A Backyard of Beauty (and Squirrels just for fun) | Sniffspot
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invoice
9715 Holmhurst Rd
BethesdaMaryland20817US
4.715
45Yard is clean and had no poop (very important for us), good amount of grass and no exposed dirt/mud, good amount of shade, host is friendly, provided trashbin for poop bags, plenty of street parking. When we first arrived, I was confused because there were people walking in and out through the yard door. I thought it was double booked and spent some minutes trying to figure out the situation. The host was unaware of the booking (I did book about an hour or so prior to the arrival) and the hosts' dog came running out to meet my dogs. Very friendly but one of my dog is reactive which is one of the main reason for using Sniffspot. It took some time for the host to grab the dog while I sweated to calm down/reassure my reactive dog still on leash. After spending some time (little more than 15 mins) to figure out the booking and the host dog situation, it turned out that the host has Airbnb set up for the basement and the guests get to it by using the yard entrance door. My dogs are flight risk and I had to keep checking to see if the door was securely locked each time the Airbnb guests were walking in and out of the yard. On the same note, my dogs are skittish around people but one of the Airbnb guest and the host were sitting outside chatting on the patio the entire time. My boy dog is a protector so he was on guard for the entire stay. Yard has baby bunnies so my girl dog with strong hunting instinct was obsessing over it. She was on full hunting mode. So be aware if your dog is a hunter like mine. Yard is not flat and on a smaller side. It is a hill. Would be a good size for small dogs. For my dogs (over 45lbs), there wasn't much running space. Bring bug spray for you and the dogs. It is now summer time and bugs are everywhere. Host offered water for the dogs but I didn't need it since I brought my own. Patio has furniture with patio umbrella which provided shade. Very well kept yard just not big enough for my two medium sized dogs. I recommend checking in with the host before your booking so that you know what you expect upon arrival.
55This was a beautiful spot to bring our dog. The host came out to meet us and was very kind and welcoming, and she brought out clean water (although there is a hose on the side of the house if anyone books and they are not home). The backyard was very secure and had lots of fun areas for our pup to explore and wander through, and room to run when she wanted to play. It was also just a gorgeous area and there was a very comfortable deck for us to sit on while we were there. We will absolutely be returning!
45The backyard is really lovely, with beautiful flowering plants and trees (lots to sniff!). The back door was open (screened in, but easy for a dog to sneak in, which my dog very much wanted to!) and we did receive a visit from the resident dog through his doggy door. Not a problem for my dog, but it would have been if he was dog reactive.
55Beautiful yard, many places for the dogs to play and sniff. Yard is fully fenced with no gaps which we appreciated, we have terriers and they are escape artists. Relaxing deck to sit on while watching the dogs play. Very kind host.
55Outstanding and lovely fenced yard. Homeowners were delightful !
55Nice backyard for my dog to run around and play. There were toys if you needed. And deck chairs to sit on. I met the owner. Super nice!!! I plan on taking my dog back regularly
45we had a fun visit here! lots of toys and space to explore. our pup did get under the porch a few times, which wasnt ideal.
55This space was truly lovely. Couple balls left  out also for us was kind. My dogs could play in a comfortable backyard without worrying about dogs they didn't know giant mud puddles. Thank you!
55Nice and quiet backyard for the doggos and even has chairs for humans! House was easy to find and parking in the front of the house was simple.
45This was my first time using SniffSpot, and Terry was very patient with my newly adopted Greyhound (and my anxious new dog parent self). He was welcoming and kind, and even when my dog escaped into his home he didn’t panic. I wish I had waited a bit for my dog to have better recall before I took her to an open space, but fortunately Terry’s yard is fully and thoroughly enclosed. 
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A Backyard of Beauty (and Squirrels just for fun)

Bethesda, Maryland
Fully Fenced
0.06 acres
4.715 reviews
Sniffpass
Host avatar
Hosted by Terry I.

