I am an older lady, a retired creative arts teacher . I love travelling and being out in nature and delving into the mysteries of the wider Cosmos . I am an experienced and very well regarded pet sitter and mad keen animal lover. I work primarily as a live in sitter meaning I will come to your home and stay overnight to care for your pets while you are away . I normally undertake sits from a minimum of 3 days and up to 6 weeks. I have been pet sitting now for close to three years and have clocked up some really wonderful 5 star reviews via agencies I worked through prior to joining Pawshake I dont currently own any pets myself and love the opportunity pet sitting affords me to spend quality time with other people's fur babies . I see my role as a doting visiting aunt ... lots of fun and cuddles walks if required and spoiling and often find it hard to say goodbye to the fur babies I mind . I find the more sits I have done the more I have really come to respect and appreciate the unconditional love and joy animals have to share and its usually a wrench having to say goodbye at the end of a sit .I really appeciate too the knowlege and insights into all the different breeds of dogs and cats pet sitting has afforded me I've come to learn many little known facts about the different breeds Eg did you know Poodles used to be used as police dogs in France ? Huskies can defiantely be the houdinis of he dog world,Border Collies love to round you up and Staffies I've discovered can have the biggest of hearts to match their wide wide smiles . I particularly love to walk the doggies I mind and especially love the dog park experience . I find it a really fun and very sociable part of a sit .Love watching the dogs socializing and often find other pet friendly nice people to chat to at the dog park. I usually pack a creative project in my suitcase when off to a sit such as a writing or illustration project I have been working on writing and illustrating and self publishing a second childrens book as my latest project I find it works well to have a creative project to work on whilst spending quality time chilling with the pets I mind in their own home . I feel priveleged and blessed to have had the lovely opportunites to spend quality time caring for and enjoying the company of the pets I have minded over the last few years . Apart from taking care of cats and dogs of many different breeds and ages I have had quite a bit of experience minding chickens .I once minded a chook house with 50 bossy chickens who were very enamoured of the applique flowers on my leather sandles and went for my feet everytime I entered their domain .It was soemwhat terrifying but I lived to tell the tale and I am pleased to report the only critter ever to have sheafed its mortal coil while on my watch was a little hermit crab .I came downstairs one morning to find its e shell floating upside down and its little legs pointing skywards . Cause of death unknown It was very sad . However other than than I'm very pleased to report overall very positive experiences of handing back to their owners relaxed happy pets and a sparkling clean home at the end of each sit. Thankyou