Pet boarding & daycare, dog walking, & home visits (in MFPD) with or without pets – animal care, mail retrieval, trashcans, plant watering, property checks…
Basically anything you need while you’re away for the day or months! Your pets stay in my home, with my pets and me. They spend their time where they like - indoors or out - and sleep where they're comfortable - whether that's a crate, pet b
ed, or the floor, in the house, garage, or under the stars.
• Toys – I've got balls, stuffies, ropes, chews, and more.
• Beds – I’ve got raised, mat, etc.
• Snacks & chews – I've always got a variety on hand.
• No extra charge for adding supplements to meals, administering basic medication, or brushing out burrs obtained on outdoor adventures.
• If your pet doesn't have a special food bowl, I've got extras, including slow-feeders for those that bolt their kibble. I've also got many water bowls, indoors and out, including a fountain.
• I've got a year-round puppy pool because for some dogs, water knows no season.
• Photos! I don't promise daily, because sometimes we're having too much fun to "paws" and post 'em, but they will get taken, and (eventually) posted to the Swansboro Vacation Care page!
• I am happy to accept last-minute reservations. I am here to help you have a better trip by ensuring that your pup (or kitty!) is well-cared for. SOCIAL SPOT
In addition to my dogs, I don’t limit the number of returning guests I host, so I can have upwards of seven dogs sharing my home, plus the occasional daycare. (I do also board cats, but they have their own room.) Note: As a rule, I only take one new or probationary (returning but still getting the hang of things) pup (or family) at a time. CUSTOMIZED CARE
Please share your pup's personality traits with me so I can make him or her as happy and comfortable as possible! FOR MOSQUITO/SWANSBORO COUNTRY RESIDENTS
In addition to boarding your animals in my home, I will make home visits within the community to feed, water, etc., for which I charge $15 for up to half-hour visits + a $5 “trip fee” outside the Buckboard section.
*BONUS*
My best friend, who lives around the corner, is a certified vet tech (added peace of mind) and a full-time groomer (can usually squeeze in at least a nail trim, if not a full bath and blow-out) - let me know! DOG REQUIREMENTS
I welcome all breeds and ages one year and up (as low as six months for unusually well-mannered pups), but please make sure your furbaby is:
• Minimum 20 lbs. I have nothing against little dogs, but most of my clients are Lab-sized and larger and can be rambunctious. Safety first.
• Tolerant, if not gregarious - if your pup isn’t easy-going with or actually dislikes other dogs, s/he is not a good fit for this environment.
• Not in heat if an intact female - I do take intact males on a case-by-case basis.
• Not aggressive (bold/assertive is fine) or a heavy barker (e.g., barks at fairies for hours when no one's home) - we need my neighbors happy! I've got bark collars if needed, but if you use one please include it.
• Current on flea and tick treatment.
• Potty-trained and not an inveterate marker.
• Not requiring 24-hour supervision. Swansboro Vacation Care is my full-time job, but I do leave for appointments, etc., and am a one-woman show. Although I have accommodated just about everything over the years, special-needs dogs or those who require constant supervision for any reason are probably not a good fit, whether that's puppies under one year, infirm geriatrics, those with strong separation anxiety, or dedicated escape artists. However, if you believe that any of these describe your dog, do feel free to contact me to discuss the situation and if they simply need to be crated when unsupervised, no problem!
• I must decline dogs that are truly aggressive toward people/other animals (I can handle some guarding issues), are HIGHLY predatory (toward cats, horses, and chickens in particular), or are destructive toward items that cannot reasonably be removed from their vicinity (furniture, doors, windows, etc.) - I will crate when unsupervised with your say-so). If you are unsure whether your pup qualifies as having any of these no-go behaviors, please talk to me about him/her!
