Hello! My name is Hallie and I am graduate student studying clinical social work and education psychology at UT-Austin! Not only did I grow up with dogs, but I am currently the co-guardian of an incredible rescue pitbull mix who I love to snuggle and take on long walks. As someone who is pursuing a career in clinical mental health, I have a deep appreciation for dogs' (and cats’!) unique personalities and the therapeutic effects of the human-dog/cat bond ☺️. Since all dogs require different boundaries, it is essential to build trust intentionally and incrementally. At the beginning of the Covid pandemic, I worked with a rescue to help foster dogs who faced difficulties finding homes due to aggressive behaviors. With my extra time, I followed training regimens for these three different dogs, maintaining records and updates about their progress for potential adopters. I fostered one particularly sweet, but mouthy, chihuahua dachshund mix for almost a year. He had been re-homed three times due to aggression, and suffered from severe traumas from his past. I worked with him and the rescue to help match him with a home that could meet his unique needs. I currently have a rescue pitbull mix, who has had his own share of challenging behaviors. However, I have collaborated with my partner to provide him with a structured and loving environment, implementing positive reinforcement training techniques to support prosocial behavior.