Dog Sitting in Southern Pines

About: I’ve taken care of small and large dogs. I own an anxious queen who needs lots of special attention, and she’s taught me a lot of dog behavior and signs. I’m a teacher on summer break, so I have all day to spend exercising your pup! I take my own dog on lots of walks, but am mindful of the heat and need for hydration. I pay attention to what the dog is comfortable with and love on them like they’re my own (treats, pets, play, encouraging words, etc.). If they need space, though, I understand.

“We are repeat customers because we trust Chelsea. She provides exceptional care and companionship to our fur baby while we are away and always sends pictures ❤️”

Mickelie R.

“Hannah is the best! This is the second time she has taken care of our dogs for us and she was amazing. She took care of all their needs and really made them feel loved. We were gone for a few days and she was great at communicating with us and letting us know how everything was going and we could tell our two little buddies were so happy. She is definitely at the top of the list when we need someone on Rover!”

Sam G.

“Great drop-in visit! Lacey looked super happy in the pics. Really appreciate the update— will totally book again!”

Holly C.

“Heather was great! She sent text and picture updates, brought toys, and was great with my high-energy dog. I will not hesitate to book her in the future and recommend her to anyone who asks for a pet sitter referral!”

Elizabeth D.

About: I grew up with dogs most of my life and have a dog of my own now. I’m an experienced pet sitter and have watched multiple friend’s dogs before as well as my parent’s special needs elderly dachshund/lab mix who needed extra care and attention. I also volunteer at a local dog rescue. I love all dogs and feel like I have a special bond with them! My own dog, Remy, has some separation anxiety so I know how important it is to have a communicative dog sitter you can trust. I work from home and ensure that I have time in my schedule to give my own dog and the dogs I watch the needed attention and exercise. I have a flexible schedule and can take them on multiple walks a day if needed. I don’t have a fenced in yard, but I am diligent about taking your dog out and live in a great neighborhood to walk dogs! I don’t crate my dog but I am happy to do it if that is best for your dog. My dog, Remy, is only 8 pounds so I can only accept dogs that do well with smaller dogs. Remy does well with other dogs. He goes to other Rovers who have dogs and goes to day care occasionally. He’s a little shy so it takes a little bit to warm up but he always ends up making a friend.

“Brittani is absolutely amazing! She was very prompt to respond to me when I needed her to check in on my pups. She understands the struggle of military families, so she gave us a helpful discount which was so thoughtful. She left a thorough, detailed, and informative note on how her visit went with them. She even followed up with me to clarify if she needed to feed them. I absolutely LOVE the pictures she took of them! I highly recommend Brittani!”

Hillary C.

About: I have been caring for dogs since I was 13 years old. Over the years I have gained experience in providing excellent care to dogs of all ages and sizes. My friends and Family have trusted me with the responsibilities of feeding, bathing, walking, administering medication to their animals. I have also worked at a doggy daycare and boarding facility for 1.5 years, where I have learned plenty of skills and providing care to dogs in a professional setting. I am super transparent with my schedule and try to make things work in favor for my client! Message me with any inquiries, and I will be happy to see if I can accommodate. As someone who has taken care of animals for several years. I take the safety and well-being of all animals in my care seriously. I always want to provide a safe and happy place during any of my offered services. I own a year and a half Golden Retriever who keeps me on my toes. So your dog will have a pup to play with during their stay if you would like. I am committed to having open and transparent communication throughout the dog services.

“She was great with the cats, and so communicative and sweet! Would highly recommend and will be rebooking with her for sure next time I go on a trip. Thanks Kimmie and kids!”

Andrea S.

“Emma did a great job with our 5 year-old lab mix! She came over before the appointment to meet her and ask questions, and did a wonderful job preparing herself for the visit. I felt at ease knowing Emma would watch our Nova and she did not disappoint. Our precious dog sitter moved out of town so I am so thankful to have found another one to trust with our doggo! We will definitely be rebooking Emma!!”

Dana S.

