Serving Falls Church and nearby communities
about oneness
Tara Ellen, Founder
My name is Tara Ellen and I am a BIG-TIME animal lover! For several years I’ve been deeply committed to supporting animal care with pet sitting, dog walking and rescue volunteer work. I have discovered a natural ability to connect with these special beings. I'll be the first to admit that I fall in “dog-love” with every dog I meet!
My passion for taking care of animals inspired me to start a pet sitting/dog walking service to help people care for their animal family members in times of need. I am dedicated to providing trustworthy pet care for the community at a reasonable rate. In addition to my love for canines, I'm also a lifelong cat lover. I enjoy taking care of felines of all ages, breeds and personalities!
In 2024, I enrolled in CATCH Canine Trainers Academy Master Class to become a certified dog trainer. I was drawn to this self-paced program due to it's comprehensive approach to force-free, positive reinforcement dog training. The program challenged me to dive deep into understanding how to work with dogs and various behaviors. The Master Class includes hands-on activities, mentor evaluations, phase exams and limitless resources to help me become the best dog trainer I can be! I took my time to complete my studies (16 months!) to ensure I had a thorough understanding of the material. I spent countless hours practicing dog training techniques with a variety of breeds, ages and behaviors, and my dedicated training continues everyday! I've also attended supplemental week-long hands-on workshops, which are separate from the program, in order to further enhance my dog handling skills, understand canine body language and behavior. These workshops have been an invaluable experience and elevated my skills to a higher level.
Working with dogs has become an uplifting and life changing journey. I'm blessed to continue to make new dog and human friends wherever I go. These profound connections are precious to me. I'm excited to share what I've learned (and continue to learn) with dog owners, fosters, rescue orgs and shelters. Dogs have so much to teach us. I believe the foundation of all training is showing people how dogs learn.
meet izzy
I'm also the proud dog mom of a very sweet, young pup named Izzy, who I adopted on July 17, 2023 when she was only 3 months old. She's an energetic Chihuahua mix who loves people, other dogs and cats! Izzy's mom and her two littermates lived on the streets of Puerto Rico for 8 weeks until they were found by kind humans. This little family made their way to our area thanks to a DC-based rescue group. All 4 dogs were adopted by families in NoVA!
Izzy loves to explore the neighborhood and is very good on leash. But her very favorite thing is to run free in a fenced yard with her dog playmates. She's fearless and bursting with BIG DOG energy! I'll be the first to tell you that Izzy has some impressive wrestling skills, outmatching dogs way bigger than her. Among some of Izzy's favorite toys are squeaky plush toys and hard chew toys. She's very smart and knows many cues to include: Sit, Stay, Down, Leave It, Drop it, and she has stellar recall. Izzy is growing up fast and becoming sweeter by the day. At home she enjoys napping, chasing balls, and playtime with her older feline brother, Beni. What a life these two have! They bring me so much joy everyday.
Serving the community one pet client at a time
I keep my radius small so I can accommodate my pet clients in a timely manner. Contact me to discuss pet care services and/or dog training. References available upon request.
Looking forward to hearing from you!