The Mountain Pals Mission
At Mountain Pals, our mission is to provide the best pet care in the Park and Summit County community. With a balance of attention, socialization, and exercise, we help all animals be as happy and healthy as possible. Owner Rebecca Cardennis has worked for over a decade as a Veterinarian Technician and animal behaviorist. She specializes in geriatrics and special needs animals, and has many years of experience with dogs, cats, and exotics. We also visit dogs who can’t be around other animals in their homes, and absolutely love cats!
Canines in our care stay in a home facility, which means your dog won’t spend endless nights in a cold, dark kennel with only periodic attention. He’ll enjoy a home environment where he’ll be less stressed while you’re away. Stress negatively impacts animal immune systems just like ours, and they become more prone to to illness. No animals have become sick after staying with us in our loving home, where we enjoy dog movies together and give everyone’s pet lots of hugs.
Our mantra at Mountain Pals is “A Tired Dog is a Good Dog,” which is one of Rebecca’s secrets to managing many dogs with very little drama. We have never had injuries or a case of Kennel Cough in the 5+ years we’ve been in operation. Dogs who stay in a home environment receive more attention and suffer less anxiety and stress while their people are away. A stay with Mountain Pals is a vacation for dogs, too, not just their owners!
Mountain Pals History
Mountain Pals first came to fruition when Rebecca adopted Maize, her big orange dog, from the Berkeley Humane Society. At the time, she was a Vet Tech, a job that generally affords ample opportunity for pet sitting. However, she was disappointed she couldn’t provide the animals in her care all the attention they needed. Owners returned home from five to ten day vacations to hyper dogs who were desperate for exercise and attention–bathroom breaks weren’t enough to keep them healthy and happy.
When Rebecca moved to Park County, she vowed to level up and become the pet sitter she wanted as a loving dog owner. She knows first-hand that reuniting after long trips is more enjoyable for owners and animals when dogs are relaxed, happy, and well-exercised by a sitter who cares for them as her own. In turn, owners can enjoy vacations knowing their dogs are receiving the attention they deserve. Mountain Pals offers guilt-free care for everyone.
The daily routine
Each day usually starts at about 6:30am with breakfast and potty breaks in our fenced yard. At this time, medication and treatments are administered to dogs in need.
After breakfast, everyone climbs aboard our specially modified truck for a mid-morning mountain walk. These are our primary form of exercise, and our mountain adventure lasts anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on the size and activity needs of each day’s group. Mixing young and mature animals invigorates older dogs to new energy levels, who gift pups with their experience in return. Park County has a wide variety of places to explore for all dogs, so no one is left behind.
After our walk, the whole gang returns to the house. As long as there are no food-aggressive dogs, everybody gets a CET chew to enjoy for the afternoon. Dogs lounge anywhere they want, including laying in the sun in the yard or on the deck, or they pile on the couch. This is a dog-friendly house to the extreme.
Dinner is at 6ish, then we all hang out until bedtime. Anybody who needs special attention at night gets the option of sleeping at the foot of Rebecca’s bed. At Mountain Pals, dogs are the right kind of spoiled.
The Home
Mountain Pals is based in a three-level house with an entrance on the ground level where all food is kept from curious noses. The main level includes access to a small and secure fenced yard that wraps around the deck. Dogs spend most of their time after walks on this floor lounging on various dog beds, the couch, or under the kitchen table. The living room is underfurnished to make way for doggy wrassling.
Animal Residents
Our resident dog, Maize, is an active thirteen-year-old Golden Retriever mix who is very well socialized and young for his age. We also have one cat, Pander, whom Maize raised from a foundling when Rebecca worked as a Vet Tech at the Berkeley Humane society.
All dogs are required to meet with Maize before their first stay so Rebecca can gauge their social skills to insure Mountain Pals is a good fit. Before your dog’s first drop-off, please schedule an appointment at a convenient time so she can assess your dog’s sociability and discuss any special needs. You will also have an opportunity to see where your dog will enjoy his time away from home.
