Karen A.
Fort Green, NY
Friendly Dog Lover near BK Museum
Pet care experience
I'm Karen, and I'm both a dog lover and a cat lover in Prospect Heights. I absolutely love playing with, snuggling and communicating with dogs and I'm excited to meet your pup. I'm also just a few blocks from Crown Heights Animal Hospital should anything happen to your little (or big) one and also have the Blue Pearl number saved in my phone (my cat gets care there). I have a tiny cat of my own who can sometimes get mildly spicy around his food but is mostly chill, so please take into consideration if your dog chomps at cats. That being said, I share custody of him with his other parent and there are plenty of times when my home is cat-free, so it's always worth a message if you're unsure. About this sitter: Being a dog lover my entire life, I love to play with and nurture our cute little friends. A Brooklyn native who lives right by Mount Prospect Park (and many other parks), I'm excited to walk your pup around the dog-friendly neighborhood and play with them in the park. As you can probably tell from my wordy profile, I'm pretty chatty and happy to give updates frequently. Why I love dog sitting I've loved dogs for as long as I can remember. I can remember stopping to pet every dog and begging my parents for a dog as a child. When my family adopted our west highland terrier, she and I instantly bonded; she slept in my bed with me every night. As an adult I don't have a dog of my own, but I often have to fight the urge to pet every dog I pass (and often fail to fight it). I fill the dog shaped hole in my life by dog sitting. I adore petting and cuddles so your pup is going to get plenty. About my yard Although I have no yard of my own, I live down the block from Mount Prospect Park, a de-facto dog park where many dogs go off leash. While I would never bring a dog without confirmation from their parent, if off leash is an option for your dog, let me know! I'll bring my tennis ball launcher. My experience administering medication I give a cat pills twice a day so I have experience with getting it in there and down the hatch (and confirming it has not been spit out, sneaky furballs!) and I sit a neighbors' dog with allergies so I'm comfortable providing topical treatments to itchy dogs. As long as I have the information, I'm happy to give your dog the care they need.
Reviews
Karen was fantastic with Arlo! Patient, responsive on text, and even willing to train him a bit as he attempted to chase squirrels. Really appreciate the care and attention Karen has showed and given Arlo! Arlo also is a fan! Thanks Karen!!
Karen was absolutely amazing with Bear!! I received lots of photos and wonder notes. It was very clear that Bear was being not only cared for but truly loved on during the stay.
Thank you so much, Karen!!! Karen took wonderful care of my precious pup and made it easy and stress free to travel knowing my girl was in good hands. Will be using again!!
The BEST dog sitter! Kaz was so great with our pup. Our dog can be a bit shy and nervous, especially around new people, but he took to Kaz quickly and was so happy in their home. During his stay, our pup received a lot of love, attention, and play time. Kaz cared for our dog like he was their own. We received great photos and updates while we were traveling, which made us so happy! We will be booking another sitting with Kaz for upcoming travels and highly recommend them for taking care of your pet while you're away. :)
About Karen A.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
We can discuss off-leash possibilities, I will always do what you recommend is safest for your dog. I appreciate a heads up on any protectiveness or growling for if kids want to pet or other dogs walk up on-leash, but I can handle surprises if it happens. If your dog likes crating or wears foot protection, I'm comfortable with that as well. I do let pets on furniture by default so let me know if you don't want yours getting comfortable with that. I don't have roommates, but I do have guests and my settings allow more than one booking at a time so let me know if I should avoid those during your pet's stay.
Home
Information Karen A. would like to know about your pet
Number one if my cat is in my home: Does your dog get along with cats? If you don't know and we've made arrangements that's fine, but if you know in advance that your dog wants to play with cats like chew toys or they make contact if they snap, please find another sitter. I can always keep the fuzzies separate if we learn this about your dog during their stay, but it might limit both of their ability to move through my apartment. If your dog takes medication and particularly if they receive injections, please give me detailed instructions which include tips and tricks for what your dog finds comforting before, during, and after the process. I don't want to make administering meds any harder for them than it needs to be or train them to hate med time. Also give me a heads up if you know I'll need protective layers on my sofa and my bed, or if I can't leave food briefly unattended on tables or counters.
