My background:

• Grew up with several pets since young, a handful were entrusted to me by previous clients who relocate to another country
• Have medical background as my dad was a medical doctor, also had pre Veterinary Medicine and Music studies in the USA, thus I can handle feeding of medications, eye/ear solutions, injections, subcuts (cooperative pets preferred)
• Husband is a Science, Math, Physical Education teacher and my right hand man who works out the dogs and surprisingly attracts skittish cats. We either work together occasionally or rotate. We are very much into Sciences and wildlife nature
• Travel widely to national parks and safaris in the USA, Canada, Africa, Australia for photography and wildlife studies. Often self drive, gotten stares by the locals there due to rare appearances of Asians at rural areas
• Full time permanent pet sitter for over 25 years in the USA and Singapore, handled SEVERAL hundreds of pets, well-versed in a variety of different pet behaviors including skittish cats and dogs
• Several condo guards know me very well through years of familiarity and my consistency, labelled me as the resident pet sitter, sought help and knowledge from me for their own pets
• Strong network with animal rescuers and fosterers, I have helped with hoarding cases, transportation and food donation drive
• Strong network with dog trainers and full time pet sitters/boarders, we often communicate, share ideas and work closely together thus we often have the latest news updates
• Consultant for new dog boarders/trainers, accompanied dog owners to animal shelters for adoption, helped screen for potential adopters
• Been the longest standing Pawshake sitter since 2014 when they first started

About me and our style: I am very consistent and committed, always on standby and a beck and call for my clients who do not need to worry about finding a second pet sitter. Thus the very strong base of loyal clients after some gave up on their previous pet sitters. We are very much cat people but I am a firm and strict handler towards dogs, whreas my husband is on the softer side. Though I handle most of the time, you will get the 2 of us to care for your pets very often. We are educators so we believe in discipline and reinforcement, not overly positive because different dogs respond to different methods - one method doesn't fit all, some don't respond to positive reinforcement after hiring many trainers, some take balanced reinforcements better. We received well rounded education, we excel in sports, we love wildlife - naturally we want the pets to stay slim, fit, versatile, independent, agile and quick in their reflexes as these are survival skills in the wild. We believe in dog socialization and small groups of pack walking (at most 3 dogs per person) because dogs learn and gain confidence with buddies around. 

CAUTION: HIRE ME AT YOUR OWN RISK! Dogs owned by passerbys or clients pull hard to my house or van and stubbornly refuse to leave! Some stood firmly on the ground or came running back to me, refused to go home after spending time at my home.

Skittish/reactive pets: animals don't choose pet sitters based on scent or looks but through humans' body languages. When animals sense humans' fear, they go "ooh lala, play time!", switch to hunting mode, target and chase after the fearful human. Many locally experienced pet sitters got injured, resulting fear in entering the pets' homes. Skittish pets look up to those who are calm, confident, assertive and has strong leadership (of the pack or pride), not those who are meek and gentle. 

PRIORITY, and the importance of sticking to one pet sitter and preferably a full time one:

• condo security guards prefer familiar consistent faces, some can get nasty and have refused entry to several unfamiliar pet sitters during Covid. I have had clients cancelled their pet sitters and hired me on the spot
• many pet sitters quit or disappear during festive season such as Christmas and CNY, and I get up to 20 new requests (though some are not suitable and I would recommend other pet sitters) each season from pet owners to switch to me. Don't hire me only when your pet sitter fails to be there for you as I have encountered too many fickle and undecided pet owners so I reserve festive periods only for regular, genuine and decisive clients.
• pets settle down immediately due to familarity with my voice, tone, no-nonsense style and protocols. I study them, build strong, long term relationships with them (and their owners) and treat them like my very own. They are VERY attached to me, sometimes fixated on me and this makes it easier to bond with them. I have several of the same clients for up to 15 years or until their pets' last days,
• contact me only if you value my very RARE unique kind of experience and long term commitment and consistency. I am not comfortable with fickle cat owners who contact multiple cat sitters or choose other cat sitters over me and then later reconnect with me after being screwed up by their previous preferred cat sitters. Usually consistent pet owners would only choose consistent pet sitters. I choose only full time, permanent, committed and consistent pet sitters with medical background for my own pets - I practice what I preach.