Fencing

Enclosure

Fully Fenced

Fencing height (at lowest point)

5 ft

100% of guests said fencing at this spot was secure enough to contain their dogs

Gaps or holes in fence: No gaps

Fencing type(s): Wood - privacy

Fencing details: We just had a good deal of the fencing replaced and strengthened. I guess a very small dog (Chihuahua size) might be able to find a way through a gap.


Designed for private play
Only the people and dogs in your booking are allowed in the spot during your visit.

Distractions seen/heard from the spot

Other dogsYes

Other domestic animalsSometimes

Other peopleSometimes

Private entryYes


Amenities

Dog drinking water

Chairs

Dog toys

Rain shelter / sun shade

Trash can

Hand sanitizer


Pricing
$4 per dog per hour

50% off all dogs after the 1st dog

Sniffpass holders get discounts on all bookings at all spots by buying monthly credits!
This spot offers additional discounts.

Learn more

Location

Bethesda, Maryland

Description

We have a fully-fenced grassy backyard with slate paths winding through azaleas and fruit trees. You can sit under an umbrella on a sturdy deck and watch your dog run in total privacy. There is enough open space for throwing balls and frisbees and we have good areas for rolling, and (in summer) even a plastic play pool for cooling off. There are dogs in the neighborhood, which makes for lots of "conversation" but no contact. We have a cat but she usually gets up and sneers at your dog rather than engaging. Or she goes inside and goes to sleep. We also have a Tibetan Terrier (Atticus) who might come out to say hello but will then go back inside. The basement is an AirBnB space and the guests occasionally have a dog. They know not to bother you. If you find someone there, just explain that you are a Sniffspot client and let them know when the backyard will be free. The squirrels are smart enough to make it to a tree or fence long before they get bothered but it's a good race. We bought the house and built the yard for our Goldendoodle who passed away. Mike loved the place and your pup will too. (Recent: We've blocked all weekdays for a very nice couple of dog trainers who do puppy classes. They aren't actually around all the time, so if your dog really needs a break call 240-210-3336 and see if the time is free.)

Cleanliness

100% of guests said this spot was as clean as expected during their visit.

Extras

Dog pool$0

Hard plastic kiddie pool under deck is great for hot summer days


Extras

Dog pool$0

Hard plastic kiddie pool under deck is great for hot summer days

Host Rules

Minimum visit length
1.0 hour
Max dogs per booking
20
Is the host present?
I prefer to meet my guests on their first visits
Additional rules

-I haven't gotten the SniffSpot calendar to work with my regular calendar so I might not know you are booked. Go ahead in any way and we'll make things work out. We're almost always around. -Please check to be sure that the gates on either side of the house are closed and latched. -You are welcome to use the deck to sit and relax and, if Ann is around, she'll probably come out to chat. If the umbrellas are tied down, feel free to raise them but please leave them as you found them. -There is a hose on the left side of the deck (facing the house) and a water bowl for your pup. It might be turned off on the coldest days of winter--we'll refill from the sink in that case. -Please use plastic to pick up after your pet but feel free to drop the bags in the large black-top trash bin on the way out. -Any play toys in the backyard are fair game. Enjoy!


Community safety rules
Dogs must be leashed when entering and exiting the spot.
Make sure the area is safe and secure before bringing your dog in.
Never enter a spot before your booking start time and never leave late.
Pick up after your dogs. Leave the spot as it was when you arrived.
Always review and abide by spot specific rules.
Unless otherwise stated, restrooms are not available on site.

Booking Policies

Booking Policies
Only one booking is allowed at a time at any spot and there is an enforced 30 min buffer between all bookings to ensure dogs in separate bookings do not meet.
This spot is set for Booking, which means you will be instantly confirmed for any booking you request. You will receive the address and access instruction immediately following booking.
Visits can be moved or cancelled up to 2 hours before a visit.
Visits can be extended and dogs can be added throughout the visit.

