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Nicole P.

Fairfax, VA

5.0 out of 5 stars
239 reviews
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Certified Veterinary Professional

Pet care experience

Hello, I'm Nicole! I’m a dedicated full-time pet care provider and proud Owner of Struts & Giggles, LLC! At Struts & Giggles, I offer a distinctive approach to pet care, delivering personalized, one-on-one services that prioritize enrichment, education, safety, and, of course, lots of fun! Each service is thoughtfully carried out by me, ensuring your pet receives individualized attention and care! For a peek into the delightful Struts & Giggles experience, take a look at me and my "furiends" on Instagram at StrutsAndGiggles. I am bonded and insured, and caring for animals is not just my passion—it's my lifelong career. If you're considering my services, I welcome you to explore the policies and service details provided in the "Policies & Booking Specifications" section below. This information will help you determine if I am the perfect match for you and your furkid. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have, and thank you for considering my services! As a certified Veterinary Assistant/Technician, I have dedicated over a decade to veterinary medicine before strutting off into this adventure. My career has includes roles as a Veterinary Assistant, Veterinary Technician, Customer Service Representative, and 5 years as a Veterinary Hospital Administrator. Combining my formal education, professional career, and lifelong care for family pets, I bring a total of 25 years of animal care experience. I am well-versed in and advocate for the practice of "Fear Free" techniques, emphasizing the comfort and well-being of the animals under my care. I offer medication administration and medical bathing (as well as regular bathing) within my skill set and tailored to each pet's comfort level. With a diverse in-clinic background encompassing shelter medicine, comprehensive general practice care, and collaborative work with various cat and dog rescues, I am fortunate to have gained hands on experience to care for a wide range of medical and behavioral needs. However, I know there is always more to learn and I am continuously learning from the pet parents and furiends I meet along the way! ✨ All About Walks: Upon my arrival, I will send you a quick check-in message via Rover (no need to reply!) At the end of our visit, I will provide you with a detailed Rover card containing notes and pictures. Details: - Service provided within a 5-mile radius of my home. - To maximize your pup's time, please have the leash/harness ready for a prompt start, and I can refill water bowls after our walk. - I offer walks for various purposes, such as potty breaks, pet weight management, environmental enrichment, senior strolls, and energetic puppy power walks. - Walk schedules are flexible and can be tailored to meet your specific care needs. -A 24-hour cancellation notice is appreciated, unforeseen circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis. - I will arrive within a three-hour time frame; specific arrival times can be accommodated when possible. Apt Policy: I’m more than happy to visit pets in apartment complexes, but please keep in mind that factors like building access, parking and elevators/stairways affect the time spent with your furbaby. For apartment-dwelling pups, walks are scheduled and invoiced for 60 minutes to allow for these considerations. - Additional services beyond walks and water refills will be discussed before booking and scheduled as drop-in visits. ✨All About Housesitting: House-sitting revolves entirely around your furkid, their comfort, and your specific instructions for their care while in the familiar surroundings of your home. I understand the deeply personal nature of entrusting someone not only in your home, but with the care of your pet in your absence. It is a privilege to be welcomed into your home, and I take great pride in treating your space and your pet with the utmost respect and care, mirroring how I would care for my own home and pet. Details: - Services available within a 15-mile radius of my home. - Overnight OR full-day care provided from 7 am to 7 pm, with a break at night and return in the morning for continued care. - Prior to my stay I will send you a questionnaire, your answers ensure I follow your guidance while caring for your pet in your home. - Housesitting is not 24-hour service; I may be away for 1 to multiple hours, but I can adjust my schedule to meet your pet's needs. This can be discussed on more detail and I can provide you my detailed schedule. - Constant care (18-20 hours a day) available for $225 per night, up to 5 nights. - My arrival time 5:30pm or latter. My departure time 9am or earlier. I can be flexible based on your requirements. - Additional discounted day care fee of $35 applies for care requested before/after the above set arrival/departure times. ✨All About Boarding: Boarding with me is akin to a fun night at summer camp! Around the clock care and fun in a calm, loving home. Tailored to