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Nicholas R.

Avondale, IL

5.0 out of 5 stars
•76 reviews
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Divine Doggy Destination

Pet care experience

About Me: For the past 12 years I've taken care of over 70 dogs on the Rover platform. Working with dogs is one of my preferred methods of self-care. To be honest, I think I've literally become a dog. Maybe you can relate?! And now I finally have my own little guy, Baloo, and I hope he can be friends with your dog too. My top priority is to ensure that your dog feels safe enough to be themselves through structure, adventure, and play. I can adapt to any dog and their personality given my experience of working with many different breeds. I have a history of working on farms with cattle, at doggy daycares, and now (finally) have the pleasure of being a dog dad myself. I offer the same price whether your dog stays with me or I stay in your home for overnight stays. If you think your dog would be more comfortable staying home, this could be a convenient choice for you. I have worked for several families over the years staying in their homes while they travel each year, and I view my role as something more than just a dog sitter in those cases. I'll keep your home secure, clean it before I leave, and make sure your dog has the best time in their own home with special guest Baloo! I also offer daycare in my home on Wed, Sat & Sun. Message me if you'd like to try daycare! About Baloo: My boy Baloo is an 8 month old German Shepherd puppy that weighs about 65 lbs, and he's growing fast. He hasn't met a person or dog he doesn't like and operates with a high level of energy and spunk. Until he is older, I believe he would only be compatible with dogs that are at least mildly tolerant of his "puppy-ness." I am effective at reeling him in as needed, and facilitating the pack mentality to make sure everyone knows their place and gets along. I would love for him to meet as many dogs as possible so he can develop into a good, adaptable boy. If you're interested in booking with me, please reach out and share a little about your dog and their needs. We can set up a meet and greet to see how our dogs mesh and go from there. Thanks for stopping by!

Reviews

Eve L.
Doggy Day Care • Feb 24, 2024
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Nick was amazing with my dog Mickey and I definitely will be booking with him again! Mickey can be very nervous around new people and dogs but it’s clear Nick knows what he’s doing. His calmness and willing to accommodate her needs helped her have a great day with him and his own dog. I appreciated that he was willing to meet beforehand and even show us around his apartment before the booking date. Nick was very responsive and sent updates throughout the day. Highly recommend!

Mark D.
House Sitting • Dec 30, 2023
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Nick was exceptional with Rigatoni. We are fortunate that we were able to meet Nick.

Pegeen Q.
Dog Boarding • Feb 25, 2019
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Nicholas has watched my Daisy a few times now. Daisy gets very nervous when I leave her anywhere. But Nicholas' calm nature and clear love for dogs always makes her feel right at home. He is always responsive and responsible. I never worry about Daisy when I am out of town and he is taking care of her. I highly recommend him!

Paulina S.
Dog Boarding • May 20, 2018
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I have only the best things to say about Nick. My dog loves him very much - this is our 4th (5th??) stay with Nick and every stay has been GREAT! My dog is very large but Nick handles him like a pro. I can fully relax on my vacation knowing that Dante is with Nick: fed, walked, scratched and happy :) Nick is also super flexible with pick up/drop off times. Our plane to Chicago was late but Nick totally put me at ease. He communicated with daily updates on how my pup was doing. I recommend this sitter 200% (100% from me and 100% from my happy pooch!!).

About Nicholas R.

Communication

30 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under half an hour
80% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

20 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

Safety and Trust: I take a calm and lighthearted approach to working with dogs and can adapt to any dog based on their personality. I pride myself in being very much in-tune with animals and remain confident I can develop a working rapport with your dog.

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 2-4 hours

Information Nicholas R. would like to know about your pet

Whatever you find important about your dog, Id like to know about it! I want to care for your dog in the same way you do :)

A typical day

On walks, we'll focus on sniffing, doing our business, and being mindful of other dogs out in the wild. I also like to keep dogs engaged during a walk and will point out things they might find interesting along the way, such as squirrels, interesting sticks, or anything else we might find. I'm also happy to reinforce some training habits, as I'm working on these things with Baloo

Services

Boarding
in the sitter's home
$100per night
House Sitting
in your home
$100per night
Doggy Day Care
in the sitter's home
$65per day

Nicholas can host

0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs
Non-neutered males accepted, spayed females only
No females in heat
Crate-trained dogs only
Takes only 1 client at a time

Nicholas can watch in your home

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

Availability

Schedule: I work in private practice as a therapist and my office is 10 minutes from my apartment. Mondays and Tuesdays are my longest days away from home and I work about 12-8pm. Wednesday I'm off, Thursdays I work from home. Fridays I work a half day from 11-4pm. And Saturday and Sunday I'm off. I can sometimes flex my schedule as needed, but just be mindful my Mondays and Tuesdays are less flexible. I have a dog walker that visits Baloo each day I work, usually for about 2 hours midday. If your dog stays with me on a workday, maybe we can work out a deal with my walker (who is also on the Rover platform) to help out.

Available
Not available
SMTWTFS
Boarding Cancellation Policy:

About Nicholas R.

Communication

30 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in under half an hour
80% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

20 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

Safety and Trust: I take a calm and lighthearted approach to working with dogs and can adapt to any dog based on their personality. I pride myself in being very much in-tune with animals and remain confident I can develop a working rapport with your dog.

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 2-4 hours

Information Nicholas R. would like to know about your pet

Whatever you find important about your dog, Id like to know about it! I want to care for your dog in the same way you do :)

A typical day

On walks, we'll focus on sniffing, doing our business, and being mindful of other dogs out in the wild. I also like to keep dogs engaged during a walk and will point out things they might find interesting along the way, such as squirrels, interesting sticks, or anything else we might find. I'm also happy to reinforce some training habits, as I'm working on these things with Baloo

Location

Chicago, IL

Nicholas R.'s Neighborhood

Pets

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Nicholas R.

Avondale, IL

5.0 out of 5 stars
•76 reviews