Allison here, nice to e-meet you! I have worked with animals all of my life, including dogs, cats, parrots and reptiles. My work as a dog groomer allowed me to become familiar and comfortable with nearly every dog breed, from Rottweilers, Mastiffs, and German Shepherds, to Poodles, Shih-tzus, Havanese, Bichons, Dachshunds, and everything in between. The grooming job required me to not only have close physical contact and to win their trust in a relatively short amount of time, but to assess and relate each dog's unique personality in a way that he/she would be comfortable. I'm grateful for my experience, as it has benefitted me in my work with dogs ever since. Prior to working in grooming, I worked in a small local pet store caring for and hand training exotic birds and parrots, and caring for reptiles and rodents. I grew up with rescue German Shepherds and Rottweiler mixes, and fostered a chihuahua mix when I graduated college. I currently live in Santa Monica with my husband and our two cats - we plan to have children and are waiting to have a dog. Hence, your dog benefits because I miss having a dog in my life so much!