Pet Sitter in Boulder, Colorado

Melanie has a unique and creative energy that has fostered her spiritual and intuitive connection to the animal world since she was a very young child. She has a long history of professional experience in the animal field particularly with dogs, cats and horses. Starting at Kearny Mesa Veterinary Center directly out of high school, Melanie worked as a veterinary technician assistant for 5 years. While she attended college at the Art Institute of California where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design and a Bachelor’s in Advertising. Upon graduation she worked in the commercial art field, but all the while she remembered feeling something missing in her life. Her passion for the natural world began tugging at her heart again and she decided to devote herself to learning everything she could about the relationships that humans share with the special animals that enrich their lives. Ever since then, she has directed her creative and problem-solving energies to the handling and the study of man’s best friend. She began working at a canine boarding & daycare facility where she structured and supervised large play groups of dogs and also began practicing basic obedience training with the dogs in her care at the facility. She began to study canine group socialization and realized the facet intriguing her most was the dog-to-dog communication and the communication between canines and their owners. Her driving focus then became to master the art of Dog-Human Communication. She adopted a two and a half year-old greyhound who was a retired racing dog from Arizona. His name was "Zero." She began training and socially conditioning him to every aspect of his very new life as a pet. In the beginning of his life with Melanie, Zero wouldn't approach or walk on a flight of stairs. As of today Zero has been sailing on boats, hiking mountains, and is now Canine Good Citizen certified! Zero and Melanie are now certified by Therapy Dogs International (TDI) and are visiting hospitals together so that Zero can serve as a companion animal and put smiles on the faces of people who so very much appreciate his affection. In 2008, Melanie became a groomer’s assistant and began learning all there was to know about brushing/bathing/washing/drying/trimming and proper care associated with all breeds of dog. She began to apply her knowledge of handling and training techniques to her job and within a short time she began grooming professionally, which in addition to the training she currently does for Karma Dog, she has been doing for the past 5 years. Known for her ability to positively affect the behaviors of "difficult or fearful" dogs and puppies, she became a standout individual in the professional world of grooming and training. A common thread holds her separate experiences together, making her an unusual "breed" of trainer/sitter - she has always had her heart focused on the training aspect of her many opportunities to work with the animals she adores. She has spent a lot of time studying the signals, sounds and body language of dogs. Her intuitive ability to understand the canine’s communication and social systems, has allowed her to successfully apply her comprehensive knowledge to many different areas of the Dog-Human relationship spectrum. She enjoys thinking outside of the box when it comes to implementing creative solutions for behavior modification and socialization. She also finds the greatest satisfaction in helping owners to understand their dog's language and strengthening the bond between dog and owner.