"I do pet sitting and dog walking," Wilhite said. "I play with dogs; that's what I do. I'm paid to fall in love, essentially."

The young woman recently moved to Sisters from Santa Cruz, California. She wanted to be her own boss and to do work she really enjoyed, so she decided a business that taps her love for animals was the right way to go.

Wilhite grew up with an Airdale Terrier that she adored and the memory of that relationship suffuses everything Wilhite does.

For her, taking care of other people's beloved pets means more than just feeding them and seeing that the animals are okay.

She walks the dogs, plays with them, carries on conversations and offers them companionship -- a vital thing in the canine world.

Wilhite offers a range of services and flexible times. However, she has discovered that most pet owners want her to stay overnight with their animals when they are out of town.

"Most people want overnights," she said. "People who really care about their dogs want them to have company."

Wilhite is fully insured and takes the business seriously, rather than treating it as a casual endeavor. But her most salient qualification is her affinity for dogs.

"I know how to take really good care of a dog," she said. "It comes very naturally."

The rewards are more than the living she makes.

"Seeing a dog smile is one of the best things in the world," Wilhite said.