Shelby B.
Bellingham, WA
From Farm to Reptile House
Pet care experience
I was born into a house on acreage where we raised dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, doves, flying squirrels, guinea pigs, chinchillas, fish, geckos, snakes, and frogs. The only thing I'm not confident with is spiders, and even then I'm willing to learn and I'm certain that I can handle it. I'm 32, female, and Bellingham born and raised therefore I am happy to walk your pet in rain, sleet, snow, or shine. I have rescued, fostered, trained, and rehomed 50+ animals over the years. I've also worked hard with families to be able to keep their beloved pets after hard times. I have references from people who I have adopted animals to, who I have house sit (etc) for, and people outside of my family who have watched me with my animals my whole life. I have experience caring for dogs of all abilities and age ranges. I have saved puppies from life threatening seizures and provided end of life care for natural deaths and in home euthanasia. I am comfortable committing to any humane form of training that you may be following; I believe that consistency is key with any animal. I live on a half acre with a fully fenced in yard. Unless your dog can jump as high as a deer, they should be safely contained. I do not allow them in the yard unsupervised, if I have to run an errand I leave them in the house for a maximum of 2 hours. I work as a notary and rarely have to be away from my house longer than that. I have a large dog door and it's for that reason I don't like to board cats; however, I am happy to come to your home to play with and care for them. I am available for any type of homestead caring, but I can't stay overnight at your place unless I can bring my 3 dogs or arrange a sitter of my own (lol). I understand if you have a complicated daily routine and need someone skilled to be there and available when you aren't, so don't hesitate to reach out. I'm happy to be trained as a back up on your homestead in case you ever find yourself in an emergency situation and can't do it. I have been asked to step in for a person's family member who was hospitalized when they didn't know how to care for their loved one's pets. I am intuitive and easily connect with other people's pets, and I can write up instructions for you to take over until they are better (if you can't afford long term sitters). I thrive on being helpful. Help me help you.
Reviews
Auggie came home the best way possible.....happy and tired.
Shelby is kind & has a clear love for dogs . I felt comfortable leaving my fur baby with her .
Shelby is a great host , she took care my golden doodle for 9 nights . My dog was happy . I definitely will use Shelby help again.
Shelby is amazing with animals. She is punctual, professional and very caring. Her rates are reasonable and worth it! She has taken care of my dog Oso every day that I have worked since I got him as a puppy. He comes home happy, tuckered out from exercise and is definitely better-behaved on those days. Shelby has experience with a wide variety of animals-from dogs and cats to snakes and and fish. She is also a talented photographer and sends me precious pics of my dog (at my request) so I know he is having a blast! Shelby is trustworthy and reliable.
About Shelby B.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have a small, a medium, and a large dog. They all love to play and are easily corrected when annoying new friends. The large dog is 4 and has lost most of his big puppy energy, however he is a 73 lbs weimaraner/black lab mix who still loves to run and play; he especially loves being chased and playing keep away. My medium dog is the middle child (3 yrs) and is more into fetch than other dogs, but he likes to play fetch alongside them and is willing to cuddle new animals. The small guy is almost 2 and a ball of energy who loves to play but can be timid around dogs that are high energy and way bigger than he is, he does warm up after watching them a while. I do have cats but they have lots of places to hide and get away. I have a fish tank and snakes but they remain contained and inaccessible to animals without thumbs.
Information Shelby B. would like to know about your pet
Let me know if your pet has any special needs that I need to accommodate. There area few steps to get in and out of my place. I'm happy to carry anyone I physically can, if they allow it. I prefer to not have reactive or aggressive dogs in my home. My largest dog is like a drunk dude being invited to a bar fight: he doesn't start it but he'll show up and participate. I don't want any accidents. He loves all dogs until they start actively/verbally hating him in return. He's never done any damage, but he has a loud bark and deep growl that can escalate things for no good reason. If you have a dog who is fine after slow introductions, that's perfectly acceptable. I'll want to do a meet and greet with you and your dog ahead of any days you might reserve with me.
A typical day
Living on a fenced in half acre with a dog door allows my dogs to play and run freely. Sometimes we just stay home and play fetch and chase. However, if the weather is nice, we like to go to one of the nearest dog parks: sudden valley if no one is a flight risk, or lake padden if someone requires a fence. Sometimes we do the off leash trail, but I like to have a human friend with me when I have 4 or more dogs out there, so that isn't a "typical" day by my standards.
Services
Shelby can watch in your home
Availability
I mostly work from home and then leave for quick appointments. I have a lot of animals of my own and spend much of my time caring for them. They are my everything, my version of children; I'm completely committed. Occasionally I help my next door neighbors with childcare, but I am able to see and check on my place at any time. I don't leave the dogs together unsupervised if they aren't fast friends. I don't take chances. I do have kennels and a fully fenced in yard available for slow introductions if my large dog seems too high energy for a first impression.
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About Shelby B.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have a small, a medium, and a large dog. They all love to play and are easily corrected when annoying new friends. The large dog is 4 and has lost most of his big puppy energy, however he is a 73 lbs weimaraner/black lab mix who still loves to run and play; he especially loves being chased and playing keep away. My medium dog is the middle child (3 yrs) and is more into fetch than other dogs, but he likes to play fetch alongside them and is willing to cuddle new animals. The small guy is almost 2 and a ball of energy who loves to play but can be timid around dogs that are high energy and way bigger than he is, he does warm up after watching them a while. I do have cats but they have lots of places to hide and get away. I have a fish tank and snakes but they remain contained and inaccessible to animals without thumbs.
Information Shelby B. would like to know about your pet
Let me know if your pet has any special needs that I need to accommodate. There area few steps to get in and out of my place. I'm happy to carry anyone I physically can, if they allow it. I prefer to not have reactive or aggressive dogs in my home. My largest dog is like a drunk dude being invited to a bar fight: he doesn't start it but he'll show up and participate. I don't want any accidents. He loves all dogs until they start actively/verbally hating him in return. He's never done any damage, but he has a loud bark and deep growl that can escalate things for no good reason. If you have a dog who is fine after slow introductions, that's perfectly acceptable. I'll want to do a meet and greet with you and your dog ahead of any days you might reserve with me.
A typical day
Living on a fenced in half acre with a dog door allows my dogs to play and run freely. Sometimes we just stay home and play fetch and chase. However, if the weather is nice, we like to go to one of the nearest dog parks: sudden valley if no one is a flight risk, or lake padden if someone requires a fence. Sometimes we do the off leash trail, but I like to have a human friend with me when I have 4 or more dogs out there, so that isn't a "typical" day by my standards.
Location
Bellingham, WA
Pets
Shelby B.
Bellingham, WA