I grew up with a menagerie of pets ranging from the nearly inanimate (our Grow-A-Frogs always struck me as closer to botched lab experiment than fully-fledged amphibians) to the typical range of feline and canine companions. My first dog, a Bichon Frise named Charlie, was one year my senior and my best tug-of-war competitor. Taking care of animals is as ingrained in me as taking care of myself. I grew up not only feeding, walking, and playing with the dog, but also building deep empathy and respect for animals. Your dog will always have his or her safety and material needs attended to when I'm around, but I will also spend time making sure he or she feels comfortable and cared for. I decided to join Rover after moving to San Diego from Missoula, Montana, where I had frequently cared for my sister's dogs, Winston (a sweet and loyal Pointer mix) and Skwala (a neurotic but lovable Retriever, featured in my profile picture). I would check in on the dogs when my sister had long days at work, play with them in the backyard, walk them to the local park with their Chuck-It or Frisbee, go for hikes with them, and sometimes stay with them when my sister was out of town. The dogs benefited from my care, and I benefited from the time spent with them. Now a new San Diego resident, I look forward to many more canine visits with your dogs!