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Lauren D.

Ventura, CA

5.0 out of 5 stars
•422 reviews
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It was me... I let the dogs out.

Pet care experience

Hi there! My name is Lauren, but you can call me Lo. I’ve worked with dogs for 12 years and counting! My journey started in 2011 working with dogs at a boarding kennel where I started with basic maintenance of the facility and playing with dogs. For about 7 of my 12 years, I worked at 4 different boarding facilities and 2 of them were also veterinary hospitals. During my time in the animal hospitals, I was able to obtain skills in medication administration, observing health concerns, and more. However, my heart was heavy in times of grief for pet owners and so I decided wanted to move away from the medical side of things and learn more about behavioral aspects of animals! In my final 3 years of working for someone else, I worked as a lead dog handler at a social doggy daycare. This is where I gained skills with how to properly handle dogs of all different breeds, temperaments, and being proactive in keeping all the dogs safe as they play together. It was my instinctive priority to keep the dogs safe during their play at daycare and I will continue this instinct with all dogs in my care. The last 3 years I have been self employed with Rover doing overnight stays in owners homes, dog walks, and check-ins. I am happy to take your dog to the local dog park for play or even pick them up/drop them off at their daycare. If you've read this far and you have more than 1 dog, I will adjust overnight rates since the charge is per dog per night. About this sitter I’ve always had a family dog from as far back as I can remember. My most recent pet was a beagle, he lived a great 15 years of life and taught me how to handle a stubborn hound. He sadly passed in 2019, but was a huge reason I began working with dogs. You can see him in my profile picture(: I do not currently live with any of my own pets, which is why I love being around dogs or cats as much as I can. I love dogs any size and actually have a soft spot for pit bulls. When I pet sit, I prefer to stay in your home because I feel it's more comfortable for the pet. I also hope to bring owners peace of mind that their home is being watched over in their absence. I always respect rules given per the owner regarding the home and daily routines. I do this full time as well as another work from home job so your pet(s) will get a lot of attention. I essentially "move in" while I pet sit. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure your pet's spirit remains uplifted while the family is gone. I happily send updates with photos and videos daily. Why I love dog sitting I love to spend as much time with dogs as possible. I truly believe they have a unique skill of bringing instant happiness into anyone’s life! After working a short time in retail, I knew working with dogs would be my niche. It’s been such a natural feeling part of my life to care for dogs and to make a four legged friend makes me so happy. My experience administering medication I can administer oral, inject able, or topical medications. No worries, I have experience with doggies that don't like their medications and have strategies to get the medications administered. I work with pets full time. I usually have dog walks throughout the days during the week. If I am pet sitting, I always make sure to drop in on my busier dog walking days. When it comes to safety on walks, I usually will avoid interactions with other dogs and keep a special eye out for neighborhood kitties in order to prevent any reactivity. I will ensure the temperature is not too hot outside for your pet and will try and stay in the shade on walks, if it is unavoidable, I will only walk your dog until they relieve themselves and will play with them in your home/yard for the remainder of the time. While I am pet sitting, I will not leave small bones or toys out while I am gone.

Reviews

Lauren M.
House Sitting • Mar 12, 2024
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We selected Lauren to pet sit out two dogs and cat for a long weekend because of all her fabulous reviews. But I’m wondering if these pet parents had indoor cameras? We have an indoor and outdoor camera, which Lauren was made aware of in our meeting. We had not planned on checking the cameras, but checked them on them once in the beginning, and we were horrified to hear her cursing at our pup. As it turns out, she spent the majority of four days verbally abusing our two dogs. It made us sick, and we spent most of the vacation just wanting to be home. In addition, she did not arrive on time, or leave at the scheduled time, did not pick up the dog poop, and spent the majority of her time out of the house. While Lauren sent us lovely texts and pictures, what we saw on the cameras contradicted those texts. Just be wary of this one! She seems to be doing it for the money, not because she’s a pet lover.

