Dog Boarding in Shrewsbury

I have been pet-sitting for 18 years, I have experience with dogs of all sizes and dogs with all different temperaments. I have pet sat for families with terriers to families with great danes, rottweilers and more. The families I work for pet-sitting love me because I'm reliable, clean, and their pet is always kept happy and safe. I have excellent references. I am home everyday, and my schedule is very flexible to my clients needs. I am able to help train dogs while they are in my care. Depending on the clients needs and the dogs needs I can bring them to do activities during the day (hiking, swimming, dog park) or I can just do the basic care. I take care of all the dogs as if they were my own.

Welcome to Happy Pals located in convenient Marlboro, MA. We have been caring for dogs for over 27 years. Brady is the resident pet. He is an adorable 11 year old Cocker Spaniel – yes – named after Tom. We have had Brady since he was a puppy. Brady is a sweet and friendly dog so as long as guest(s) can hang out with him. Our home has a large, beautiful, private backyard that is perfect for your pups to play in. Each day stay for your pal includes two walks around our neighborhood as well as unlimited indoor/outdoor playtime. The inside area of our home has a large, open concept with plenty of room to walk around and play. During the dog days of summer, our home is cool as we have central air conditioning. If your fur-baby boards over the weekend, we will also include a trip to the local park! We are able to supervise your pups 24x7. We are able to provide transportation to a vet for any emergency situations. We have a great relationship with Brady’s veterinary clinic. Our home also is not far from emergency services at Tufts University in Grafton. Elaine has been certified in CPR and pet first aid in the past and plans to retake this course and become recertified. We will provide you with as many updates/pictures of your friend’s stay as you would like to receive. We can't wait to meet you and your fur-babies!

Benefits of staying with Happy Pals:

•We always strive to pamper your friend. Safety is top priority.

•Elaine and her husband Ken work closely together as a team during all visits. An advantage of staying with Happy Pals is that there are two adults always caring for your pet. If one has something unexpected come up, the other is always right there. If an unexpected emergency came up with both of us, we have a backup plan if the guest doesn't have an emergency contact. We have two different family members (both dog lovers and owners) who are nearby and have volunteered to help out if there were any unexpected emergencies with the caregivers. Both are home full time enjoying retirement and taking care of family.

•If you would like your fur-baby to go on field trips, we can discuss the possibility of going to local dog friendly parks such as Callahan State Park, Great Brook, or Gates Pond. Safety is always top priority so we can see if this would work well during a particular visit.

•Traditional boarding facilities charge extra fees for play time. Non-stop play times as well as walks are always included.

•Bottled water and Milk Bone treats are always available.

•We are very mindful of food allergies and food sensitivities. If your pet requires a special diet, we are happy to cook any special meals.

•If help is needed transporting the guest to our home for a stay, we can help with pick ups and drop-offs.

•Location is convenient to major routes (Rts. 495, 20, 30).

•We have a lot of room. If you feel as though your pal may need some private or alone time, we have a lot of room for he/she to stay completely separate if there may be another guest at the same time.

•Guests can sleep where they are most comfortable (living room, bedroom, etc.).

•We try to keep the number of guests at a time low to give each guest the most attention possible. We carefully consider the mix of guests if there will be some overlap. We always feel bad if we cannot accommodate a guest on a particular date due to numbers but we feel that it is important to keep numbers low for all guests to be happy and safe. If you know particular dates ahead of time, please let us know even if a formal reservation request isn't sent right away so that we can keep the dates in mind while scheduling. Summertime (Memorial Day through Labor Day) and major holidays are the busiest.

•If your pet has a scheduled grooming or vet appointment during their stay in a nearby town, we can make sure that they get there.

•Updates and pictures are sent to you of your friend throughout the visit. Also, please feel free to call or e-mail anytime to check on them.

•Flexibility in drop-off and pickup times. You are able to drop-off and pickup your pet at times when traditional boarding places are closed.

Please note: if our calendar says "booked" for particular dates that you are interested in, please still contact us with a general inquiry e-mail. It is possible that a day that says "booked" could also be a day that another guest is leaving.

We have enough room to accept several dogs; however, it is always our goal to have no more than 1-2 guests at a time to ensure that every guest receives a lot of individual attention. More dogs are listed in the profile to have flexibility with the calendar since some guests leave and come on the same day.

Confirmation at booking:

Up-to-Date vaccinations;

Flea/tick preventive treatment;

Negative fecal exam.

Thanks.

Elaine, Ken, and Brady (woof)

-I would love to become a sitter, because I always enjoy playing and taking care of dogs. It brightens my day/mood when I do something nice/fun for dogs. Seeing dogs and playing with dogs are one of fun things to do.

-I have been taking care of my dogs since when I was a little kid, because my mom had two wonderful dogs. They loved me so much.

