Hello... And welcome to our page. We are a family of 7 who adore animals. We live in the beautiful Raumati Beach, Kāpiti. We are highly experienced from fostering dogs, looking after friend’s dogs, having 2 dogs of our own and a turtle. We are in such a privileged position to offer our in-home care, as our business is operated from our home (procurement & contract management experts). Our 21yr old and 18yr old work with us, too, so there is always a loving adult at home, ready to cater to all of your dogs needs.

We have also got two children at college & one at primary school. Our home is quiet during school times and a buzzing atmosphere when they come home; With fresh buckets of love. We have got 2 dogs ourselves. Bichon, shih-Tzu cross, they are brothers. They are chill dogs; they like to curl up and sleep, sunbathe & people watch. They are both non aggressive and love to hang with other dogs. They are so different, in looks and personality. One loves to fetch & the other loves to tug-a-war.

Our home... Is a large, fully fenced section. It is super sunny all year round. We are 30 seconds walk to the beach, 3-minutes walk to a large field, and a 1-minute walk to the vets, for peace of mind. Whilst in our home, your dog will be smothered with love, probably too much, if they don't mind. Our dogs are allowed to enjoy the furniture of their home, as will your dogs too. Our bed is the most popular option, especially as its next to the office. The office has the best dog spot, they can see their fellow dogs walking by (to the beach) with their humans. The occasional cat, birds & lots of everyday life, especially when the bowls professionals are playing. The conservatory is a great sunbathing spot as is the balcony. We are lucky enough to have a very large grassed back garden. Also a large front patio, where we all hang out on nice days. As there are 4 adults at home all day, your dog will probably never be here alone. If on the rare occasion we are all out, and the dogs cannot be with us, we pop our dogs in our room with the door closed for safety. They just chill on our bed. Or, if you are crate training, we can continue with this in our home too, or, figure out where your dog likes to go around our home, we'll make it safe.

Exercise/fun... as our doorstep is full of adventure, we can walk to your dogs favourite place to go. Beach, we got it. Field, got that too. Tracks, yep. Pretty stroll, tick. Water play, absolutely.

Our fostering experience... We have fostered puppies for a while now. Whilst we absolutely loved this (especially our 9yr old who is obsessed with all dogs and is definitely going to work with animals when older), we found the training, 24hr care, cleaning/bathing, medication giving, food prep, and more, for very long periods (months at a time), with 2 puppies at a time, with no break in between fosters, was a little too ambitious with full on exhaustion. Also, giving the puppies/dogs up (after creating such tight bonds) to their forever homes was the HARDEST; our emotions & tears (from the grown-up's too), from attachments made, left us heartbroken, which never fully goes away. We do get pics and updates, which we LOVE. It is time to pass on the fostering baton...for now.

Skills... Since fostering we have gained so many more skills. Skills that will support us in our journey with your dog. Reading your dogs behaviour is the biggest skill, thus helps us quickly tend to any needs. Understanding different breeds, this helps us with what to expect with their needs; more exercise or less etc. Health needs & correctly monitoring. Different diets & the delicateness of getting this right. Training is essential for good behaviour and trust. Empathy, understanding and sharing their feelings, especially if anxious. Cleanliness (google dirty dog syndrome) is super important for a happy & healthy dog...accidents happen in new places, even when trained. This leaves us with care, patience, love and time. We already have tonnes of these skills in the bag.

What do we get out of this... This brings us to pawshake. We have missed having extra dogs in our lives to love and nurture. We feel pawshake is a good medium for our family. We still get to snuggle, care for, train and love gorgeous dogs, for a manageable time, with no attachments that have to unbearably end. We want to welcome your pet as if they are a part of our family, like cousins, with a long-term connection.

Schedule/calendar/dates & times... Lets collaborate! Working together helps alleviate any stress or worry to the humans, which is passed down to our pets. Also, not everyone’s days/schedules are the same.

We trust that your pet is up to date with injections, treatments and medications. If your dog needs daily medication (not injectable), we can support with this.

We are excited for our journey with your babies :)

Nikki, Paul and family