Porch Paws Doggy Daycare

12/15/2023

Hi friends! I have a bittersweet announcement to make. 🩵

Starting in January, Porch Paws will no longer be operating full time. For that reason we will not be accepting new clients, so that I can prioritize those who have been my biggest supporters! My availability will be more limited, but I will still try my best to accommodate whenever I can! 🩵

I can’t begin to express enough how much I have appreciated all the support and encouragement everyone has given me in this journey. From old friends proudly believing in me, to the new ones I’ve made through Porch Paws: thank you. 🙏🏻

(PS: when I win the lottery or get a small loan of one million dollars and open my dream facility you’re all invited to the grand opening party obvi 🎉 🍾)

12/04/2023

⚡️☄️🔥 Just another manic Monday ⚡️☄️🔥

(I’m scared of them 🥲)

11/24/2023

Coconut and Sprinkles hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! 🦃

Coconut became a child’s toy against her will, Sprink got a jumpscare when she saw a crawling infant for the first time in her life, and poor Aunt Zara had to beg for scraps under the table or else she’d STARVE. So your day probably went better than theirs. 🥲

11/19/2023

If there’s one thing these dogs ARE going to do, it’s have an afternoon cuddle 🥰😴

10/31/2023

Happy Howlloween from my personal sleep paralysis demon! 👻 Haven’t been the same since that boarding stay… 🎃

10/19/2023

10/07/2023

Tough facial reconstruction surgery on the books for today. Just call me Dr. Miami 🥼🌴

10/01/2023

BEHOLD! The sheer chaos that has been wrought upon my home this September
😱
AKA: a September photo dump for ya
🤪

09/12/2023

Now that my brother no longer has a whole WEDDING looming on the horizon, we will be back to your regularly scheduled programming. 📺

October is beginning to fill up so message us to get on the calendar! 🎃

Ft. Best Dog, Kota 🖤🎀🤍 (who was very clearly the star of the day 🌟)

08/21/2023

Our Monday meeting went well this morning. Here are the key notes for those who were unable to attend, and Coconut, whose ears are too little to hear everything:

• Bernadette gave us an update on the decreasing number of tennis balls that have a functional squeak in the office. Sprinkles has been previously seen plucking the squeaker from them, to be addressed privately with employee in near future.
• Jade made a proposal that they should be allowed to eat as much grass as they would like, without interference. This proposal was stuck down on the grounds of her hacking up grass in the living room last week, and then pouting about it.
• All parties have agreed that the 14:00 nap time has been working well for them, and have voted to continue this practice.

Here’s to another good week, and we will see everyone next Monday! 🐾☀️

08/18/2023

All the girls be needing a big boy 🎶
I need a big boy 🎵
I want a big boy 🎶
Give me a big booooyyyyyy 🎵

Is your heart in need of some ###L-love? Meet Cash.💕

This big boy weighs in at a slender 176 pounds of love and trust us, that is definitely accurate. How do we know you ask? Well, Cash might be big, but also is a big baby. He will lean his WHOLE body into you for pets, sit on your lap, and push his way right into your heart.

Come visit Cash today and fill your home with some BIG love! 💕🐾

08/18/2023

I have CRUELLY neglected you of puppy pictures for far too long. 😭 Please forgive me, and accept my humble offering of a quality Blooper Reel™️ of our dogs being absolute menaces 🥺

(PS I assure you everyone is having fun regardless of how unhinged they may appear 👹)

Now that I’ve buttered you up 🧈🥞, I have the less fun announcement of a pricing adjustment beginning September 1st, 2023. I have slightly restructured the time frames, and boarding check-out now extends until 6pm!✨ Ideally this will mean the elimination of late check-out fees, and I am of course still happy to work with you on any specific timeline needs. 🩵

If you have any questions about the adjustment always feel free to shoot us a message! I am extremely thankful for all the support Porch Paws has gotten from the community, and would love to see us continue to improve both WITH you and FOR you all 🫶🏻

07/22/2023

I love love 🩵 my heart is exploding 🫶🏻

07/21/2023

I can see what's happening.
What?
And they don't have a clue!
Who?
And with all this romantic atmosphere, disaster's in the air 😭

🎶🩵🩵 CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT? 🩵🩵🎶

Alfie and Coconut decided to reenact the Nala x Simba love scene tonight for Alfie’s play date! I didn’t anticipate running an all-dog off-Broadway theater, but keep your eyes peeled 👀

07/18/2023

Love love love seeing happy dogs and happy pet parents 🫶🏻🫶🏻

★★★★★ "Our dog stayed the weekend (June 2023) and Sam was amazing! I loved the required meet and greet prior to her initial stay. Sam sent us messages throughout the weekend keeping us informed and even pictures (which my kiddos loved) so we could see what they were up to. Safe, fenced are...

