Safety & trust: I always ask a lot of questions when it comes to picking up a dog from their home or staying overnight with them. For example, what scares them or makes them timid? Where are you on helping them cope with reactivity to other dogs or people? Where are they in their training and how are they best motivated (e.g. food v. praise)? At home, I tend to keep them in the room with me where I can keep an eye on them. Since I work from home, talking to them to keep them reassured and distracted is key. But also being present with them if they seem to be whining or barking at something. (Note: at home, I live in a corner unit with no neighbors, so I don't have to worry about noise complaints!). I am also familiar with signs of distress, signs of stomach illness, or even signs of choking. I've worked CPR on dogs and am not afraid to reach down their mouths to grab something they pickup while outside (e.g. sticks, rocks, bugs). Very little grosses me out, which I think can be important when dealing with much larger dogs who get into things. We are an "animals are allowed on the furniture" household, but we would respect whatever boundaries you wanted to maintain with your dogs (i.e. not helping them to indulge in bad habits that wouldn't be welcome at home). I also find it relaxing to comb their fur during blowout season.