Ever since my family brought my first puppy home as a small child, I’ve been hooked on critters (sometimes to the dismay of my mother, like when I brought the classroom pet rat home over the summer). Caring for family, friends’ and neighbor’s pets became a career when I began work at the emergency veterinarian in my hometown in Alaska, and then signed on with our local animal shelter. I have personally owned dogs, cats, rats, hamsters, ferrets, mice, snakes and fish- and cared for so many others! Working at the emergency vet taught me how to recognize the signs, symptoms and severity of many common domestic pet illnesses and injuries. I keep a close eye on my critters and am confident raising concerns if I notice any potential issues, continuing observation, or seeking emergency care if necessary. I am comfortable administering subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, topical and oral medications, as well as a variety of other treatments. At the animal shelter I worked with many different species, including furred, feathered and scaled, as well as dogs and cats of all sorts of breeds, sizes and temperaments. I’m familiar with the individual care needs for a wide variety of critters, and am skilled at negotiating dog and cat body language and behaviors safely. I’m a firm proponent of positive training and believe that you must work with the pet in front of you, rather than trying to force adherence to arbitrary expectations. My own dog, Bela, an English Bull Terrier, has been an eye opener in terms of the theory that not all dogs learn (or listen!) alike. We loved attending classes at our local positive training facility, and especially enjoyed the scent game “Barn Hunt”. If you have a puppy that is just learning, an unruly teen who needs consistency, or an adult dog that would benefit from a refresher, I am happy to work on basic skills and confidence building with them. I love to inject skills work into every day activities, particularly when dealing with a stressful situation or a challenging behavior. Learning should be fun and life long, as we all get smarter (pet AND person) every day. I’m also passionate about senior/geriatric pets and pets with special medical needs! My own 20 year old cat, Mouse, passed away a year after we made the trek to San Diego, and I was extremely grateful for the sitters who provided her excellent care, despite her numerous medical needs and care challenges. Having been on the owner side of things, I want YOU to feel secure knowing that your medically frail friend or challenging patient is being properly and effectively cared for when you can’t be there to do it yourself. I take each pets’ needs seriously and treat them as if they were my own. Additionally- I am available to assist with tasks like grooming, nail trims and medication/treatment administration outside of drop in services. I may be able to do these chores solo, or may work with you to get them done safely and happily. I am also happy to teach you any tips or tricks I might have so you can do what needs done yourself! I want you to know that I have YOUR pets’ safety in mind- I treat my own animals regularly with parasite prevention and keep them up to date on all recommended vaccines so I can feel good about entering your space. I appreciate it enormously if you do the same, to keep my family (and the families of my other clients) safe- or, at a minimum, I ask that you communicate any transmissible health concerns regarding your critters prior to booking so I can take appropriate safety precautions. If you would like me to take your dog to a local dog park, I can do so at your express request, but I reserve the right to exercise my own good judgment- if I don’t think it will be safe for your pet or other pets/people, we will find other outlets for energy. There are many factors and personalities at dog parks, and I would much rather bring your pet home happy and healthy than run any risk of injury, trauma or trouble. I use a martingale flat collar on my own dog and do not use any aversive tools such as shock/beeper collars or prong/chain collars. HOWEVER, I understand that you may have trained your dog differently and to deviate from your typical equipment may be a safety concern in its own right, so I am generally willing to walk dogs with their owner-provided pinch/chain/shock collars, but may ask questions about if and when they are necessary. If for any reason I am uncomfortable or feel unable to perform the required service with your recommended handling techniques I will say so up front so that we can ensure we are a good fit. If your dog would like to walk with a companion, my dog (and occasionally my husband) is available to join! They are both dog friendly and happy to make new friends, although I will never bring either on a walk or drop in unless you have specifically ok’d it. Please let me know if your furry child has any eccentricities I should be aware of! Garbage eaters, door bolters, reactive, potty accidents- they don’t scare me!- but if you give me the knowledge, I can make sure I have the equipment and plan to help them live their best lives ❤️ And finally, as the owner/servant of 2 delightful kitty companions- know that I am particularly devoted to our feline friends and am extremely cautious about making sure they are safe and well. I am patient, observant, a religious door closer, and may have gotten myself the nickname “Caity the cat lady” on more than one occasion.