As a volunteer dog handler with a local rescue group for the last 4 years, I have worked hundreds of hours with dogs of all personalities and sizes --big and small, fearful and exuberant; blind, deaf, and those with special medical needs. In animal rescue, I have been a team lead for the dog foster program, and a member of both the dog behavioral assessment and the playgroup teams. I have had formal, certified training from the nationally recognized organization "Dogs Playing For Life,” and I have successfully completed a basic manners training class with Pat Miller at Peaceable Paws, I believe in the power of positive reinforcement! My dog is considered a family member, and therefor treated with respect and love. I began my own foster journey 18 years ago, and adopted 2 dogs during my adulthood. I have fostered over 50 dogs, ranging from puppy litters at weeks old to seniors, and have rehabbed foster dogs through surgical recovery.