5.0

My name is Gretchen and I live in Hixson near Greenway Farms with my spaniels. I've been working with animals for most of my life - I have a Bachelor's in Animal Biology and worked in the zoo and animal agriculture industries before transitioning to animal health. After a decade of working at zoological facilities around the country with a variety of species, I "settled down" to work from home in the insurance industry, but I found I missed the joys, challenges, and personal interactions of animal husbandry. I began petsitting through Rover in 2012 and in mid-2021 I launched Zenaida Dogs, a formal petcare business. I am also a Fear Free Certified Petsitter so I am certified in (and focus on) positive, compassionate, and non-aversive animal care techniques. I am experienced in young puppy care and training via Avidog, Control Unleashed and Puppy Culture curricula. I offer both in-home and traveling pet sitting in the Chattanooga area, doggy boarding and daycare in my home, walks and drop-in visits. I work remotely and I am excited to be able to offer 24/7 supervision in home for your pup for boarding or daycare! I also do house sitting but due to needing to care for my own dogs, I cannot offer true 24 hour constant care in your home - but I can spend the night and most hours of the day with your furbabies! Prior to confirming a stay in my home of any length, I do require that all dogs meet, preferably at a neutral location, to make sure everyone gets along. A bit more about my background: I have worked in zoos, farms, sanctuaries, and with rescues all over the country. My dogs and I train in multiple dog sports, show, and hunt together. I am an active national breed club member and I work on the club's Health & Genetics and Rescue Committees, in addition to running a breed blog and breeding occasional litters. I also volunteer with Greyhound Pets of America and Happinest Wildlife Rescue. I am trained in canine first aid and CPR. Also - I am fully vaccinated (for COVID as well as Rabies). My most endearing recommendation won’t be found written in the Reviews section here on Rover. One of my Rover dogs, Murphy, escaped from his house while his owners were home and travelled across town - just to show up happily at my door. A crowd of people who had been trying to catch him was thankful that he had “made it home” and were all amused that I was just his dogsitter! Murphy has unfortunately passed, but I like to think he would heartily recommend me as a petsitter! 😊 I happily provide traveling sitting for pets who need to stay in their own homes, although I do try to stay in the area to the north and east of Chattanooga so that everyone gets plenty of people-time. In my home, dogs are supervised whenever they are together. My own dogs sleep in crates but I don't require this of visiting dogs. My house is on a quiet street backing up to Greenway Farms. I have a half acre that is fully fenced, with the front and back yards fenced separately. I keep visiting dogs separated and inside if I am away, but if everyone is getting along and they are supervised, they have the run of the house and yard together. My experience in zookeeping leads me to approach animal care in a professional way - I want to determine and establish an appropriate routine including basic care, feeding, cleaning, play and enrichment. Dogs boarding or in my home for daycare stay with my dogs as a pack in the house with access to the fenced yard. Animals I watch in their own home are cared for and managed as close to their normal routines as possible.