Sheri B.
Dog Walking • Mar 03, 2024
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Lauren is so great with my Sammy. She gives informative reviews and helps out where she can. Thanks for taking good care of my Sammy, Lauren!

Mary G.
Dog Walking • Mar 02, 2024
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Reliable! Sent pictures everyday as they were out walking. I felt very comfortable with her walking my dog for me!

Ryan W.
Drop-In Visits • Feb 04, 2024
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Lauren was awesome taking care of both our kitty and our home. We couldn't recommend her strong enough.

About Lauren D.

Communication

95 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
100% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

12 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

I only care for pets in owners home. I do my best not to leave pets for more than 4 hours at a time without a check-in. Because I do this full time, I have walks throughout the day, but I make time for my overnight pets around my scheduled walks for the day.

Information Lauren D. would like to know about your pet

I do not have any breed preference. I love all dogs, teacup to giant. I would normally ask the owner at a pre visit what the dogs "pet-peeves" are (example food aggressive, dog aggressive, or possessive of items) these are just so no unexpected emergencies occur and I can keep the pet as happy as if the family was home. I also ask that the owner leave a daily routine list.

A typical day

If your dog has toys to play with I’m happy to play fetch (or chase) and even tug-o-war. I can provide balls to throw, but if your dog is on the more relaxed side, that’s perfectly fine by me. I have also done arts & crafts involving peanut butter and paint, lots of photo shoots, and will take them to a dog park near you if that's something you are comfortable with. Your dog's sleeping arrangement Wherever the dog is comfortable is where they can sleep. If the owner has a preference on not allowing dogs up on beds or couches, I will happily continue that discipline so no house rules are broken. Time I'll spend with your dog If I’m doing an overnight stay, I will spend at least 12 hours a day with your dog. In that time, I’ll be sure to do proper feedings, meds if needed, and play/cuddle time. **Please note that on the last day of a stay if a pet needs care past noon, a drop-in fee will be applied!**

Services

House Sitting
in your home
AWAY
Drop-In Visits
visits in your home
AWAY
Dog Walking
in your neighborhood
AWAY

Lauren can watch in your home

Cats
0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs

Availability

I do this full time. I do my best to take on new clients where I can, but last minute bookings and new clients for overnights are not always guaranteed.

About Lauren D.

Communication

95 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
100% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

12 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

I only care for pets in owners home. I do my best not to leave pets for more than 4 hours at a time without a check-in. Because I do this full time, I have walks throughout the day, but I make time for my overnight pets around my scheduled walks for the day.

Information Lauren D. would like to know about your pet

I do not have any breed preference. I love all dogs, teacup to giant. I would normally ask the owner at a pre visit what the dogs "pet-peeves" are (example food aggressive, dog aggressive, or possessive of items) these are just so no unexpected emergencies occur and I can keep the pet as happy as if the family was home. I also ask that the owner leave a daily routine list.

A typical day

If your dog has toys to play with I’m happy to play fetch (or chase) and even tug-o-war. I can provide balls to throw, but if your dog is on the more relaxed side, that’s perfectly fine by me. I have also done arts & crafts involving peanut butter and paint, lots of photo shoots, and will take them to a dog park near you if that's something you are comfortable with. Your dog's sleeping arrangement Wherever the dog is comfortable is where they can sleep. If the owner has a preference on not allowing dogs up on beds or couches, I will happily continue that discipline so no house rules are broken. Time I'll spend with your dog If I’m doing an overnight stay, I will spend at least 12 hours a day with your dog. In that time, I’ll be sure to do proper feedings, meds if needed, and play/cuddle time. **Please note that on the last day of a stay if a pet needs care past noon, a drop-in fee will be applied!**

Location

Ventura, CA

Lauren D.'s Neighborhood
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Lauren D.

Ventura, CA

5.0 out of 5 stars
•422 reviews