I've been caring for dogs since I was four. I am comfortable working with pets of all shapes in sizes. I have fostered several adult cats, as well as several puppies and senior dogs (I have a special place in my heart for seniors, my Bishon lived to be 17!). I have a dog of my own who is 3 years old and about 65 pounds. I raised and trained him and his sister as fosters from the age of 6 weeks, and I adopted him later on. He is happy to be around dogs of all ages and sizes as well as cats! Dawson spent the majority of his puppyhood with my mother's 8 pound Havanese, so he knows how to be gentle with small dogs. I have worked with reactive dogs as well, and feel comfortable caring for them. I am well versed in canine body language and behavior, (especially when they are showing signs of being nervous/fearful), and can safely de-escalate fights if needed. When working with reactive dogs, my main goal is to keep them safe and away from any potential stressors/triggers. I believe that positive reinforcement is the best tool for training, and I do not use punishment (spray bottles, hitting, yelling, etc.) as a technique for training dogs. I will only use a silent, high pitched, dog whistle occasionally for barking training or fight de-escalation.