I grew up with one cat and a couple of dogs. My cat, Maggie, was my responsibility and I played with her, changed her food and litter box, and took her to vet appointments when I was older. One of my childhood dogs, Tess, had cerebellar hypoplasia, which meant that she experienced seizures and difficulties with coordination. From Tess, I learned the importance of balancing safety and autonomy. The experiences that I had with my childhood pets made me want to pursue pet caretaking in my adulthood! I currently have two Border Collie, Australian Shepherds (Olive and Cooper) with my partner, and they keep us active! We love to go for walks and hikes with them, and enjoy working on their training! From Olive and Cooper, I have learned and continue to learn about high energy dogs and the importance of adequate mental and physical stimulation.