I have been a dog lover since I was a small child which started with my grandfather's Yellow Lab named Jake. As a teenager I had two rescues from the Chicago SPCA - Dylan Thomas and Oliver Twist - Shephard Mixes and most recently I had a toy poodle rescue who's name is Tazah. I have been dog sitting and walking for the majority of the last ten years for family and close friends. I and my family have had two dogs pass away one due to a congenital heart defect that we didn't know about until too late and the other from old age. I am skilled at feeding special diets, supplements and special oral medications as my mother and her spouse have three dogs that eat the raw diet (home made), take multiple supplements (fish oil, glucosamine, Berties Enzymes) and one takes specific medications for IBS. I have taken my dogs through the SIRUS dog obedience training course and I can teach through positive reinforcement and consistency any dog basic commands. I can also bathe dogs and blow out on a groomer's table as all of the dog's my mother currently owns are coated dogs. I enjoy getting outside with dogs and enjoy walks around the neighborhood, going to Point Isobel and Kennedy Grove. As my most recent dog care experience is with small dogs I always extremely alert to dangers such as snakes, aggressive large dogs and birds of prey when I walk the small dogs in my care. I make a point to know any behaviors that each dog I care for has that could put the pet in question or myself in danger -ie aggressive to other dogs, not trained in basic commands, a runner/houdini, enjoys over eating or over drinking water, or goes for inedible things ie dog poop,possibly poisonous plants or household items just to name a few things. I do my best with every pet I care for to ensure they are cared for to the highest standard and that they enjoy themselves as much as I enjoying spending time with them.