Charlene K.
Charlene K.
Contact for Boarding
from $63 per night
Highlights
Pet care experience
Experienced SPCA Dog Walker/Handler
I happily work with dogs of all sizes and personalities! Dogs with lots of energy, low energy, separation anxiety, or even a bite history are all welcome to work with me, I just have to do housesitting for special cases. I attained purple level (highest level) dog walker at the Tompkins County SPCA. I am trained in dog handling, dog training, and I am very thorough. I have been volunteering at the shelter since January 2019, and I have 10 years of cat care experience. During my dog sitting, I have been able to train dogs different commands including but not limited to heel, sit, down, turn, paw, and roll over. Additionally, I am able to help train your dog to behave on and off leash. If your dog tends to pull at your leash during walks, I can certainly help with that. I can train your dog with aims toward getting them to behave well off-leash and to come to you when called for. I am currently located in Ithaca, NY. I finished my PhD and postdoc at Cornell with focuses in bioinorganic chemistry and bioinformatics. I now work in town as a research engineer at a company that is dog friendly! Please let me know if your pup would benefit from office time. :)
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Fantastic and so comforting! I was completely relaxed the whole time Charlene sat with our sometimes challenging pups. Ten stars!
Charlene is the most caring human and true friend. Her kindness extends to our furry four-legged companions and she is always willing to help take care of our friends’ pets. She also sets responsible boundaries and handles pets in a disciplined manner when necessary. Charlene also spends her free time volunteering for our local SPCA because it is a priority to her. If I had my own pet and needed some help, Charlene would be the first person I call.
Charlene. Is very knowledgeable about dogs behavior. She is kind and gentle and understands each dogs needs. I have seen Charlene with many dogs small and large, quiet and rowdy at a shelter. I would trust Charlene with my dog and also being in my house. Carol T.
I know Charlene as a fellow volunteer at the TC SPCA. Through the training plan there, Charlene has become a dog walker who has progressed to the highest level of ability and is qualified to walk any of the dogs at the shelter. Charlene takes her volunteering seriously and can always be counted on to be there on her scheduled day. She is caring and compassionate and takes a special interest in all the canines. She is undaunted by some of the challenging dogs. I’ve also seen her cuddling with some of our old timers giving them much needed belly rubs and loving attention. She understands dogs all have unique personalities. When you have someone who is taking care of your precious pets, you need them to be dependable and caring of their needs. I have two dogs of my own and I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment having her watch them in my absence. That’s the highest compliment I could give someone.
Charlene has been an excellent volunteer dog walker, and is particularly skilled in working with fearful or anxious dogs. Her practice handling the hundreds of different dogs that come through the shelter has given her experience with a wide range of personalities and walking needs. She also has good communication skills to help make sure other people caring for the dog know what is and isn't working for this dog, and follows any special handling and training plans that a dog needs to be as successful as possible.
Charlene is a wonderful caregiver and animal lover! She is always punctual, respectful of the pet owner's wishes, is always thinking about how to advance their training. I would recommend the sitter to anyone!
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I have my own super high energy dog, and we get lots of physical and mental exercise. We go on walks, runs, and lots of play dates.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
Pets are slowly introduced and treated whenever something positive happens. I do an in-depth discussion with my clients and always do behavioral tests. These tests allow me to see how to best provide support for each pet.
Pets
A typical day
I absolutely love to do mental and physical exercises with the pets I watch. From basic training such as sit and come, I often teach pups how to do nose work and use voice buttons.