Hello, My name is Jared M. and I am a senior at Northwestern University. Currently, I reside near the corner of Maple and Simpson in Evanston. Since I was nine years old, dogs have been a constant and integral presence in my life. That was the year my family adopted Gretzky, our yellow lab, and we became inseparable. From a young age, I always reveled in getting to walk him, feed him and spend time with him. When I was at camp, he slept in my room; when he went away for training, I counted the seconds until he was home. Over time, I gained a lot of experience in caring for a dog at every stage of its life. This past summer, I interned at the San Francisco SPCA, and volunteered at their shelter. This broadened my experience in caring for dogs beyond just ones I was familiar and comfortable with. Moreover, I learned a lot about dog nutrition, veterinary clinics, and best practices for activities such as walking or teaching tricks. Lastly, I remember how stressful it was having to leave Gretzky when we would go on vacation or to hockey tournaments; I understand the frame of mind associated with a nervous dog owner. Therefore, I will do whatever I can to put you and your pet at ease and make your time away as anxiety free as possible!