ABOUT ME I am a young professional who grew up in the Northern Virginia area before going to school at Old Dominion University where I earned a Bachelor in Professional Writing & Document Design, a Bachelor in Public Relations & Corporate Communication, and a Masters in Public Administration. I work in marketing and love the flexibility it affords me. My boyfriend also plays an active role in caring for your pets so he may even be the one to meet you for drop offs and pick ups. ————— ABOUT MY HOME I live in a very pet-friendly, quiet neighborhood without a lot of traffic. I own my home and rent out some rooms to very pet-friendly people who are often an excellent source of extra attention. The dogs stay in my very large basement with around 1000 sq ft of space with qa nonslip epoxy coating that offers walk out access to the back yard with just one step which is a luxury many of my senior pup clients can enjoy. I have a fully fenced yard with a 5 foot privacy fence and have an amazing outdoor space under the screened in porch that is essentially an extension of my living space complete with fans for the summer and heaters for the winter so I'm outside ALL THE TIME. (For this reason it's best to text me when you're here cause I can't always hear the doorbell). My cats are like dog cats and very friendly. I've had them since they were kittens so they're VERY used to being around a ton of other dogs and are pretty fearless. They might swat if they get scared but it’s generally pretty rare and only with dogs that really don’t know boundaries. As a courtesy to my neighbors, please park in the driveway. When you get here, PLEASE TEXT ME as our normal doorbell is very faint and I can't always hear it well. There's a slight delay on it so it may take me a few minutes to hear it and get to the door but I will definitely hear it and be there shortly! ————— ABOUT MY SERVICES I'm around all the time as I currently work from home and only have to go into the office about once a week or so. Any time anyone even LOOKS at the door I let them out to potty or play. Please note, Rover provides your quote from a sitter's base fee but does not account for all pay structures and final quotes are subject to change slightly. While I do my best to stick to this quote as closely as possible, I do charge by day rather than night as I found there to be some abuse with people dropping off really early and not picking up until really late. Rover has recently added an 'extended stay' feature that seems to accommodate this but please try to be as accurate as possible when you add those times to Rover. I'm generally okay coordinating these times the day of (and almost prefer it) but please make sure to update it in Rover if it changes from what you originally listed (unless it's to accommodate my schedule) and keep in mind that huge changes to those times are subject to additional fees. More often than not, no time is too late to drop off or pick up. I try to be as flexible as possible and don't place limitations around drop off and pick up periods but I'm definitely a night owl. While I WILL try to accommodate your schedule, I strongly prefer not to have early morning pick ups or drop offs. This also allows me to ensure that I can be around when new dogs are introduced to each other and don't risk being late to a work meeting or something. (While I am flexible and there is a range for you to choose from, please do be respectful of my time and inform me of any delays in arrival in as soon as possible. I'm not worried about you being late, but if it's going to be in excess of 15 minutes please let me know so that I can plan my time accordingly. Thank you in advance!) WHAT TO BRING New to Rover? Here's all you need to bring when you drop your pup off with me... 1. WRITTEN OVERVIEW - Being that I see so many pups in and out of my home, I rely heavily on notes to keep one pup apart from the next. Assume I remember nothing, even if you book regularly. There's no such thing as too much detail. Include things like: Both owners' full names and contact info, vet contact info, How much and what brand of food they eat, if they're a grazer or chow hound, if they have any allergies, potty schedule and rigidity (how flexible that schedule is), medication instructions, date of last vaccinations and flea/tick treatments, their license tag number and micro chip number if applicable. 2. FOOD - Food should be divided into individual portioned baggies for each meal - labeled where necessary. 3. LEASH/COLLAR - If your pup needs a harness, gentle leader, or choke collar, please include those as well. For safety reasons please make sure your pup is wearing at least a collar in case I need to pull them away from a door or the cats or any number of other safety reasons. 4. MEDICATIONS - I have experience administering all sorts of medication from pills and eye drops to shots, and creams. All you need to do is make sure you have detailed instructions in your notes. 5. BONES - If your dog needs bones to avoid household items from being destroyed, please include this in your overnight bag. Please note that they may not be given if there are any other pups with bone aggression. 6. BARK COLLARS - If you have a dog that struggles with barking to the point they need a bark collar, please bring it as a courtesy to my roommates and neighbors. WHAT NOT TO BRING It is highly preferred that the following items be left at home... 1. PET BEDS - Unless your pup absolutely needs it, beds may be left at home. Otherwise, they should be brought at your own risk as inevitably, beds are the first thing other dogs tinkle on, rip up, or get territorial over. I have pet beds for your pup to use that are machine washable so it's not necessary to bring them. If you do decide to bring them, please make sure they are washed and deodorized prior to your stay. 2. BOWLS - Over the years I've developed quite the collection of bowls that have been forgotten and left behind (including a puzzle bowl for fast eaters) so I use my own bowls. This prevents them from being forgotten, broken, or returned dirty in the event I don't have time to wash before pick up. I also use large gravity water bowls that I have to fill less often. 3. TOYS - I have a whole box of toys at your pups disposal that seems to be forever growing as toys get lost under furniture, taken outside, or otherwise left behind. I'd hate to send your pup home without their emotional support toy. 4. CRATES - I have two very large crates that are available for pups to use at any time and simply don't have room to accommodate additional crates without them being in the way. ————— ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE I am an animal LOVER, as I'm sure most of us on here are! Having a fur baby of my own - who is my WORLD - I know what it's like to want to make sure your pup is being taken care of while you're away. An experienced animal owner and caretaker of nearly 20 years, I am the constant, responsible, reliable sitter you've been looking for. Whatever your or your pet's needs are, I will accommodate them. I even have some helpful tools of the trade including calming and tracking collars, plenty of extra toys, dog beds, and bowls so that you don't have to worry about bringing anything but food and your pup! I take my job very seriously and have only ever had to make an emergency cancellation ONCE in my entire 10+ year history of sitting - and even then made alternate arrangements with a friend on their behalf. I have volunteered with several local rescues and adopted my own pup from the SPCA. Murphy is a very sweet-natured dog who gets along with everyone (but is typically pretty shy and EVERY ONCE in a while the old man in him comes out and he'll give a little growl if he feels bombarded). Friends often fight for who gets to take care of him when I go out of town! He is always up to date on all shots and preventatives.