Whitney B.
Austin, TX
Come Stay and Play!
Pet care experience
Hello! My name is Whitney and I live in South Austin. I love dogs. Ever since I was small, my family has always had many pets. From tiny to gigantic, I have dealt with Toy Poodles to Doberman Pinschers to Great Danes. I am now the proud owner of Siberian Huskies and love all the craziness that comes with the breed. I am just starting out on Rover, but have established a small client base of other husky owners here in Austin through various play date groups. I have done everything for them from Doggy Day Care to in-house pet-sitting and have also done extended hosting for dogs for months at a time. I work a job with unusual hours -- 4 am to 12 pm -- and my partner works a typical 9-5 schedule, so pups are never left alone at our house for more than about 4 hours a day. That leaves lots of time for fun and attention for the pups! I am currently the owner of four pups -- two huskies, a corgi and an old beagle mix. They are all very well socialized with both big and small dogs and are essentially my kids. I love doing activities with them -- going on walks, going to the park, taking them to lunch with me, etc. I am a volunteer for a local rescue so my pups also get some fun opportunities to check out pet-friendly events in the Austin area. My pack and I love dog parks and outdoor activities when it isn't too hot outside, but we only ever go to fenced-in parks. Huskies, as you may know, are notorious escape artists, so I work at all times to make sure they are safe and secure, both out in public and in the home. We have a 6" privacy fence which stays locked and all outdoor time is 100% supervised. We also have procedures and products in place in our home to help ensure no escapees! We are always looking for new playmates to come visit us!
Reviews
This is a mixed review because I had actually booked Whitney for daycare on the weekdays for a month but ended up canceling the booking after three days. I wasn’t comfortable with the smell of the home, especially because my dogs and their stuff would come home with the smell on them. My dog Fender seemed overwhelmed with all of the other dogs. I think adding my two dogs to her five was too much. On the other hand, in the three days my dogs were there, Whitney updated me regularly with photos and reports on how my dogs were doing. Whitney and Alex are very friendly people and were flexible when working with my schedule.
I am sad to say that this is a one star rating. I left my dog in her care for 4 days, and there were at least two major problems that I had. She went against my request that my dog only be crated while they were not home. She had mentioned the first day that he seemed overwhelmed and that he needed a break. It was not specifically indicated that he was crated during that time. He tried to dig while he was in there (which he doesn't do). As a result that could be correlated to that, he developed a bacterial infection on his snout. Resulting in skin loss and oozing fluid. Another issue was that the house smelled of urine. Because of the smell, i have had to throw away his bedding that was send with him for the trip. This is simply unacceptable and I would not recommend her services. I will say that her pictures and videos were nice to receive during my trip.
Whitney was awesome! My dog Tahoe is 14 years old and I rarely leave him. I was in Hawaii for 5 days/nights and she sent me a picture every day and shared with me how he was doing and what he was doing. She was very conscientious about the fact that Tahoe was older and she had a couple of younger dogs that liked to play. When I came to pick him up she had a few special dog treats for me to take home with Tahoe. I would recommend Whitney and will definitely use her again!
Whitney was very flexible and accommodating. She arranged a meet and greet before the reservation, which was great to give our dogs a chance to interact. She is very knowledgeable about dogs, and I could tell she has a passion for them. She sent me pictures while I was gone, which was very helpful.
About Whitney B.
Communication
Skills
Home
Information Whitney B. would like to know about your pet
Currently, most of my experience in dog-sitting is with huskies, and I am definitely very comfortable hosting northern breeds. However, I am perfectly open to hosting any breed. I do have a few requirements, the first being that all dogs being hosted are small dog-friendly. I actively keep my small pups separated from the large ones while I am away, but both my smalls are seniors and it is my number one priority to keep them safe while hosting other dogs. If your pup is not small dog-friendly, I am still willing to host for the day, but need the info up front so I can plan accordingly! I like to do a meet and greet beforehand when possible to ensure all dogs are going to get along nicely. I understand it can be overwhelming for a new pup coming into a home with four dogs! If that isn't possible, I try to utilize my partner to meet me on a walk with the new dog or, if I have no other options, I utilize the backyard for a meet and greet with my large dogs first, then, once things settle down, my smaller pups. Fortunately, my gang has never met a dog they don't like! Basic info is always appreciated -- if your dog suffers from separation anxiety or is destructive, it definitely isn't a deal-breaker for me, but knowing up-front is super helpful in making sure your pup is as comfortable as possible during their stay! Info regarding their eating habits and if they are food/toy/treat protective is also very useful!
A typical day
We are close to Mary Moore Searight Metro Park, so on cooler days I enjoy taking the pups over there for a nice, long walk around the trails. My pups also enjoy dog parks, and -- with the owner's approval -- I am happy to have their pup join us! We go everywhere -- Buda Dog Park and Norwood Estates being the closest to me -- but we also make trips all the way up to Cedar Bark Dog Park, because my girl LOVES to swim, and I am only comfortable with her doing that in an enclosed space! I am also pretty involved and love doing things within the Austin Pet Community -- pet festivals like Dogtoberfest, Cedar Bark Fest, etc., BarkHappy meetups, Pet Expos, you name it. With the owner's permission, I would be happy to bring well-socialized pups along to these events!
Services
Whitney can host
Whitney can watch in your home
About Whitney B.
Communication
Skills
Home
Information Whitney B. would like to know about your pet
Currently, most of my experience in dog-sitting is with huskies, and I am definitely very comfortable hosting northern breeds. However, I am perfectly open to hosting any breed. I do have a few requirements, the first being that all dogs being hosted are small dog-friendly. I actively keep my small pups separated from the large ones while I am away, but both my smalls are seniors and it is my number one priority to keep them safe while hosting other dogs. If your pup is not small dog-friendly, I am still willing to host for the day, but need the info up front so I can plan accordingly! I like to do a meet and greet beforehand when possible to ensure all dogs are going to get along nicely. I understand it can be overwhelming for a new pup coming into a home with four dogs! If that isn't possible, I try to utilize my partner to meet me on a walk with the new dog or, if I have no other options, I utilize the backyard for a meet and greet with my large dogs first, then, once things settle down, my smaller pups. Fortunately, my gang has never met a dog they don't like! Basic info is always appreciated -- if your dog suffers from separation anxiety or is destructive, it definitely isn't a deal-breaker for me, but knowing up-front is super helpful in making sure your pup is as comfortable as possible during their stay! Info regarding their eating habits and if they are food/toy/treat protective is also very useful!
A typical day
We are close to Mary Moore Searight Metro Park, so on cooler days I enjoy taking the pups over there for a nice, long walk around the trails. My pups also enjoy dog parks, and -- with the owner's approval -- I am happy to have their pup join us! We go everywhere -- Buda Dog Park and Norwood Estates being the closest to me -- but we also make trips all the way up to Cedar Bark Dog Park, because my girl LOVES to swim, and I am only comfortable with her doing that in an enclosed space! I am also pretty involved and love doing things within the Austin Pet Community -- pet festivals like Dogtoberfest, Cedar Bark Fest, etc., BarkHappy meetups, Pet Expos, you name it. With the owner's permission, I would be happy to bring well-socialized pups along to these events!
Location
Austin, TX
Pets
Whitney B.
Austin, TX