Hello! My name is MaryAnn, and I am a RoveGO Sitter who lives close to Dearborn Park in Northridge, CA. I am a former teacher with LAUSD, and upon leaving the profession, I switched from kids to dogs :) While still teaching in my 20's and 30's, I volunteered at the Agoura Hills Animal Shelter, walking, grooming, and facilitating in the adoptive process. When my own children were school-aged, I puppy-raised/obedience trained 2 dogs for Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar. I have been a dog sitter for 10 years and have extensive knowledge, experience, and understanding of most canine breeds. I used to volunteer at Best Friends Animal Society in Mission Hills as well for almost 6 years and participated in dog playgroups, walking/potty breaks, photo assists, Pup My Ride, and have basic classroom training with shy dogs and dogs who have difficult and non-adaptive behaviors. I used to be home full time and was known to take on more than 6 dogs at a time, but work online as a Technical Sourcer/Recruiter about 25 hours a week; so many of my clients appreciate that I generally take just one family's dog at a time. My fees for each overnight stay for up to 24 hours: $50 for a small dog up to 44 lbs. $50 for a dog 45-94 lbs. $50 for a dog over 95 lbs. If you book me for a long stay (over 2 weeks), I will work with you to give you a discounted rate, as I know it can be very costly! I am also one of the pet sitters who has undergone advanced RoveGO screening that culminated in a face-to-face in-home interview with a home inspection. I look forward to meeting you and having your pup stay with me as my guest. About this sitter: When you and your canine companion come over for a pre-visit, the main member of my furry family to greet you at the door will be my sweet 12-year-old Standard Poodle Dash. My beautiful Labrador, Junior, crossed the rainbow bridge in October 2018 at the age of 15 and my adorable Labradoodle Merle quickly followed almost a year later at the age of 16. Dash will be excited to meet his new furry playmate though! Dash will happily welcome your dog into our home with open paws, making him an honorary member of our furry family and his loyal doggy pack. By the end of the first day of your dog's doggy vacation, he will have learned the secret shake as well as which couch cushions are comfiest for sprawling out for a long afternoon nap. I have 2 children who have recently flown the coop. My 24-year-old son works as a Software Engineer in Virginia, and my 23-year-old daughter is currently working remotely at Price Waterhouse. I will be moving on June 3, 2021, so if you catch me before, I would love to watch your furry companion. Moving forward, I am adding a new and additional service to housesit/dogsit in your home after my move-out date of June 3, 2021, if within the range of 30 miles (could be discussed). I charge $95 dollars for a 24 hour period. I will bring my laptop to be a "digital nomad" with your dogs at my feet. The only caveat would be that your dog or dogs would be okay with my dog Dash coming along. We would most assuredly have a meet-up before you book with me. Dash is like a service dog as he sits by my feet all day and night, does not shed, and sleeps most of the day. All of this could be discussed on a phone call and visit. Anyway, I hope to hear from you soon! Why I love dog sitting I have been a dog/pet lover since I was a child. At a young age, my brother was diagnosed with allergies to all animals with fur, and instead of finding different homes for my beloved pets, I would have happily had him relocate!! Of course, I grew out of that sentiment, but never grew out of my love for all things furry! In my 20's, when I was still teaching elementary school, I volunteered for the Agoura Hills Animal Shelter. Upon leaving the teaching profession, I puppy-raised two dogs for Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar. I started dog-sitting through Sleepover Rover in May of 2011. I currently volunteer at Best Friends Animal Society in Mission Hills and participate in dog playgroups, dog walking, assisting in the photo department, and have taken many classes and seminars addressing the behaviors of shy dogs, and how to deal with dogs with difficult and non-adoptable behaviors. I used to be a member of The Pet Professional Guild Association, but let the fee lapse for a while as I used to work outside of the home. I was enrolled in a dog training school to learn more about dogs and how to train them with positive associations, but due to some life changes, I had to return to work outside of the home, although after COVID, I now work remotely. I used to have two furry family members: a black Labrador named Junior and a chocolate Labradoodle named Merle. Unfortunately, my beloved Junior passed in October of 2018, so Merle followed a year later. Dash is now the primary member of the dog pack. Dash is very friendly and will welcome your pooch into his loyal doggy pack with open paws. Meet my pets I have 1 dog whom I adopted at the age of 10. Dash is kind and follows me everywhere. He sleeps mostly, but has a good appetite, loves his daily walk, and enjoys other dogs' company. Please go to the portion of my website that shows photos of my dogs (past and present) and describes their personality :) About my yard I have a large fully fenced-in yard, perfect for soaking up some sunshine and spending a long afternoon playing endless games of tug o' war. We have a pool with easy access in and out of the deep and shallow end. I will never leave your dog outside unattended. My experience administering medication Yes, I have no problem administering medication and am comfortable administering injections.