Our Home
A home, not a kennel
Ink & Tails is boutique in-home care in West Orange, New Jersey. Dogs stay in our house, on our floors and in our yard — never in a run.
We keep the guest list short on purpose.
Fewer dogs means we can actually watch how everyone is doing, keep introductions slow, and give a separate room or space to any dog who does better on their own.
Two adults are here, which makes everything from mealtimes to medication easier to do carefully. One of us is home through the day, so meals, walks and rest happen when your dog is used to them rather than on a shift schedule.
Safety
Two gates between an excited dog and the street
The backyard is fully fenced. We use a two-gate approach so a dog who slips past the first barrier is still safely inside the second. Drop-offs and pick-ups happen through that same sequence, every time.
In residence
Gus
Our elder French Bulldog, retired from roughhousing. He’s a calm presence and a good barometer for a new guest’s manners — happiest supervising from the couch.
A day here
Dog care isn’t the side job. It’s the day.
One of us is home throughout the day, so the routine below is what actually happens — adjusted per dog rather than run as a shift.
6:00
The house wakes up
Potty breaks first, then breakfast in the order each dog is used to, then a short walk before the street gets busy.
Mid-morning
Yard, then quiet
Outdoor time in the fenced yard for the dogs who want it. The ones who'd rather watch from the window get to do that instead.
Afternoon
Play and rest, rotated
Sessions run to each dog's energy rather than a schedule on a wall. High-drive dogs get more; older dogs get a longer nap.
As needed
Medication, meals, extra breaks
Routines bend around what you've written down — a mid-day tablet, a third meal, more frequent trips outside, or a room of their own.
Evening
Wind-down
Last yard trip, dinner, and the sleeping setup your dog actually uses at home. Longer stays settle into this within a day or two.
The house
A home arranged around dogs
- A
- Grass, shade and room to move, closed on all sides. Yard time happens in the open, not on a leash line.
- B
- A second barrier sits between the yard and the street, so an excited dog at the first gate still has nowhere to go.
- C
- Dogs who do better alone get their own space — for meals, for sleep, or for the whole stay if that's the right call.
- D
- Somewhere with no through-traffic for seniors, recovering dogs and anyone who finds a busy house a lot.
Fully fenced yard
Two gates, never one
Rooms that separate
A quiet floor
The street address stays private. Meet & greets are arranged directly with you.
Come see the place
Every first stay starts with a short meet & greet in West Orange. Send a request or call us and we’ll find a time.