Our miniature poodle Rocky has the canine equivalent of Alzheimer disease. He began to experience dizzy spells when he was 13 years old, about September of 2015, and had a full evaluation at University of Pennsylvania at that time. Shortly thereafter, he also tore his ACL and underwent ACL repair in January of 2016. We discovered that steroids diminished his dizzy spells, and he has been on Prednisone since then. We had been unable to vacation or even leave home for more than a few hours since Rocky became ill; he needs individual attention, and, even though we discussed the situation with his local veterinarian, we could not find anyone to give me respite until we found Rafaela's business card at the local restaurant. We kept the card for several months before calling her. By then Rocky had become more confused, and he is also nearly blind and hard of hearing. He wears diapers , although he also is taken outside. He still loves to eat, and does still appear to enjoy our company, and we just were not ready to let him go quite yet. As it was becoming impossible to care for him at night (a symptom of the disease is insomnia), we finally called Rafaela, and she has been helping us out now for about 6 months. She advertises that she is available 24/7 , and that she does hospice work and special care for dogs, and she is true to her promise in every way. Rocky is often up until 2 or 3 am, and she sits with him and adjusts the fan, gives him snacks and massages, and generally watches over him until he can sleep. She manages his evening Tramadol, and she is willing and able to handle any and all physical and emotional situations that arise from hospice care. She is as much of a dog lover as my wife and I are, and that is a pretty strong statement! She is always calm and kind with Rocky and with all the dogs in her care. We enjoy seeing Rafaela and all of the dogs when I pick up and drop off Rocky. We find that we can talk to her about all of the end of life dog issues we are experiencing. My wife is a physician for humans, but having an aging dog is in a different category, and the veterinarians today, in our experience, are not particularly empathic. It may seem excessive to use "hospice" care for a pet, but we know that there are many of us out there who are not that quick to euthanize, and we certainly need help during that last period of time. Rafaela's prices are very reasonable for how much she is able to help us, and she has mentioned that she will work with pet insurance plans that cover hospice. We cannot recommend her more highly. She provides the exact services she promises, and you will not regret bringing her into the "family" it takes to care for aging animals. read more

The very best dedication, love and care our dog has have ever received from a dog sitter. Rafaela is no ordinary sitter she offers specialized individual care which made a huge difference in our dogs anxiety. We have had issues with leaving our dog with sitters because he would get anxious and shake we couldn't figure it out. In short Rafaela nailed it by assessing him for a week and then started with behavior modification. Our dog no longer has the anxiety he had with previous dog sitters And he loves going to Rafaela's!! Just some advise to other dog owners.. I'm sure somewhere there are great dog sitters out there however we had bad luck finding one. If your sitter isn't qualified to properly pair dogs - your dog can get psychologically traumatized or hurt or both without you even knowing. Most sitters take in dogs for income without regard to how they would get along with other dogs - with absolutely no training or skills. Here's a small tidbit of information - we used a reputable local public daycare facility, came early to pickup we were told we will get your dog. (I could hear dogs barking and strange whimpering coming from the back of the facility). So I walked back all dogs were in wire cages! A couple of the dogs we so frightened and shaking! So when you think your dog is playing all day at a public daycare guess again! I was then told they let them out at certain times to play which was quite different from what we were told about their program at the initial appointment! Don't know about anyone else but I'm not paying for my dog to be in a cage for most of the day - I can do that at home! We will never know exactly what was happening to our furry love or how he was treated when we left him with other sitters/dogs but it obviously wasn't a positive experience for Brado who is so sweet and submissive - we feel horrible this happened to him! We highly recommend and want to thank Rafaela (dogsitter247.com) for her loving dedication to all dogs! The Cullen Family! Be careful. Dogs do bully other dogs! read more

As every dog owner knows, dogs are as diverse and individual as anything can possibly be. Their temperaments, quirks, likes and dislikes, fears and strengths vary widely. New situations, people and environments can greatly magnify or change their behavior. This id especially true when they are away from home and with other dogs, which is why choosing the right place for your dog is so important, and why l am so happy to recommend Rafaela. It takes sensitivity, patience, stamina, skill, confidence, gentleness, love and organization to manage a business as successfully as she does, and she possesses all these traits and more -- an intuitive ability to understand and communicate perfectly with dogs and their owners. There are dog care facilities that are good at one or the other, but Rafaela manages to excel at both. Her care is impeccable, as is her attention to detail and realization of owners' requests and/or requirements. The facility is a dream come true for any dog (or human for that matter) with space for energetic dogs to work out, and the more sedentary to relax and enjoy life. I often wish my dog and l could spend the weekend there together, with Rafaela looking after us, of course! read more

Rafaela recently took care of my two labs while my husband and I had to be away on business trips. She took the time to have a meet & great with all of us beforehand to make sure both my husband and I, as well as our dogs, were comfortable. We went over all medical, behavioral and life support choices. I can't say enough good things about Rafaela and the care she provides! It was comforting to know that my dogs were not only getting individual attention, but also in a fun, safe, loving, kennel free environment. Maple and Chai definitely had a wonderful time with the multiple daily walks, fenced yard to play in, and such a great companion to look after them. I appreciated the peace of mind knowing my darling dogs were well cared for and it was wonderful seeing daily pictures of their adventures! I'd highly recommend Rafaela to anyone looking for AMAZING pet care and feel incredibly lucky to have her watch and provide the specialized care for our dogs. www.dogsitter247.com/testimonials.html read more