“Kyle did seven drop-in visits for my old English Bulldog, Drea, and we had a great experience. Drea is quite old, stubborn, and slow these days, and he handled this with patience and care. Drea has started having accidents in the house, and during one of the visits, Kyle noticed a huge pee accident on the floor, cleaned it up perfectly, and made sure Drea was comfortable. He was amazing!”

Ana A.

“If you want peace of mind for your pets while you are away, Holly will give you that!! She is wonderful. We loved getting the daily updates and photos/videos. The kitties were comfortable with Holly. She made them feel loved and well taken care of. She even went out of her way to bring in our house Amazon boxes that were delivered. We love Holly and will be booking with her again each time we are away!!”

Maggie D.

“Kristina was the first cat sitter we have had and we will definitely be booking with her again. She made sure to send us photos on each visit with a little update on how everything was. She helped keep our anxiety at bay, which in turn meant we could relax and enjoy our holiday knowing Molly was being well looked after. We would highly recommend Kristina :)”

Melissa M.

“Lucia was so caring & patient with my 2 pups! Her communication was great and I’m so happy she was my first sitter. I felt great comfort leaving my babies with her. Highly recommend!”

Kayla P.

“Kristen is absolutely the best pet sitter I’ve experienced. My cats live her and when she is at my home they follow her around like she’s part of the family!”

Ann G.

“Kristen is amazing. Responsive. Caring. Communicative. Most important - we trust her with our baby.”

Kevin M.

“Jordan visited with our exuberant lab pup and we were very pleased. She communicatedvery well and portrayed confidence in what was asked for her to do. We will definitely request her again as well as have her care for Pixie overnight at her home.”

Pam B.

About: I grew up with 2 pit bulls who are now of older age, and currently have 3 cats who are my babies! i’ve always had so much love for animals, and I’m excited to love yours! I am familiar with medication administration as I’ve had to do it for my dogs and my cats, and will provide the absolute best care possible to your little ones. I’m working per diem at the hospital as a nurse, so I make my own schedule and will fit in as many visits as possible around that! I am willing to do whatever is needed to keep your fur baby happy and comfortable, I am the biggest animal lover there is and promise to love them and keep them safe!

