Sarah R.
Belknap Lookout, MI
Experienced & skilled Dog Handler
Pet care experience
Hi, my name is Sarah and I am a passionate dog lover with 15 years of experience handling my boxers. I have been working and volunteering in dog handling and the pet industry for years, yet launched my professional services in Grand Rapids, successfully.I am also a memorial artist with my own LLC, Beauty From Ashes By Sarah focusing on pet loss memorabilia. I absolutely LOVE to photo/video blog my dog handling services and playcations at Pampered Pet Palace By Sarah on facebook. The last 4-5 years of my life have centered around dogs and I’ve gained a lot of experience from that. I offer pet services in my home, your home, boarding facilities and more in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. I have an insanely loved, adored, pampered and playful 1 1/2 year old boxer Smokey at home who is extremely well trained and socialized. Dogs aren’t just pets they are treated like family and spoiled here. If you have a dog that is good with other dogs and is responsive to a handler, you might find the perfect fit here. I request a meet and greet and walk through to make sure everyone is safe, comfortable, and on the same page prior to booking. For those looking for in home services I offer house sitting and house sitting with daily routine drop in services. I am excellent with puppies and young energetic pups, so I can continue or supplement ongoing training while working with them. I’m very familiar with dog behavior and dynamics as well as different types of breeds and needs for owners. I’m also good at pack management. I really enjoy what I get to do and that is loving on fur babies. Reach out if you have any questions as I look forward to hearing from you.
Reviews
Sarah was the best! My dog is really sweet but can be a little shy and I was definitely nervous leaving with her someone new for the first time. Sarah took the time twice prior to our vacation to meet and walk with our dog to make sure she was a good fit and would feel comfortable, and I appreciated it so much going into it. As it turns out, though, I didn't need to worry at all because Sarah had it covered and Brela absolutely loved her time there. Sarah reached out every day with updates and tons of photos, and I was always able to find bonus updates on her social media which was always fun. It was clear Brela was treated like family which is all I could ask for. I will absolutely be using Sarah in the future and you should as well!
Sarah is an incredibly knowledgeable, caring, and experienced dog sitter. She did a great job ensuring the dogs were compatible to play and be with each other before agreeing to dog sitting. It is clear that she has a routine that works well and she created an ideal setup for the dogs in each scenario. We knew our dog was in good hands with Sarah while we were away. 10/10 will continue to be a customer!
Sarah was a perfect sitter. She gave regular updates and had no issues getting my older dog to take his medications. Her past experience with dogs ensured that my dog was in the right hands and made my dog feel like he was at home. I'd recommend her to anyone looking for boarding.
Sarah did an excellent job with my puppy Jackson, he is quite a mama's boy and I was a little apprehensive leaving him for a week. Sarah sent pictures and updates which allowed me to enjoy my time away. Jackson got lots of play time and came home tired and very happy. I'm very grateful to have found someone who loved Jackson as much as I do. I definitely highly recommend Sarah and will use her again.
About Sarah R.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
The dogs are free to roam the whole house and share the couch, bed, dog bedding. My property is secured with both internal and external cameras at all times. I love urban exploring and can hike up to 5 miles at a time. Boarding includes daily walks at Riverside, just the time and distance is dictated by the pets needs and weather. I have a 56lb pedigree boxer who is VERY well trained, and super friendly with everyone, so unfortunately I cannot take dogs that have any kind of reactive behavior, aggression or territorial behaviors for the safety of Smokey and a pack. Smokey is bell trained potty breaks are every 4hrs unless he tells me otherwise, but all of my dogs are given ample time outdoors and for bathroom breaks. I provide canine enrichment activities with frozen meat and kongs. I make home made treats out of all natural wet food. I have a partially but not fully fenced in yard & play area and I feel that is important to disclose up front. I do however have a spare room that converts into a room for my dogs so each get their own room and alone time when needed. The ideal fit for home boarding is a dog that responds well to a handler and enjoys playing with other dogs. I have more flexibility with in “your home,” care. I’d love to welcome your fur baby into my home or assist you in caring for your pet in yours. Dog handling is something I enjoy and just comes very naturally to me. I’m happy to schedule a meet and greet and walkthrough before booking. In fact I require it. I prefer to establish trust prior to booking so I’m known to go above and beyond. I have great reviews and can offer farther references.
Home
Information Sarah R. would like to know about your pet
Let me know if your dog has any special medical needs or behavioral issues. I cannot accept dogs for in home boarding with any known history of reactive or behavior issues whether food, toys, or what not; for the sake of the safety of both Smokey and your dog. The great thing is Smokey loves and gets along great with just about any and every living thing and will want to be best friends, share, cuddle, and make the most of his time with another friend in the home. He gets very excited and loves having friends when I board. Getting along with Smokey is a mandatory requirement and I do require meet and greet and walk through so that everyone is safe, comfortable, and on the same page.
A typical day
Wake up, eat, play, rest, repeat, eat, play and sleep! A typical day really depends on how many and which dogs I have. I'm always up with the sun rise and keep them entertained, pampered, and nurtured for the day.
Services
Sarah can host
Sarah can watch in your home
Availability
I work from home so most of the time and can be incredibly flexible. I typically adjust my schedule to be present with and supervise the dogs at all times so they don’t need to be crated. Since I am a recent transplant, my schedule is more open for bookings but may get busier over time. I just prefer ample notice to be able to schedule other things around your booking.
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About Sarah R.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
The dogs are free to roam the whole house and share the couch, bed, dog bedding. My property is secured with both internal and external cameras at all times. I love urban exploring and can hike up to 5 miles at a time. Boarding includes daily walks at Riverside, just the time and distance is dictated by the pets needs and weather. I have a 56lb pedigree boxer who is VERY well trained, and super friendly with everyone, so unfortunately I cannot take dogs that have any kind of reactive behavior, aggression or territorial behaviors for the safety of Smokey and a pack. Smokey is bell trained potty breaks are every 4hrs unless he tells me otherwise, but all of my dogs are given ample time outdoors and for bathroom breaks. I provide canine enrichment activities with frozen meat and kongs. I make home made treats out of all natural wet food. I have a partially but not fully fenced in yard & play area and I feel that is important to disclose up front. I do however have a spare room that converts into a room for my dogs so each get their own room and alone time when needed. The ideal fit for home boarding is a dog that responds well to a handler and enjoys playing with other dogs. I have more flexibility with in “your home,” care. I’d love to welcome your fur baby into my home or assist you in caring for your pet in yours. Dog handling is something I enjoy and just comes very naturally to me. I’m happy to schedule a meet and greet and walkthrough before booking. In fact I require it. I prefer to establish trust prior to booking so I’m known to go above and beyond. I have great reviews and can offer farther references.
Home
Information Sarah R. would like to know about your pet
Let me know if your dog has any special medical needs or behavioral issues. I cannot accept dogs for in home boarding with any known history of reactive or behavior issues whether food, toys, or what not; for the sake of the safety of both Smokey and your dog. The great thing is Smokey loves and gets along great with just about any and every living thing and will want to be best friends, share, cuddle, and make the most of his time with another friend in the home. He gets very excited and loves having friends when I board. Getting along with Smokey is a mandatory requirement and I do require meet and greet and walk through so that everyone is safe, comfortable, and on the same page.
A typical day
Wake up, eat, play, rest, repeat, eat, play and sleep! A typical day really depends on how many and which dogs I have. I'm always up with the sun rise and keep them entertained, pampered, and nurtured for the day.
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Pets
Sarah R.
Belknap Lookout, MI