My family has always had dogs as I was growing up, and about 6 years ago I adopted my own--she just turned 7 this year. She is a husky-german shepherd mix, and still we are always looking for new trails to run on and lakes to swim in. I fostered dogs for a couple of years right after college before life got busy. It was terrific for socializing my dog and helping others to have good experiences and find homes. In 2014 I decided to take a break from that and Naila and I went hiking on the Appalachian Trail--best hiking companion ever. I'm fully qualified in grooming, tick removal, cuddles, oral and ear medication administration, and dog park attendance. She is trained off-leash as well so we get the most out of our time in the woods. I relish my time spent walking outside with my dog--it's my second favorite activity to do (besides playing soccer--which my dog is quite adept at too). Generally after work my preferred afternoon/evening is spent walking around the woods for several hours so she can get her energy spent and have a good rest that night. She loves having playmates to run around with and dogs can always provide each other with more stimulation and exercise than we can provide them, so we're always looking for buddies to play chase and wrestle with! Side note: I'm currently about 4 months into my recovery from a multi-ligament reconstruction in my left knee. At this point I can't run and bike like I used to, so perhaps a dog that needs a human running buddy may be out of my dog-sitting scope presently. But, as my title indicates, my dog is my family and aside from working to pay the bills I live for her. I guarantee your dog will be more than satisfied with the attention, playtime, and Vitamin D they get with me!