About: My experience in pet care is extensive. From helping raise and train my own family dogs as child, to working at different animal facilities, I have experience in many different/difficult situations I may face. While I lived in New York I worked at a high end Doggy Daycare and boarding facility that prided itself in creating a certified "fear free" environment for dogs. In a daycare setting I handled and monitored up to 25 dogs in a safe and ethical way. I learned how to read different dog body language cues and how to handle small to XL size dogs. I took a lot of pride in the environment I created for my playgroups so dogs could enjoy safe, fun interactions with each other. I also worked as a kennel technician at the same facility. I did potty breaks for up to 50 dogs, cleaned kennels to propers standards and provided enrichment and feeding for all of our guests. I have experience in how to handle aggressive or stand offish dogs in a safe and manageable way. I also learned a lot about animal health and helped provide care for special needs guests who may have disabilities due to age or that were on seizure watch. Any issues or concerns I had health wise were immediately brought to my supervisors so it could be brought to the owners attention. I worked at Resorts Boarding and Play in two different times for about a year and a half total. After my time at this facility I worked at the SPCA Serving Erie County as an animal caretaker. It was here I gained more exposure to different temperaments in dogs and cats and how to work with them while also cleaning their kennels so they had a clean safe space to enjoy. I enjoyed helping all these pets in desperate need and watching them come out of their shells and experience joy more and more. It was one of the most rewarding parts of that job! When I moved to North Carolina I spent a few months working at 7 Lakes Kennels as a kennel technician again. I cleaned kennels and helped pair dogs for daycare play. I handled medicine distribution to dogs who needed it, cleaned potty yards and of course, played with many dogs! I again had previous experience in handling some tougher dogs so I was comfortable in helping others with some guests who had behavioral challenges. I also did feedings for the guests under my care for the day and took everyone out for potty walks at allotted times. Although I have only professionally been in the pet care industry for about 3 years I consider most of my life as experience from also doing all pet care for my animals growing up, including pushing pills for my childhood cat who had issues with kidney function. I fed all my childhood pets morning and night. I handled supplements for my goldendoodle who had hip and joint issues later in life. I have tons of techniques to help dogs take medicine in an enticing manner. I also made sure my dogs received 20-30 minutes of intense exercise a day to meet their large dog requirements as goldendoodles. They preferred playing ball but also enjoyed added on walks. I am sincerely passionate about providing top-notch care to pets and have shown that to many previous employers who always enjoyed my attention to detail and efforts to work with the animals regardless of any behavior issues or health concerns they faced. I am stay at home as of now so I have plenty of free time on my hands. I prefer to be at home rather than out so the only time I gone really is to run errands or be at the gym. I enjoy an active lifestyle so I do walk my dogs a bit or allow them to run around outside and play with them. I have a set feeding schedule for them. Breakfast is 8 am and dinner is 5 pm. I have done both of my dogs basic obedience myself as I'm looking to advance in the dog training field. I hope to start schooling soon to get my certifications. I have used different techniques for both of my dogs as they have different temperaments. I strive to understand my dogs thoroughly and work with them rather than force them into overwhelming situations. We always start small and build from there once they show they understand a concept or become more comfortable in a new environment. Both of my dogs are crate trained. I love them very much but I finds crates are a very helpful tool to help teach self control and give them a space they can call their own. I am happy to follow any instructions you may have for me through a text message or written out on paper. If you have any concerns I am happy to communicate with you while you are away! At one boarding facility we would send out pictures every three days of a fun activity we did with the dogs to help ease owners minds. I am more than willing to do something like that for you everyday! I totally understand the worry of being away from your best friends! I do ask if your dog boards with me that they come with their crate/kennel. I find it a bit easier for a dog to decompress in a new environment if they have something that is familiar for them. Blankets that smell like you are a plus. I am more than willing to clean toys and bedding before you come to pick up your buddy again. If you want feeding done at certain times I'm happy to do that as I have a free schedule just taking care of my home. Walks, playtime and interacting with dogs are must to keep spirits up while you are away so I am happy to provide these services as well! Of course attention and love is given regardless to any pet I am watching! I am comfortable adminstering medication according to labels or any supplements/treats you provide your pets! I ALWAYS listen to and watch dogs for body language cues. I find that respecting dogs leads to a much better relationship between caretakers and friends. I have extensive training through "The Dog Gurus" my first employer provided all employees. This taught me different play styles for breeds, how to monitor health through potty habits and what to look for in concerning poop. I learned the warning signs of seizures and how to handle them as well as what to watch for if a dog may have a parasitic infection. I was also taught signs of stress and techniques to help prevent them through providing familiar scents, toys or approach. I am aware of and use certain skills in approaching nervous dogs-become smaller and less threatening by turning your back slightly and not holding direct eye contact. I always allow a dog to approach me by offering my hand from a distance and letting them decide if they want to interact or not. For dogs who were sensitive or reactive about touch around their neck while working I used a "double slip lead" technique so I wouldn't have to get into their personal space while putting a lead on them. It also made it safer to remove a lead by never having to physically touch the dog, rather gently pull one lead attached around the other and they would both safely slip off the dog. Understanding a dogs temperament and triggers is vital for me to work safely and effectively with any dog I encounter or interact with. Please always offer all information on your dog to me during a meet and greet session. I would rather have "too much" information on your dog than feel like I'm scrambling with questions later on while you are away. I enjoy working with all different types of dogs and love learning about their personalities and things they enjoy. I feel confident in my skill level and experience to provide safe, loving, enjoyable care for all your four legged family members.

About: In addition to owning dogs my whole life, I watched my friends dog for 8 weeks, kept up her training, took her on walks, and made sure anything the owners normally do I also did. I am currently in Southern Pines and more than willing to watch your pets and have all the time for them! I can bring them out every hour, we have a fenced in backyard , and I truly can do anything needed for your pet! I love animals more than people! I make sure that whatever you normally do with your pet I will too whether it’s certain walk times, needing medication, keeping up on their training or just hanging with them!