Elissa

Hi 👋🏽 I'm Elissa, an American expat living in Amsterdam with my Canadian husband, Jordan. We are both animal lovers and enjoy creating a calm cozy environment for your pets to feel at home. I simply adore animals and treating them with great care. It brings me joy to see them comfortable and happy. Does anything feel better than seeing your dog all snuggled up and fast asleep after a long walk or a good game of fetch?! The correct answer is NO...that is it best, coziest feeling in the world.

I'm currently not working so I have my days free to give your pup(or kitty) all the love and attention they want. I understand how nerve wracking it can be to leave your beloved baby with someone unknown and new. I love to do a meet up ahead of time so you and your dog can get to know our space and us. Please know your pup will get lots of cuddles and play at our house as we are both home full-time. I'm returning to pet sitting as we lost our elderly rescue pup, and love of our life, Yoshi, due to old age and degenerative back issues. I took a break from dog sitting to care for him, but I'm ready for new doggy friends! I have of knowledge about good walks and safe off leash areas that I can put to good use dog sitting. I previously dog sat/walked for years in Los Angeles with great success (see all the pictures in my profile.) I love having a doggy companion and find them to be the bright spot in life.  

Our lifestyle and home is calm and relaxed. We live in a bright 2 bedroom apt with lots of space for naps in the sunlight. There is an elevator so no steep Amsterdam stairs for little legs and older pups. We have plenty of dog beds (one in every room), blankets and sleeping areas for the dogs. They are allowed on the furniture, so will never be without a comfortable spot for a nap. If your dog has a special bed or toys, please send them along as they help your pet to feel more comfortable in a new place. We also have enrichment toys and sniffing/licking puzzles to keep pups stimulated especially if the weather is uncooperative. It's good to give their brains a workout too.  

Our normal schedules is walks at 8-9 am, 3-4 pm and then again at 10 pm for an evening potty break, but if your dog prefers shorter/longer walks or needs more frequent potty breaks, I am more than happy to accomodate. If your dog is ok with riding in a bike basket, I would love to take them for to interesting walks here in the Noord or over to westerpark.

Specialty food/eating requirements or giving medicines are also not a problem, as I have experience with that as well. 

I put a lot of care and time into dog sitting. I only have one dog at a time (unless okayed by you) and I make sure your dog has just the right amount of exercise and stimulation for their personality. Many people think that their dog will just sleep here since that is what they do at home. Not always the case. Being in a new environment without their pack is a bit unsteadying for even the most chill dog, so I’m watching closely to pick up on behavior cues to see what could bring them more comfort and ease. I'll be sure to keep you informed about all the goings on and send you pictures of the fun your pup is having.  

We are mature (40 y/o), risk adverse people (Jordan's a CPA:) )and really value safety, so you can rest easy knowing your dog will be safe with us. We live in a high-rise and close to many neighbors, so out of respect I can't sit for dogs that bark/whine excessively (especially in the middle of the night.) Some barking is expected of course but no problem barking please. I am also not available for aggressive dogs, dogs that aren't potty trained or able to walk on a leash. Again, My husband does have some allergies so I can only sit for medium sized dogs that have hair (hypoallergenic) but any type of small dog (7kg and under) is ok. I do all cat sitting as 1 hour drop ins at your home.