Hi, I'm Anne, and I am an absolute animal lover, as well as a professional healthcare provider for humans aged 0-100! I have been an animal lover and dog and or cat owner for as long as I can remember, i.e., "Fred the Beagle" was an instant companion as soon as I came home from the hospital after being born. I grew up with two dogs & multiple cats, each of them positively impacted my life in a significant way. However, it was the first dog I owned by myself as an adult (Penny the Min Pin), who truly transformed me. Penny literally became my best friend and constant companion in a matter of weeks and remained so for over 15 yrs until she crossed the rainbow bridge. It was through this intense bond with Penny, that I really became more conscious and self-aware of the profound healing power of the canine/human bond, and the many positive health effects such a bond brings! I also believe this connection can be formed with any animal who finds the right human (and vice versa)! As a RN/FNP who now works from home, I strongly believe in the equal importance of all aspects of health and how our social, environmental, spiritual & physical well-being is all connected. It would be my honor to help maintain and increase the therapeutic bond between you and your dog. By age five, I started taking on minor responsibilities for our family pets, gradually taking on more duties incrementally as I got older. By high school, I began to housesit for other cat and dog lovers as well as perform other caretaking tasks such as dog walking, drop-by visits for cats and dogs, etc. Excluding my childhood, I now have 30+ years of caring for others' canine or feline companions. I also have been a medical foster parent for local animal shelters for 15+ yrs. Both experiences have entailed caring for cats and dogs of all ages, sizes, temperaments, and medical conditions. My current fur baby "Bones" is actually a "failed" Hurricane Harvey foster. She overcame, against all odds, Parvo (shout out to APA:), blood transfusions, distemper, a heartworm infection, and anaphylactic shock during my first year caring for her. Bones is now close to 18 lbs, 5.8 yrs, spayed, super healthy, and very possibly spoiled rotten. She is up-to-date on all her vaccinations (as I am, by the way:) and is a fun-loving pup who LOVES the companionship of other dogs (big and small, old and young)! Your loved one will have the supervision of a caring, engaging & knowledgeable human (that's me!). They will also have the companionship of Bones and the much-needed canine camaraderie that most dogs need and enjoy to thrive fully, not to mention the energy expenditure that comes from such socialization! After a year of intense medical care, Bones was excited to be finally "out and about" but got overwhelmed/overtired when I signed her up for packages at big doggy daycare businesses. In my initial interactions with Rover.com, I was the protective fur mama looking for the best sitter/fit for Bones! Eventually, I decided to offer my own services because I saw how other animal caregivers enjoyed their role & I was reminded of how much I loved taking care of others' pets during high school/college. It was based on those formative memories, combined with my personal experience of trying to find a place my dog could have canine companionship, but without the cost of personal attention, that I decided to offer my space as a safe, enriched, fun environment for other fur parents who desire the same thing I did. Based on this model, I limit the number of dogs I care for per day to no more than 2- 3 (based on size/energy level), including my own dog Bones. That way, I can assure you your fur baby will get the attention they deserve plus the added benefit of a doggy playmate! I am confident I can meet any specific care needs you request, and If I am unable I will be sure to let you know immediately. With all that said, I can't wait to meet you and your fur baby!