Irene Z.
Durham, NC
Dog Paradise with a Fenced in Yard!
Pet care experience
****IMPORTANT UPDATE- Please Read!!**** I began graduate school on August 7th, 2023! We appreciate your patience while we figure out the best balance of boardings, dog walks, and classes for this semester. At the moment, I am unavailable for walks or drop in visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We will do all that we can to accommodate boarding requests, with our most ideal days being Thursdays-Mondays (as my partner Katie works from home at the end of the week). I am very excited to start this new chapter of my life, and hope to still keep up with petsitting throughout my studies. Again, we appreciate all that are willing to work with us as we navigate this big life change!! ****END OF UPDATE**** I've taken care of dogs of all types for as long as I can remember! I've lived with small and large dogs alike. For the past five years, I have volunteered as a part of the service dog organization Eyes Ears Nose and Paws in Chapel Hill NC, as a dog trainer and puppy raiser. I have experience with young puppies (teaching basic commands and obedience), and older dogs who are working towards placement. I have also been a volunteer at the Orange County Animal Shelter as a dog walker and puppy socializer. I have experience with administering oral, topical and injected medications, particularly insulin for diabetic cats. I have extensive experience with dogs of all ages, higher energy dogs, as well as dogs with reactivity issues. I love all kinds of dogs, and make sure that each dog I work with is taken care of physically, mentally and emotionally!
Reviews
Kind, confident, great communicator, reliable, and highly capable of handling any kind of doggo situation! I never worry about my dog when he is staying with Irene.
Irene is the best! We can always trust that she is taking the best care of our girl. Highly recommend!
Irene goes above and beyond for our girls! She is extra communicative, sends lots of great pictures, and takes great care of our home. I will gladly book with Irene again!
Always sent me pictures and very attentive to Beau! Will book again ❤️
About Irene Z.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
We have a home with a HUGE fully fenced backyard!! In addition, there are two state parks within 20 minutes of where I live that I often take my dogs to (Eno River and Umstead State Park). I commute from Durham to Chapel Hill almost every day, and know many great greenways and hikes around the triangle. I currently have one dog: a labrador retriever named Thumper! She is outrageously friendly and sweet with other dogs. In addition, my partner works from home frequently, and she is a dog lover extraordinaire! When I stay at your home, your pet will have a five star experience: playing, snuggling, going for a walk, whatever they want to do while I’m there! I am diligent about setting up a meet and greet before a house sitting service, to make sure I understand your pups routine, and that we are a good match. I always leave homes that I care for spotless, like I wasn’t even there! You’ll come home to a neat home and a happy, tired pet.
Home
Information Irene Z. would like to know about your pet
I have no breed preferences, but I would love to meet with the client and the dog before you hire me! I would like to see how your pup interacts with myself, you, and the environment so I get a sense of what walking/ sitting will be like when their owner isn't around! We do have a cat, and unfortunately cannot take a pet for boarding with a known history of not doing well with cats. Additionally, with my partner now heading back into the office part time and myself out of the house on walks for some of each day, we most likely cannot take a dog with separation anxiety. However, feel free to reach out and we may be able to work something out!
A typical day
As mentioned before, we have a plethora of yards, dog parks, trails, and greenways for your pups to explore with me! I LOVE to spoil dogs, and you can often find me in the drive thru line of Starbucks getting a pupachino! I also often take my dogs to dog friendly places such as breweries and Lowes. However, I cater to every dog! If your dog is more of a stay at home pup, we have plenty of treats and people to snuggle them.
Services
Irene can host
Irene can watch in your home
Availability
In addition to beginning graduate school, I currently work as needed at the hospital as a CNA! I work night shifts 1-3 times a week for 8 hours a shift. My schedule is extremely adaptable, and I can easily move my shifts to provide optimum care for your pets! I am quite flexible and able to work with clients early in the morning, late at night, and anywhere else in between. My schedule can be hectic at times, but I always try to make it work. Please reach out to me and we will figure out times that work best! My partner Katie is an integral part of my pet care experience. She works a 9-5 with frequent working from home opportunities. Since we work opposite schedules, there is someone home to watch your fur baby for most of the day! I do have client walks almost every day, so we do occasionally leave the dogs by themselves (we have crates but are also fine with having a dog roam free if that's what they're used to!) Please understand that Katie and I are very busy with our jobs, training, and other client’s pet care needs. Sometimes my schedule on this app isn’t fully correct, and I very much appreciate your understanding and adaptability!
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About Irene Z.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
We have a home with a HUGE fully fenced backyard!! In addition, there are two state parks within 20 minutes of where I live that I often take my dogs to (Eno River and Umstead State Park). I commute from Durham to Chapel Hill almost every day, and know many great greenways and hikes around the triangle. I currently have one dog: a labrador retriever named Thumper! She is outrageously friendly and sweet with other dogs. In addition, my partner works from home frequently, and she is a dog lover extraordinaire! When I stay at your home, your pet will have a five star experience: playing, snuggling, going for a walk, whatever they want to do while I’m there! I am diligent about setting up a meet and greet before a house sitting service, to make sure I understand your pups routine, and that we are a good match. I always leave homes that I care for spotless, like I wasn’t even there! You’ll come home to a neat home and a happy, tired pet.
Home
Information Irene Z. would like to know about your pet
I have no breed preferences, but I would love to meet with the client and the dog before you hire me! I would like to see how your pup interacts with myself, you, and the environment so I get a sense of what walking/ sitting will be like when their owner isn't around! We do have a cat, and unfortunately cannot take a pet for boarding with a known history of not doing well with cats. Additionally, with my partner now heading back into the office part time and myself out of the house on walks for some of each day, we most likely cannot take a dog with separation anxiety. However, feel free to reach out and we may be able to work something out!
A typical day
As mentioned before, we have a plethora of yards, dog parks, trails, and greenways for your pups to explore with me! I LOVE to spoil dogs, and you can often find me in the drive thru line of Starbucks getting a pupachino! I also often take my dogs to dog friendly places such as breweries and Lowes. However, I cater to every dog! If your dog is more of a stay at home pup, we have plenty of treats and people to snuggle them.
Location
Durham, NC
Pets
Irene Z.
Durham, NC