The most important things to know about a dog, for me, are their healthcare needs and their reactivity triggers (if any). I have happily worked with dogs who snapped if a person stood up too fast in front of them, needed medication mixed and administered multiple times per day, could not be around other dogs or people, and who could not be left alone at all for any amount of time. I will gladly take care of dogs with any behavior problems or health problems, so long as you let me know what to expect.

Depending on a dog's energy level and owner's preference, I like to take dogs for morning walks, play games with them indoors when the weather is too hot or too rainy in the afternoon, and give them a good run in the evening, if possible, so they sleep well. I find cats to have more variable schedules, so the first step for them is figuring out when they want to play, and when they want to nap, and planning accordingly.