• We provide care for dogs that experience person-based reactivity, dog-based reactivity, resource guarding, separation anxiety and general fearfulness and or/anxiousness due to things like scary sounds or objects.

  • If your dog experiences severe separation anxiety and cannot be left alone, we offer uninterrupted care with our 24-Hour Sitting/Boarding services. During Standard Sittings, caregivers provide 14 hours of care, leaving for up to 10 hours per 24 hour period, but for no more than 6 hours at one time. For dogs that experience mild separation anxiety and require less time alone, additional hours of care can be added to the Standard Sitting service, reducing the amount of time your dog will be alone. For shorter term care (2-10 hours), caregivers remain on-site during daycare visits.

  • No, we are not trainers. We incorporate aspects of training into our work and rely heavily on the positive reinforcement methods that many trainers use. If you are looking for good manners training, we can refer you to quality trainers in your area. Please also note that some dogs with more severe behavior challenges may need a trainer experienced in behavior modification. We frequently team up with trainers for clients who have extremely challenging dogs.

  • Challenging Dogs Pet Care does not operate out of a facility. Our administrative staff works remotely and our caregivers travel from their homes to client locations. Our boarding service will only be provided in the home of a staff member whose location has been vetted for safety and adequate care space.

  • Yes, we carry liability insurance and provide Workers Compensation coverage for our caregivers.

  • The first step is to complete the Request for Information form on our websites Contact page where you will provide specific details about your dog(s) and the services you are seeking. Once received, you will be added to our wait list for future services.

    When we reach your name on the wait list, we will reach out to schedule a virtual consultation to discuss your dog(s) and service needs. After your consultation, if we will be moving forward to establish care, you will receive an invitation to join Time to Pet, the program we use for all communication, scheduling and billing of services.

    Once you have activated your Time to Pet account, signed all required documents, provided require vaccination records for your pet(s), and uploaded a method of payment, we will reach out via Time to Pet to start scheduling your series of Getting to Know You (GTKY) Visits. Once those GTKY visits are complete, regular services can begin.

  • Current new client requests will be added to a wait list. At this time we cannot estimate how long it will take before we can reach out to schedule a virtual consultation.

    Once you have had your consultation and established a Time to Pet account, you will be scheduled for your series of Getting to Know You (GTKY) visits. The number of GTKY visits needed will be discussed during your consultation and will vary depending on your dog(s) specific needs and rate of progress. We do not rush this process and go at the dogs pace and comfort level. We generally begin with at least three visits and adjust as needed. Since this process can take an extended amount of time, immediate care needs may not be able to be accommodated.

  • To request to become a new client of Challenging Dogs Pet Care, you should complete the Request for Information form. Information regarding our service rates can be found on our Services page.

    Any questions that you cannot find the answers to here on our website can be sent to info@challengingdogs.com and a member of our administrative team will be in touch to help.

  • Our goal is to build a relationship with your dog. For dogs who are very people friendly, this may take only one visit for a typical pet sitter. We work with dogs, however, who are very fearful of new people and building that relationship takes time and patience. Even if a dog is people friendly, but dog reactive, we prefer to have two or three visits to ensure that we can take care of your dog in the most stress free way possible.

  • The steps in the GTKY process differ depending on the dog's behavior challenges. A typical process may include parallel walks in your neighborhood and near your house or in your yard. That phase is followed by entering your house with you there, and then finally without you there. The goal of the process is to be able to have your dog comfortable with us entering your house, moving around, providing food and medication, and if necessary, putting a collar, harness and leash on your dog and taking them for a walk.

  • The number of GTKY visits your dog needs will depend on their specific needs, comfort and level of progress. We generally start with scheduling three visits and will adjust as needed.

  • We do not guarantee that the GTKY process will work and in rare cases, we are unable to establish a relationship with your dog. If the process fails, we will do a thorough debrief with you to examine the reasons for failure and if necessary, refer you to a trainer who can provide more assistance.

  • Challenging Dogs Pet Care is committed to an approach that is positive reinforcement only and no punishment. We practice Fear Free methods and several of our caregivers are Fear Free certified. Fear Free offers science-based, behavior-led strategies to prevent and reduce fear, anxiety, and stress.

  • Use of some aversive equipment and/or techniques may result in inability for us to render services. Aversives can include e-collars, electric fences, prong collars, slip-leads, punishment or physical force. During your virtual consultation, discussion of the use of aversives and the best approach to move forward will be discussed.

  • All of our caregivers are American Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid Certified or will become certified following their first 90 days of employment. Our lead caregivers are Fear Free certified. The entire caregiver team is offered ongoing dog behavior training opportunities with certified dog trainers and educators.

  • Time to Pet is the software we use for all client communication, scheduling of services and billing. Upon completion of a pre-service virtual consultation, you will receive an email invitation to establish a Time to Pet account.

