Sophie H.
Sophie H.
Prices include all fees.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Dog Farmstay! An Acre to Play!
Dogs love to run around our fully-fenced 1-acre farmstead! The dogs can safely romp anywhere out the back door. There's plenty of space to get their exercise, or take leisurely, sniff-filled strolls. My husband Mike and I run a small farm at our home here in El Sobrante (you might find us at the El Sobrante Farmer's Market in the summer!) We spend lots of time outside playing with the dogs and they follow us around while we do farm chores. Our dog care program has been in full-swing since we moved to our little homestead, about five years ago. Prior to providing boarding and daycare, I spent time working in a professional boarding facility in Utah and volunteering with Berkeley Humane Society and Jelly's Place (local rescue), and I fostered in my home for years. I also have a dog handler's certification from the Iditarod Trail Committee. We have a wonderful rotating group of friendly dog regulars for both daycare and boarding, most of whom have been coming consistently for many years. I typically only accept one new client at a time, so the other pups here all know each other well. We have a lot of fun! There's room to run, friends to play with, sniffs to sniff, and cozy couches and cuddles when it's time to settle down. You're welcome to bring your pup's favorite bed, treats, toys, and food, or we can provide all of the above. We try to replicate their home experience as much as possible, so they feel comfortable and at-home with us. We have plenty of crates if your dog is crate-trained. If not, they can find a nice spot on one of our dog beds or couches.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Francie had such a wonderful time at Sophie’s today! She has an incredible yard for the dogs to run around in and sent lots of pictures throughout the day to reassure me that Francie was doing well and having fun with the other dogs. Would definitely book again!
Sophie has a wonderful place for dogs to run and play. There is a serene atmosphere in her large fenced-in yard. I loved the photos she sent us of our dog during the day.
What a dog paradise ! Sophie took amazing care of our dog, who loves to play, is very friendly, and needs some special attention to make sure she doesn’t eat anything she shouldn’t. We will be back!
Piper just had an overnight stay with Sophie and it couldn’t have gone better! Sophie is incredibly warm and calm, which really helped to alleviate Piper’s separation anxiety. The huge yard to explore and other dogs to roam, play and sniff with were additional factors that made for a more relaxed stay. Sophie, knowing about Piper’s anxiety beforehand, made sure to send frequent updates and photos so that we knew how she was settling in. We were thrilled to see a photo of Piper licking Sophie’s face and cuddling on a sofa later that evening. Basically, Piper was treated like family, which is what any dog owner wants from a boarding situation. We will definitely be leaving Piper with Sophie again!
We so appreciated Sophie’s thorough thoughtful and calm approach to dog care. We’ll look forward to sending our pup to Sophie’s mini farm again soon! Thanks Sophie!
Our first time using Rover for our 10 month old pupper could not have gone any better. Sophie maintains a dog oasis that is fun and safe. Her calm demeanor reassured us that Blue was in good hands. She texted photos of Blue and his very sweet playmates enjoying themselves together. We brought home a very happy, tired pup. Looking forward to Blue’s next adventure with Sophie and her pups. Thank you Sophie🐾
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I am typically with the dogs full-time during daycare hours. Overnight boarding dogs should be comfortable being left safely alone for a couple of hours at a time.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
Our highest priority is safe, fun playtime -- which means all of the dogs in our care are very dog-friendly! Please only reach out if your pup loves other dogs. I'm mindful of gentle integration - new dogs are introduced slowly, with careful attention to body language. Once dogs are happily integrated, they will socialize and play together with supervision. If there is a conflict of personality, we have plenty of space to comfortably separate them inside or outside until they go home. Safety first! (Then fun and belly rubs...)
Pets
A typical day
Fun facts: - On hot days, we get out the puppy pool for splashing and cooling off, then use it to water our fruit trees. Everyone's happy! - We have doggy exercise trackers - if you want to know how many steps your pup is getting while here, just ask! - I always spend at least a few minutes a day reinforcing recall and basic commands (it's extremely useful to me to have an attentive pack). If you have any specific training you are working on, feel free to tell me, though generally I work on group commands. We love seeing the benefit of young dogs learning from their elders in a pack. - We have chickens, ducks, and a very nice goose. They lay too many eggs for us during laying season, so we make organic baked egg treats for the dogs, if it's safe for your dog to eat eggs. A little about us: I originally grew up in Berkeley with a rotating menagerie of pets and fosters. I moved back to the East Bay for grad school at UCB and continued to foster with local shelters. Since moving to our lovely little farm in El Sobrante, I've been able to focus mainly on dog care, and spend just a few hours a week working remotely. My husband Mike is my second set of hands and spends almost as much time with the dogs as I do. He particularly enjoys making up silly nicknames and songs about your pups, and he will absolutely melt for a good couch-cuddler. We look forward to connecting with you!
- 0 to 15 lbs16 to 40 lbs41 to 100 lbsover 101 lbsSpayed and neutered dogs onlyNo females in heatSophie can host up to 4 pets per night
- Visiting dogs must be up to date on their flea meds and vaccines. Please let me know if your dog is unfixed - we can occasionally accept unfixed dogs who are awaiting their spay/neuter due to age or medical reasons. If your dog has ever shown any aggression towards other dogs or people -- including food or toy aggression -- this is likely not the situation for them.
Prices include all fees.