Rafaela is a wonderful person who loves dogs as much as my husband and I do; and we are crazy about them! She cares for the animals as if they are her own; she is like a loving auntie to our boys. She cared for my elderly poodle literally 24 hours at a time when I needed help the most, in a calm competent fashion . Now she watches our goldendoodle and yorkie for us.  The doodle is timid with people and the yorkie classically full of himself, but she has them tagging after her and sleeping next to her when they are there.  She is able to easily integrate multiple pups so that they all play with each other and enjoy her fenced in yard. She also walks the dogs on trails on the property usually twice a day, as they are able. She is literally there for the pups 24/7. We do board our guys with her, but her daycare situation is ideal; any animal would be lucky to spend days in her care.  She is a real "dog whisperer", and your pet may come home slimmer and better behaved after being with her! read more

Do you think of your dog as a member of your family? Are you taking a trip somewhere and you can't take your four-legged friend? Are you concerned about what staying in a traditional kennel would do to your dog's mental health? Do you want someone who will care for your dog the way you care for your dog? If you find yourself saying "yes" to these questions, then you need to pick up the phone, text, or email Rafaela right now. I'm a repeat customer. I've recommended her to friends and now they're repeat customers. read more

Best Dog Service! I have written 2 other positive reviews for Dogsitter247. Yelp for some reason is not showing them. These are our families true experiences with this dog service. We are loyal clients of dogsitter247 and have had nothing but excellent dog care. Yelp please stop censoring our good reviews. We would like to let the public know about this service. If you have issues with any of our reviews please contacts us directly. I recommend dogsitter247 read more

Highly Recommended! Fantastic dog daycare service! Awesome dog personality pairing for playtime so there are no more than 2-3 dogs at a time. I don't have to worry about our dog getting injured by other dogs making the experience a happy play day. A safe, clean, quiet environment with a skilled specialized care professional. Well worth the money which I think is reasonable in comparison to the type of individual service provided. We have a very happy dog! read more

Rafaela is by far the best dog sitter we have ever used. She matches our dog with other dogs with similar personalities. Our dog gets plenty of attention along with fabulous walks. Rafaela sends us daily updates along with photos and videos. Once this summer, our dog required emergency vet care, Rafaela contacted us and took our dog for vetenarian care. We wouldn't go anywhere else for doggie care! read more

Rafaela is loves dogs and understands their individual needs, I wouldn't want to leave my 2 with anyone else. I leave them with the certainty that they are happy, well exercised and well cared for. She goes above and beyond by sending video clips and pics to keep us updated on their day. The dogs tell it best - each time they return they can't wait to get to her and give her some love. read more

I wouldn't leave my dog with anyone else!! Whether she is there for puppy play or overnight I get photos, video clips and updates throughout the entire time she is there! As soon as we turn onto her road my dog knows where she is. The whole drive down she wags her tail, starts talking and can't get out the door fast enough to see her!! If Rafaela isn't available we don't go. read more

Rafaela is the very Best Dog Sitter for a special needs pet. Fully trained to handle any medical situation. She is totally in tune with my pets needs. A diabetic dog needs to be watched closely and she does just that! Beautiful yard and walking area. She also helps with training and makes great recommendations. I highly recommend and I'm very happy with this service. read more

Just the best place for a dog to be! Rafaela is so kind and experienced with special needs dogs that I don't know how Haru and I would get by without her. She has made such a wonderful difference in his life, and treats him like a member of the family. She has also been instrumental in training him to handle his anxiety and has helped his life immeasurably. read more

I can't say enough about the great care and affection that Rafaela gives our dogs. She is amazing. She has a heart of gold to the animals she watches and to the owners as well. There is never a concern when our dogs are with her. She shares video and picture moments that let you know that your dog is in a great place. Our dogs adore her and so do we! read more

Rafaela loves the animals in her care as if they were her own. My pug Chloe loves staying with her and I know she is given the very best care she is there. I have referred friends and neighbors with confidence to Rafaela and will continue to do so. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the service Rafaela provides. She is one in a million! read more

Rafaela takes such good care of our Demi! Anything Demi needs, Rafaela is able to do. She sends as plenty of updates with pictures and videos which we always love. Whenever we need Rafaela, she is always able to squeeze us in which we are so grateful for! Our dog Demi is treated like a princess with Rafaela. It's like a vacation for Demi!! read more

Rafaella is so amazing with our two dogs. I wouldn't want anyone else to care for our dogs while we are away. She makes sure they are well taken care of and sends videos and updates frequently. We can relax and enjoy our trips when we know the love she gives each of them. Love, love LOVE her!!!!! read more

Rafaela is a true gem. She really knows her stuff when it comes to dogs and dog care. She takes them on walks, she talks to them and she has a beautiful home and yard for them to play. She always keeps in touch with texts, photos and videos which makes me know he is in safe hands at all times. read more

I am so glad I found Rafaela to take care of my dogs while i am away, I know she spends a lot of time with them and takes them for walks daily. It is so important to be able to go on vacation and know they are safe and happy. I highly recommend her. read more