  • You will receive an email invitation to activate your Time to Pet account. Upon activation, you will be required to sign agreements, upload required vaccination records and add a method of payment. Your Getting to Know You visit scheduling will be initiated by our scheduling staff. They will reach out via your Time to Pet conversation feed with available appointment options. Once your GTKY visits are complete, regular services can be scheduled. You can continue to use the conversation feed to request services or you can utilize the Time to Pet scheduling feature to submit requests.

  • When you activate your Time to Pet account, you will be able to upload a credit card to your profile. This credit card will be used to bill for services rendered.

  • Payments are due upon completion of services. Your credit card will automatically be charged within 24 hours of the completion of scheduled services. Recurring weekly visits will be billed monthly. We require 50% deposits to reserve sitting and boarding services. They are automatically collected 45 days prior to the first day of the booking or at the time of booking if the service is within 45 days of the request. Deposits are subject to our Deposit, Cancellation and Billing policy.

  • Non-sitting services require at least 48 hours notice of cancellation not to incur a cancellation fee. The cancellation fee for non-sitting services is 50% of the total cost of the service. Non-sitting services include: Drop-in visits (that are not scheduled as an I Can Sleep Alone Sitting), Daycare visits, Remember Me visits, Be Brave visits.

    Sitting services require a 50% deposit to book or they can be paid in full at the time of booking. Cancellations on sitting service deposits or full pre-payments are subject to the following refund terms:

    • 100% Refund- Cancellation occurrence is at least 45 days prior to day one of the scheduled service.

    • 50% Refund- Cancellation occurrence is at least 30 days prior to day one of the scheduled service.

    • 25% Refund- Cancellation occurrence is at least 21 days prior to day one of the scheduled service.

    • No refund- Cancellation occurrence is 20 days or less prior to day one of the scheduled service.

    Additional terms apply and will be provided upon establishment of care.

  • For all pets living in the Client’s home or entering boarding locations, prior to scheduling services, Challenging Dogs Pet Care requires a veterinary certificate providing proof that each pet is current on required vaccinations to be on file with us. Dogs must have current Rabies and DHLPP vaccinations. Cats must have current Rabies and FVCRP vaccinations.

    Bordetella and Canine Influenza vaccinations are not currently required but are highly recommended and you are encouraged to review your dog's lifestyle and risk of exposure with their veterinarian to make the best decisions about your pet's medical care. 

    Caregivers who are visiting more than one dog during the day are directed to wash their hands in between visits, and if possible, to change clothing. Caregivers do not share toys, water bowls, bedding, etc. between clients. Caregiver is to be aware of any signs of respiratory illness in a dog or cat and to communicate quickly and clearly to Client about symptomatology. This will include notifying the Client of the dog displaying symptoms and any other client’s that Caregiver is scheduled to visit later in the day. Upon notification, other scheduled clients reserve the right to postpone or cancel their visit at no cost or penalty.

  • Yes, we can care for cats as well.

  • Our caregivers can travel within a 20-mile radius of their home locations. In some cases, they may travel up to a 30-mile radius, however, a $1 per mile beyond 20 miles fee will be added to each service when a caregiver must travel outside of their 20-mile radius.

  • A standard sitting service includes overnight stays and at least six hours of care by the sitter during the day. Sitters will feed meals, administer medication, and take your dog for walks and/or potty trips.

  • For the boarding service, you drop your dog off at the boarder's house and pick them up at the end of the stay. All other details of the service are the same as the sitting service.

  • The focus of the drop-in visit is determined by the client and can be for exercise, meeting basic needs, providing enrichment, delivering mid-day medications, etc.

  • The focus of daycare visits are also determined by the client and can include exercise, potty outings, enrichment, and medications.

  • Clients are to obtain and utilize a key storage lockbox or coded entry system for caregivers to gain entry to the home. It is the clients responsibility to keep all entry methods updated in their client profile in Time to Pet and tested before each service. If you live in an apartment building which requires a key or fob for entry or does not allow the use of a lockbox or coded entry, contact us so we can determine how to continue to provide services.

  • Medication administration is something to be covered and practiced during the GTKY process so that staff may safely and easily administer medication.

  • Travel delays do happen! If you are delayed, we will make every effort to have your sitter stay for an additional amount of time to ensure continued care. If that sitter is not availale, but your dog knows another sitter, we will see if they can provide care. If no sitters are available to cover the extended time, we will call your emergency contact to arrange for them to provide care.

  • All attempts will be made to conduct a visit barring any safety risk to the staff. For example, staff may conduct indoor enrichment activities in place of planned outdoor activities.

  • If your dog has a medical emergency that requires immediate care, we will bring them immediately to your vet or an emergency vet nearby and contact you as soon as possible. If your dog needs medical attention, but it is not an emergency, we will contact you to discuss next steps. The Terms and Conditions that all clients sign, provides for reimbursement to Challenging Dogs for these types of expenses.