Come stay in my art gallery in the woods and cuddle with my dogs and cats.
Introduction
Hi, my name is Barb, I live in the woods just outside the charming town of Grand Haven, Michigan with my loveable dog and 3 relaxed cats. My biggest worry when I’m planning a trip is finding someone to care for my pets —they hate it when I’m away, so I’m hoping to find the perfect sitters that will keep them happy and relaxed so I can enjoy my trips. A little about me, I have a fun job making educational products for kids. I’m also an artist and I teach an exercise class at the local YMCA. I enjoy cooking, being outdoors, camping and hiking with my dog, and playing with my grandkids as often as possible. My kids and grandkids live in Colorado, so many of my trips are to visit them. My dog is a big, friendly baby who will be so excited to get to know you. The cats are very sociable and are good at letting you know what they need.
Show more...Home & location
My house is situated in the woods on 5 acres. I overlooks a golf course and have plenty of trails on my property that my dog and sitters can enjoy. Lake Michigan is just a quick ¾ of a mile walk to a small public beach, very convenient for watching beautiful sunsets. You can enjoy relaxing on my front patio watching the birds at my feeders or chilling on the back deck listening to music under twinkling lights. Inside, the main level has a open floor plan with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. The lower level is a walk out also with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. The 3-stall garage will be available to park a car. My kitchen has everything needed to make wonderful meals and a gas grill is available on the deck. The lower-level guest suite has a full-size bed, with a connecting bathtub shower combo. It is only a 10 min drive into Grand Haven, a fun resort town in the summer and a bit sleepy in winter. South is the city of Holland, a bit larger with more of a university vibe. Grand Rapids is due East, about a 40-minute drive and a decent size with all the big city perks. There is lots to do and see just a short distance from my home - a great area to explore.
Show more...Responsibilities
My dog Isabella (Bella for short) will want to sleep in the same room as you. She wakes up every morning around 5:30 – 6:00AM. When she wakes up, she needs to be taken for a walk down the driveway and told to do her "business" before feeding her in the garage. If you want to go back to bed, Bella will go back to sleep with you for about an hour or more after eating breakfast, just bring her back into the bedroom with you and shut the door. Isabella will want to eat dinner around 5:00-5:30PM. My cats are in-doors only. They need to stay in their cat room at night or when no one is home. They split one can of wet food in the mornings and have dry kibble on demand the rest of the time. Ginga, the black cat, requires one pill for her hyperthyroidism once a day when she is fed wet food. It is easy to Inject in the back of her throat using a pill popper. Their kibble needs to be refilled every day and their water checked to make sure it is clean and full. Their litter boxes need to be scooped out once a day and add some fresh litter back in. During the day my dog "Bella" will needed to go outside for walks and bathroom breaks about every 4 hours-morning, noon, evening, and right before bed. She likes getting a treat before coming back into the house. If they you leave the house Bella is fine alone in the house for up to 4 hours. The cats like to get treats a couple times a day and they come in handy for getting them back into their cat room. Remember, if you are going to be gone please make sure the cats go back into their cat room. I always leave detailed, written pet sitter instructions on the counter for easy reference. My house is pretty easy to maintain, it needs frequent vacuuming to keep up with the hair. I may leave instructions for watering outdoor flowers or indoor plants depending on the length of the stay.
Show more...Meet the pets
Isabella
8 years
Chloe
16 years
Ginga
16 years
Blue
13 years
Sitter Reviews (4)
Homeowner Reviews (0)
None
Thank you Barbara for sharing your peaceful and wonderful home with us! We will long remember your pets and your place. We really hope you and Bella recover as much as is possible from your loss of Houston. We highly recommend sitting for the very generous and kind Barbara.
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Barbara was a fantastic host. We felt so welcome in her immaculately clean, lovely home. She was great with communication before the sit, including an accurate description of the responsibilities, and was available for the questions we had during the sit. Since we live approximately one hour away, we were able to meet with her before the sit, and she kindly showed us around the house and walked us through the routine. In addition to a thorough Welcome Guide online in the THS app, she also had detailed notes on the counter covering the routine, which was helpful. The animals were fantastic. So sweet and nice to be around. All of them were such characters – each in their own way. Houston and Isabella were great walking companions and also happy to hang out. There is a serene forest to walk through close to the house as well as longer walking paths nearby. The cats provided plenty of entertainment. You never know where you’re going to find a paintbrush since Chloe likes to present them as gifts. Blue likes to keep you guessing by hanging out in different hiding spots all the time. Shy, sweet Ginja emerges from the basement every once in a while to check out what’s happening and get some lovin’. There’s plenty to do in the area. However, we spent most of our time at the house because it seemed like a retreat in a peaceful setting with lots of comfortable areas to relax. The weather was nice, so we were able to use the nicely appointed outdoor areas. We highly recommend this sit. Great host with a very nice house in a good location and excellent animals.
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Our second house sit...and it was such a nice weekend! So many positives to things to say! 1. The dogs (Houston and Bella) - Very clear instructions were given on their care which made it easy to enjoy taking care of them. Houston has the best smile and they both like their belly rubs. It was easy and fun to walk with them on the private property. They did not even need a leash and they were very good with listening to commands. Slept in the room with us and were quiet as a mouse during the sleeping hours! 2. The cats (Blue, Chloe and Ginga) - such beautiful cats! Again - very detailed and easy to follow instructions were left. They enjoyed their cuddles and head rubs. It was very easy to give Ginga her pill and the cats responded quickly when it was time to go to the cat room at night or when we left. 3. The house - what a beautiful place! Very artfully decorated and a clean place to stay. Barb has a nice guest bedroom and adjoining bathroom. We enjoyed playing cards on the deck and watching movies at night. Nice trails to explore and we even spotted an owl as well as heard some communicating. We enjoyed it so much we rarely left. 4. Location - perfect! We were just a comfortable 15 minute walk to Lake Michigan. We also enjoyed driving into downtown Grand Haven each night for dinner. 5. Barb - great hostess! She left very clear instructions, many good suggestions on what to do and was fantastic with communication. Thanks again for everything! We look forward to enjoying more house sits in the future!
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Barbara
