I am a very caring and compassionate person whether it's relating to a human or an animal! Ever since I was a little girl I have had a deeply emotional connection to loving Animals. As an experienced dog owner and sitter, my experiences with animals began where I grew up, in Marin County. My family has always had Golden Retrievers, but I do have an affinity for all dogs! I was previously living in Australia for 4 years and just moved back to San Francisco. Ever since our return, I have pet sit for many of my friends and it has added so much to my life! Pet sitting keeps me healthy because I stay in with the animals on weekend nights and snuggle up. I enjoy the fact that I am able to wake up early and get the most out of the day with my new puppy friend. My partner and I will take the dog(s) on beautiful hikes, many walks in our pet-friendly and park-friendly neighborhood, The Castro, or we can go on trips to the beach. I ensure that the dog will get plenty of love and exercise throughout the day! I think what sets me apart from other dog sitters is my dedication to putting the animal first. So many people say, "it's just a dog, she'll be fine..." but, I always take the consideration of the dogs health and happiness first. I will NEVER leave the dog inside the apartment if I don't have to. The dog will go with me everywhere! Should I need to leave with him/her, I make sure he/she is well exercised and has gone to the bathroom so all they need to do is sleep. I leave the radio on and never go away for more than a couple of hours. I love to treat dogs with special and extra love because I know many animals get anxiety when they are separated from their owners. Whether it be a special treat, toy, bath, or blanket to sleep on...I always take the extra effort to show the dog I care about him/her. A typical routine for your pup while in my care would be: Wake up at 7am or 8am, feed the dog...take him out for a nice walk in the neighborhood (Castro) and grab a coffee. Go throw the ball or hang in the dog park or local park for at least an hour, and head home. We would rest, I would do chores or what have you, and depending on the day, we'd head back outside early afternoon for the majority of the day for a nice long activity. I like incorporating other friends or my partner with the dog so it has other people and perhaps animals to bond and play with. In the earlier part of the evenings I'd fed the dog dinner, take him out again, stay in and cook for myself, and then take him out at least one or two more times before heading to bed. I never mind cooking up some extra protein or rice if that is what your dog prefers as well…I am open to your creatures special eating habits. I do work full time Tues-Friday, so I am available after 5pm Friday all the way through the weekend and expect pick up sometime on Monday, 5pm latest. Of course I am willing and able to work out my schedule with the owners. I am very flexible! As an experience therapist, I someday hope to have a therapy dog. Specifically though, as a children's therapist (ages 3-5), I can not bring a dog to work...so, since a friend pointed me to this site, I feel this is the place to start fulfilling my furry friend fix until I can have one of my own!