Hello, my name is Erika. I’m a student in Psychology at Oregon State University online, run an art and clothing business in my spare time, and am a lifelong animal lover. If I hadn’t picked Psychology as a degree, I probably would have become a veterinarian. Dogs have been in my life since I was first brought home from the hospital. I grew up with yellow Labrador retrievers and experienced a multitude of other breeds through family, friends, and now my current profession. ———————————————————— How I fell into this career: Petsitting and pet care are things I fell in to because people around me have always needed help with their pets and have trusted me naturally. I’ve always had a strong connection to animals, and when I began petsitting just for family, I realized the opportunity that working on Rover and for myself offers- flexibility. With being an online student and a business owner, and artist, I have always yearned for a job that offers me relative solitude, freedom, and the ability to travel. I’m also blessed to meet so many kinds of new people, pets, and see all kinds of new neighborhoods and cities. On top of all that, I get to share my connection to animals and make their lives better. For me, it doesn’t get much better than that. ———————————————————— Professional experience: I have been doing Rover officially as a sitter since December 2025. It has been basically my full-time job ever since. I’ve worked with dogs who have extreme health issues (diabetes, blindness, deafness, epilepsy, terminal cancer, etc.), reactive dogs, overly-excited dogs, trained dogs, untrained dogs, housebroken and unhousebroken dogs, cats with extreme health issues, cats and dogs with behavioral issues, chemical imbalances, and even aggressive dogs (that is, if they aren’t trying to kill me). I’ve worked with hundreds of clients, hundreds of dogs and cats, and have picked up thousands of poops. I’m not officially a trainer yet, working on that in my spare time with Rover’s program, but I did grow up going to obedience and training classes with my mom, and I have nearly 30 years experience of working and training my family dogs and my own personal pup now. I’m not easily intimated and am very observant when working with pets, especially reading their body language and the energy they are giving off. My vigilant nature makes me proud to say that no dogs have been lost, escaped, or injured during my nearly two nears of working with pets professionally. I can administer all types of medicines and am a calm presence for sick or nervous dogs especially. ———————————————————— Professional philosophy: When I started petsitting, my first official job was a dog with diabetes needing insulin shots. Her name was Pumpkin. She taught me that what is most important when sitting is a clean and calm environment, and an attention to detail also. With my client’s pets, I come in as a guide, not as solely a friend (although I’m always happy to reward good behavior), and do my best to create a calm and conducive environment for training, obedience, calm, and healthy sitter to pet relations. I reward good behavior with treats and affection, such as not pulling on walks, not jumping, waiting for permission to do things, sitting, doing tricks (when requested), and being calm. When dealing with dogs that misbehave, I have learned over the years that the best method is to ignore them while keeping an ear on them if you know what I mean. While I’m with your dog, I will work on reducing unwanted behaviors and increasing positive ones. It is the least I can do as a professional, and from my perspective, is the most ethical and healthy way to operate in this profession. ———————————————————— Common questions and concerns from clients: 1. How often will you be there?: If you booked a house-sitting, then my goal is to always be there every 2-5 hours. It all depends on how your animals are and how busy I am. I always leave gaps in my schedule for house-sittings and adjust my schedule if needed to suit your dogs needs. 2. Are you ever late?: I strive to be on time but sometimes things happen during the day, such as weather-related incidences, doggy or kitty accidents (sometimes it can be crazy), health issues that take longer to care for than usual, behavioral issues (such as dogs refusing to potty or go outside/inside), and of course traffic-related issues. For drop-ins, I always prioritize senior and medical care first, and then I prioritize ability to meet needs. For instance, if a dog hasn’t done potty and I’m supposed to see a cat with automatic feeding and litter, then I may go to the dog first and go to the cat later. That is just more ethical and humane, even if from your end it seems like I may be blowing you off, the odds are I am dealing with something or am triaging my time and resources in a way that makes sense. That being said, the well-being of your pet is always at my forefront, and I have a great track record of making important judgement calls. 