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Natalie R.

Chicago, IL

5.0 out of 5 stars
24 reviews
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Intuitive & Empathic Dog Lover

Pet care experience

From a young age I have gravitated to animals and learned how to develop trust with them. I believe this trust begins with an exchange of energy (and smells :D), then grows with lots of love, exercise and encouragement. I grew up going to my grandma’s farm helping with chores and making friends with her horses, dogs, cats, and chickens. In my home, we mostly had cats and other small animals until I reached high school and wrote my parents “the letter” to assure them I was ready for my own pup. We got a black lab-springer spaniel mix from a shelter and I was responsible for feeding, walking, cleaning up after, bathing and socially training her. Fast forward to my seven years in Seattle, I spent a lot of time hiking and seeking out new trails to explore with friend’s dogs. I cared for friend and family pets overnight in their homes and in my own. For a 6-month period, my sister and her labradoodle moved in with me, and I took care of her pup while sister worked overtime as a travel nurse. Recently I made a career shift from Project Management (in various marketing industries) to Artist/Digital Illustrator and moved back home to Chicago. Much of my inspiration comes from being in nature and my experiences with animals. I would love the opportunity to care for your pup and find green space for us to explore.

Reviews

Christine D.
House Sitting • Jun 15, 2023
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My dog loves Natalie and I never worry about her when Natalie is with her

Christine D.
Dog Walking • Jun 15, 2023
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Lifesaver!

Thomas E.
House Sitting • Mar 19, 2023
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I cannot recommend Natalie more. We have a 45lb anxious pup, who we haven’t spent time apart from in about 3 years Natalie took time to schedule time to meet and get to to develop trust and slowly implement walks. When we finally went on our trip, Natalie dog sat and made us feel so comfortable knowing our pup was in good hands. from the sweet updates with photos, to giving medicine, to staying late when our flight was late. Natalie is amazing and caring.

Christine D.
House Sitting • Feb 24, 2023
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We love you!

About Natalie R.

Communication

9 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
50% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

6 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

I would start off our relationship by asking questions and learning about your dogs personality, house rules, care needs & preferences. I would love the opportunity to meet you and and your pup in person to exchange smells and vibes to ease into our new routine. I will be responsible for standard safety precautions like locking doors, securing gates, leashing, following specific feeding guidelines, etc. I am comfortable with administering medication such as oral pills, but I am not trained with injections. If you have preferred dog walking sites or boundaries, I will make sure to follow as well. If you are comfortable with an excursion to a dog friendly park, I drive a Subaru Crosstrek with room for a dog and/or a crate. I am happy to discuss safety precautions and comfortability when we meet. If we need to spend time at my home, I live in an elevated first floor unit of an apartment in the Pilsen neighborhood. Open layout, wood floors, no fenced in backyard. There is a large park nearby within walking distance (Harrison Park). It is not fenced in, but I do frequently see dogs and their owners playing.

Information Natalie R. would like to know about your pet

Let me know if you dog has any special needs such as allergies, physical limitations, medications, social/behavioral tendencies (with other dogs, children, caretakers, when left alone etc), or environmental factors to be aware of (ie construction, passing cars, loud noises, wild animals like birds & squirrels, bodies of water etc).

A typical day

Almost everyday I go for a walk, jog or bike ride in search of slices of nature. I would really enjoy finding parks throughout the city that are safe and not over stimulating for your dog to play with ease. Some dogs like to be social, and some do better with that 1:1 connection. Love giving pets & cuddles! Depending on your dogs personality and where you live, I would scout the parks you frequent and any nearby dog parks & green spaces that we could explore. I like to be active no matter the weather. Someone told me there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. I can get behind that! Except maybe those lovely -30 degree days, ha!

Services

House Sitting
in your home
$65per night
Drop-In Visits
visits in your home
$20per visit
Dog Walking
in your neighborhood
$20per walk

Natalie can watch in your home

Cats
0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs

Availability

I’m currently working on personal & freelance projects and building my art business, so I manage my own schedule. I typically work between the hours of 8am-3pm during the week, but I am highly flexible to prioritize the care of your pup. As I have mentioned above, I was a Project Manager for various marketing industries for 10+ years. I was responsible for managing several projects, timelines, resources, budgets, and communications at any given time. This experience will naturally feed into our agreed upon care schedule and relationship.

Available
Not available
SMTWTFS
Calendar last updated a month ago
Dog Walking Cancellation Policy:

About Natalie R.

Communication

9 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
50% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

6 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

I would start off our relationship by asking questions and learning about your dogs personality, house rules, care needs & preferences. I would love the opportunity to meet you and and your pup in person to exchange smells and vibes to ease into our new routine. I will be responsible for standard safety precautions like locking doors, securing gates, leashing, following specific feeding guidelines, etc. I am comfortable with administering medication such as oral pills, but I am not trained with injections. If you have preferred dog walking sites or boundaries, I will make sure to follow as well. If you are comfortable with an excursion to a dog friendly park, I drive a Subaru Crosstrek with room for a dog and/or a crate. I am happy to discuss safety precautions and comfortability when we meet. If we need to spend time at my home, I live in an elevated first floor unit of an apartment in the Pilsen neighborhood. Open layout, wood floors, no fenced in backyard. There is a large park nearby within walking distance (Harrison Park). It is not fenced in, but I do frequently see dogs and their owners playing.

Information Natalie R. would like to know about your pet

Let me know if you dog has any special needs such as allergies, physical limitations, medications, social/behavioral tendencies (with other dogs, children, caretakers, when left alone etc), or environmental factors to be aware of (ie construction, passing cars, loud noises, wild animals like birds & squirrels, bodies of water etc).

A typical day

Almost everyday I go for a walk, jog or bike ride in search of slices of nature. I would really enjoy finding parks throughout the city that are safe and not over stimulating for your dog to play with ease. Some dogs like to be social, and some do better with that 1:1 connection. Love giving pets & cuddles! Depending on your dogs personality and where you live, I would scout the parks you frequent and any nearby dog parks & green spaces that we could explore. I like to be active no matter the weather. Someone told me there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. I can get behind that! Except maybe those lovely -30 degree days, ha!

Location

Chicago, IL

Natalie R.'s Neighborhood
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Natalie R.

Chicago, IL

5.0 out of 5 stars
24 reviews