I have been a primary caretaker of two rescue dogs for two years, but they are currently in Maryland with my roommate for the foreseeable future and I miss spending time with pups! Both dogs have behavioral problems, so I am not intimidated by dogs with poor social skills (barking, guarding, separation anxiety, reactive, etc). I also grew up with a Shetland Sheepdog and have dog sat in the past for many of my friends! I prefer crate-trained dogs but I am flexible if the dogs are well-behaved. We have one cat who has plenty of safe places to hide from dogs and he definitely keeps his distance from any pups in the house. I love playing fetch and tug-of-war in our fenced-in yard or cuddling on the couch. I am an expert belly-rubber and I've worked with trainers in the past. Because of my experience with trainers, I am very good at reading dog body language and signals. I am confident and disciplined with dogs (ex. no human food if you specify you don't want that!) but am very kind and compassionate, even when a dog is misbehaving. I don't yell at dogs unless it's an issue of safety in a serious situation (such as if a dog were being aggressive/fighting, or running out into the street). I would be thrilled to spend time with your buddy and I hope to hear from you soon!