I provide excellent customer service to human and canine clients by figuring out their expectations as thoroughly as I can during the meet and greet. I don’t hesitate to ask questions if I'm unsure. I also make sure I properly introduce myself to the dog so that he/she doesn't feel too taken aback when we spend time together. Afterwards, during the walk or the stay, I send frequent updates to the owners with photos and texts. If I have any doubts, my policy is to ask now rather than wait for questions and doubts to pile up: better safe than sorry. In terms of how the dog behaves while I'm with him/her, I try to get a rundown on the breed's needs and habits from my veterinary contacts, and once I'm with the dog, I carefully pay attention to her body language. Your dog’s care comes first. I use meet & greets to introduce myself to the dog (and the owner) and get a feel for how he/she interacts with people. If it's an introverted dog, chances are I won't get very far by being in his/her face all the time, but if it's an extroverted dog, I might bring out my playful side and see how quickly we can become buddies. However it's completely possible that a dog may only warm up to me after several weeks, and that's OK. My job is to take care of somebody else's dog as well as I possibly can, and in a way that disturbs the dog's usual behavior as little as possible. I don't have a particular breed preference, I like dogs of all shapes and sizes. I like to know if a dog has bitten other dogs or humans before, because if they have, it's a sign there's something to look out for in their behavior. Very often, dogs bite because of natural defense mechanisms that you simply have to be aware of. For example: never disturb a dog during his/her meal, and never, ever allow him/her to play bite. It helps if I know to look out for unwanted behavior: there's always a chance that it can be changed through appropriate and consistent training.

We’ll get to know each other better, playing as much as your pup wants to, or leaving her to warm up to me — but always spending quality time together. We'd go on walks at least once a day. If your dog is one of those younger, sportier pups, we could even go on several walks a day, but only if she's up for it and/or her owners request it. My every day schedule is quite flexible: I'm a freelance writer, so I can work from anywhere, so long as I have my computer. Depending on where the dog lives, I like to go to parks (the bigger the better) and quiet streets. The areas around Central Park are perfect for that, but there are plenty of parks in other parts of New York too. In general, I avoid dog parks as there are too many other dogs in a small space for it to be safe. If I'm walking a bigger, more active dog and we're on the West side of Manhattan, I like to go for a brisk walk in Riverside Park along the water, it's always quite peaceful down there. Cool spots to walk around the city are great, but depending on the dog, my goal might just be to give him/her some much needed exercise, within walking distance from his home. In my free time I like to hike, walk, run, bike, and swim. Apart from swimming and biking, I can definitely take any dog with me on those activities. This also depends on the type of dog, as I'm sure an energetic German Shepherd would have no trouble running with me at my normal speed, but I can't say the same for a Chihuahua! I'm also quite flexible in my schedule, and if need be, I can always change my plans to accommodate a dog coming with me! I run, walk, and hike on a daily basis, but I'm not really committed to any particular schedule — it's more of a hobby. I swim a lot in the hotter months, my favorite time to explore new outdoor pools. I usually bike when I'm out of town, the best way of getting around when it's nice outside!