It can be hard to leave your furry friend behind—and even harder to decide who will care for them while you’re gone. Consider these things when choosing between a pet caregiver and a doggie daycare or boarding service.
Pet caregivers
Michelle Feller sees herself as a second mama to the dogs and cats she watches. Wallace and Bruce, two adorable schnauzers, see her that way too.
“When I come over, it’s just a party,” says Feller, who owns Rocky Mountain Pet Services & More and won best pet caregiver in this year’s Best of NOCO contest. “They sleep in the bed with me.”
She’s watched the pair since 2018, five years after she started pet sitting as a side hustle. She officially started her business a few years later, after getting more regulars who gave her glowing reviews. These are her reasons why a pet caregiver might be the right choice for you:
No stress. Feller says Wallace and Bruce are examples of her main benefit: Her clients’ pets stay at home, where it’s quiet, predictable and away from animals they don’t know. She offers overnight stays and has a couple trusted employees if she can’t stay with a pet herself.
“They see the same face all the time,” she says, “and smell the same smells.”
Special requests. Feller works with clients to ensure their pets’ routine and habits are kept and respected, making them feel more comfortable.
“If there’s things I haven’t trained to do,” Feller says, “the owner can show me what to do.”
Caring for senior pets. Some old pets can’t be boarded and likely don’t travel well either, Feller says. A caregiver staying at their home gives them a safe, familiar place to be while their owners are away. Feller can give pets their medications as well.
Camp Bow Wow
Doggie daycares and boarding facilities
Josh and Ashley Rodgers have three kids and three dogs and like to travel. They once boarded their fur babies at a Camp Bow Wow and were so impressed with it that they now own seven locations, including the ones in Fort Collins, Loveland and Longmont.
“Our dogs weren’t just in their kennel all day,” Ashley says. “They were out playing.”
The Rodgers won best doggie day care in the Best of NOCO contest. Here’s why they recommend bringing your pet to a trusted facility like theirs:
All day play. This is the biggest advantage of daycares and boarding, Ashley says. Pets have others to play with when their owners are gone.
“Dogs by nature are pack animals,” Ashley says. “They thrive being around people and other dogs.”
The couple groups dogs that get along for playtime, and their owners can watch them on camera to ensure they’re having a good time.
Socializing and training. Camp Bow Wow can help socialize and train any dog, but this is especially good for puppies. Not only will they learn from older dogs that correct their behavior during play, but staff can train them on obedience. They can also expose puppies to new environments that may have different floors, trash cans, people wearing hats other “scary” things that help them learn how to stay calm in unfamiliar situations.
Grooming. Camp Bow Wow offers baths and nail trims before pets go home. This gives the owner an extra set of eyes on their dog: Groomers may find lumps or other potential problems owners don’t catch.
