Hi, Frankie here!

A little bit about myself: I grew up in a little village in the northern German countryside, surrounded by farms, forests and pastures. Nature was my playground, and I have fond memories of spending my childhood days in and out of the stables, barns and fields, visiting horses, cows, pigs, chickens and sheep.

My parents had dogs before having children, so I have been accustomed to four-legged companions in the house since I was a baby. My dad would take me on his daily dog walks as soon as I could use my legs, and later on, I loved going on dog tours and bike rides without his supervision. I was very proud to be entrusted with that responsibility! And yes, poop scooping the yard was, oh well, just another chore.

One doggie highlight of my young life occurred when Lilli, our shaggy Dachshund/Poodle (Sheep?) Mix, had the most adorable surprise puppies- of course I helped daily with cleaning, bottle feeding, playing and cuddling and would happily have kept all five of them. But there was no convincing my parents, so they all went to good homes eventually.

Besides the dogs in our house, I had hamsters, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits co-inhabiting my room over the years, and I spent countless hours trying to teach them tricks- I found that mice and hamsters are indeed very clever, while bunnies and guinea pigs are best for snuggling! Nobody had to remind me to clean their cages, and I freely spent my allowance money on treats and toys.

As a young adult, Lola came into my life, and she was the best companion I ever had. A tiny rescue Dachshund-Mix, she came with me wherever I went: on the bus, to work (where customers would come in just to see her, I believe), to the store, visiting friends... she was so friendly and well-behaved that often strangers would stop and ask to pet her. When I moved to France and then to Canada in 2006, I sadly couldn't take her with me, so she went on to live with my very good friend on their farm as leader of the pack of three (very intimidating 😉) hounds.

I haven't had pets on my own since moving to Canada- my main focus here was caring for children, and while being a mom, I have worked as a nanny and household manager for many years. This position has always included pet care, since my family had their own puppy and often took in the grandparents' and friends' dogs, young and old, while their owners were away. In addition, I have taken care of my neighbour's senior diabetic dog which included the administration of insulin injections; I do have experience administering oral medication to cats and dogs as well.

Currently, I am employed part-time working with children with disabilities on the CBE school calendar. This allows me to provide drop-in visits and dog walks during the day as well as house sitting while you are away. I am open to have your house-trained pet(s) stay at my home, too, the yard is grassy, fully fenced and Bowness Park lies just down the street.

I am particularly fond of the larger dog breeds with a desire for long walks and ball play- right up my alley! But I love them all and so far, they have all loved me back.

Please note: the rate for dog walking/home visit is based on a duration of 30-45 minutes.

Having no pets living with me means I am fully there for yours, and I am committed to one assignment at a time. I pride myself in being highly organized and tidy, fit and healthy with a safety first approach. Excellent references and a police information check are available upon your request.

Thanks for reading, I'm excited to meet you and your pet family members!