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Helen D.

Carnation, WA

5.0 out of 5 stars
461 reviews
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Happy tails until you meet again!

Pet care experience

Things to NOTE: 1. I do NOT take unaltered pets and I limit new clients to one new family at a time. Therefore, I may have openings, but if you are a new client I may not have a spot for you. 2. A recent back injury means I must carefully screen any Golden and Lab Retriever clients -- basically with rare exceptions I do not take retrievers younger than 7 years old. 3. I do work and drop offs and pick ups must be scheduled around my work hours. If you're here, you're family! That's how I think about all the pups who come to visit me. I think I offer something special to my clients in that I am NOT just someone who absolutely loves dogs and opens their home to them. I am also a "retired dog professional" with 20 years of experience in dog training, fostering, sheltering and boarding. I can give your dogs a homey place to stay with a professional edge focusing on safety and enrichment. A true "bed and bark-fest". My yard is fully fenced and gates are kept locked at all times to keep your pup safe. There is a fenced and covered dog run in my yard (10'x10') for little guys who may feel a little overwhelmed by a quarter acre. The Snoqualmie Valley Trail is nearby for walks and Carnation has its own fenced off-leash dog park three blocks away. We also have a doggy playroom with a cement floor to use when the heat gets to be too much outside -- or as a place to shake off the mud during the rainy season before everyone goes into the house. There are 2 of us with two legs and opposable thumbs to keep an eye on the pooches. The house and yard are very dog friendly -- we keep it clean and neat, but don't panic if someone digs a hole or scratches a door or has an accident. Sometimes a new pup is a little shy and likes to have a quiet place to himself so we offer one of our bedrooms for a sanctuary. Before long, most are poking their heads out so join in play. If you have rules about not letting your pup on the furniture, etc., we will enforce those during the stay -- otherwise we just want your dog to feel right at home! About this sitter: Simple....I love dogs. They add so much to my life that spending time with them has turned out to be cheaper and more efficient than therapy. :) I do everything with a dog or two involved. When my kids moved on, I had a lot of excess energy and attention and pups have become the perfect focal point for it. Having once boarded my own dog in a traditional kennel, I decided that is an experience no one should have to endure. My solution is to open my home and heart to your companion dogs while you are away. Why I love dog sitting I got my first dog as an adult in 2000 and it was a life-changing event! I started by attending dog training classes...and couldn't stop because they were so much fun. When we finished the classes, I began studying to become a trainer myself. My motivation was this: Dogs bring so much to my life, I want to add joy to theirs. Well-mannered dogs simply get to do more, go more places! I started training at the Humane Society, then at Petsmart and now I am boarding and training on my own. I am entering my third decade of working with dogs as a trainer and a boarder. I specialize in socialization challenges and basic obedience, although I also work with K9's. Meet my pets Do squirrels count? :) In addition to my dogs, we have cat who thinks he is a dog and 5 dog-savvy chickens in a secure...and I mean SECURE...run. Boarders ignore the "funny looking dogs" for the most part much to my surpise. About my yard The quarter acre lot is fully fenced. There is a smaller, fenced dog run for little guys if needed. Gates have padlocks so no one can accidentally release a dog. I don't use pesticides or herbicides on my lawn and I don't freak out at a little digging. My experience administering medication Absolutely. Oral or injection.

Reviews

Rose J.
Dog Boarding • Dec 31, 2023
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Helen is always the BEST dog sitter in the world ☺️

Marlen M.
Dog Boarding • Oct 06, 2023
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Easy pick up and drop off. My babies were well taken care of and I felt completely at ease during their stay with Helen! Highly recommend!

Juliana T.
Dog Boarding • Sep 18, 2023
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Helen is an outstanding care taker, my special needs pup had an excellent experience! Her love and dedication to animals is apparent, I will definitely book with her again

Carmen E.
Dog Boarding • Sep 13, 2023
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Helen is absolutely wonderful! Her knowledge and attention to dogs is so appreciated! My dogs came home so happy and they did not pick up any bad habits while I was gone for 21 days! I will be working with her again each time I need a dog sitter in the future!

About Helen D.

Communication

306 repeat pet parents
90% response rate
Usually responds in around an hour
30% bookings with photo updates

Skills

30 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

I have converted my youngest sons' bedroom into "the dog room". It is dog proof and a safe spot for them to be if they can't yet enjoy free ranging in the entire house.