-When I take care of your dogs (from 30 minutes to overnight), I will be ensure to send you pictures of your dog, so that way you will feel that your dog is doing good with me.

-However, I do not live in a house, but I live in an apartment complex with a huge space where dog can walk around..I also live near many different parks where I can take your dog for a walk.

-I am currently living with two other people, but they are great with pets as well. We all of us have experienced of how to work with dogs in general.

-I have two cats, but they are friendly, clean, and 5 years old cats. Lets see and hope that your dog becomes my cats's new friend? :)

Fenced back yard in country atmosphere next to small livestock farm. Lifetime of experience working around animals of all kinds. Over 30 years experience working large dairy farm. Degree in Animal Science from UMass Amherst Stockbridge School. Walk miles every day year round. Retired dedicated dog lover who will provide lots of attention to your pet. Prefer active dogs who love to walk, run, jump, fetch, and have fun. Senior dog experience with my own dog now departed and several Rover dogs. Available 7 days/week year round. In periods of high demand, I often have two or more dogs together, and most often this matching experience has proven beneficial for the dogs involved. For this reason, I can only accept dogs who are reasonably sociable and able to co-exist with other dogs, and I may require a Meet & Greet here or other evidence of compatibility for first-timers. I offer discounts for two or more dogs from same family and for extended stays. I really do have a special sense in communicating with animals. I know every dog has different individual needs, and I craft my care program accordingly. At present, I focus on providing only the best possible dog boarding experience, typically from a single night to two weeks or so, with extended stays welcome based on current availability. I am not able to accept requests for house sitting, doggy day care, drop in visits, or dog walking (although boarding includes two or more long walks on leash - up to 4 miles total - every day). Your vacation or time away should be a great experience for you and your dog. I can make it happen for your dog. The rest is up to you.

Is your furry family member ready for lots of love? We have plenty of it to give at our home with our 2 retired Golden Retriever therapy dogs in our Shrewsbury home,.

Plenty of one one time and play with awesome Goldens. My yard is completely fenced in making for plenty of outdoor playtime completely gated from the door so dogs cant escape. Or if they prefer to lounge around on my couches and there are plenty of extra dog beds.

I require a meet n greet before making a reservation. All dogs must be up to date on shots and have the kennel cough vaccine. must be on heart worm and intestinal worm prevention. Like heart guard, sentinel, etc Must show proof. All dogs must be spayed or neutered. I do not give any table scraps or people food. I will only give treats you provide so to avoid stomach upset or allergies. Please bring food in individualized ziplocks per meal. Example am and pm in separate bags.

My boarding fee covers a 24 hour period. If pick up is passed 24 hours there will be a day rate fee. All meet n greets are done weekdays after 4:15 and on the weekends after 12 noon. Drop offs are after 4:00 pm weekdays and 12 noon weekends or the night before the Vacay. Pick ups are after 10 am . Please note that holidays and holiday weekends will be subject to a higher rate. .

I have been working in the dog industry for 6 years now. I am good at reading dogs behaviors and body language and am I am good at determining what the dog needs from me to be happy. I have owned animals my whole life. I enjoy going on hikes and adventures with dogs and doing more than just walks, but will be happy to take a stroll around the neighborhood if that is what your dog needs. I have done a little work with dog training and behavior so I will be happy to work on behavior issues as well. I like to make sure each dog gets the attention and exercise they need to be happy and healthy. I treat each pet as if they were my own.

Hello! I can promise you there is no place more happy and fun for dogs than this one! I've been working with dogs full time for 12 years now. The love began at 16 at an animal shelter. Followed by 2 different doggy daycare/boarding facilities, one that was a basic kennel with 100 dogs at a time to manage, and one that was a very successful at home daycare/boarding facility with average 20 dogs at a time in her home. I realized while working there, that was my dream; to run a home based doggy daycare/boarding/grooming where they played chase in my giant yard and snuggled on the couch and napped in dog beds scattered everywhere! I have also been a dog walker and am a certified Dog Groomer for over 6 years. I have worked in yards with 60 dogs at a time and managed all of their behaviors successfully. Having worked in nearly every position related to dogs I can safely say I know dogs like the back of my hand! They are my passion.

Being left in a strangers care while your pet parent is away can be scary for a pet as can be grooming! I want to try my absolute hardest to make these hard experiences as fun and enjoyable as possible! Almost like a vacation for your pet as well!

