Note: I have temporarily set my profile to Away as I am fostering two dogs who need my full attention. I will be available as soon as they are settled and adopted. Thanks -- Lynda Hi there, I’m Lynda and I can’t wait to be your dog’s next best friend. I was inspired to become a pet sitter by a close friend who was a professional dog sitter, and I just thought that it sounded like such a wonderful profession! However, I really didn't know how to get started so I never really got off the ground with my own career in sitting. Although just recently, we had to hire a pet sitter so we could go on a trip (since we can't rely on our kids any more!) and it got me thinking about it again about giving it a try! I’ve been a lifelong dog lover, so sitting was a natural decision for me. I love the joy and enthusiasm they show in the simplest pleasure, such as a walk along a wooded trail, a swim in a creek, a ride in the car, or when I come home from a one hour trip to the store. Dogs just fill me with happiness! I typically always like to schedule a meet-and-greet when taking on new clients. Firstly, it’s a great opportunity for us to make sure that we’re a good fit for one another, but it also provides us with the opportunity to chat about expectations for the stay. During the meet, I will follow cues given to me by both you and your pup. My own larger dogs don't trust someone at my doorstep right away, so I like to have the owner there alongside to show that I’m a friendly presence. If the owner is OK with treats, I might keep a small treat in my pocket to help us become fast friends. The owner and I can also try taking a walk around the neighborhood together with their pup before I came into their home. When it comes to breed preferences, I’m happy to take on pups of all kinds, but larger dogs can be a bit of a more complicated answer. I have larger dogs of my own and have lots of experience taking care of big pups, but the key aspect to those dogs is that they have had a very sweet and respectful demeanor. Since I don’t have the physical strength to reign in very large dogs, we’ll have to make sure that if your pooch is big and strong, they are also respectful of commands and won’t resist me. During a stay, however, I am completely committed to providing excellent service to both you and your pooch! Excellent customer service involves detailed communication and listening, being considerate, reliable, trustworthy, respectful and compassionate. It involves putting myself in the place of the customer and the animal being cared for and always treating your pup as if they were my own. I like to ask tons of questions ahead of time so I can plan around for every contingency possible. It also lets me get into your pup’s head a little bit and figure out how I can make their time with me a dream come true! I’m all ears for hearing what makes your pup tick, whether that be extra belly rubs, another mile during our walk, or cuddling up on the couch for some nice R&R together. I know that every client (canine and human!) is totally unique, so I’ll always tailor every stay around the individual needs.