Julia

Hi All! 

I have been pet sitting since I was a preteen, and my love for furry friends only grew from there. Because of that passion for animals, I decided to move from San Francisco to Dublin when I was 17 years old to pursue an Animal Science degree at UCD. Almost 8 years later and I have completed that degree, a masters and now work (hybrid) at an Agri-Science Company here in Dublin. I desperately want to adopt a pet, but I'd like to wait a little while longer until I do, so I figured petsitting would be the best option to get my animal lover fill! I have experience with larger dogs (and animals for that matter!) as I grew up riding horses and minding a Greater Swiss Mountain dog, two Labs, three Rodesian Ridgebacks, and more. My pets at home included some smaller family members like my Pug (Miley or 'Mi Mis'), Beagle (Espresso or 'Bredo'), two Maltipoos (Jaxon and Jenni), my sweet Pittie girl who has recently passed (Arya or 'Arya Barya'), and my mom's newest Pittie pup (Luna or 'Looney'). I have some experience with cats, specifically one with kidney failure and I provided a daily IV while watching over the sweet boy (Django). My goal is to be able to interpret animal behaviour so that I may be the best provider to any animal that may cross my path. I'd be happy to meet and chat before any petsitting agreements are made and to make sure I am the best fit for your pet's needs! 

With regards to the services I provide, I am adept at medicine administration (various application methods) and basic training regimes for canines/felines. A huge part of training is reinforcing the routine that they are used to at home, so my goal is to maintain consistency of the Owner's routine. I will board only one pet at a time (or multiple pets from the same household) in order to give them my undivided attention and ensure there is enough space as I live in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom ground floor apartment. There is access to large areas of green and I take all my pet guests outside for walking/potty time 3-5x daily at the very minimum but that changes for every animal's needs. I offer at least one big walk a day that is 45min or more. Fernhill park is local for me, and I have my own car if the furry friend is happy with short car journeys for some local hikes say in Ticknock or Killiney Hill (or Glendalough if they really like the car!). If your pet needs more than one walk a day, then I can accomodate that but there may be a slight extra cost. I also offer dog walking without boarding and I'm available flexible hours on Monday, Friday, Staturday and Sunday. I can walk pets in the evenings on Tuesday-Thursday (after 4:30pm). In addition, I can do home visits about 30-45mins long that include potty breaks for the furry friends, watering plants, feeding, medications, other house jobs, etc. 

In terms of availability, I work from home on Mondays and Fridays at a job that does not keep me glued to the computer. In addition, I am free almost every weekend which means a lot of time for walks, hikes, and playtime. So rest assured, your pet will be loved and cared for like my own family member! My weekend routine is flexible, and tends to involve an hour or two of gym time, walks to grab a coffee, perhaps a trip to marlay park for the saturday market, and occasionally some drinks with friends. When petsitting, my priority is always the pet, so my routine is scheduled around the furry friend's routine. Tuesday-Thursday I work on-site, but if need be, my employer allows me to work from home. This is something we can discuss if interested. 

As mentioned previously, I live in a groundfloor apartment in the Sandyford area. I get outside a lot and we have a big green area both beside and behind our place. My partner of almost 5 years and I live together. She grew up with two cockerspaniels and her brother is a Veterinarian (just in case we have a cheeky question to ask him!). Depending on your pets desires, they can sleep in the spare bedroom all to themselves, or with us as we don't mind pets in the bed, on the couch, under the bed, or most other places. We are open to many kinds of sleeping arrangements! We also have a gated balcony just incase your pet likes fresh air or to 'watch tv' as I call it! 

I am a flexible pet sitter, if nothing else. And I look forward to hearing from anyone that needs a little help to mind their furry pals :)