I have an acre of a very large, private, shaded, beautiful yard that is fully fenced in. I also have another smaller fenced in area on the side for separating pets of different energy levels! I have a kiddie pool for the puppies to make a mess in during the hot months. I am home full time with all the dogs, this is my full time job! I do leave to run to the grocery store, fitness class, dr appts, etc. If the pet is crate trained I feel most comfortable crating them during the few hours (no more than 3ish) I am gone. I'll never force a pup into a crate if they are terrified in the circumstance I have little 5 foot around gates I can clip close to keep everyone separate. I do not believe its safe or responsible to leave pets that are unfamiliar with one another free together with no one to monitor. All the crate are XXLarge and have beds and pillows and blankies and water crocs attached so they always have access to water. Everyone also gets treats every time. I am very particular about the behavior types of the dogs I take everyone needs to have manners in my home (no marking, pottying inside (no pee pads), chewing furniture, barking excessively and they need to know basic commands! All pups needs to get along with other pups as there is ALWAYS other dogs here, I am licensed in the town (make sure any Rover sitter you use is licensed in town!!!) to have up to 10 dogs in the house but I like to stay around 7, my two that live here and 5 boarders.

My two pups LOVE LOVE LOVE doggy friends and get VERY excited to play with everyone. They will keep your dog playing nonstop and you will get back a VERY tired doggy! I am a licensed dog groomer and have a grooming salon downstairs! I can give your dogs spa baths/haircuts and trim/grind their nails and brush their teeth and clean their ears at my home. My husband is a contractor and has renovated the entire downstairs into a second puppy living room with tile, mint green walls, dog couches, doggy beds, TV, toys galore and if were not playing outside thats where the pups and me hang out!

EXTRA CHARGES/INFORMATION: All pups must like other doggy company as there is always many dogs here! All drop offs/pick ups must be scheduled beforehand. I ask you do your best to be timely as I usually have multiple clients scheduled throughout the day! I charge an additional 2$ per dose for administering of medicines. I charge an additional 7$ per day for puppies not completely potty trained (will continue working on potty training here!) If you have any more questions please call or text me, I'd love to set up a meeting with you at my home!

Hours of operation: (these are the hours clients are allowed to come to my home pups will always be here!)

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 7am~11am/3~5pm (after hours pick up (no drop off) offered for a 25$ late fee between the hours of 5~8pm)

Tuesday/Thursday: 7am~4pm (after hours pickup offered between 7~8pm for 25$ late fee)

Saturday/Sunday 10~4pm (no after hours)

I dedicate most of my time to pet sitting 365 days per year. Nothing will keep me and my husband John from providing your pet with superior loving care in a fun, stimulating and safe environment. Through my extensive work in the veterinary field, I have become an expert caregiver offering a great deal of experience with dogs of all breeds and ages. I can give medications, provide physical therapy and offer every animal we host a very enjoyable experience. We have a large fenced yard for the pack to run and play.. There is always something exciting going on here. We strive to treat every dog as a unique individual and tailor his/her experience accordingly. Our home is situated in a quiet cul-de-sac neighborhood. We care for every dog as if he/she is our own. Your dog will come home happy and tired.

Live in a quiet residential neighborhood in a fenced in single family home. Our family consists of a 15 year old daughter who is as passionate about animals as I am.

we have a very loving and playful lab/border collie mix that loves to play

And gets along well with all other dogs.

About this sitter:

I am a mother of a 15 year old daughter. We love to have fun and enjoy time spent together. We love our "Little Boy" Brady. Could not imagine life without him : )

Why I love dog sitting

Growing up I always wanted a dog, but was not allowed. Soon after I had my own home I adopted Bailey a lab Shepard mix. We had bailey for 12 wonderful years. We now have adopted Brady a lab border collie mix, which is my little baby. I have watched my sisters dogs on many occasions when she goes away. I have been doing this for over 6 years. I have my many regulars who come for daycare and dog boarding.

Meet my pets

We have a 10 year old lab/ border collie mix who loves being around other dogs. He has been exposed to other dogs through doggie day cares. He is very sad when there are no dogs around to play with.

About my yard

We have a fenced in yard for them to play and run around.

My experience administering medication

Yes, my first dog needed drops twice a day as well as pills for seizures.

We've been Rover sitting for 3 1/2 years now and we can't imagine life without dogs coming to visit. We also know what it's like to have to board a dog and then spend half of a vacation worrying that they're lonely or scared. So we would love to give your dog a second home while their family is away. (That's why we started hosting dogs ourselves.)

We both work from home, so your dog won't spend weekdays alone. We have an aging Golden Retriever and a young Bernese Mountain Dog and they both love everyone.

Your dog is welcome on the furniture, but if that's not allowed in your house, we'll be happy to stick to your rules here too!

It's important to us that your dog feels at home, so nobody gets crated unless it's part of their routine at their own home. (We have small, medium, and large crates on hand, so you can feel free to leave yours at home if it makes it easier for you.)

We have experience with elderly dogs, dogs with allergies, special diets, and seizures. So we'll be happy to take care of any special needs in a calm manner.