Linda Wisniewski, owner of The Puppy Patch, like most of us, has been a dog lover for as far back as she can remember. Around 2002, the decision was made to leave her office job and make this passion to be with dogs her new career.

Initially, The Puppy Patch began as a pet sitting business, going to people’s homes to care for their pets ― dogs, cats, birds and horses ― you name it. Getting some hands-on experience as the groundwork was being laid for the opening of a doggy day care. This “research” included visiting other pet day care facilities; talking to the owners and staff; attending seminars, dog shows, trade shows and anything else dog-related. Online sites, including day care facilities and other dog-related businesses from other areas, were good sources of information and, closer to home, the people and resources at the Small Business Development Center at Raritan Valley College were a tremendous help.

The result was The Puppy Patch. A place to bring your dogs for the day where they will be safe and loved and where they will have a good time. The focus is on maintaining a clean and comfortable environment with plenty of supervised opportunities for play.

Other services were added for the convenience of customers, such as full-service dog grooming and a retail area.