I’ve always loved all animals, and while I loved the cats we had growing up, every year for Christmas the only thing I asked for was a dog. And I was always told no. So, as early as 10 years old I started putting up posters in my neighborhood to start dog walking. I did walks, dog sitting, begged neighbors to let me come over just to play fetch with their dog, made yearly powerpoint presentations showcasing why I deserved to get a dog (which was always rejected), you name it. At 19 the wait was over and I got my first dog, Kodiak. And the wait was worth it. It taught me patience, understanding, overall training her was a labor of love but so worth it in the end. It taught me effective methods for safe walking practices, how to instill basic principles of discipline, and how to better understand body language on their part for their needs.