5.0

I have owned dogs since I was 6 and have been dog-sitting since I was 11. I have worked with so many kinds of dogs: rescues, various breeds, seniors, puppies , huge dogs, tiny dogs, out going dogs, timid dogs, and more. Big dogs: I am very strong and have lots of experience taking care of, and walking strong, well trained and not as well trained dogs. Some of the large breed dog types I have taken care of include: bernese mountain dog, new foundland, german sheppard, pit bull (all large males). Small dogs: I have experience with breeds as small as yorkies, pugs, and chihuahuas. I understand that small dogs tend to have more anxiety and have experience with helping smaller dogs relax and feel secure while his/her family is away! Puppies: I have experience in raising and training puppies. My dog Piper was a puppy when she joined our family, so I have the experience to help raise a puppy. I house trained Piper and have continued house training and other simple manners/command training for families while they are away so that progress is only gained, not lost! Rescue Dogs: All of my dogs have been rescues. Our second dog, Charlie, came to us when he was somewhere between 1-2 years of age after suffering horrific abuse in his previous home. When he arrived in our home he was food aggressive, but otherwise fearful, anxious, depressed, cowering at the subtlest of movements, and only partially house trained. But under all that emotional and behavioral baggage we saw a goofy, cuddly, lovebug who just needed extra love and extra patience to help him feel safe, secure, relaxed, and happy!!! Charlie became no longer food aggressive, fully house trained, and the happy, healthy, lazy hound dog he deserved to be (though he still desperately wanted to be a lap dog...check out my photo gallery). So if you have a dog who is trying to adjust to a new home and/or struggles with anxiety and he/she needs that same unconditional patience and love Charlie needed to reach his full potential, I would love the opportunity to provide that for your canine family member while you are away! "Dangerous"/stigmatized breeds: Many dog owners of stigmatized breeds have told me that they often have trouble finding dog sitters who are comfortable with looking after their dog(s). I have never, and will never, decline a job based on your dog's breed. Not only have i cared for many different so called "dangerous" breeds through Rover &prior, I regularly volunteer at the local SPCA animal shelter and I am comfortable, confident, & have a lot of fun, working/playing/walking with every breed such as/including pitbulls, German shepherds, rottweilers, etc. &many of which are not well trained yet, rowdy & don't entirely understand their own strength (then misinterpreted as aggressive), have prior trauma/are fearful, not to mention residing in a very stressful environment with pent up energy. I specifically focus on walking/playing/spending time with the dogs that don't get out as much because they are too strong (especially on leash), rowdy, intimidating, etc. for a lot of volunteers. I understand that confidence is necessary for most dogs to feel safe & secure, ~especially~ when interacting with someone new. Senior dogs: I have taken care of dogs up to 15 years old. Our first family dog was a large labrador who passed at age 14 and had become mostly deaf and blind. I have the experience and patience to help senior dogs get to where they want to/need to go, up and down steps, outside for the bathroom and then back in, into and out of cars, up to their food/water bowls, to their beds, etc.. If you have younger dogs who sometimes don't always know when to calm down or leave your senior dog alone, I am very attentive to ensure a senior in my care gets the personal space and peace he/she needs to feel happy and relaxed. Special needs dogs: for a week I took care of a large and very very old golden retriever with 3 legs, cancer, and a harness with handles for me to help him get up and give him extra support getting around the yard when he got tired, needing frequent breaks, or support when crouching to do his business with shaky legs. As he was also not eating much, I had to find unique ways to get him interested in his food which I am glad to say I was successful at! In addition, he was increasingly incontinent which necessitated me to frequently clean up unpleasant messes and then get him all washed up and comfortable. Importantly though, is that challenging as it was at times, it was an incredibly rewarding experience to provide that sweet boy all the attention, comfort, love, and patience he could possibly need while his family was away. Needless to say, after this experience I feel I can take on just about anything... I would be more than happy to chat about your dog's needs and determine if I can provide everything you are looking for. Additionally, I am certainly willing to learn & adapt if your pet needs something I do not have prior experience with if you are willing to show me! Medication administration: I have experience administering many types of medication including, rub-in medication, oral medication (pills and liquids), eye drops, ear drops, ointments, and medicated baths. If your pet's form(s) of medication is not on that list, I am certainly willing to learn anything new in order to provide for your pet's unique needs. Not sure if this is necessarily medication but my dog Charlie has a huge fear of storms, but we have worked with him on associating good things with storms instead of bad, but to supplement this we also use a thunder shirt to help him feel secure! So if you need someone who knows how to work a thunder shirt and get productive results from it in the case of a storm or other fear triggers, ooh pick me! Transportation: I have been driving with up to 2 dogs in my car for years now. I do not have room in my car for an assembled crate though, if that is how your pet needs to travel. Number of dogs: for about 3 years my family had 3 dogs at one time, and I have dog-sat for families with up to 4 (very rambunctious) dogs. I am always up for the challenge if you have an even bigger pack.