their individual needs and activity levels, I offer a range of enrichment activities, outdoor excursions, walks, dress-up & “photoshoots”! Alternatively, for pets requiring a more serene environment or with special needs, I can provide a tranquil and comfortable setting where they can relax and feel at ease. Details: - Overnight care is provided in my home, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for your pet. - Drop-off times are after 5:30 pm, and pick-up times are before 9 am, allowing for a smooth transition. If care is needed before the scheduled drop-off time or after pick-up, a $35 daycare fee will be applied for each additional day of care. - Prior to drop-off, I'll send you a questionnaire to understand your pet's preferences and needs, ensuring a personalized experience. - With your approval, I offer a range of indoor and outdoor enrichment activities to keep your furkid entertained and happy. - I maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety to provide a healthy and hygienic environment. - Before confirming the booking, I'll request your pet's vaccination records, parasite testing results, and flea/tick preventative status to ensure the well-being of all pets. ✨All About Day Care: This isn't just any doggy daycare! Your furbaby is going to have a blast! I offer personalized one-on-one daycare in my home, based on your scheduling needs. Daycare services include multiple walks/outdoor time (weather permitted), enrichment games/activities, park time, and outings (with pet-parent approval, of course!) I can also offer a more low-key environment for senior/less active pups needing a tranquil environment and those with anxiety/medical needs requiring one-on-one individualized care. I maintain a very high level of cleanliness and safety standards in my home. My goal is to provide a stimulating, healthy, and hygienic environment at all times. Details: - Up to 8 hours of service in my home, cost $65. (Base rate for any care under 4hrs is $30.) - Flexible drop-off and pick-up times tailored to your needs. - Enjoy walks, indoor/outdoor activities, and outdoor enrichment oppertunities (with your approval.) - To ensure the safety of all pets, I will request vaccination records, parasite testing results, and flea/tick preventative status. Additional information/fees: An additional rate of $10 per hour applies after 8 hours. ✨All About Drop-In Visits: Drop-in visits are unique and tailored to your requests. I come to your home to care for your pet. When I arrive, I will check in with you via a message on Rover to let you know I've arrived—don't worry about replying! Each visit's care will be documented with a "Rover Card" that includes notes and photos and will be sent to you once our time together is completed. I treat every furkid as if they were my own, ensuring they feel loved and cared for just like you were home with them. Furthermore, while in your home, I treat your space with the same respect I would in my own. Details: - I provide services within an 8-mile radius of my home. - During each visit, I spend 30 minutes to 1 hour with your furkid, catering to their needs and preferences. You can schedule multiple drop-in visits throughout the day for extra love and attention. - Services include essential care like potty breaks, refreshing walks, delicious meals, engaging playtime, medication administration, and even quick cleanups if necessary. Additional information/fees: Apartment Policy: I’m more than happy to visit pets in apartment complexes, but please keep in mind that factors like building access, parking and elevators/stairways affect the time spent with your furbaby. For apartment-dwelling pups, drop-in’s are scheduled and invoiced for a 60 minutes to account for the extra time needed along the way. ✨Meet & Greet Details: Meet & Greets are crucial as they help you and your pet determine if I am the right fit for your needs. For walks, house-sitting, and drop-in visits, I will come to your home at your convenience. For boarding and daycare, I invite you to visit my home to meet me and see where your pet will be vacationing. M&G’s are typically scheduled for 30 minutes and are usually complimentary. The only exception is if the date of service is more than 20 days after the original meet and greet. In such cases, there will be a $30.00 fee, which will be deducted from the cost of your first service when you book with me. ✨ Leash Details (for all services) : I will use your pup's collar &/or harness, but I will provide a leash of my preference for all services. I’m always happy to discuss this in more detail with you. ✨ Puppy Details: While I ADORE working with puppies, please note that for boarding/daycare services, puppies staying in my home must be potty trained. Regrettably, due to the carpeting in my apartment, I am unable to accommodate puppies or dogs exhibiting submissive urination or marking behaviors. Additionally, I exercise discretion when considering boarding/daycare for unaltered dogs over the age of 1 year old & strongly encourage that pets are spayed/neutered at the appropriate age as advised by their veterinarian.

