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<p>PITTSTON &#8212;Some say Maxwell&#8217;s House has gone to the dogs.</p><p>The tenants &#8212; and owners &#8212; are just fine with that.</p><p>Maxwell&#8217;s, touted as a &#8220;four-paw pet resort,&#8221; was started by husband and wife Liz and Dave Nayavich, along with Dave&#8217;s sister, Stevi, 3 years ago. Maxwell&#8217;s House is a full-service facility for both cats and dogs.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not like a typical kennel,&#8221; Liz said.</p><p>&#8220;We try to make it a homier feel.&#8221;</p><p>It&#8217;s that homier feel that helped Maxwell&#8217;s win best kennel in the fifth annual Times Leader Readers&#8217; Choice Awards.</p><p>The business started after Liz came home from Penn State, where she was pre-veterinary student.</p><p>&#8220;When I came home, I didn&#8217;t know what I wanted to do,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Stevi had a job as a groomer, and got Liz a job. Liz also worked as a vet tech in Kingston. From there, Liz said she and Stevi started a mobile grooming company out of Liz&#8217;s mother&#8217;s basement, which would grow into Maxwell&#8217;s House.</p><p>&#8220;It was kind of the perfect storm,&#8221; Liz said.</p><p>Her father owned the land that Maxwell&#8217;s sits on. Her step-father helped build the resort.</p><p>&#8220;I owe a ton to my parents,&#8221; Liz said.</p><p>&#8220;All 4 of my parents,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They all rock.</p><p>In addition to being a family of animal lovers, the trio saw a gap in the market. While there are kennels in the area, their idea was unique.</p><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing really like this in the area,&#8221; Stevi said.</p><p>So they opened Maxwell&#8217;s House in March 2015, the company named after Liz&#8217;s husky rescue.</p><p>Liz and Stevi were able to build a steady client base through the mobile grooming, and said after they opened, were able to branch out through both social media and word of mouth.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re so lucky,&#8221; Dave said.</p><p>The resort has three different aspects: overnight boarding, grooming and daycare. In addition to the Nayavich family, Maxwell&#8217;s also has a full-time employee, Lindsay Skeskavage. Stevi met Skeskavage at an old grooming job and she joined the trio to help with the resort. </p><p>For guests boarding their four-legged friends, Maxwell&#8217;s House has small, standard and Deluxe/VIP suites to accommodate any size dog. Each room has a raised bed, and the VIP suites offer television for the dogs.</p><p>&#8220;Luxury boarding, we like to call it,&#8221; Liz said.</p><p>&#8220;So it&#8217;s as close to being home as possible.&#8221;</p><p>As a family of animal lovers, the trio said the decision to go into this line of work made sense. And with the support from their families and customers, the business keeps growing year after year.</p><p>&#8220;All of our customers are amazing,&#8221; Liz said.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s been amazing.&#8221;</p><p>Liz said their clients, both the residents who bring their animals and the animals themselves, have become like family.</p><p>&#8220;There are clients who come every day,&#8221; Liz said.</p><p>The Nayavich family has turned Maxwell&#8217;s House into their second home, and say they make it as close to home as possible for all the animals who inhabit it every day.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re all in,&#8221; Dave said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_Maxwell-s-House-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Stevi Nayavich, right, sheers Coco while Liz Nayavich gives a helping hand. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_Maxwell-s-House-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Stevi Nayavich, right, sheers Coco while Liz Nayavich gives a helping hand. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_Maxwell-s-House-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Twenty-eight suites make up the number of rooms Maxwell&#8217;s House holds in the 4,000 plus square yard facility. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_Maxwell-s-House-4.jpg</photo1><caption1>Twenty-eight suites make up the number of rooms Maxwell&#8217;s House holds in the 4,000 plus square yard facility. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_MaxwellsCMYK.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Liz, Dave and Stevi Nayavich and Lindsay Skeskavage pose with a daycare regular, Buddy. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_MaxwellsCMYK.jpg</photo2><caption2>Liz, Dave and Stevi Nayavich and Lindsay Skeskavage pose with a daycare regular, Buddy. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Brigid Edmunds</p><p>bedmunds@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Brigid Edmunds at 570-991-6113 or on Twitter @brigidedmunds</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Maxwell’s House: ‘Four-paw’ pet accommodations