Piper N.
Montpelier, VT
Nestled in the woods.
Pet care experience
I've lived with dogs all my life...mine and friends' and neighbors'. Even growing up, our home was always the place the neighborhood dogs came to play. Playing with, and caring for dogs simply brings me joy. I have complete control and flexibility with my schedule. That means I am available to your dog all day and night. Regular potty breaks, walks and attention are part of every day. Our home has the best of all worlds. We are tucked into a lovely wooded area with several paths nearby for wonderful, dog-friendly walks. We have an ample yard with open grassy area perfect for chasing balls! Our back yard is the woods (no fence), so we need our puppy guests to be leash trained. We're right on the Winooski river, so if your pup likes to swim, there's lots of opportunity. We'll treat your critter like one of our family. Lots of cuddles and scritches and TLC. Nothing starts the day off better than being awaken to a wet nose and wagging tail! Does your pet have health issues? No worries there. I'm completely comfortable tending to medications (pills or injections) as needed, or any special accommodation your sweet pet needs. We do not have any other dogs in our home at this time. That means if your pup does not play well with others, or has special needs, all is well in our home. We do have two cats that stay upstairs, gated for their safety / comfort. I am a professional photographer. Would you like a portrait of your pet? I would love to create one for you. We can discuss what kind of image you most want (posed, candid, backdrop, outdoors) and I can create it for you during your pet's visit.
Reviews
Piper was a wonderful sitter for our dog for a two night stay while we went skiing. It was our first time using her but we couldn’t have been happier. She seemed to care for our dog like her own. I will definitely look to rebook with her again if we return next year!
Incredible. No further explanation needed. If there were 6 stars, I would gladly give that rating too! Piper is everything you want in a dog sitter.
Piper took amazing care of our 1 year old husky, and she was very accommodating for a last second overnight visit we needed. We had a wonderful meet and greet that made us feel comfortable leaving Zinnia with someone we didn’t know for the first time. She was great about answering any questions or concerns we had. The meet and great went so well on the morning of drop off Zinnia was so excited to see Piper again! Piper was amazing at giving us updates on how Zinnia was doing, what they did that day, along with a bunch of photos she took during their adventures. Safe to say we would absolutely bring Zinnia to stay with Piper again!
Piper was fantastic! She was able to help us out on short notice. We received lots of updates and pictures. Luna Moo enjoyed several walks and hanging out in the yard. We would absolutely rebook if needed again. Thank you for taking such good care of our girl!
About Piper N.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have been tending dogs for a number of years and have quite extensive experience with a wide range of issues dogs present. This puts me in a great position to draw on my experience as I observe your dog and hear from you your dog's specific needs. I also have friends who are dog trainers and have learned a lot from them, further enhancing my "bag of tricks" ...which are not tricks at all, but rather skills and tools proven to support pups with varying needs. My yard currently does not have a fence, so while it is a lovely grassy area, I use long leads to make sure you pup cannot reach the road and will remain safe. These leads also serve to keep pups out of the river if that is of concern. If your pup does well off leash, I take them to Shady Rill park where we are typically the only people / humans there. I always have a training pouch around my waist with treats to use as positive reinforcement. I use these as a way to teach pups that they want to stay near me, which helps me work on recall with your pup. This enhances your training efforts, and also adds mental stimulation and physical exercise (sending them off and bringing them back).
Home
Information Piper N. would like to know about your pet
We live in a beautiful wooded area. But we don't have a fenced in yard. That means I need to know how your dog does on leash. And if your dog likes to go on woods walks, I need to know how he/she does with other dogs. Does your dog respond well to commands? Can he / she be off leash to play fetch, and be trusted to come when called? Does your dog have a favorite toy? Or comfort item needed for sleeping? Does your dog prefer to be crated at night? I have an extra large crate right outside my bedroom, or you can bring yours if you think your pup will prefer.
A typical day
My dog sitting style varies depending on the needs of the dog. Some dogs need lots of exercise, ball chasing, game playing, hikes. Some need to feel safe with quiet and gentleness. I like to learn as much as I can from the dog's humans about their likes and dislikes. And then I pay close attention to how the dog interacts with me to figure out what their needs are. It can change from day to day. One day an aging pup may be rarin' for a good romp. The next day, she may be feeling a bit sore and want to rest. Or a new visitor may be shy and skittish at first, but then warm up and want a bunch of interaction. It's important to me that I pay close attention to what I can learn from you dog. I accommodate your dogs exercise needs. I will mirror the amount of exercise you provide for your pup. There are two lovely town maintained woods trails at the end of my street that I regularly use as a fun long walk. Shady Rill, as I've mentioned, is a favorite spot nearby that I drive to. Pups can be off leash there and enjoy woods trail, river with beaches, lots of animal smells, all in a contained area. If your pup loves wide open spaces for fetch, I can walk from my house to the town park and give your pup all the fetch they desire.
Services
Piper can host
Piper can watch in your home
Availability
I am a professional photographer with complete control of my schedule. That means that I manage my photography commitments to accommodate your pet's needs. It also means that I work from home and am available to your pet all day / night. This works particularly well for pups with separation anxiety issues, or who are accustomed to their humans working from home and being with them all day.
About Piper N.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I have been tending dogs for a number of years and have quite extensive experience with a wide range of issues dogs present. This puts me in a great position to draw on my experience as I observe your dog and hear from you your dog's specific needs. I also have friends who are dog trainers and have learned a lot from them, further enhancing my "bag of tricks" ...which are not tricks at all, but rather skills and tools proven to support pups with varying needs. My yard currently does not have a fence, so while it is a lovely grassy area, I use long leads to make sure you pup cannot reach the road and will remain safe. These leads also serve to keep pups out of the river if that is of concern. If your pup does well off leash, I take them to Shady Rill park where we are typically the only people / humans there. I always have a training pouch around my waist with treats to use as positive reinforcement. I use these as a way to teach pups that they want to stay near me, which helps me work on recall with your pup. This enhances your training efforts, and also adds mental stimulation and physical exercise (sending them off and bringing them back).
Home
Information Piper N. would like to know about your pet
We live in a beautiful wooded area. But we don't have a fenced in yard. That means I need to know how your dog does on leash. And if your dog likes to go on woods walks, I need to know how he/she does with other dogs. Does your dog respond well to commands? Can he / she be off leash to play fetch, and be trusted to come when called? Does your dog have a favorite toy? Or comfort item needed for sleeping? Does your dog prefer to be crated at night? I have an extra large crate right outside my bedroom, or you can bring yours if you think your pup will prefer.
A typical day
My dog sitting style varies depending on the needs of the dog. Some dogs need lots of exercise, ball chasing, game playing, hikes. Some need to feel safe with quiet and gentleness. I like to learn as much as I can from the dog's humans about their likes and dislikes. And then I pay close attention to how the dog interacts with me to figure out what their needs are. It can change from day to day. One day an aging pup may be rarin' for a good romp. The next day, she may be feeling a bit sore and want to rest. Or a new visitor may be shy and skittish at first, but then warm up and want a bunch of interaction. It's important to me that I pay close attention to what I can learn from you dog. I accommodate your dogs exercise needs. I will mirror the amount of exercise you provide for your pup. There are two lovely town maintained woods trails at the end of my street that I regularly use as a fun long walk. Shady Rill, as I've mentioned, is a favorite spot nearby that I drive to. Pups can be off leash there and enjoy woods trail, river with beaches, lots of animal smells, all in a contained area. If your pup loves wide open spaces for fetch, I can walk from my house to the town park and give your pup all the fetch they desire.
Location
Montpelier, VT
Piper N.
Montpelier, VT