I learned how to care for dogs from a young age. When I was 8, my family adopted a yellow lab, and ever since then, I've had a strong love for dogs. It was a big responsibility and a privilege to have a dog while growing up and seeing how to properly take care of her. Sadly, she passed when I was 16. During the pandemic, my mom adopted another puppy, and I had the opportunity to help train him at the puppy stage and relearn what that looks like. He's a black lab mix, now 4 years old. While I was getting my master's degree in 2022, I lived with six animals: a golden retriever, malinois, toy poodle, two pugs, and a calico cat. I was often asked to take care of them, occasionally for long periods of time, which also aided in my knowledge. This experience also gave me insight into caring for cats, especially since I had never been around one before.