*NOTE re: children*
I am sometimes visited by neighbor children who enjoy the “petting zoo.” I will take dogs who need to be separated from them, but let me know if you’re aware that’s appropriate. VACCINATIONS
Understanding that vaccinating pets is not a black and white decision, I do not require my guests be vaccinated, trusting owners to make the right choice for their individual pet. MEET & GREET
I don’t require but do recommend visiting my home before your pup's first stay, primarily so your furbaby will be comfortable when s/he comes back to stay and to make drop-off as low-stress as possible.
*NOTE re: Meet & Greets*
“Meet & Greets” are limited to half an hour and are not conducted inside my home - only my front and side/“reception” yards are accessed at that time so as to provide the best experience for guest/resident dogs. Dogs are not introduced at a “Meet & Greet,” as my system for introducing dogs for the first time at my home can take as long as an hour and works best when s/he is not worried about mom/dad. SCHEDULING
All visits by appointment only. Please let me know your schedule so we can work with it - sometimes that means dropping off the night before so there's plenty of time to get your pup settled in. DROP OFF/PICK UP
There are two ways from downtown Placerville to my community - 49 to 193 to Rock Creek is longer (about 40 min.), but accommodates buses, semis, etc., so is "easier”; Mosquito Road all the way out includes hairpin turns, a one-lane bridge, and a short section of 16% grade, but is about 10 mi./30 min. from Hwy. 50.
*NOTE re: road*
Through at least late 2025, Mosquito Road will have delays and closures from time to time while a new bridge is constructed, in addition to the regular (usually July or August) maintenance on the current bridge. I understand that my property is not convenient to those not in my community, so, schedule allowing, I offer transportation to and from locations up to half an hour from my home for $25 per round-trip. (I have a 4WD 4-door Toyota Tacoma with a rear-seat hammock and tethers, along with a ramp for easy-entry and safe exit.) WHAT TO BRING
• You provide food and any supplements or medications.
• If your pup walks best with a certain harness or collar, please provide that in addition to their “house collar” with ID.
• I have lots of supplies, but feel free to bring along anything you think will make your pet more comfortable, including a bark collar if s/he needs one. ABOUT MY HOME
The “campsite” consists of a 1,080 sq. home with heat and cooling, a 3,300 sq. ft. 6'-ft.-high fenced backyard (with more or less grass depending on the time of year), a small deck and two small patios, and an adjoining 400 sq. pet-turf side yard, plus a good-sized, 32-48”-high fenced mostly-grass front yard with a concrete stoop and sidewalk. I’ve got zip-lines in the front and back yards for some freedom and autonomy for fence-jumpers. There are dog doors from the house and garage into the back- and side yards for constant access, and when I'm home in good weather, the pups have access to the front yard, too. The back acre of my property (where the horse, donkey, chickens, and cat live) is fenced to keep all but those with a dedicated wanderlust contained and I like to give dogs who can handle the inter-species interaction (the chickens are in a pen and the cat makes herself scarce) the additional freedom of that space when I'm working back there. Let me know if you do not think this is appropriate for your pup! My community is surrounded by National Forest which makes for terrific hiking opportunities. The community itself is relatively quiet with many ponds, lots of wildlife, and little traffic - perfect for walking the pack, and I like take whoever is up for it for a two to three-miler when my schedule permits and the weather cooperates.
*NOTE re: remodeling*
My home and property are a constant work-in-progress with my efforts to maintain and make improvements for my guests, my pets, and myself. Please be patient with any ongoing projects/maintenance you may see in photos and videos or during drop off/pick up. RESIDENT ANIMALS
My own pups are a 14-pound older male Jack-Chi and a young female “mini” (23 pound) Heeler. I also have a Thoroughbred mare and a female miniature donkey, five chickens, and a barn cat, but the dogs are kept mostly separate from them. ABOUT ME
I've been around animals, from hamsters to horses, all my life and have been pet-sitting since November 2011. I enjoy walks with dogs and, weather-permitting and taking dogs whenever possible, I horseback ride weekly and hike occasionally...and I take lots of photos and sometimes video, so you'll have evidence your fuzzy family member is having a great time at “puppy camp.”
*One FREE night (boarding) or day (daycare) or home visit for booked referral – thank you!*
