I worked for Petsmart and was the manager of the pet care department for about 18 months. I oversaw the care of everything from crickets, to guinea pigs, to birds of all sizes, to chameleons, to cats and dogs. During that time, I also doubled as a dog and cat trainer for about 8 months before leaving to start training from home, where I trained animals of all kinds for about 4.5 years through the rest of my schooling. I trained dogs, rodents, cats, and birds while also educating clients on the ins and outs of exotic pet care in addition to common pet care. I did this for just under five years while going through university, where I completed two bachelor's degrees in Wildlife Biology and Behavioral Science with a strong focus on animal behavior. I supplemented these degrees with lots of additional courses focusing on ecology, animal husbandry, and some basic nursing courses which gave me the skills to administer essentially every kind of home-medication ranging from topical creams, to ear and eye drops, to suppositories, to oral medications in basically all forms, all the way up to IV, IM, SC, and ID injections. When it comes to my approach, I am as relaxed as possible in a family's home, as if the home was mine. It helps the resident animals to relax like nothing is out of the ordinary. I try to always come into the home with treats in hand (always the exact treats they normally have, if any) so they are less inclined to be startled by me and are instantly trusting of me. If they have behavioral issues or challenges, I put all of my effort into countering them constantly throughout the stay. For example, I watched a highly reactive dog over the fourth of July weekend. Anytime fireworks went off, he would throw himself into a huge panic, so I would sit up in bed with him, wrap a blanket around him and hug him from behind while singing to him until he was able to go back to sleep. For quick home visits I will do a general visual check of the animals, walk them for the agreed-upon time, and then stay in the home with them for at least 30 minutes just playing and talking to them. For more energetic breeds, or breeds that require more mental stimulation to keep out of trouble, I'll spend this time trying to tire them out, either physically or mentally. A sleeping pet is a well-behaved pet! If the pets have any rituals, like a series of tricks to perform to 'earn' their food, for example, I will always follow it. I also try to keep as close to their normal bathroom, sleep, and feeding schedules as possible for smooth transitioning when owners return, reduced accidents, and to maintain a sense of normalcy for the animal. I also use the Rover App and text messages to keep an daily report that you can read. I can send these at whatever time of day works best for you, should you want them. I always send at least one photo of each animal daily to give you peace of mind. Additionally, I will only ever go into the parts of your home you explicitly tell me I can enter (typically just the main living area, kitchen, and a bathroom) and I will always clean up any messes that the animals may make during your time away. I'll alert you to the messes and send photos of the area (usually only after I've cleaned it, but before as well if you want) with the daily reports. I'll get permission from you to take photos of any areas I may visit at the start of the stay to be sure that everything is exactly as you left it when you return. I feel it's best that families not be able to tell that someone was there while they were away, aside from coming home to healthy and happy pets! At the end, after confirmation that everything is fine with the home from the owners, I delete any and all photos of the home, beyond any that I may ask to use on my profile. I try to get at least one preferred vet, and one emergency contact (usually a neighbor or nearby family) just to be safe.