5.0

TLDR: I have cared and trained dogs my whole life from the time they are puppies until they are old and gray and deaf and slowly going blind. My parents referred to their first dog Lucky as their firstborn and me as their first human. Lucky was my best friend before my brother came along. At 10 years old, my best friend and I started a dog walking business in our neighborhood, complete with business cards and t-shirts that my mom helped us design and order. When our first dog passed in his old age, my parents said they would get another dog, but *only if* me and my brother trained it. After Lucky, we rescued 3 dogs throughout the years (Sparky, Prince, and Star), and my family has loved every single one despite their pasts and quirks. Out of our 4 furry family members, 3 had separation anxiety, 2 went deaf with age, 2 had a weird relationship with food, and 2 were previously abused. These experiences taught me a lot about training and meeting animals where they are comfortable. I have cared for and trained dogs from the time they were puppies until they were old and gray and need a ramp (custom built by my dad) to get onto the bed or couch. The two that went deaf we learned could still detect vibrations. To “call” them we’d clap or stomp, and they’d come running from the other room! We also communicated using sign language for “eat”, “walk”, “sit”, “stay” and “come”. In college, I knew I couldn’t provide a proper life for a dog, so I volunteered at my local humane society and purposely dated people with pets. I currently live with my long term boyfriend and his 2 dogs. Although I’m most familiar with smaller dogs, my boyfriend’s pitbull and (already massive 5 month old) hound are very well trained. I hope my lifetime of experience with all kinds of animals gives you the context you need to let me care for your babies!