07/16/2023

Yesterday our boarding weekender Dottie got to tag along to a Barkday Pawty that staff dog Coconut was invited to! 🎉🥳

She got to meet birthday boy and lots of new friends! All the pups had the best time, even when Dottie accidentally zoomied straight into the pond and immediately regretted her decision. 😵 Thankfully she was revived by the call for birthday cake 🎂

His Mama made us the sweetest (literal)doggie bags to take home, and Dottie even got one of her own to take back with her! 🩵🩵

07/14/2023

Porch Paws is not a kennel. I purposely keep our numbers below that considered a kennel by Allendale Township. I could take on as many dogs as I want, but I need to heavily restrict numbers to keep myself, and the dogs safe. I have one play area, no suites dogs stay in overnight. I do not, and will never, bar an entire breed umbrella from my services. My own dogs, our “staff” both have bully breeds in them, and Coconut especially is one of the most tolerant and friendly dogs I have ever met.

I would estimate I have worked with at least several hundred dogs in my career. An absolutely massive portion of that number has some percentage of “bully” DNA. Yet, I would say they were not an overwhelming majority of incidents I encountered, not even a majority at all, honestly. The breeds that stand out to me among “trouble makers”? Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Huskies, various Poodle mixes. Yet for some reason, I never see these breeds being restricted from daycares or boarding facilities. And I would never recommend it, because some of the best dogs I’ve met are also those breeds.

Each dog who is looking for our services will always be assessed on an individual basis. Regardless of breed, ownership history(rescue, breeder, etc), or intact status. I do have to be incredibly strict with my Meet & Greets, as all dogs need to be able to coexist inside the home together. Though I truly don’t think being breed selective would simplify that process at all.

One of the biggest challenges typical daycare set-ups face is too many dogs and not enough separated areas. You are never going to get 30-60 dogs to all get along in 1-3 play yards. In my opinion and experience, the answer is not outright banning a breed, but stricter testing regulations to begin with.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to discuss further, don’t hesitate to reach out. 🩵 (Bonus “aggressive” breed Dottie for funsies)

07/13/2023

Meet us at the mulberry tree 🌳🧺

07/12/2023

Sweet baby Jade putting the “Porch” in “Porch Paws” on this rainy day ☔️
(Not pictured: her sticking her head out then biting the raindrops that had the audacity to touch her 😤)

07/11/2023

Please PLEASE keep an ear out for any coughing from your dogs! You wouldn’t believe how quickly kennel cough can sweep through entire hoards of dogs from even brief interactions.

If they are coughing, or making gagging sounds like there’s something caught in their throat, don’t risk it. Keep them home!

07/09/2023

Some cutie pics of our bestie Nova 🌌 and her baby brother Koi 🎏 from this weekend, along with something that’s been on my heart today.

Myself, and Porch Paws Daycare, want to be loudly outspoken about ethical issues concerning the wellbeing of dogs. It is easy to offend in the canine community, but when it comes to the health and safety of animals (or humans!) it is no longer a difference of opinions, it is a difference of ethics. Being decisive or controversial may not be the best business strategy, but if it provides a learning opportunity for anyone, I’m happy to take that risk. 🩵

That being said, after learning the news of yet another pet store opening in West Michigan, I feel that it is important to boldly proclaim ourselves as being against the buying or selling of puppies in pet stores. We stand by the ideology of “Adopt or Shop Responsibly”, and pet stores are not a responsible place to shop.

Regardless of the marketing they use, statements they claim, or cute puppy pictures they post, they are chasing profit at the expense of living creatures and exploiting the ignorance of a community that genuinely does not know better. Truly ethical breeders often operate at cost, or even a net loss, ensuring the best for each animal and family. Any business that is mass producing puppies as inventory shipments to pet stores is not a place to support, no matter how “nice” the pictures they choose to show of their facility are. Unfortunately, the bar is truly on the floor when it comes to views of animal welfare in these situations. If you have any questions about what to look for in a quality breeder, or would like to discuss further, feel free to send us a message! 🫶🏻

06/29/2023

We had some NKOTB this week!
🩵🩵🩵🩵
Mo, Molly, W***y, and Yoshi!

(Don’t let the pictures fool you, we are making sure to stay inside as much as possible, and encourage you to do the same!)

06/25/2023

Adoptable duo alert! Rare opportunity to find these sweet breeds in rescue. Parker is a 9 year old golden retriever and Onyx is a 9 year old British lab - they are both GOOD BOYS and they know it! Super friendly, playful, sweet, love people, lots of tail wags. They have been together lifelong and will need to remain together. Don’t let their age fool you - they are active dogs that will need an active owner who can take them on walks and help Onyx lose some weight. They are well loved by their owners who can no longer care for them due to health issues. We are looking forward to finding a family that can continue that love.