Timings/Distance/Requirements (managed only by me and my hubby, we are not super humans):

• cat/rabbit/bird visits, dog walking - from 10am onwards and only flexible timings. Occasionally, and if you desire, I will bring 1 or 2 dogs to walk together with your dog - many clients love and appreciate that.
• house sitting for dogs - no seperation anxiety dogs as I have to step out for errands. Your friendly dog may get to join in small group (up to 3) of pack walks or dog runs
• transport for dogs - there's additional fee and from only 10am onwards
• only nearby homes as I have errands to run everyday
• I would usually recommend other pet sitters to clients who stay far away from me, unless they really really couldn't find suitable ones around them

Misconceptions: 

1. "pets will be moody or have health issues if they don't eat at strict timings like 7am". Timings are dictated by humans, some pets purposely delay breakfast for hours or even skip it because they don't need the energy to hunt in the morning. In the wild, animals only get to eat when they can find food or prey, which could be days later. Always train pets for wild survival if they ever escape from your home and get lost outside

2. I am a full time pet sitter, i.e. I don't have a second job. However, a few inexperienced clients expect my 24 hour presence in their pets' life. I NEED A LIFE! I need to transport pets to other places, transport donations/supplies to pet shelters/rescuers, maintain my driving skills and be familiar with my way around in Singapore, be in touch with pet rescuers/trainers; do cat visits, buy groceries and meals, visit parents, meet friends/relatives, have nice meals, do sports to keep fit, get updated on technology etc. Pets need to be independent, get use to silence and noises (like thunder, lightning, traffic noises, construction noises, loud mouthed neighbors/construction workers), to be discouraged from having separation anxiety! This is an important survival skill if pet owners ever lose their pets.

Dog Walking/cat, rabbit or bird visits - only at very nearby homes, from 10am onwards and only flexible timings accepted:

*Important* - at most 30 mins between late mornings to late afternoons for dog walking as there has been dogs dying of heatstroke in the recent years. I rejected 2 clients who asked for 1 to 1.5 hours walk for their 9 month old puppies just because they were walked that long since they were 4 months old by previous inexperienced dog walkers.

I have also read complaints on dog forums about cheap part time dog walkers who are not able to bring the pets to the vet due to emergencies and house sitters who are not able to walk the dogs. The pet owners had to engage me on top of their present dog walker or house sitter. Be sure to engage a full time pet sitter or someone who drives.

Please ensure that there is free visitor parking. My face is an access pass to about 30 condos due to my excellent PR. I have forged strong friendships with cleaners and security guards (some greet me in pet languages, some lunch with me).

I do disciplined walks (focusing during walks, ignoring distractions, reinforcing of commands) unless the dog is old and has health issues, then it would leisure walks. I do not accept dogs that constantly pull or pull hard because a dog trainer should have addressed this issue. I have intercepted fights between dogs whose helpers and dog walkers are unable to control. I have warded off stray dogs and aggressive dogs who attempted to charge towards my clients' dogs. I have helped stubborn dogs and shy puppies (afraid of outdoor walks) gain confidence. Dog owners and delivery men often feedback that they meet helpers and dog walkers who are glued to the phones and couldn't handle the dogs. Thus it's not just about walking dogs but also possessing GENUINE passion, leadership quality and skills set. 

I have owned more cats/rabbits than dogs and easily tackled shy/skittish cats. Some cat owners feedback that their cats often hide away from their friends, relatives and other cat sitters, except from me. Such cats will not be bribed. They look for certain cat sitters' personality. I studied big cats and their hunting skills/instincts from lion rehabilitation camps, and have (unexpectedly) turned some local cats, Bengals, Turkish Vans, Maine Coons, Persians, Ragdolls, Siberians etc into panting ninjas!

Birds, as well as skittish dogs and cats, do not trust any pet sitter easily. Humans often commend that this or that pet sittier loves pets, but these animals look deeper - the genuinity and passion of the pet sitter.

For cat/rabbit/bird visits, I only accept those with flexible timings (eg. anytime in the morning or anytime in the evening) as it gives me the freedom to bond with, spend long hours to chill with the pets, that's why many clients stick to me for over 10 years, and counting. I don't wish to get sucked into the local culture of rushing to connect with pets instantly, to meet early feeding and walking timings, then rushing off to the next pet or appointment or to work.

Doggy care:

At a simple landed home with a big garden for a dog's several good runs. I have earned a very strong reputation in my neighborhood for high standards of discipline and cleanliness. Neighbors commented that the dogs are more well behaved than kids! Neighbors also occasionally pop their heads, sit and watch from their balconies, and come forward to commend on my constant correction towards the dogs and in exercising them regularly. My rate comes with 6 outstanding features highlighted by regular loyal clients and neighbors:

1. Space - some dogs need space to run, some need space from others. Grass, not tiles or cemented floors, MOTIVATES dogs to run. The garden also provides quick relief for continual rainy days. My place is divided into play, rest, feeding areas to maintain boundary training.

2. Discipline - hundreds have commended on the quiet, obedient, well behaved, well trained dogs which they don't see at other private and commercial (including licensed) facilities. It's because I spend quality time with them, exercise them till they are fixated and anticipate more, do behaviour correction, constantly reinforce discipline and commands (during meals, entering/exiting the house/van), and introduce new vocabulary. Dogs are not allowed on any furniture.

