Mindy K.
West Richland, WA
Happy Tails Specialist
Pet care experience
Hello! My name is Mindy. Thank you for visiting my profile. I have loved animals all my life! My family and I have loved and raised dogs, parakeets, cockatiels, hamsters, and fish. I also went to Girl Scout horseback riding camps in my youth. I was taught how to ride, saddle and bridle a horse, brush and clean hooves, and even some rodeo skills (my favorite was barrel racing!) Many neighbors, friends, and family have asked me petsit, feed, or walk their dogs and cats over the years. I even briefly worked for Furbaby Love & Care. My most recent pet experience was being the mom to Bella, a Border Collie. I brought her home in 2008 at 8 weeks old and enrolled her into obedience school shortly after. I trained her to do many tricks, how to speak on command, how to heel on walks, how to ride safely in the car, and to be friendly meeting new people. In 2020, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and congestive heart failure. I took Bella to WSU Veterinariay Hospital for a thyroidectomy surgery but they weren't able to get clean margins. I knew she was living on borrowed time and wanted to make the rest of her life as special as possible. This life change taught me how to care for an elderly dog with special medical needs, incontinence care, senior behavioral changes, and to prepare for end of life. I lovingly cared for her until she crossed the Rainbow Bridge on January 20th, 2022 when her cancer returned. I made a 12 minute memorial video to help me with the grieving process and to honor her life. I have discovered that since Bella's passing, I really want to spend as much time around animals as I can. I have so much love and care to give! I'll get another dog someday, but I'd love to give some loving attention to your pets in my free time. I'd like to invite you to view my Facebook Page "Happy Tails Dog Walking Services." There you can see advice for all types of pet care to feature posts on current pet clients I've worked with.
Reviews
Mindy did a great job with my two cats. They have very different personalities and Mindy related to each of them in their comfort zones.
Mindy was fantastic!! I highly recommend her!! Great communication and did a fantastic job with Spirit!!
Mindy is great! She understands the dogs’ needs well and is always reliable. She is so thoughtful and patient with my more rambunctious pup!
Thanks so much Mindy! Nymph is crazy about the treats you gave her! ♥️
About Mindy K.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
Pet safety and trust are my #1 priorities. I'm constantly watching training, grooming, and behavioral videos to educate myself on different breeds and types of pets. I always had a collar and harness, blinking light, dog treats, and bags for droppings when taking my dog for walks. The harness was also designed to be clipped to a dog seat belt in the car. Having a Border Collie challenged me to research and employ activities that were mentally stimulating, provided exercise, or were calming. Bella was very sensitive to thunderstorms, fireworks, and smoke alarms. If I am scheduled to do an overnight stay, I will wash all dishes, sheets, and be sure to leave the home nice and neat.
Information Mindy K. would like to know about your pet
UPDATE- I've been pet sitting for 6 months now and have discovered that I have an extreme intolerance to scent plug-in air fresheners. They cause me headaches, irritate my nose and throat, and make me sick to my stomach. Even if you only have 1, it still affects me. I may be able to tolerate drop-ins but can't tolerate overnight stays. (NEW UPDATE- I just unplug them during my stay and plug them back in before leaving.) •First, I would like to know the name(s), age(s), breed(s), how long you've had the pet, and are they microchipped. •I need to know the expected schedule for feeding, pottying and cleanup, medicine, etc. Phone number and address of your vet and emergency contact info provided. •Please provide a behavior guide. What does the pet like, dislike, fears, need to avoid, obsessions, signs they give saying they need to go out, etc. •Any health or age related issues such as arthritis, incontinence, losing strength in back legs, limited eyesight, hearing loss, dementia, separation anxiety, teeth issues, housebreaking, allergies, fear aggression, recent surgeries or illnesses, lumps, female in season, unusual habits, etc. •It's helpful to know what works if I need the dog to do something. What specific commands, treats, strategies do you use with your dog? •House rules. Are pets allowed on the furniture or beds? Chewing, scratching, clawing, jumping up, barking no nos, etc. If there's more than 1 pet, how do they get along?
A typical day
I love to take the dogs for a walk, jog, or sniff walk. I also enjoy using a chuck-it to have dogs fetch. Besides playing with toys, I can practice teaching your dog tricks such as rolling over, jumping through a hoop, or speaking on command to name a few. And, of course, I love to provide pets, belly scratches, and lots of praise!
Services
Mindy can watch in your home
Availability
UPDATE- I will do a meet and greet with you and your pets in your home. I stay and take notes for as long as needed.☆ If you require me to come back for more instruction, to review information, or have added a new pet, I require that the 2nd meeting be a scheduled Rover drop-in for a half hour. To clarify, you'll need to schedule a half hour drop-in through Rover, I book it, and you approve it before I show up at your home for the second meeting. Thank you! I currently am fully available to provide pet care! I do community theatre from time to time but that's only in the evenings and not often during the year.
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About Mindy K.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
Pet safety and trust are my #1 priorities. I'm constantly watching training, grooming, and behavioral videos to educate myself on different breeds and types of pets. I always had a collar and harness, blinking light, dog treats, and bags for droppings when taking my dog for walks. The harness was also designed to be clipped to a dog seat belt in the car. Having a Border Collie challenged me to research and employ activities that were mentally stimulating, provided exercise, or were calming. Bella was very sensitive to thunderstorms, fireworks, and smoke alarms. If I am scheduled to do an overnight stay, I will wash all dishes, sheets, and be sure to leave the home nice and neat.
Information Mindy K. would like to know about your pet
UPDATE- I've been pet sitting for 6 months now and have discovered that I have an extreme intolerance to scent plug-in air fresheners. They cause me headaches, irritate my nose and throat, and make me sick to my stomach. Even if you only have 1, it still affects me. I may be able to tolerate drop-ins but can't tolerate overnight stays. (NEW UPDATE- I just unplug them during my stay and plug them back in before leaving.) •First, I would like to know the name(s), age(s), breed(s), how long you've had the pet, and are they microchipped. •I need to know the expected schedule for feeding, pottying and cleanup, medicine, etc. Phone number and address of your vet and emergency contact info provided. •Please provide a behavior guide. What does the pet like, dislike, fears, need to avoid, obsessions, signs they give saying they need to go out, etc. •Any health or age related issues such as arthritis, incontinence, losing strength in back legs, limited eyesight, hearing loss, dementia, separation anxiety, teeth issues, housebreaking, allergies, fear aggression, recent surgeries or illnesses, lumps, female in season, unusual habits, etc. •It's helpful to know what works if I need the dog to do something. What specific commands, treats, strategies do you use with your dog? •House rules. Are pets allowed on the furniture or beds? Chewing, scratching, clawing, jumping up, barking no nos, etc. If there's more than 1 pet, how do they get along?
A typical day
I love to take the dogs for a walk, jog, or sniff walk. I also enjoy using a chuck-it to have dogs fetch. Besides playing with toys, I can practice teaching your dog tricks such as rolling over, jumping through a hoop, or speaking on command to name a few. And, of course, I love to provide pets, belly scratches, and lots of praise!
Location
West Richland, WA
Mindy K.
West Richland, WA