(15) Reviews

  • Ti L., May 31, 2022

    Yard is clean and had no poop (very important for us), good amount of grass and no exposed dirt/mud, good amount of shade, host is friendly, provided trashbin for poop bags, plenty of street parking. When we first arrived, I was confused because there were people walking in and out through the yard door. I thought it was double booked and spent some minutes trying to figure out the situation. The host was unaware of the booking (I did book about an hour or so prior to the arrival) and the hosts' dog came running out to meet my dogs. Very friendly but one of my dog is reactive which is one of the main reason for using Sniffspot. It took some time for the host to grab the dog while I sweated to calm down/reassure my reactive dog still on leash. After spending some time (little more than 15 mins) to figure out the booking and the host dog situation, it turned out that the host has Airbnb set up for the basement and the guests get to it by using the yard entrance door. My dogs are flight risk and I had to keep checking to see if the door was securely locked each time the Airbnb guests were walking in and out of the yard. On the same note, my dogs are skittish around people but one of the Airbnb guest and the host were sitting outside chatting on the patio the entire time. My boy dog is a protector so he was on guard for the entire stay. Yard has baby bunnies so my girl dog with strong hunting instinct was obsessing over it. She was on full hunting mode. So be aware if your dog is a hunter like mine. Yard is not flat and on a smaller side. It is a hill. Would be a good size for small dogs. For my dogs (over 45lbs), there wasn't much running space. Bring bug spray for you and the dogs. It is now summer time and bugs are everywhere. Host offered water for the dogs but I didn't need it since I brought my own. Patio has furniture with patio umbrella which provided shade. Very well kept yard just not big enough for my two medium sized dogs. I recommend checking in with the host before your booking so that you know what you expect upon arrival.

  • Dana R., May 15, 2022

    This was a beautiful spot to bring our dog. The host came out to meet us and was very kind and welcoming, and she brought out clean water (although there is a hose on the side of the house if anyone books and they are not home). The backyard was very secure and had lots of fun areas for our pup to explore and wander through, and room to run when she wanted to play. It was also just a gorgeous area and there was a very comfortable deck for us to sit on while we were there. We will absolutely be returning!

  • Kelsey M., Apr 23, 2022

    The backyard is really lovely, with beautiful flowering plants and trees (lots to sniff!). The back door was open (screened in, but easy for a dog to sneak in, which my dog very much wanted to!) and we did receive a visit from the resident dog through his doggy door. Not a problem for my dog, but it would have been if he was dog reactive.

  • Quenby P., Jun 16, 2021

    Beautiful yard, many places for the dogs to play and sniff. Yard is fully fenced with no gaps which we appreciated, we have terriers and they are escape artists. Relaxing deck to sit on while watching the dogs play. Very kind host.

  • Robin B., Jun 1, 2021

    Outstanding and lovely fenced yard. Homeowners were delightful !

  • Lisa K., May 18, 2021

    Nice backyard for my dog to run around and play. There were toys if you needed. And deck chairs to sit on. I met the owner. Super nice!!! I plan on taking my dog back regularly

  • Lauren C., Mar 27, 2021

    we had a fun visit here! lots of toys and space to explore. our pup did get under the porch a few times, which wasnt ideal.

  • Kaira v., Mar 2, 2021

    This space was truly lovely. Couple balls left  out also for us was kind. My dogs could play in a comfortable backyard without worrying about dogs they didn't know giant mud puddles. Thank you!

  • Eunsol L., Dec 30, 2020

    Nice and quiet backyard for the doggos and even has chairs for humans! House was easy to find and parking in the front of the house was simple.

  • Elise O., Dec 28, 2020

    This was my first time using SniffSpot, and Terry was very patient with my newly adopted Greyhound (and my anxious new dog parent self). He was welcoming and kind, and even when my dog escaped into his home he didn’t panic. I wish I had waited a bit for my dog to have better recall before I took her to an open space, but fortunately Terry’s yard is fully and thoroughly enclosed. 

Meet your host

Terry I.

Joined in October 2020

My wife and I are both retired TV journalists and built our backyard for the Goldendoodle that graced us with his presence for 14 years. We are almost always around if you need us but will give you and your pup privacy.


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