“Be the person your dog thinks you are.” ― J.W. Stephens. I love this quote and do strive to earn the affection and unconditional love dogs give. As a child growing up we had dogs, cats, gerbils, rabbits and fish. As an adult I’ve almost always had a dog in my home, so I’ve had a lot of experience caring for various pets. I enjoy being outside and staying physically active so I love to combine both interests by taking dogs on walks / jogs. I am comfortable with all types, breeds and sizes and have experience with dogs of all ages from puppies to senior dogs. I have experience with giving medications as well. I have availability during the day, as well as nights and weekends, for in House Sitting, Drop-in Visits, and Dog Walking, Dog Boarding and Doggie Daycare. I have experience taking my own pets to formal training as well as reinforcing and teaching skills on both land and water (fetch skills on our lake). I love all dogs and have personally cared for these breeds: Labs, Doberman Pinschers, Beagles, and mixed breeds. I enjoy interacting with these additional breeds owned by neighbors, friends/family: Jack Russell Terrier, Dachshund, Cocker Spaniel, Shih Tzu, Golden Retriever, Bulldog mix, Goldendoodle to name a few, as well as cats. I also get to care for several other breeds and cats at Secondhand Hounds, where I volunteer. I can promise I will treat your loved one as if it was my own. I am reliable, trustworthy, caring and patient. Let me know if I can help you with caring for and spoiling your pet! Dianne's Home We live on 3 acres in Minnetrista, off the road a ways. There is plenty of room for walking and playing on our property and there is a nice dog-friendly park nearby. Although I don't have a fenced yard (yet – hope to soon), I can hook up a dog runner for dogs that wander/need to be leashed. If your pet enjoys the water, I could take him/her for a swim in Dutch lake in the summer (I love training water dogs to retrieve) or for a lake walk in the winter. I am home fulltime and am able to accommodate frequent bathroom breaks and attend to any needs. I have a comfortable two stall kennel in my heated garage where your dog will sleep, or feel free to bring your own. This kennel will also be used for short periods when I am away so that your dog stays safe. I have a camera on the kennel so that I can monitor what is going on at all times from my phone. Music can be piped in as well if that is soothing for your pet. If your dog likes other dogs or needs socialization, he/she will get to meet our sweet dog Dutchess. There are many friendly dogs in our neighborhood also. When your dog is in my care, he/she will follow their eating schedule, stay hydrated, feel loved, and get plenty of exercise! Or get lots of petting for less active dogs. Dianne’s Pet I currently have a 13 yr old black lab named Dutchess (since we live on Dutch lake), who we rescued at 5 months from the Humane Society. She is so sweet and has been a best friend and loyal companion, always up for adventure, especially when she was younger and had boundless energy. She has enjoyed always having someone around working from home, being well loved and cared for as a family member, chasing squirrels and deer on our 3 acres, going on many walks/runs and especially swimming and retrieving her favorite green fetch toy in our lake. She is great company for my husband and I when we are doing yard work. She has also enjoyed going on family trips with us and misses our two girls being around now that they have graduated from High School. When traveling with us was not possible she has enjoyed having caring neighbors, family/friends come over to our home and has never spent a night in a kennel. She is very social and gets along great with other dogs in our neighborhood, but I would probably not bring her along (even though she would love the invite!) just due to her age.