Hello, I'm Nick and together with my partner Kendall and Eddie the Labradoodle we are here to help with your special fur child.
We live in a dog loving, child free, two human, one dog home in Coromandel Valley where
your dog will be loved and cherished as one of the family.
We can help with:
* Puppy minding, socialising, play and fun training
* Dog holidays at our home
* Doggy day care / companionship for your dog with walks and outings (weather permitting)
* General obedience and trick training
* Teaching good manners and boundaries
* Dog walking and park play
As a couple we have over 15 years experience in dog companionship. Nick has a keen interest in dog training and play, whilst Kendall heads up the cuddles and catering departments.
We are currently owned by Eddie the medium Labradoodle (16kgs). Previously it was by Chester the Cavoodle and Zach the Maltese (Kendall's family dog).
Eddie is super friendly, well trained, fully vaccinated and loves to interact with other dogs. He's our right hand dog for k9 fun and puppy socialising, and is a great role model for other dogs given his good manners and fun array of tricks.
We have easy access to plenty of great dog friendly parks, reserves and walking tracks in Coromandel Valley, Blackwood, Craigburn Farm, Hawthorndene, Glenalta, Belair and throughout the wider Adelaide Hills.
Specialising in Oodles and low-to-non-shedding breeds
Our favourite breeds to work with are low-to-non-shedding dog breeds like "Oodles" (Labradoodles, Cavoodles, Groodles, Spoodles, Schnoodles, Borderdoodles, Moodles etc) and pedigree breeds like Poodles, Lagottos, Schnauzers, Portuguese Water Dogs, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Westies, Scotty Dogs, Maltese Terriers, Bichon Frise, Havanese, Bedlington Terriers and the like.
We will also happily work with all Spaniels, Retrievers, Shepherds / Working breeds, and most other pure and mixed breeds. However due to the propensity of these breeds to shed fur, adult dogs may not be available for dog holidays. It will depend on the dog and the decision will be made at our discretion.
Sorry… Staffies, Amstaffs, Mastiffs, Bull Terriers, Bull Arabs, Akitas or related breeds are unavailable for dog holidays or doggy day care. We are also unavailable to help with aggressive dogs and drooling / slobbery dogs.
NB. Eddie has a medical condition called Addison's Disease
His body cannot produce stress hormones so we have to closely monitor his stress levels and maintain a peaceful home environment for him. Eddie plays in bursts and has lower energy than most dogs. High energy, boisterous, and/or standard size dogs can be a bit much for Eddie depending on how they like to interact and play with other dogs. Highly anxious dogs are not always a good match for Eddie either depending on how the anxiety presents.
We know what we're looking for in a furry guest
What we're ideally looking for in a boarding or daycare dog is one that happily engages with us, that is comfortable here, that is at least somewhat food or toy motivated, that isn’t overly anxious or too vocal and that isn’t rough with Eddie. Dogs that resource guard food or toys are not a suitable match for us.
Dog Holidays at our home: Our casa, your dog's casa
Your dog will have a wonderful holiday with us while you go on your break. They will be included in all dog friendly activities that we do as a family and will get plenty of fresh air and exercise. Lots of treats, pats, play and praise will be given to make your dog feel happy, included and part of our pack as they stay with us. Anticipated maximum of one boarding dog at a time (unless more are from the same family).
If you are interested in dog holidays, we think it is a great idea to do a couple of doggy day care sessions - or at least a couple of "drop off and go get a coffee for 60 minutes" sessions - so that your dog can familiarise themselves with us, Eddie and our place. Then when they come to stay the night, they will likely be more comfortable and less anxious, and safe in the knowledge that you will return to get them.
For all overnight stays: Please bring your dog's bed(s), some of their favourite toys, their lead and harness etc as relevant; plus any food for their main meals. A jumper in the bed that smells like one of the owners can be a nice touch for an anxious holidaying dog as it can provide them with a sense of comfort and familiarity whilst you are away.
Doggy Daycare at our home in Coromandel Valley
We have a large fully fenced yard that the dogs can explore and play in. Dogs are welcome inside with Eddie and his humans and will be taken for walks and outings (weather permitting) and will have an absolute blast. Generally 95%+ of the time during doggy day care someone will be home and your dog will have lots of human supervision, companionship and interaction.
Dog walking and park play
We will come and pick your dog up from your place and take them for walks around the local suburbs and to favourite parks, ovals and other spaces nearby, so that they have their senses stimulated and burn lots of energy. We will endeavour to mix things up to keep your dog interested and will happily work at their pace.
Oral and ear medication is no problemo
We have experience in giving oral medication and do so with tasty treats. Our boy Eddie has Addison's disease which is controlled daily with oral medication (don’t worry its not catchy - his body cannot produce enough hormones to keep his body's electrolytes in balance). Our previous dog Chester had a heart issue called Cardio Myopathy which was also managed with oral medication. We also have experience in using ear drops and rinses (eg Epi-Otic) for ear infections and prevention. If your dog needs oral or ear medication, we should be able to help. We are also located two minutes from the Coromandel Valley Vet should your dog need medical attention.
Special dietary requirements happily catered for
We are more than happy to accommodate special dietary requirements such as grain free, lactose free, low fat, vegan, breed specific, age specific etc. Please advise at the time of enquiry so that we know to chat about it with you at the Meet & Greet or drop off.
We're dog peeps through and through
Dogs are wonderful, precious creatures and we love spending time with them and enriching their lives through play, training, care and outings.
Rest assured that your dog will be well cared for, well socialised, and most importantly will be treated like one of the family with plenty of love, respect and play. Think new smells, fun games, plenty of pats and a wonderful time for your beautiful pet(s).
If your dog is friendly, loves pats and having fun, and is food and/or play motivated, we are going to have a super time together.
Full refund if canceled before 12:00 p.m. 7 days before the booking, 50% refund afterward.
No refund is payable if the booking is canceled on or after the start date.
Note: All times are based on the sitter’s time zone
Doggy day care and Dog walks always have a flexible cancellation policy:
Full refund if canceled before 12:00 p.m. one day before the booking, 50% refund afterward.
No refund is payable if the booking is canceled on or after the start date.
I'm so glad to have found Nick to walk our Groodle, Ziggy. Nick is reliable and communication has been excellent. Ziggy is looking forward to walking with Nick again next week.
Nick was beyond amazing. The stress of an unplanned work trip, meant the stress of finding someone willing to take on the work of looking after my 4-month puppy Sunny. Nick (and Eddie) looked after Sunny as their own, making special effort to ensure her puppy training continued, amongst lots of walks, playtime and zooms around the house - she had the time of her life. Nick’s regular updates and pics were fantastic (and his photography skills are way better than mine, I now have so many more great shots of Sunny enjoying park time). Nicks house is also super puppy safe and in the most idyllic neighbourhood. Sunny is already looking forward to her next stay!