3. "So breezy and cooling", "eyes pop out" and "drop jaw" are clients' first reactions upon seeing the several huge commercial/industrial fans. We alternate between fans and aircon.

4. Cleanliness - The bigger the home, the more there is to clean and it is VERY exhausting. My home is cleaned daily, my garden is maintained daily, dogs' feet are cleaned daily. I am a clean freak, which explains why I have hand eczema. We are the pets' janitors.

5. Permanent, long term commitment and high quality services - I have about 20 clients in the recent years move closer to me in order to engage my long term services. Dog owners who moved far away still continue to engage my servcies. We enjoy close relationships that even pet owners who relocate back to their home countries still update me on their pets every year until their pets' last days. 

6. Soothing music - I am a musician afterall. Sometimes I will have the dogs play and dance to the music

REMINDER: if you have shortlisted me and visited my place but chose another dog sitter ultimately, I would highly likely reject you should you reconnect with me again. Many dog owners verified that the discipline at their friends'/relatives'/neighbors' place, other private and even licensed facilities fall short and their dogs picked up bad behavior (and gained much weight) which I do not wish for them to bring these to my place.

I have very strict requirements in order to ensure that all dogs are safe, and will only limit to a number of dogs per day. DOGS MUST:

1. be assessed by me first before I decide whether or not to accept them. Dogs behave differently at their own homes and at new environments. Some confident dog owners went silent after I asked to assess their dogs.

2. be updated with vaccinations, on regular Nexguard, Revolution or similar, AND have yearly Bordetella and preferably Lepto vax. I cannot accept non vaccinated dogs with medical reasons. I have had clients' dogs caught flu and kennel cough from licensed boarding facilities and groomer's with 24/7 aicrcon (they had to close for 2 weeks), and then came over to my place. Fortunately it didn't spread to other dogs as we don't believe in 24/7 aircon.

3. be neutered/spayed if they are over 18 months unless they are mild and gentle by nature. There have been unpleasant incidents involving unneutered dogs, they could be the aggressor or they could be targets of aggression. Owners must provide diapers for unneutered dogs that mark.

4. be friendly to humans and all dogs, no biting and no running away when being leashed for walks. I cannot afford very skittish dogs who are selective and nip at other dogs.

5. have ZERO separation anxiety, ZERO scratching of my door, ZERO attempts to escape/climb fences/dash out of open fences and doors, no unnecesssary barking/whining. I don't provide 24/7 service because I run errands for a few hours everyday. I don't want my neighbors to complain. I cannot accept anxious dogs who require constant human attention.

I give priority to dogs who are fully crate (caged box, not playpen, not fence) trained, not semi (given up after a few months) crate trained. OR dogs who are independent, well behaved, well trained and take commands very well. I cannot accept uncontrollable puppies who constantly pester or hump on other dogs.

Match your dog with the dog sitter's personality (indoor/outdoor, introvert/extrovert?) AND place. A wrong match can result in the dog sitter transferring the wrong habit/energy to the dog. If you have an active dog with physical potentials or loves ball/frisbee training, we have already taught several dogs to be quick, agile and sharp through their constant stays at our place. We also use balls and toys to reinforce their basic commands and teach them new vocabulary. Our clients' dogs go home physically stronger, fitter, slimmer, leaner, more muscular after some periods with us. I am physically exhausted at the end of the day and thus I sleep very well at night. I am frustrated when clients' dogs put on much weight after a period of stay with other boarders due to overfeeding and lack of exercise.

I look a lot at matching dogs' personalities. I believe in building bonds and relationships, so I pass on this energy to the regular dogs at my place who also form strong bonds and deep friendships with one another. The big dogs give affection to the small timid turned confident dogs who in turn help other timid dogs integrate. They often look forward to meeting one another, they remember one another fondly even if they haven't met for months or even 1-2 years due to Covid, they sense it when their best friends passed away or relocate permanently. Their owners also fondly remember their doggy's buddies, and admit that they don't find this kind of special and consistent friendships in other doggy daycare boarding.

My advice when looking for a daycare boarding:

1. Proximity. Many of my clients' dogs who went to licensed daycare boarding facilities were fearful and reluctant to board the vans (driven by outsourced inexperienced drivers) and they went home sick, depressed, traumatized, skittish. The 2 hours journey ride each way could have better spent at a nearby daycare boarding.

2. Strong physique boarders. Dog owners reported that their active dogs are rejected by many (licensed and unlicensed) commercial daycare boarding because the untrained staff couldn't cope physically, thus these dogs got bored and depressed. A few staff from different commercial daycare staff confessed that they let the dogs out of the cubicles for only 5 minutes, took pics and videos, then put the dogs back in again.

