My heart breaks when clients share horror stories of past sitters who didn't put in the effort or simply didn't have the experience to know what emergencies to prepare for. If you've been through that, I'm so, so sorry your pet didn't get the care they deserved. I can promise you I'm committed to doing everything I can to give your pet a super fun time while prioritizing their wellbeing and safety. Active prevention is my #1 strategy to avoid health or safety issues, so I use many tactics to minimize risks. My work with a wide variety of animals across many different settings has prepared me to know which problems are common, what signs to watch out for, and how to proactively prevent incidents from starting or escalating. I'll ask you lots of questions about your pet's history and environment to help me anticipate potential issues and keep them safe. I keep detailed digital notes on all of my clients so that I can easily review them from my phone before/during visits and carefully follow all your instructions. Since I've worked with hundreds—if not thousands—of animals, I've created robust organizational systems to ensure I don't accidentally get anyone's care needs mixed up. For example, I'll check your pet's digital file to see what treats they can have before offering them a treat. My treats are divided in bags by common allergens, and I won't even give them my treats if you prefer I use yours or limit their intake. This kind of diligence across all my interactions with your pet dramatically reduces the risk of countless health and safety issues. And just to be extra cautious, I'm always prepared in the rare case of an emergency. Between my waterproof backpack and my shoulder pouch, I carry: ▶ SAFETY TOOLS ◀ - pet first aid kit - The Pet Corrector (breaks up a dog attack/fight with a startling noise that won't injure) - 911 Rescue Tool aka seatbelt cutter (quickly cuts a collar off without cutting your pet's neck—each year, tens of thousands of dogs die from collar strangulation accidents in everyday situations you'd never expect. I recommend everyone have a 911 Tool handy when your pet wears a collar. Most pet parents sadly haven't heard of it, but it truly saves lives and is much safer than a knife) - heavy-duty carabiners (to attach a dog to my belt or another location if I need my hands free) - flashlight - pepper spray - pet emergency blanket - extra leashes and a slip lead ▶ DOG WALK PREPAREDNESS ◀ On every walk, I stay alert and keep my phone in my pocket unless I'm taking a photo for you. I'm constantly keeping an eye on your dog for signs of anxiety and scanning our environment for potential risks such as chicken bones, vehicles, or something your dog is reactive to. By paying close attention to these details, I'm able to make sure your pet enjoys their time with me and returns safe and sound! If your dog is a strong leash puller, lunges, or has a history of running away, I'll wear my sturdy pack-walk belt with heavy-duty D-rings and locking, steel carabiners securing a high-quality leash that hasn't broken under the largest athletic dogs I've walked. In addition to holding your dog's usual leash in my hand, I keep my leash securely attached to my belt as a secondary, hands-free point of contact. Your dog won't be able to get away from me, and this method distributes any pulling between the leashes so it isn't all going to my shoulder. This allows me to stay balanced on my feet, even with massive dogs. I have other strategies to mitigate pulling like distraction, redirection, or avoidance of triggers (depending on the situation and your preferred approach—I always do my very best to honor the training approach the family uses). But if there's ever a situation where a trigger truly comes out of nowhere and your dog tries to bolt, they won't get away.