A typical day
Here's where we'll take our walks I'm surrounded by parks. I can take your dog to Dr. Ronald McNair park, walks along the Botanic Garden's border, Mount Prospect Park, Prospect Park, around Grand Army Plaza. I don't know if they actually care, but I like to bring dogs on different walks each day so that they can smell all the new smells. If your dog needs to run, let me know. I can run with them (on temperate days) or do some off-lease tennis ball flinging (if that's an option for them). I schedule walk 3x per day: when I wake up, midday, and before bed, and pay attention to if they ask to go out in between. Your dog's sleeping arrangement Your dog is welcome to sleep in the bed with me. Otherwise I have a pet bed that most dogs immediately figure out is for them, or you can bring theirs. It's really the dog's (or owner's) preference. Time I'll spend with your dog I mostly work at home or in dog-friendly environments. I'm a snuggly person so your dog will get lots of attention and loving. I go out some evenings/weekends, but I'm not a hard partier, so I'm usually home again in a few hours.
Services
Karen can host
Availability
I'm a grad student so I mostly work/write at home (or at a cafe, weather permitting) or am out briefly when giving in-person classes or socializing in the evening. I have some friends I co-work with at the Google office in the city occasionally which is dog friendly if they are comfy with travel (I have a Burley Bee bike trailer that is child-safe certified with UV and rain protection if they'd prefer that to the subway), but that's just a fun bonus if the dogs are into it. Let me know your dog's usual walking schedule and I'll do my best to match it (though I do have the standard grad student sleep preferences so also let me know if your dog is down to sleep in).
About Karen A.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
We can discuss off-leash possibilities, I will always do what you recommend is safest for your dog. I appreciate a heads up on any protectiveness or growling for if kids want to pet or other dogs walk up on-leash, but I can handle surprises if it happens. If your dog likes crating or wears foot protection, I'm comfortable with that as well. I do let pets on furniture by default so let me know if you don't want yours getting comfortable with that. I don't have roommates, but I do have guests and my settings allow more than one booking at a time so let me know if I should avoid those during your pet's stay.
Home
Information Karen A. would like to know about your pet
Number one if my cat is in my home: Does your dog get along with cats? If you don't know and we've made arrangements that's fine, but if you know in advance that your dog wants to play with cats like chew toys or they make contact if they snap, please find another sitter. I can always keep the fuzzies separate if we learn this about your dog during their stay, but it might limit both of their ability to move through my apartment. If your dog takes medication and particularly if they receive injections, please give me detailed instructions which include tips and tricks for what your dog finds comforting before, during, and after the process. I don't want to make administering meds any harder for them than it needs to be or train them to hate med time. Also give me a heads up if you know I'll need protective layers on my sofa and my bed, or if I can't leave food briefly unattended on tables or counters.
A typical day
Here's where we'll take our walks I'm surrounded by parks. I can take your dog to Dr. Ronald McNair park, walks along the Botanic Garden's border, Mount Prospect Park, Prospect Park, around Grand Army Plaza. I don't know if they actually care, but I like to bring dogs on different walks each day so that they can smell all the new smells. If your dog needs to run, let me know. I can run with them (on temperate days) or do some off-lease tennis ball flinging (if that's an option for them). I schedule walk 3x per day: when I wake up, midday, and before bed, and pay attention to if they ask to go out in between. Your dog's sleeping arrangement Your dog is welcome to sleep in the bed with me. Otherwise I have a pet bed that most dogs immediately figure out is for them, or you can bring theirs. It's really the dog's (or owner's) preference. Time I'll spend with your dog I mostly work at home or in dog-friendly environments. I'm a snuggly person so your dog will get lots of attention and loving. I go out some evenings/weekends, but I'm not a hard partier, so I'm usually home again in a few hours.
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Karen A.
Fort Green, NY