3. When you see overcrowding, lack of discipline, constant changing of staff, intolerable smell, AVOID. Dogs may be tired at the end of the day, but clients noticed that they picked up bad behaviors. There are expensive and high end commercial (be it licensed or not) daycare boarding which my clients used to patronize - their dogs went home injured (or hospitalized), traumatized, got pregnant (!) despite having cameras at the facilities.

4. Ventilation. Sick dogs infect others easily at enclosed spaces that promote 24 hours aircon where bacteria thrive and spread easily at cold temperatures. Too much aircon discourages your dogs from getting out of their comfort zone, because cold air stiffens your dog's joints and thus they lose less heat and energy.

5. Clients feedback that except for me, their previous dog boarders who stay at landed houses have helpers assist them in their roles. The helpers walk the clients' dogs and couldn't handle dog confrontation, lost the dogs or the dogs got injured.

6. Commitment. Clients shared that their previous part time pet sitters were unable to handle their pets' emergencies due to their own full time jobs. I have been contacted by clients to replace their pet sitters on the spot, most cases where the 5 star pet sitters lost the clients' dogs but didn't bother to look for them or didn't have the time to bring the sick dogs (or cats) to emergency vets. Clients then contacted me to help and take over.

Dog runs/parks:

If you want your dog to have a good run at the dog park, you can contact me for this service too. There will be a small additional charge for transport. However, I have read and my clients have reported that their dogs were badly injured by dog attacks at the dog parks which are not safe anymore. I would recommend daycare instead.

House sitting (only at very nearby homes):

Please ensure that there is free visitor parking. Your dog may get to join walks and socialize with other dogs that need walks too, provided he/she is friendly. He/she can also come to my place to have a good run and we will return to your home for overnight stays. I am frugal and a hygiene freak, I have even taught clients on how to save on electricity.

Pics/Videos:

I usually send a set of quality pics/video clips once at the end of the day. I am not the kind who spams every few hours. Being a perfectionist and a wildlife photographer, I won't send much if I am dissatisfied with my pictures. I don't take pics of all walks, because I need to correct their bad habits and look out for sudden dog confrontations. I don't wish to be distracted by phone messages, so dog owners who hire me ought to trust me. If your pet sitter is over responsive, you know that he/she is often looking at the phone and not focusing on her job. I once had a new client who expected me to respond immediately every time she texted me, otherwise she considers me unresponsive. During peak periods, I am extremely busy with all clients' pets and constant cleaning, I would need a few hours to respond occasionally. 

Pet taxi/transportation (REGISTERED pet care service business since mid 2018):

I used to ferry dogs in my Honda Civic for several years but since 6 years ago I own a van which dogs prefer due to bigger space. Dog trainers, pet boarders and regular clients have been using my services for emergencies, grooming, beach/park outings since it's easier to get hold of me as compared to other pet transport. I love driving (and motorcycling), and have clocked at least 100,000km in total on the roads of overseas countries that I have self driven. Being a strict dog handler, I also ensure discipline while dogs board/alight my van.

Volunteering:

By supporting my business, you are supporting the rescued animals. I have assisted in cat hoarding cases, I volunteer in food collection and transport for animal shelters and communities, forge friendships with staff volunteers and rescuers. I coordinate with pet food suppliers who either donate or sell me bulks of food at extremely low prices. I store the food at my place, organize and send them to the stray animals communities and pet shelters (Mercylight, SOSD, Causes for Animals). If you have any unwanted food, cage, cat litter, newspapers, pee pads, old towels, old blankets, and wish to donate, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will come pick them up. 

Why pet sitters quit after a short period:

I have new clients feedback that many of their previous pet sitters are very good but after some time they realized that the pet sitters lack consistency and commitment: they try out for fun and then moved on after a year or 2 to another job or decided to focus on their full time jobs. Then you will need to ask (which is often forgotten or overlooked) your pet sitter, how long they will be in this job. If they have done it for almost 10 years, they will highly likely continue for the next 10 years. It's very difficult to find a long term permanent pet sitter or daycare boarder because

1. It's NOT a well-paid job, many leave for a BETTER paying job in order to survive financially. Cheap services don't last.

2. Most pet sitters, dog walkers/boarders (including licensed boarding staff) are not formally trained, thus they are clueless when pet health issues, behavioral issues and dog conflicts occur. All these require alot of self study, readups and research. Some clients interviewed over 10 pet sitters and revealed that most lacked knowledge, including those self proclaimed professionals.

3. It's an extremely taxing job that requires much physical cleaning work, handling, cleaning and exercising pets, that's why many daycare boarders hire helpers to care for the dogs. The amount you pay me cannot beat my 30+ years experience. The more meticulous and cautious your pet sitter is, the more work he/she does. I strive to keep pets safe, clean and comfortable until I am satisfied.