Tom C.
Tom C.
Contact for Drop-In Visits
from $35 per visit
Prices may vary based on your selections. A booking fee of 11% will apply.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Tennis ball retrieval service
[NOTE: I was active on Rover before the star system was employed, so I have reviews, but no stars yet as I jump back in!] I'm Tom, based in Falls Church near the National Cemetery. I work from home as a consultant with a lot of flexibility during the week, so weekday middays are actually open rather than squeezed around something else. I'm looking after all kinds of dogs, from easy ones who just want their loop around the block to dogs who need a little more thought. My own dog is Buddy, a 70lb pittie who was very reactive towards people and animals. I've also fostered for Lost Dog and AARF in Baltimore, which meant a steady rotation of dogs showing up with almost no history, so you learn to read a dog quickly and adjust rather than run everyone through the same routine. Some of those fosters were reactive, on leash with other dogs or with strangers approaching, and a few were both. It's an area I am familiar with and I'm glad to take those dogs on. It also just made me a better walker generally. I pay attention to the small stuff, the ears and the pause, and I'd rather pick a calm route your dog actually enjoys than a scenic one that leaves them wound up. If your dog does better in a particular harness or with a specific setup, tell me and I'll use it! I used to pet sit here on Rover, and these days I stick to weekday walks and drop-ins close to home so I'm never rushing between neighborhoods. I've got a car, so rain doesn't change anything and I can get to a vet fast if I ever need to. I ask for a meet and greet for reactive dogs before every first booking. I want to meet your dog on their turf with you there, and hear how you read them, since nobody knows them better than you do! Non-reactive dogs can have a meet and greet too, but it isn't mandatory. Available weekdays, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Would love to hear about your dog!
Qualifications
Pets
Safety, trust & environment
I follow whatever routine you set. Tell me where the leash and treats live, how you want the door handled, and any quirks I should know about, and I'll stick to it exactly. I leash up before opening the door, check the collar or harness fits properly, and confirm the door is locked behind me on the way out. Keys or codes stay with me and aren't shared. If anything seems off with your dog, you'll hear from me right away.
Ratings and reviews
Can't begin to tell you how happy we were to have found Tom to care for our two pups. I wasn't sure if it would work initially because Lucy, our adopted pup, has trust issues and is extremely shy, even around family members. Tom was amazing with both of them! He is professional and great with communication. He went out of his way to make the pups comfortable. We received pictures during our trip, which was a nice surprise. When we returned, I can just tell how much fun they had with him. Most surprising, when Lucy came home, she was a completely different dog. She is no longer shy and is not afraid of people. Not only is Tom an awesome dog sitter, but a dog whisperer as well! I will not hesitate to call him when I need a sitter. He was well worth the hour drive from our home. I would HIGHLY recommend, Tom to any of my friends or family!
Tom is wonderful. He took such good care of our dog Bear for us. He took Bear for long walks everyday and sent pictures throughout the weekend to let me see what they were doing. They went to different parks and Ft. McHenry. When we picked up Bear he was happy and relaxed. And he got so much attention and exercise he has been resting ever since he got back home. Tom is great with Bear and animals in general and I will definitely be using him again to watch Bear.
Tom took care of Whiskie so well for us. He was flexible with our schedule and made every effort to keep us updated on the care of our pup. On top of that, my dog left happy and healthy which is most important. 5 stars! Will definitely contact Tom for any future pet sitting needs.
We just got a puppy a few months ago and needed someone we trusted to watch him. He was only "mostly house broken" and all puppy so we knew it was a big job. Tom has been a friend of mine for years. I knew he had watched several other dogs before so we asked if he would be up to the challenge. He did a wonderful job and even updated us so we knew everything was going well. Kofi (our pup) and Tom still meet up to chase each other around during our kickball games. We are happy to know we have someone so wonderful to dog sit for us in just a couple weeks for another long weekend. I would highly recommend Tom to others looking for a dog sitter.
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I'm currently off-season for my job, so I can reliably be scheduled from 9AM to 3PM (so I can do daycare pickup)! I have lots of flexibility this time of year. Happy to be a recurring friend!
Prices may vary based on your selections. A booking fee of 11% will apply.
Prices may vary based on your selections. A booking fee of 11% will apply.