Hiking in Woods Leads to New Westborough Business

Hiking in the woods ultimately led to one of Westborough’s newest businesses.

Gusella Family Pet Care opened at 229 Flanders Road, the home of Mike Gusella and Kristina Tognacci, on Aug. 12.

The business offers dog day care, dog walking, pet sitting and boarding, according to its website.

Tognacci said the couple started doing dog walking and pet sitting about three years ago.

“We just found ourselves hiking with our dogs in the woods every day and thought we would see if we could get a business going,” she said. 

“So, we started doing dog walking.”

The business got its first customer through an ad Tognacci placed on Craigslist three years ago, Tognacci said.

The service was so popular that the couple began discussing expanding into day care and boarding, and started looking for space, she said. 

Gusella Family Pet Care will accept only 10 dogs per day for day care, she said.

“It’s going to be really low-key. Everybody gets lots of attention. Everybody gets a chance to make good friends,” Tognacci said.

Prospective customers “set up a time where they can come and check out the facility, and where we can meet their dog,” she said.

The business’ screening process includes “introducing dogs to other dogs. We start off with one dog, with them both on leashes,” she said.

“We don’t want anybody that’s going to be aggressive.”