I grew up with dogs (and horses and cows and chickens and cats and ducks and fish) and have to continually convince myself that I don't need a dog at this point in my life. (Watching friends' dogs and volunteering at the shelter has really helped to cut down on the number of times that I look at pet finder). So when a friend suggested Rover, it sounded like a fantastic opportunity to get my 'dog fix' and earn a little extra income. I generally watch our friend's golden doodle on Mondays and Fridays. We have a fenced in back yard and an easily gated back deck so that a medium -large sized dog can be in sight but still get to watch the birds at the feeder and the goings on in the back of the nearby buildings and alley way (the deck is on the second story of a duplex). There is a 5 inch gap between the railings so I would be concerned that too small of a dog could squeeze through. I love walking and running and have my favorite paths through the neighborhood and nearby parks. I would love to have a canine partner to go exploring with me.