Hi! My name is Skylar Killian, and I am a 24-year-old master’s student at Vrije Universiteit. I currently live in Amsterdam-Noord, directly across from a beautiful pet-friendly park. When I am not studying or spending time with dogs, you can find me hiking, in the gym, reading, or baking. Given my student status, I have a flexible schedule and am usually available in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

I am passionate about dogs and have spent extensive time learning training techniques to address a range of behaviors from experienced professionals. As a result, I am happy to provide training advice or implement existing training plans. Prior to moving to the Netherlands, I spent everyday working with dogs at Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB), while also fostering and training a service dog at home. During my time working at GDB, I learned important emergency medical care techniques, as well as wound care and medication and treatment administration. As a result, I am well-practiced in medical care. Furthermore, I have extensive dog handling experience and am completely comfortable bathing, trimming nails, brushing, cleaning ears, etc. for your pet. I also have experience working with dogs of all ages, breeds, and temperaments, so I look forward to meeting pets of all backgrounds.

With regards to home visits, I am happy to stay with your pet for as long as you feel is needed. I can promise to give your pet my full attention and ensure that even a brief visit is thoughtful and intentional. I also have no problem with watering plants or bringing in the mail if need be!

For dog walks, I am able to take your dog for as long of a walk as you feel is appropriate. I am an active person myself and am happy to take longer walks! In terms of walking locations, I will be taking public transportation or my bike, so I will be conducting walks near your home, and if there is a specific area you would like me to take your pet, I am more than happy to do so. Also, given my experience training dogs, I will be mindful of selecting an appropriate environment (park vs. busy city street) to walk your pet depending on his or her behavioral needs.

For home sitting, I am flexible and open to discussing what works best for you and your pet’s needs with regards to how long I stay at home each day. I also plan to treat your home, as if it were my own, which means that if you have any specific security measures you would like me to take or daily/weekly maintenance tasks that you would like completed, I would be happy to help. My hope is that you feel completely at ease leaving me to take care of your pets and home.

For all services I provide, I am happy to take photos of your pet upon request. I can also provide written or verbal updates on your pet(s).