I am very intuitive & observant, which allows me to understand & meet dogs' underlying needs & communicate well with them. I am calm & loving, as well as a naturally strong leader. My many years of teaching preschool students have honed a skill set that naturally lends itself to canine companions. My own dog, Buddy, was a rescue & had clearly been abused. Rehabilitating him was a tremendous learning experience. I like to say that this experience, including our daily dog park visits, earned me an honorary graduate degree in dog behavior. I am a mature, responsible, experienced "dog person" who can be relied upon. I love building relationships with dogs as each dog is as unique & fascinating as the young learners in my classroom! I highly recommend reading The Genius of Dogs by Brian Hare & Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz to learn more about the fascinating social intelligence of dogs. My availability is currently quite flexible.