The People Behind the Paws
We Are Eric and Cassandra
Owners of Wholesome Hounds, a family-run pet care business built on 17 years of experience, genuine love for animals, and deep roots in the Hudson community.
Established 2008
Family-Run
Hudson, MA
Our Story
A Family Built Around Animals
We are Eric and Cassandra, and animals have been at the center of our lives for as long as either of us can remember. Eric grew up with a German Shepherd and then cats. Cassandra has had animals her entire life. When we came together as a family, it was never really a question of whether animals would be part of our home. They always have been.
We started caring for other people's pets professionally in 2008, building our practice slowly, one family at a time, on referrals and trust. What began as a natural extension of who we already were grew into Wholesome Hounds, LLC, the business we are proud to run today. We are also parents to two boys, and our home in Hudson is where all of it comes together: our family, our animals, and the pets in our care.
Right now our household includes Millie and Maya, our two dogs, and Marley and Mango, our two cats. They are part of what makes our home a real home, and they are part of what makes it a good place for your pet to be.
A Story About Molly
“She was a giant yellow lab who had nothing but love to give, even after her lifelong owners let her down.”
In 2015, a client texted us about a dog at the MSPCA in Jamaica Plain. Her owners had brought her in to be put down. She was perfectly healthy. The MSPCA told them they could surrender her instead, and they did. She was a senior yellow Lab who had spent her whole life with one family, and then she was alone. The text came through while we were driving on Huntington Ave, not far from the shelter. We took it as a sign.
Her name was already Molly. We kept it, and without quite planning to, we started a tradition: Millie, Maya, Marley, and Mango all followed. Every animal in our home carries an M. Molly was our first dog as a married couple. Cassandra was pregnant with our son Shane at the time. She was exactly what you would hope a dog could be after everything she had been through: gentle, grateful, and completely full of love. We had her for nine months. She passed away on the same day as our cats' first birthday.
We tell this story not because it is sad, but because it is true. We are not people who care for animals as a job. We are people for whom animals are family. Molly made sure we never forgot that.
What Drives Us
We Love Your Pets As If They Are Our Own
Over 17 years, we have cared for dogs and cats of every age, breed, size, and temperament. We have helped nervous first-timers find their footing, supported senior dogs through their slowest years, and worked with reactive and anxious animals that needed patience more than anything else.
Some of the relationships we have built go far beyond a walking schedule or a boarding stay. Over the years, clients have reached out when it was time to say goodbye to their dog. They wanted us there, and honestly, we wanted to be there just as much. Showing up for those moments is not an obligation. It is just what you do when you have genuinely loved an animal. That is not something you plan for when you start a pet care business. It is something that happens when the care is real.
|
Consistency Your dog sees the same familiar faces on every visit. We build routines they can count on, because predictability matters to animals. |
Attention We keep our capacity small on purpose. Small groups mean every dog in our care gets genuine, individual attention, not a glance from across a crowded room. |
Communication You will always hear from us after walks, visits, and daycare days. We believe you should never have to wonder how your pet is doing. |
“Eric and Cassandra are true dog lovers and take such good care of Bandit every time he stays with them. They go above and beyond and send pictures to update us while we are gone. It is truly a home away from home.”
Liz & Bandit, Weston
Get Started
Ready to Meet Us?
The first step is a free meet and greet. A relaxed visit where we get to know your pet and you get to know us. No pressure, no commitment.
Wholesome Hounds 