I’ve had pets my whole life and started helping with their care at age 10. Though the last 12 years have truly deepened my experience and love for animal care. Currently, I share my home with four cats and a German Shepherd/Husky puppy! Over the years, I’ve had the honor of caring for pets with special needs, both my own and those of friends and loved ones. My puppy and I have completed two 6-week training courses with Canine Initiative – and yes, we still practice those skills daily (with varying levels of success depending on how many squirrels we’ve seen that day). One of my most meaningful experiences was caring for my border collie, Nina, after a serious injury. She needed help walking with a harness, regular cleaning, medications, vet visits, and lots of love. After 2.5 months of dedicated care, she was back on her feet, and we were lucky to share two more wonderful years together. I also cared for her through a late-in-life diabetes diagnosis, which included daily insulin and increased mobility support. I’ve administered medications to dogs including insulin, ear drops, and oral meds, and I’m especially mindful about keeping pets calm and comfortable during care routines. I’m always happy to learn your exact process — whether through an in-person tutorial or a video — to keep your dog’s stress to a minimum. I’m open to caring for dogs with medical or physical needs, with the understanding that for mobility support using a harness, I’m most experienced with dogs 45 lbs. or less. That said, I’m absolutely comfortable walking and caring for dogs over 50 lbs. as long as they are well-mannered on a leash. While I may not be the strongest person physically, I’m confident with larger dogs who don’t pull or lunge too much. If your pup is a gentle giant, we’ll get along just fine on walks! My youngest (age 12) and I work great together playing and giving positive attention to dogs. She has attended most of the dog training classes with me and shown an interest in attending more. If you would prefer myself only, I completely understand! Should your animal need urgent care and I am able to take them to the vet, we are very familiar and close with Morton Animal Hospital and Banfield Pet Hospital. I cannot recommend them enough! If more assistance is needed than the general care/dog walking, I will adjust the rate and will be happy to discuss this with you. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions!