Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Phoenix residents and pet-industry veterans Maggie Brown and Tina Myers did just that when they launched their canine-care business, Sleepover Rover, in early 2005.

Not exactly your father’s dog-sitting service, Sleepover Rover operates a network of host families who open up their homes–and hearts–to clients’ pooches, providing personalized care in a safe environment.

The idea was fueled by an ad Brown placed in a local paper, asking for someone to take her dog into their home when Brown traveled. She found a retiree who gave her pup the attention, space and security she couldn’t find in kennels and other boarding facilities.

“I thought, there have to be other people out there like me who need a better solution for care for their pets,” Brown says.

Brown brainstormed the idea with good friend and fellow dog-lover Myers, and Sleepover Rover was born. In less than two years, the business has already produced quite a “litter,” with five new locations in four states and more plans for expansion.

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