Introduction 
Hello! I'm Chris. I'm new to use apps like this for making myself available for looking after your pets however please don't mistake that for inexperience. I semi often look after my friends' pets (cats and dogs) whenever they go on holiday and I love it for mainly two reasons: One, I love hanging out, playing with and caring for my furry friends and Two, it means a lot to me that my friends trust me with their pets. 

My experience 
Over the years, I've dog and cat sat for quite a few of my friends. I believe the reason they always ask me is, not only do they trust me but also I've got to know their pets really well through play and being around them for long periods of time. Their pets are comfortable around me and me them. Having a dog growing up definitely helped me understand animals better (my wee Jack Russell, Toffee - I miss him so much! 🐶) alas I do believe I'm naturally good with cats and dogs, regardless. My experience with dogs has ranged from looking after my friend Gail's two tiny Papillon, one very high energy and playful, the other older and more reserved, to my other friend Elisa's huge St. Bernard puppy - very friendly and sweet yet needed a lot of attention and play (and also a bit stubborn, not judging at all!). I have cat sat for my friends, Thomas and Adélie, quite a few times - they have a beautiful British Shorthair, Ravelle. I am privileged enough to have bonded with Ravelle from when he was a kitten with lots of play; I wish I could say cuddles but British Shorthair are not commonly known to be very cuddly! He is wary of most of Thomas and Adélie's friends but will happily sit very close to me when I visit, something my friends are always surprised at. I think it's because we bonded so well during those early years.

Why I want to become a dog walker / pet sitter
The main motivations for looking after animals is because I have decided to change my career - I currently work as a digital designer creating animations for TV and online content however I am unhappy 😞 I do not feel fulfilled or that I am able to help people with my work. I've decided to go back to university with the long-term plan to become a psychotherapist. This is much more suited to who I am as a person — I'm empathetic, caring and, ultimately, I want to help people. As I absolutely adore cats and dogs, to me, it's a no brainer to offer my services in any way I can as I'd be doing something I love and that I'm good at. I feel not only am I doing something I love but I'm helping people, which is a big part of my values and who I am as a person. Knowing your pet (let's face it, your furry child) is in safe and happy is crucial - I believe I have the experience and what it takes to just do that. On the personal side, dog walking / pet sitting offers me flexibility to earn a bit of extra cash while I'm not working full-time and studying.