I can't think of a time when I didn't have at least a cat and a dog (usually 2 or more of each), with my childhood share of gerbils, guinea pigs, fish, Lovebirds, & even a mouse named Socrates that helped me place in the 3rd grade Science Fair! You name it! I am forever indebted to my Mother & Father for tolerating the number of legs in the house! With 3 brothers and sisters, each owning dogs & cats respectively, I learned early about caring for them, particularly when bred, and then boy, we'd have a slew of little ones, being born, nursing, and then: playing! Of course, The kids ALWAYS wanted to keep at least one from every litter! Not often, but occasionally, I got my wish answered. These are definitely some of my favorite childhood memories. As an adult, I have sponsored numerous kiddo's as they stretch to make ends meet, festival attendees, travelers, or even students awaiting their new living arrangement - thus adopting a name for the space: THE WAYSIDE INN. Now, perhaps with age, I find myself with 2 chickens, a rooster, BIRD, and a hen, AMELIA. That's it. I simply have not been able to replace my last girl who passed 2 years ago, an Australian Shepherd called by Montana, of 10+ years. I miss her sorely and not quite ready to engage with a new 'partner'. I was introduced to Rover by my Housemate of 6 years, David, who joined with me, full-time, in this care-giving & playful venture. After being gravely ill last year, I needed to supplement my income once healing began. What a healing solution, right? All love and joy to surround yourself with? Ahhh, right up my alley. Thank you Cindy & David! So, as my Architecture career falls 'by the wayside', I have found a new calling! I simply LOVE THIS WORK and have found that I'm pretty darn good at it. Myself, coupled with my housemate, David, have turned our work with critters into a loving science . . . strong organization meets lots'o love - all well-documented in photographs! Perfect housemates, particularly coupled with a bunch of romping (or quiet for that matter) loving additions to our household - be it for a day, or for a couple of weeks - we've done it all. Love that loving energy, whether stormy with play or simply calm! We are a 1930s bungalow (900 s.f.) nestled on a large, securely-fenced / gated lot (.9 acre) in West Austin close to the heart of the city, the the Deep Eddy Neighborhood (16 years). The setting is much like a natural dog park with plenty of room to run and play. Tennis balls, sticks and toys abound as well as squirrels - and, oh, they are rascals!!! The chickens remain active and are housed in a small cottage/coop in the rear yard to allow the Guests full yard access for the entire day. Then, for one-hour, prior to sunset, the chickens get their own time in the yard, then willingly go into roost at sunset. During that time, puppies are fed and walked & allowed moderate play within the house. Our focus lies in the 'socialization' of puppies as we typically have 4-5 Guests a day . . . sometimes more, sometimes less. The kids get to experience a home environment within a small playground (.9 acres) within the heart of Austin. Negotiating toys, sleeping / napping zones, feeding times, AFFECTION, etc., that most single puppies don't have the luxury of doing during a FULL DAY unencumbered by cages or any rules outside of playing NICE. They are supervised by us both, indoors & out, and only a few seem to prefer to be particularly private - which we manage through a private room open to the other, yet gated off for privacy. This allows for individual private feeding and also serves for privacy for guests who desire a quiet environment. With an open exterior door policy in place most hours of the day, the guests are free to go in and out. If allowed by their Owners, they are free to nap or sleep wherever they choose, with us in bed included. We appreciate full instructions on feeding and/or typical environmental needs (i.e. blankets, caging, lighting, nestling areas. moodiness, etc.) Food aggressiveness should not be an issue based on the individual feeding schedule in a private, gated environment (the large mud-room). From 20 pounds to 145 pounds and from 3 months to 14.5 years or so, we strive to make everyone's stay at The Wayside Inn like a visit to camp. No guest is ever left alone. Both Suzanne and David work from home with offices in the front accessible to the guests. Suzanne is likely to oversee feeding, medication and snuggling while David supervises yard activity. If one of us has an appointment, it is scheduled so that the other is always here. We simply LOVE THIS WORK! Come by and see what we are all about - we always have some great Clients here that would welcome your presence as well! We do mandate Meet & Greet's to confirm blending of personalities and avoiding ANY foreseeable conflicts. We look forward to meeting you and yours and hope that you'll give us a shout if you are ever in need of just a simple 'day at the park' for your bored puppy or a week or two for your travels . . . We will work with you and give you daily updates, most often coupled with a ton of images which we've found that our Client's can't get enough of! (Sometimes that weather preempts our desire to take great photos for you, however, we can always get a few!) Thanks & Good Day to You! Suzanne Austinite since 1981