Having grown up with dogs I've spent the better part of my 30 years caring and playing with these furry friends, whether my own or others, in some capacity. Recently, I have been the resident dog-sitter for multiple friends over the last 5 years upon my move to St. George from Southern California. Most of these dogs have been in the medium to medium/large build (Labs, Golden Retrievers, German/Australian Shepherds, Huskies and Hounds) though I currently also live with a rambunctious Pomeranian. As an active outdoorsman and runner/climber athlete who struggles sitting still inside for very long I've found the numerous dogs I've lived with/dog-sat to be great companions for exploring the parks and trail systems of this area. I consider myself incredibly patient, have worked in wilderness therapy with adolescents for ~2.5 years as well as having volunteered many hours at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary as well as with local rescue shelters. The experience working with these programs has demonstrated how valuable play, focused attention and holding boundaries is to the health and wellness of both people and dogs. I am currently practicing massage as a graduate student, L.M.T. at Z.M.C. and will gladly give your furry friend some hands on love if they'll appreciate it. Availability: I'll be in class from 9 AM - 1 PM Monday through Friday with clinical rotations Wednesday-Friday until 5pm and can be free to check up on your friend(s) within the hour of getting out of class. Clinical hours will also fluctuate as the year progresses so I'll be more then sometimes less available in the mid afternoon hours. I am a trained EMT and feel confident in my ability to identify/act in the face of an emergency but I do not have any formal Canine First Aid training. Feel free to contact me about any specific skills you are curious about.