SYD

SYD ABDELLA

Experience: 7+ years

Hi! My name is Syd and I would love to pet your animal. The services here are definitely geared more towards dogs, and I would say pups are my specialty, but I have first hand experience with cats, rats, birds, hamsters, Guinea pigs, and fish.

Experience:
My family has had pets for all 22 years of my life (and before), all my friends are animal lovers, and I’ve volunteered with a few rescues (Merced County Humane Society and Fresno Bully Rescue primarily), so I’ve been around animals of all species and temperaments. I've also dog/house sat for my friend's family for the last 5 years. I think I went from one-time fill-in to primary sitter when their (fully grown) pup Dom didn’t have his usual problems eating while the family was gone and was relaxed when they got home. Even when I can’t commit to 24-hour care during the family’s trip, my number is given to the sitter as the Fresno emergency contact.

All dogs I’ve sat for have had separation anxiety, so I have a lot of experience keeping nervous pups happy and relaxed. Generally, anxious animals tend to do well with me, whether they belong to someone or are still waiting to be adopted. Before officially becoming a volunteer with FBR, I was sitting with Pinta (a very good girl that went on to graduate obedience school) and a volunteer while they worked on some things. The volunteer asked if she could take pictures because she’d never seen Pinta that calm or uninterested in toys. And before that, the adoption coordinator for MCHS, Cat, would tell me, “We have someone that requires your attention,” and point me to the nervous pup. I’ve also had considerable success with dogs that bark a lot.

While dog sitting, I’ve followed the feeding schedule set by the pet parents (including treats), given oral medication, taken walks for exercise and potty breaks, gotten a senior dog in his diapers before bed, and spent many hours rubbing tummies.
Services:

Whether you need someone to swing by and make sure everyone is doing well or to provide more long term snuggles, I’m your girl. The scheduled time could be head scritches on the couch or local adventures, depending on the pet’s preference. You can expect many, many pictures from whatever we end up doing.

Walks can be as long as needed, provided I’m available. For some dogs, looking at the sidewalk is enough; for others, running the continental US is a good warmup.

Unfortunately, I can't offer sitting at my house. My cat (the white calico in my photos) would disown me if I brought another animal into her home.

*I have never given an animal an injection, just held them while they were microchipped, but if it’s something that you’re comfortable showing me how to do, it’s something I’m comfortable learning.

Special Notes:
If there’s anything that your pet particularly does/doesn’t like, please let me know. Every animal has quirks and knowing about them makes everyone much happier. I knew a dog that had gotten used to the routine of a treat at 5:30 every morning. So when I'd sit him, I made sure to set an alarm for 5:30 or he would tell me all about how things were supposed to be.

Will Work With