Home

Lives in a house
Has a fenced yard
Non-smoking household
Has caged pets
Has 4 dogs, has cats
No children present
Dogs allowed on bed
Dogs allowed on furniture

Information Helen D. would like to know about your pet

I like to know the basics of course -- your contact info, emergency contact and vet info. If you have any health concerns with your pup, I need to know those. It is also helpful for me to know what kind of training history there is and behavior traits. And if you are working on a particular behavior at home, let me know so I can continue the training during the stay. I honestly don't have a preferred breed. And this may sound strange, but my favorite dogs to board are the ones who are nervous about the whole "boarding" event. I enjoy the challenge of helping them relax and have fun, making it a positive experience for all! And of course, please let me know your pup's bad habits -- we all have at least a few after all! Knowing them can really help me keep your pet safe during the visit. So tell me about the leash chewers, fence hoppers, barky mc barksters, perpetual pee-ers, couch destroyers, shoe hiders, dumpster divers, door openers, frig raiders, counter surfers, adventure seekers, door rushers, sock swallowers, garden diggers, gate eaters (yep), surprise biters, poop hiders...like Farmer's Insurance, I have seen a few things! And I know how to handle just about all of it IF I know it's coming!

A typical day

Here's where we'll take our walks The Snoqualmie Valley Trail is a block from my door. It has access to trails along the Tolt River and McDonald Park. There is also a fenced off-leash dog park nearby. And Carnation is a quiet town for walks. We can stroll down Main Street or be in the woods on a trail within minutes. Your dog's sleeping arrangement Wherever your pup wants to! :) On my bed, on the floor, in a room to themselves, in a dogpile -- my goal is to ease any separation anxiety for both dog and guardian. I want your dog to be comfortable and feel safe and relaxed. Time I'll spend with your dog I have a dog friendly office -- so your dog may go to work with me. Play breaks are at 10, noon and 3....and if it's the weekend or evening, we play all the time.

Services

Boarding
in the sitter's home
$34per night

Helen can host

Cats
0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
Dogs over 1 year old
Spayed and neutered dogs
No females in heat
Crate-trained dogs only

Availability

I have returned to full time work M-F. I share my property with my oldest adult son who has a tiny home on my lot. He also works full time, but his schedule offsets mine with different hours and days. So we are able to share doggie duties. Note on Tues thru Fri there are approximately 3 hours in the morning when both of us will be at work. Also note I handle all drop offs and pick ups so those must be scheduled around my work hours on M-F. Basically that means between 6 and 7am & 6 and 9pm I am available for drops and picks. Weekends are open to all times between 7am and 9pm. (I do have an agreement with my neighbors that there are no pick ups or drop offs after 9pm any day. If you cannot pick up by 9pm, we will need to add a night and have you pick up the next day.)

Available
Not available
SMTWTFS
Boarding Cancellation Policy:

About Helen D.

Communication

306 repeat pet parents
90% response rate
Usually responds in around an hour
30% bookings with photo updates

Skills

30 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

I have converted my youngest sons' bedroom into "the dog room". It is dog proof and a safe spot for them to be if they can't yet enjoy free ranging in the entire house.

Home

Lives in a house
Has a fenced yard
Non-smoking household
Has caged pets
Has 4 dogs, has cats
No children present
Dogs allowed on bed
Dogs allowed on furniture

Information Helen D. would like to know about your pet

I like to know the basics of course -- your contact info, emergency contact and vet info. If you have any health concerns with your pup, I need to know those. It is also helpful for me to know what kind of training history there is and behavior traits. And if you are working on a particular behavior at home, let me know so I can continue the training during the stay. I honestly don't have a preferred breed. And this may sound strange, but my favorite dogs to board are the ones who are nervous about the whole "boarding" event. I enjoy the challenge of helping them relax and have fun, making it a positive experience for all! And of course, please let me know your pup's bad habits -- we all have at least a few after all! Knowing them can really help me keep your pet safe during the visit. So tell me about the leash chewers, fence hoppers, barky mc barksters, perpetual pee-ers, couch destroyers, shoe hiders, dumpster divers, door openers, frig raiders, counter surfers, adventure seekers, door rushers, sock swallowers, garden diggers, gate eaters (yep), surprise biters, poop hiders...like Farmer's Insurance, I have seen a few things! And I know how to handle just about all of it IF I know it's coming!

A typical day

Here's where we'll take our walks The Snoqualmie Valley Trail is a block from my door. It has access to trails along the Tolt River and McDonald Park. There is also a fenced off-leash dog park nearby. And Carnation is a quiet town for walks. We can stroll down Main Street or be in the woods on a trail within minutes. Your dog's sleeping arrangement Wherever your pup wants to! :) On my bed, on the floor, in a room to themselves, in a dogpile -- my goal is to ease any separation anxiety for both dog and guardian. I want your dog to be comfortable and feel safe and relaxed. Time I'll spend with your dog I have a dog friendly office -- so your dog may go to work with me. Play breaks are at 10, noon and 3....and if it's the weekend or evening, we play all the time.

Location

Carnation, WA

Helen D.'s Neighborhood

Pets

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Helen D.

Carnation, WA

5.0 out of 5 stars
461 reviews