I have always wanted to work with animals since I was little. I have had pets in my family since I was born. I have had dogs, cats, rats, frogs, and fish. In the past few years, I have gained animal care experience outside of my own pets. During my gap year, I worked with a wide variety of animals (including dogs, cats, goats, horses). I learned dog training and gained experience socializing animals. I resocialized adult cats from a hoarding situation which was an incredibly rewarding experience! I also have worked with newborn kittens and puppies. I am not afraid of messes! After working in barns and kennels you get used to it! I originally learned dog training using a slip lead but have learned positive reinforcement training methods since then and I much prefer to only use positive reinforcement! I am very passionate about animal behavior and I am currently majoring in Anthrozoology: Human-Animal Studies. I’m currently in Boston for the summer as a research assistant at the Boston College Canine Cognition Center! I think it is incredibly important to understand how the animal views the world and in that way, I can best work with the animal! You have 1.3 seconds to reward or discipline a dog after it has done something and I will not discipline a dog after that time as all that does is harm our relationship. I have experience with a wide variety of dog sizes and behavioral types. I'd like to tell you a little bit about my own dogs so you have an idea of the kind of dog behavior I deal with every day! Currently, I have 1 small dog that is dog reactive. His reaction to other dogs has drastically decreased in the past few years and he has even learned to cohabitate with other dogs. If your dog is dog reactive, I know what walking them is like and how best to avoid a reaction from my own personal experience. I do not let dogs greet each other on walks as that is not always the best environment for them to do so. Sometimes avoiding other dogs can feel like an art form—but one I have much experience in! My other two dogs go on walks together. They are both large and have different walking speeds but I know how to manage. One of mine is also nervous around people and we have been working on that for the past year since we got her and she has grown so much. If your dog is fearful of new people then I can work to gain their trust and make sure they feel safe on walks! Both these pups also go crazy for rabbits and we are currently working on refocusing on the walk and moving on! Dogs are all so unique and no walk is the same. I have dealt with a wide variety of experiences and am prepared to tackle any challenge, with your dog's safety and happiness as the priority. I love cats as well! I currently have one and we are working on leash training him. I do have some previous experience walking cats.