Formerly a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, now spending my days dog sitting adorable pooches! I am home full time and am a responsible mom, dog owner, dog sitter, and dog lover. My home has lots of space and a large, completely fenced yard. ****Dogs in my care are non dominant, exhibit no aggression ever, have excellent house manners, have calm and easy going personalities, and are not described as anxious or high energy or are breeds that can be aggressive or territorial. *If you think your dog is the perfect fit, please keep reading.* About me: I am certified to raise puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind and I began dog sitting over 12 years ago for friends, neighbors, and through word of mouth referrals. I've been a Rover sitter for over 10 years! I've completed thousands of dogs sits through Rover and have met so many incredible dogs and people. I'm home full time and caring for the dogs is my top priority and focus. *I am a full time dog care provider.* I tend to my guests' every need, walk them twice a day, snuggle them, play with them, fluff their bedding, change their water dishes, and take them to the backyard to play and run around. If I ever need to run out, my husband works from home and will be here to keep the dogs company. Your dog will almost never be left alone! Sometimes once or twice a week, for 2 to 4 hours we leave the dogs alone to go out on a date. Otherwise, one or both of us are with the dogs. (If we do leave, your dog must be ok not to bark or stress out). I send daily updates, photos, and videos so you can feel connected to your beloved pooch and know how they are doing on their vacation with me. Check out my pics of dogs recently in my care on this rover page or on my instagram @ seattledogsitterlife. About my dogs - two of the sweetest labs ever! One black English lab, the other a yellow American lab. We got each at 8 weeks old and each lived til they were 12+. They were our everything and we miss them! See their pics on my photo reel. A day in the life: up around 7:30. Dogs relieve, eat, and rest or quiet play time. Then morning walk, 30 to 40 minutes. Then home to rest, play, nap, chew bones, etc. Dogs relax at my feet while I am on the computer or baking, cooking, etc. Excursions to the backyard as desired throughout the day. Sun on the back deck, roll on the grass, sniff plants, find sticks to chew. Exploration and stimulation, in a very quiet and relaxed setting, always with me close by. Then dinner and another 30 to 40 minute walk, followed by evenings at home. Potty breaks are frequent throughout the day - every hour or couple of hours since we are almost always at home and the dogs can go out as often as they like. Last potty break is around midnight. Constant companionship and 2 walks everyday, rain or shine and plenty of potty breaks and backyard time. (Older dogs, take their walks slower and enjoy more sniffing. Younger dogs get more mileage at a faster pace. Care is personalized for what your dog needs). My experience & training - My husband and I are both HIGHLY experienced with every aspect of dog care, training, safety, and supervision. As volunteer puppy raisers, my husband and I, are trained and certified by Guide Dogs for the Blind. This certification required home visits and in person testing and training. We participated in WEEKLY dog training and handling classes for 5 years, so literally hundreds of dog raising/training/safety classes and workshops. We raised 2 guide dog puppies from 8 weeks old to 16 months for this amazing organization, as well as caring for and helping train numerous other guide puppies for shorter durations. As puppy raisers, we learned how to best interact with dogs, how to keep them safe, how to socialize them, and how to teach them basic skills and desired behaviors through positive reenforcement and consistency. Our dog training and handling skills were constantly being evaluated, critiqued, and held to the highest standards. We are dog experts and know how to keep dogs safe and happy. We don't feed people food to dogs or feed dogs at our table, we have high value freeze dried dog treats to share at appropriate times and dog toys that are durable and safe for dogs. Second home and part of our family - we treat our guest dogs just like we treat our own adored pup, with lots of love and individual attention and like true family members with individual needs and feelings. Your dog's safety and happiness is our top priority - always. I will care for your pups exactly as you request. My time centers around caring for the dogs and making sure they are comfortable, happy, and stimulated with exercise, affection, and individual interaction. In over 12 years of dog sitting I have never canceled a dog sit on anyone, ever. I have clients that leave their dogs with me for long stays of 6+ weeks at a time and other guests that leave their dogs with me for 10 + weeks of travel every year - year after year. A few of my guests have spent over 90 weeks - and counting - in my care over the years. Many clients check my availability before booking their vacations. Some clients have moved away, but still return to Seattle to leave their dogs with me when they travel. My guests are truly extended family members that I love and look forward to seeing every visit! Regarding boarding rates - they are for 24 hours of care. If you need additional time, an additional fee will be charged. Drop offs and pick ups are between 8am and 10pm. If you need to drop off before 8am (or 9am on a weekend), then please book the night before your trip or if you are coming home after 10pm, please book the additional night. If your dog has some special needs or is a younger puppy we can discuss and increase the rate if needed. My calendar - if the dates you are interested in show as unavailable, feel free to double check with me, I may still have space available for a dog that is an excellent fit for us. Why I love dog sitting - I love dogs, I love using the dog skills I spent years developing, and I love providing a service that allows traveling dog parents to have peace of mind while their dog enjoys a fun and safe vacation in our home. My yard - doggy paradise, perfect for both play and relaxation and the dogs have access to it all day, as frequently as they like - under my watchful eye. We are on a rare double lot - 6000 square feet. Our yard is completely fenced - fence height varies - low end is 39" and high end is 6 feet and landscaped. We do not leave dogs unsupervised in the yard, ever. Many of the photos on my profile show the dogs playing, sunning, or running in our backyard - we have grass, paved patio, wood deck, shade areas, sun areas, flowers, trees, shrubs, and lots of places to explore and sniff - all off leash and in a relaxed environment, where they can enjoy nature and truly experience an outdoor vacation that is rare for the urban dog.