Hi- prior to dog sitting, I am hoping that I can visit the dog and doggy family once or twice on me so that I am familiar with what the household preferences and restrictions are with regard to your dog - where do the doggy bags go, what treats to give or not give, etc. I think that will also allow me to build a repoire with the dog prior to dog sitting. I am currently a student; my family has 3 dogs - a lab, a beagle, and a cairns terrier (Maya, Yogi, and Pluto). Our oldest dog just turned 11 on March 16th. We care for our dogs a lot in our family; they are the topic of most conversations. I will bring that care and enthusiasm to dog sitting!