Well I am sure everyone on this pawesome app is an avid animal lover, so what sets me apart from the rest? I am an animal enthusiast with many years of various experience under my belt. After growing up a child who loved all creatures and filled her time with animal drawings and paintings, in college I decided to become a certified Puppy Raiser through Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a non-profit internationally accredited guide dog school. It is not a title given out to anyone, I completed the required education and am recognized as a trainer. I have raised/trained a total of one guide dog candidate named Jester. I had him for a total of 14 months. During my experience, I was responsible for all of his health, exercise, food, education and happiness. I also participated in puppy-swaps with other dogs in the program and sometimes I took care of multiple dogs at once. I plan on raising many guide dogs in my future! This program gave me a lot of experience with crate training/acceptance for puppies along with basic obedience skills, and house manners all acquired using positive reinforcement and "puppy parties". You can trust me to take the best care of your dog and well as instill manners with training methods similar to guide dog education. I have always been around dogs and I pride myself in knowing how to adjust to their needs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I have a lot of experience with older, "geriatric" dogs. My first dog I ever adopted was 12 years old! I know how to keep them comfortable and monitor them carefully while you are away. I previously worked at a small animal veterinary hospital for 5 years, which gave me plenty of experience around all types of animals. I was responsible for all of their needs while they stayed at the hospital; including medicating and and monitoring after a long stay or surgery. I took pride in myself with my ability to keep them clean, safe, healthy, and happy. This position also gave me crucial experience in emergency medicine along with proper judgment when it comes to sick or injured animals. As far as education goes, I obtained a Bachelor’s in Biology from Alfred University where I completed many classes in animal behavior, nutrition, and physiology. I also completed a large animal handling course via Alfred State College which gave me experience with large animals such as horses, cows, pigs, and goats. I took this knowledge and decided to work for a Summer as a Zookeeper Intern at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, MA - this only caused my love and appreciation for animal care to grow! I currently work full time as a legal assistant in Jamestown, NY. And when the snow hits I also spend the weekends snowboard instructing at local ski slopes. However, no matter my schedule I always make it my priority to care for your animals. I surround myself with animals on a daily basis and plan to make a career out of it one day - I wouldn't have it any other way! Already, I have had people, family, and coworkers dub me an "animal whisperer" and "the dog lady". I am just as much a people person as I am with animals, so please reach out; I would love to take care of your pet! Cat owners: all of the above applies! Please reach out and we can discuss in home cat care.