We have used professional boarding kennels, as well as neighborhood teens for in-home care of our dogs and cats while on vacation. Both were good, but we always worried about the amount of personal attention our pets were receiving. Then we connected with Cayla. We had adopted a rescued puppy that had been returned to the shelter at a time when we would soon be leaving for a planned vacation. Rather than leave the puppy in the shelter until we returned, Cayla offered to care for him in her home while we were away. Since we considered the pup to be in need of TLC after being relocated several times in his short life, we felt Cayla was the perfect choice to provide the attention he needed and deserved. Not only did she make sure he was never alone, she also socialized him with her own dog and exercised him at the local dog park. Cayla trained our pup with some basic commands and manners during the 10 days we were gone. Best of all, she sent us daily texts and pictures, which helped us bond with our newest family member. Cayla has a profound understanding of dog temperament and behavior, and provides the kind of nurturing care we all want for our pets. She combines the perfect balance of affection with boundaries. She helped our pup gain confidence with the security her routine offered. When we returned, we weren't "starting over", we were building on the love, trust and eagerness to learn that Cayla had helped instill in this rescued puppy. Cayla was thorough in her communication with us, before and during our absence, to be sure she understood our priorities and preferences regarding feeding, training, socialization and medical care. In short, having Cayla care for our sweet Russ turned out to be the best decision and outcome ~~ for him and for us!