3. Do you care about cameras in and outside the home?: No, as long as they aren’t in bathrooms or bedrooms and turned on, then I don’t have a problem and prefer cameras as they provide a digital record of my care and training methods, which makes us both feel more comfortable. Happy you means happy me! 4. Do you sleep overnight at my home for house-sittings?: Yes, I do! I tend to eat and get ready at my own home, but then I will head over and spend the night with your pup or kitty. Cuddling is always allowed! 5. How do you keep dogs safe on walks?: I am very aware of my surroundings and will go the other direction or cross the street every time. I typically don’t welcome approaches from other dogs as I find them an unnecessary liability. I’m there to work personally with your dog, not socialize them with strangers. I have mace on me in case we are ever approached by a strange, scary person. Luckily I haven’t had any issue with that. 6. What other services do you provide when you’re at my house?: I am happy to grab mail (if requested to me), clean up messes (yes, even the bad ones), feed fish, care for other small or exotic animals, water your plants (inside and out), and I always do a complimentary clean of the spaces that I used while in your space. 7. Do you stay the full 30-60 minutes for drop-ins and walks?: Yes, always… that is what you are paying for! 8. Can you do short walks for drop-ins?: Yes, if you don’t want a full 20-30 minute walk, then you can just choose a drop-in. I’m happy to take pets out for potty on a short walk or walk around a building. 9. How do you operate boarding dogs?: Every dog is different, so I always work with the pace and temperament of the dog that I am hosting. Ideally, your dog will be partially or full crate-trained so I can put them away to decompress if they are being naughty or are feeling a bit out of control. I’m around throughout the day, only leaving to take care of other jobs and small errands, and I return every few hours when I’m out. My fiancé is a lifelong dog owner, his family has poodle mixes and a Belgian Malinois, so he is very experienced with dogs and can assist in caring for your pet if needed (feeding, changing water, letting outside). We have a fenced yard with a hose and lots of toys, including a herding ball, so when the weather is nice, we spend time with your dog out back and tire them out that way so they can be relaxed throughout the day. 10. What happens if there is an emergency?: I will move everything around to accommodate your pet. Medical emergencies triumph every other job. Just leave your pet’s vet information and/or emergency contact and I will promptly get your pet to the vet and contact you, and your emergency contact. I have people who can help me out with small jobs if needed, saying I’m stuck in an animal hospital. 11. How do you clean up messes?: If I don’t have anything on me, I will resort to what you have on hand, but if the situation is more persistent with accidents, then I will bring my Bissel Green with your permission and some probiotic urine-dissolving solution. Cleaning is fun for me, especially seeing the before and after and knowing the difference I made, so rest assured I will clean up any mess and strive to leave your home a little cleaner than I found it. Of course, I will never go into other rooms or just clean your entire home! That is invasive, I just clean the areas I and the pets are in. ———————————————————- Pricing explained: I recently updated my rates due to being in high demand and the compliments I have received from my clients. I charge what I charge because I have always been able to get the job done efficiently, and I’m able to work with dogs of all temperaments and pasts. House-sittings are priced at $100 a night because of the expectations of clients and my level of experience. A normal drop-in for a dog is $20, and a house-sitting encompasses overnight care and multiple drop-ins a day. With house-sittings I clean, tend to the home, the garden, the mail, and will do a complimentary clean of any area that I used or lived in. ———————————————————— If you want to book with me: Reach out and let me know if you would like to schedule a meet and greet. In-person meetings are now paid only due to being in high demand, so I request $20 for each meeting since I am using my time, car, and gas to come out to you. If you wish to avoid this fee and think your dog or cat will be fine, then we can either skip the meeting or do a virtual one. ———————————————————— Feel free to reach out with any other specific questions you may have. If I seem like a good fit for you, I look forward to hearing from you and your fur family!