and we are actively working towards his next title in FastCAT. We have many goals for 2026, one of which is closing out his PSA1 title. Our sporting endeavors have always mainly been centered around sports like flyball, dock diving, disc, agility, rally-o, scent work, AKC trick dog, FastCAT, and obedience. The dogs truly have a blast. My bank account, not so much. They have fun on the field, and that's what's most important. I'll take walking off the field with a smile, a strong bond with my dog, and the knowledge that we did our best over a ribbon any day. . . . . INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW PRIOR TO YOUR PET'S STAY: . *All dogs MUST be leashed upon arrival. This is for their safety!* . . WHAT TO BRING: - Food (see more info below) - Food bowl (Only if your dog requires a slow feeder- I have extra bowls that your dog is more than welcome to use) - Medication (and instructions) - Blanket or another item with familiar scents on it - Treats - You are welcome to send a few toys with your dog, but please be aware that they may not come back in the same condition. I will not let any of my dogs destroy your items by any means, but play does result in wear and tear after all. . . WHAT NOT TO BRING: - You do not need to bring a kennel or bed, I have extras that your dog is more than welcome to use while they’re here. You can still bring these if you'd like, but I will leave it up to you. - Please do not send a blanket or other item if you know your dog is likely to shred it and try to ingest parts of it. - Please do not send excessive amounts of toys - I want to make sure I’m able to keep track of them all and make sure they all get sent back home! This can get difficult with a dozen or more toys. . . MEET & GREETS: - M&G's are available to everyone. I'm always happy to do either a phone conference or an in-person meet and greet. Just let me know and we can set up a time that's mutually convenient. Meet and greets are required for all new clients prior to the start date of any services. This is simply a safety precaution. Meet and greets are typically 20-40 minutes, depending on the individual dog(s). Meet and greets are no extra charge. . . CONTACT HOURS: - I will always do my absolute best to maintain contact with you regarding your pet. If you wish to contact me, my phone hours are 7:30 am-8:30 pm, with exceptions for emergencies. . . VACCINES: - To ensure the health and safety of everyone, all clients are required to be up-to-date on vaccines, particularly Rabies, Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo (DHPP), and Bordetella (Kennel Cough). - A current Rabies vaccine is required for animals 16 weeks of age and older by NC state law. - Please send proof of vaccines when making the booking request. A clear picture taken on your phone or a screenshot will be perfectly fine. . . . FEEDING & CARE INSTRUCTIONS: - Please provide clearly-written feeding instructions with details pertaining to amount per meal, frequency, add-ins, food toppers, allergies, etc. - You are welcome to bring the whole bag, but I do ask that if it’s for a short stay (<5 days), please don’t bring me an unopened 40lb+ bag of food. - If you don't use a standard measuring cup for your dog's food, please provide the cup/scoop you usually use. - Please also provide both your vet's information and contact information for at least one emergency contact. I hope that I'll never need to use it, but better safe than sorry! . . . DROP-OFF & PICK-UP: *Please select your drop-off and pick-up times as accurately as possible when booking* - I completely understand that plans can change last minute and I strive to be as accommodating as possible. I am almost always able to make last-minute changes work, I just need to have a general idea of my schedule for the day. While I am home full-time besides the occasional errand, I do work from home and I often have clients over for training sessions, and I cannot compromise the integrity of their sessions. - If you are going to be more than 15 minutes past your selected drop-off or pick-up window, please let me know. Again, I can accommodate most changes, I just need communication. A quick head's up text is all I ask. This is both for my schedule and for any other clients I may have scheduled for the day. - If we are deviating from the previously selected times, please either text or call me when you're headed my way for either pick-up or drop-off. If you can provide an ETA, it is greatly appreciated - Please do NOT knock on the front door when you arrive. Usually, I will be outside, but in the event that I'm not, please just text or call to let me know you've arrived. - Earliest drop-off time is 7:30 am and the latest pick-up time is 9:00 pm. This is for both boarding and daycare. Exceptions can be arranged for both pick-up and drop-off, please just discuss it with me first. I am very flexible and willing to work with you on this. . . CANCELLATIONS: I have a 24-hour cancellation policy for boarding bookings. Some same-day cancellations are subject to a small cancellation fee. . . PARASITE PREVENTATIVES: To ensure the health and safety of both my dogs and others, all clients are required to be on a flea preventative. If multiple live fleas/flea eggs are found on your dog, a bath will be given and there will be a $20 bathing and cleaning fee. Thankfully, this has not happened yet, so let's please keep it that way. 😊 . . BATHING & GROOMING: As much as I'd love to control the weather, I sadly don't. As such, baths resulting from mud in the yard due to rain, rolling in dirt, etc. are free of charge. I always aim to keep your pets as clean, happy, and healthy as possible while they are under my care! I know that some dogs require more coat maintenance than others, and I am up to the challenge! All bookings for dogs with higher cost maintenance will include thorough brushings daily to keep coats nice and healthy, at no extra cost. I do not offer full-service grooming, though I do offer bathing, nail clips, and simple trims (sani-trims and paw pad clean-ups) for an additional cost upon request. This cost is for services beyond basic brushing and that are not a result of mud (or similar) that occur while under my care. . . INTACT FEMALES: I have an intact male in my home, and as such, I will not board or provide daycare for a female in season. Female dogs must be 2 weeks post-heat to be accepted for boarding or daycare. . .