I love working with dogs because they are always happy to see you, and because we so easily make friends! Dogs love me! Dogs brighten every day with enthusiasm, energy, tricks, and emotional support. I believe that my dogs play an integral part in my life and I treat them as family. After years of customer service, I can honestly say that no one has ever been as appreciative of my help as a dog. I also love that I'm working directly with my community and neighbors, and helping to meet one of their needs, providing their pup with much-needed love and affection while they are away. I started working in the pet industry in 2006, spending several years working in high-quality pet retail establishments, as well as working closely with several local rescues. My time in the industry has given me an opportunity to work with and learn about a wide range of animals and their needs. I have participated in various training seminars relating to animal nutrition, behavior, training, and general care. I also have experience working with animals in emergency situations, as well as in long term rehabilitation following injury or accident. I’ve worked directly with multiple local shelters and rescues. Along with experience gained from my own animals, this has given me an education in many things, including, but not limited to, clipping toenails, cleaning teeth, administering medication, animal nutrition, preparing special diets, and offering 24-hour monitoring of sick, injured, or orphaned animals. I have, in the past, taken in foster dogs for periods of time. At this moment in time, I am only able to host small dogs in my home. It is also strongly preferred that they are crate trained. They must be friendly with other dogs and animals, as I have my own zoo at home that they will have to contend with. I am more than happy to take dogs on outings at the owner's request. I would be happy to go on dog park adventures, long trail walks, beach visits, or various other activities, depending on the preferences and comfort level of the individual dogs and owners. I am well practiced at playing fetch and tug. Want to learn a new skill or trick? I'm happy to help practice! Teamwork makes the dream work! I love being active and outdoors! Although I don't get out as much as I would like to, one of the reasons I got into dog walking is to make sure I get out much more! I try to take my own dogs to the dog park 2 or 3 times per week, and I often take them with me to dog friendly cafes, or just to run errands around town. We like to go for walks at Point Defiance Park, as well as many other local parks. I could certainly do any of these activities with a client dog!