Reviews

Nicole A.
Dog Walking • Mar 30, 2024
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Nicole is absolutely amazing! My fiancé and I were very worried about trying to find care for our dog Whiskey. He has a lot of anxiety around new people and some medical issues as well. Nicole has gone above and beyond for Whiskey. Nicole spent over hour with him on their first walk, so that Whiskey could get accustomed to her at his own pace. Of course, now they are best friends and Whiskey always looks forward to his walk with Nicole. This past week Whiskey was very sick, and Nicole was able to utilize her years of veterinary experience to assess him and ensure that he was okay to make it until I got home from work. Nicole is incredibly kind, outgoing, and reliable. She is incredibly sweet, caring, and attentive to Whiskey and his needs. My fiancé, and I truly could not have found a better person to walk and care for our dog. Thank you so much, Nicole! 🤍

Donte T.
Dog Walking • Mar 07, 2024
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Nicole takes amazing care of my pups and they love her so much!

Jackie R.
House Sitting • Feb 11, 2024
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Will forever rest easy when Nicole takes care of my pups! The absolute BEST!!

Jen N.
Dog Boarding • Jan 10, 2024
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We have a 6 month old puppy and this was our first time he spent a night away from us. Nicole was so accommodating and put us at ease immediately. From the initial meet and greet we were impressed. She met us outside to meet our puppy and she immediately started loving on him. We went inside and he played with her tons of toys. He was in heaven. She is thorough and asked so many great questions to make sure our puppy would be well taken care of. When we dropped him off for the overnight, she wanted us to meet them outside and we all went for a walk. Genius!! This allowed the dogs to get to know each other and play together. She sent us so many updates with pictures and videos. Most importantly - he had an amazing time! If you want a pawsitively perfect experience, Nicole is your #1 choice! We feel like Nicole isn’t just a dog sitter, she is a friend! Our puppy can’t wait to go over again! ❤️❤️❤️

About Nicole P.

Communication

27 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
100% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

25 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

Your pups safety & comfort with me & in our home is extremely important! I maintain a low volume business, an extremely clean/sanitary environment & I pride myself on keeping your pup active while in my care! Safety: - Constant supervision - Large kennel for dogs who may be crate training - Room dividers if/when space is needed - Medical needs/medication educated - Cleaning & sanitation maintenance Comfort: - Respected training instructions - Homeopathic canine pheromone spray - Frequent potty breaks - Play time/sensory experiences - Walks throughout the day - Enrichment toys & activities

Home

Lives in an apartment
Does not have a yard
Non-smoking household
Has 1 dog
No children present
Dogs allowed on bed
Dogs allowed on furniture
Potty breaks every 0-2 hours

Information Nicole P. would like to know about your pet

- Does your pup have aggression/behavioral concerns? I am trained in certain behavioral issues, however certain issues may be out of my scope of expertise. - Any medical concerns/allergies. - Is your pet on flea/tick prevention? - Is your pet current on vaccinations? Proof of vaccination status will be required for all pups who are boarding & in daycare.

A typical day

In general, I’m a pretty high-energy person & love walking/jogging & getting outside. Your furbaby & I can play inside or out. Go for runs, slow walks or enjoy a delightful little sniffari (a leash-guided walk led by the pup!) We also have a ton of toys (that are washed frequently), so there is always an opportunity for enrichment within our home.

Services

Boarding
in the sitter's home
$80per night
House Sitting
in your home
$170per night
Drop-In Visits
visits in your home
$40per visit
Doggy Day Care
in the sitter's home
$65per day
Dog Walking
in your neighborhood
$30per walk

Nicole can host

0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs
Spayed and neutered dogs
No females in heat
Crate-trained dogs only
Takes only 1 client at a time

Nicole can watch in your home

Cats
0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs

Availability

I have a flexible schedule & my partner works from home. Between the two of us our home has constant supervision & I have the ability to provide time, attention, long walks, play time or any other need!

Available
Not available
SMTWTFS
Calendar last updated a day ago
Nicole can host up to 1 dogs per day
Doggy Day Care Cancellation Policy:

About Nicole P.

Communication

27 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under an hour
100% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

25 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

Your pups safety & comfort with me & in our home is extremely important! I maintain a low volume business, an extremely clean/sanitary environment & I pride myself on keeping your pup active while in my care! Safety: - Constant supervision - Large kennel for dogs who may be crate training - Room dividers if/when space is needed - Medical needs/medication educated - Cleaning & sanitation maintenance Comfort: - Respected training instructions - Homeopathic canine pheromone spray - Frequent potty breaks - Play time/sensory experiences - Walks throughout the day - Enrichment toys & activities

Home

Lives in an apartment
Does not have a yard
Non-smoking household
Has 1 dog
No children present
Dogs allowed on bed
Dogs allowed on furniture
Potty breaks every 0-2 hours

Information Nicole P. would like to know about your pet

- Does your pup have aggression/behavioral concerns? I am trained in certain behavioral issues, however certain issues may be out of my scope of expertise. - Any medical concerns/allergies. - Is your pet on flea/tick prevention? - Is your pet current on vaccinations? Proof of vaccination status will be required for all pups who are boarding & in daycare.

A typical day

In general, I’m a pretty high-energy person & love walking/jogging & getting outside. Your furbaby & I can play inside or out. Go for runs, slow walks or enjoy a delightful little sniffari (a leash-guided walk led by the pup!) We also have a ton of toys (that are washed frequently), so there is always an opportunity for enrichment within our home.

Location

Fairfax, VA

Nicole P.'s Neighborhood

Pets

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Nicole P.

Fairfax, VA

5.0 out of 5 stars
239 reviews