We were referred to Daniel and Stella at K9 Pet Care by a friend who had used their services regularly for dog walking. Still skeptical about what to expect as we have dealt with almost every pet care service in Singapore, we reached out and decided to start with dog walks and a weekend of boarding with Stella to see how Louis would get along. Little did we know that this would be the beginning of a very deep and lovely relationship between our dog, Louis and Stella.
When we first met Stella, she demonstrated a calm yet bright energy. My sister and I are very familiar with experienced dog people and the first sign we look for is how they approach dogs they meet for the first time. Stella was gentle and gave Louis the space he needed to approach her. We wanted to take the time to explain all the triggers of Louis and how he should be approached and handled (as he can be very sensitive dog and needs time to adjust to strangers). Stella was very attentive and even though the information was new, she demonstrated an eagerness to understand Louis and to give it a try. She never once hesitated to practice our ways of handling Louis and if anything gave feedback on some of her personal experiences with similar kind of dogs and situations.
After their walk, Stella would map out her routes and exactly how long she walked Louis for. She was mindful of the heat, the time of the day, and the distance of how long Louis should be walking. Louis always came back from his walks in good spirits and exhausted in the best possible way where he would nap for the rest of the day. Stella would always take photos of their walk to show us how they spent their time together.
Louis stayed with Stella for over 2 months while we were traveling overseas.
We could not have asked for a more professional, caring, and genuinely loving person to look after Louis while we were away. Stella looked after Louis as if it were her own dog and she did everything in her capacity to make sure he felt at home and to reassure us that he was in good hands. She was mindful of her own pets (3 cats) and took the time and effort to introduce them properly to one another. Little did we know that Louis was a cat-loving dog. He has been boarded with other dogs before, but always had his guard up and was tense around other dogs. With Stella’s cats, he keeps a distance, but also finds ways to interact playfully with them. We believe this is due to Stella’s ability to create a harmonious and proper environment for all animals in her home. Stella was also mindful of the other family members of her home. She took the time to introduce Louis to all members properly so that Louis didn’t feel intimidated or stressed. He received so much love from all members of Stella’s household and we felt like we were there with her daily updates and photos.
What we appreciated the most is how Stella is confident in her approach, yet always checked with us if she was able to try something new or approach a situation in her own way. Her approach is gentle, but confident, which reassured us of her experience and knowledge of caring for dogs. This also gave us the confidence that she understood Louis very well. This is particularly important to us as anything could happen while we are away, and it is important for the caretaker to know how to handle all sorts of situations. There were moments where Louis had small rashes on his body due to his sensitive skin condition. She paid very close attention to these small details and would update us on its condition and would treat it responsibly while also waiting for our guidance and feedback. In the cases we weren’t sure, she immediately took the initiative to schedule appointments with Louis’s vet and made sure he was seen immediately.
Stella was also very attentive and mindful of Louis’s mood. She knew exactly how he was feeling and depending on his condition would take him on an extra walk to get some good energy, or would mix up his meal with some healthy steamed veggies or egg. These small but meaningful details to attention were particularly meaningful to us and we knew immediately that this wasn’t just dedication, but sincere love and care for Louis.
Louis requires frequent ear cleaning and grooming due to his skin condition. He does not allow us to clean his ears, so we will take him to the vet to get it cleaned to avoid infections. Stella asked us if she may try, and to our surprise he allowed her to do it and she has been cleaning his ears regularly while we were away. This was a huge milestone for us as we always had to resort to having his doctor clean his ears. This also was a sign to us that Louis trusted Stella and felt comfortable enough to allow her to clean inside his ears.
We truly could not have asked for a more dedicated, caring, and professional person like Stella to take care of Louis. We never for a moment felt like we were away from Louis while we were away as Stella took the effort to update us daily, throughout the entire day on how Louis was doing. Despite our demanding schedules while traveling, Stella was very consistent in sharing photos, messages, updates, on her day with Louis. It would be the highlight of our day while we were traveling to see her messages and hear news of Louis.
Louis received so much love and attention and spent 2 months of a healthy routine while we were away. We are looking forward to having Stella stay a part of Louis’s life and are so grateful to her genuine and sincere care. We know without a doubt, that Louis will miss her and her family.
We are also very grateful for Daniel for taking careful note every step of the way in our communication with Stella. I have no doubt that his team are professionals with genuinely big hearts. We cannot emphasize and encourage others enough to work with Stella and K9 Petcare. They are truly one of a kind pet care service in Singapore, and we can say with confidence that they are the best. Whoever boards or leaves their dog with Stella and K9 Petcare will begin a long term friendship with their pets and them.
Thank you!
