I have loved dogs all my life. I owned a pet sitting/dog walking business in Northern VA for 4 years. I continued working for them even after I sold the business because I had become so attached to the dogs and cats. Working with animals is the one job I've had in which I've consistently returned home from work at the end of the day more energized and happier than when my day started. While communicating with dogs through body language has always felt natural for me, my work experience has allowed me to strengthen my skills for creating a bond with all types of dogs. And through pet sitting I discovered that I speak cat as well! Now I'm completely torn as to whether I'm a dog person or a cat person. My special talent is winning over shy kitties. I like to personalize each pet’s experience to best suit their personality. Let me know your preferences and I’ll do my best to make your pet as comfortable as possible. In general I find that a tired dog is a happy dog, so I keep them busy. I am home full-time as a mom and through my work as an artist. This allows for a flexible schedule so that your dog will have full-time attention and company throughout his stay. Services I Offer: Dog Boarding and Doggy Day Care at my house. I’m home full time and will cater my service to suit your dog. I only accept one dog (or family of dogs) at a time. With your permission, I love taking dogs for long walks at the park. I'm also happy to play in the back yard and snuggle at home. I devote lots of attention to dogs when they come and really try to make their visit a special time for them. As I have small children, if your dog comes to our house it’s important he has never shown any sign of aggression. He also needs to be cat friendly. My 2 kids (9 & 4) love animals. And my husband is a friendly helper as well. Dog Walks and Dog Care at your house: I’m available during school hours and weekends. I love long walks and try to meet each dog at his preferred pace. I'll leash train your puppy too! Cat Care at your house: I do my best to bond with each cat so they get the attention they need while you're away. I spend at least half an hour at each visit, regardless of how interested the cat is; I usually find that I can win them over pretty quickly. I can do visits during school hours and on weekends. If your pet needs visits outside of these hours, it’s possible I can make it work, just check with me. For cat sitting, my rate of $16/visit covers 1-2 cats. For each additional cat, add $2/visit (the setup for cats is a little wonky on here - I will make these adjustments when we book the visits).