Gretchen S.
Saint Louis Hills, MO
Very Caring & Safety-First Hooman!
Pet care experience
It's been awhile since I've looked to care for others' furbabies; Traditionally I did a lot of house-sitting for people with pets, and/or their dog would make playdate trips back to my home to stay overnight with me and my (fur)kiddos. As my doggo got into his very senior years that became impossible to do, and I stopped taking on pet-clients so that all of my animal-attention could go towards him. My big goofy boy passed last August just 4 months shy of his 16th birthday (which is quite a big deal for a large-breed dog!), and now I'm down to one kiddo: my calico kitty, Baby, who is at present 20 years old and whom I've been with since she was a wee-little kitten. :-) I miss having a doggo to be outdoors with (among many other things) very much, and I'd like to venture back in to helping others with their pets. This will guarantee more animal-time for me, *and* help my kitty pay for her CKD treatments. (she declined seeking her own employment!) A NOTE ON SAFETY: I feel I'm different from a lot of people in pet-care because I always put safety first when it comes to every furry friend I'm responsible for. It is of the utmost importance to me as it is the FIRST thing I would consider when selecting care for my own kiddos. Yes, I'm fun and playful...but SAFETY has to be at the top of the list. I don't take risks with your Furbabies. Just because I may do something a particular way with my companions does NOT mean it's okay to do so with yours. (after all, it's not that uncommon for some animals to behave differently when Mom and/or Dad aren't around, so it's always a Best Practice to not assume you know how someone else's kiddo will act.) There isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep your non-hooman safe, and I'm happy to follow your directions regarding the care of them with exactness and reliability. NOTE FOR THE DOGGO HOOMANS: ...because safety is so important, I utilize a martingale collar when walking doggos, regardless of their size. (In fact, unless you have a fenced-in area where they can safely be off leash, I will use the martingale any time a lead is needed) A martingale collar prevents a dog from slipping out of, or backing out of, the collar ... and it does so without applying constant pressure to their neck/scruff. (so it's comfortable) It is not a prong-collar, or choke collar ... and it will be worn in addition to their normal collar with their tags. ** (god-forbid a dog get loose because of a collar-malfunction, you don't want them to be left without their informational tags) ***((also, martingale collars are waaaaaaaaaaaaay less likely to malfunction in any way compared to other standard collars))
About Gretchen S.
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I definitely spoke to my attitude regarding safety above, so I will say that the care for your companion will rely entirely on...... your companion!! All I can say with certainty is that, unfortunately, if you are looking for a running-hooman for your doggo buddy, I am not your gal!. :-) I will *run* only in emergencies. (and I do everything in my power to make sure there will not *be* any emergencies) Other than that, what caring for your friend looks like will and can vary greatly.
Information Gretchen S. would like to know about your pet
I'd like to know as much as you can/want to tell me about your dog: their quirks, their good and bad behaviors. I'm not here to judge your dog......I'm here to work WITH you and your dog..... I used to be an Applied Behavior Analyst w/ special needs children and am quite adept at dealing w/ dogs with behavior issues b/c my behavior modification training transferred nicely into raising a well-behaved dog....and it means I am prepared to react in the moment to keep your pup safe. :) ( I know.....I talk about safety a lot....but that's b/c it's very important to me!)
A typical day
Hmmmm....well, if you're comfortable with it AND your doggo is comfortable with it, I'd be more than happy to be your buddy's Field Trip Friend ... sights and sounds and smells are important to every dog at every stage of life. When my canine soulmate got to be a certain age, and his mobility was affected by oncoming degenerative myelopathy (DM), we had to alter out outdoor time. At first that just involved *slowing down*, and making out time outside be ALL about his desires to see and smell and explore. That progressed into my purchasing a large wagon to pull him around in, so that he could still go beyond our yard and save his strength. (I still have the wagon and am happy to use it for your buddy if it's needed) At the end, Duke needed a half-cart wheelchair, and we still went outside every day to have a lay-down picnic in the yard. The point is that, I'm experienced with catering to the needs and activity level of your companion. I'm very patient.
Services
Gretchen can watch in your home
Availability
I'm presently available for a variety of days and times, though I am not available for mornings. I am in the process of looking for my next full-time job in clinical research, and when I secure such a full-time job I am not sure what my availability will look like. As a result, I am not able to commit to any appointments that require being scheduled too far in advance. (unless I know that any future job I might take would not interfere with your needs)
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About Gretchen S.
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I definitely spoke to my attitude regarding safety above, so I will say that the care for your companion will rely entirely on...... your companion!! All I can say with certainty is that, unfortunately, if you are looking for a running-hooman for your doggo buddy, I am not your gal!. :-) I will *run* only in emergencies. (and I do everything in my power to make sure there will not *be* any emergencies) Other than that, what caring for your friend looks like will and can vary greatly.
Information Gretchen S. would like to know about your pet
I'd like to know as much as you can/want to tell me about your dog: their quirks, their good and bad behaviors. I'm not here to judge your dog......I'm here to work WITH you and your dog..... I used to be an Applied Behavior Analyst w/ special needs children and am quite adept at dealing w/ dogs with behavior issues b/c my behavior modification training transferred nicely into raising a well-behaved dog....and it means I am prepared to react in the moment to keep your pup safe. :) ( I know.....I talk about safety a lot....but that's b/c it's very important to me!)
A typical day
Hmmmm....well, if you're comfortable with it AND your doggo is comfortable with it, I'd be more than happy to be your buddy's Field Trip Friend ... sights and sounds and smells are important to every dog at every stage of life. When my canine soulmate got to be a certain age, and his mobility was affected by oncoming degenerative myelopathy (DM), we had to alter out outdoor time. At first that just involved *slowing down*, and making out time outside be ALL about his desires to see and smell and explore. That progressed into my purchasing a large wagon to pull him around in, so that he could still go beyond our yard and save his strength. (I still have the wagon and am happy to use it for your buddy if it's needed) At the end, Duke needed a half-cart wheelchair, and we still went outside every day to have a lay-down picnic in the yard. The point is that, I'm experienced with catering to the needs and activity level of your companion. I'm very patient.
Location
St. Louis, MO
Pets
Gretchen S.
Saint Louis Hills, MO