Meet Nicole…

From an early age, I’ve always had a deep passion for animals. As a child, I rode my bike from house to house in my neighborhood, pet-sitting and caring for all kinds of creatures. Since my family didn’t welcome a dog into our home until I was in high school, pet-sitting became my outlet, my responsibility, and the hobby that never grew old.

When I relocated from Wisconsin to Florida during my senior year of college to complete an internship in Sports Marketing, my life changed in an unexpected way—I rescued my first dog, Chesnee. Her severe separation anxiety led me into the dog-training world as I searched for solutions to help her overcome what felt like impossible challenges. In 2010, I was introduced to agility as a confidence-building activity and began assisting another trainer with their agility program. As my experience grew and I started competing, so did my fascination with dog behavior.

Over the years, I had the privilege of shadowing multiple trainers, including an animal behaviorist, which eventually led to teaching classes at a local training center. While dog-sitting became my livelihood from the very beginning, dog training became a true passion—thanks to Chesnee, who showed me firsthand how life-changing it can be. I sadly lost her to kidney disease in 2022, but her impact on my journey is forever present.

Today, I remain deeply involved in the sport-dog world as well as search and rescue, where I am actively pursuing the discipline of human remains detection with both of my dogs. I am also a Certified Animal Emergency Instructor through an internationally recognized program and proudly offer Pet CPR and First Aid certification classes to the public. Continuing education is a cornerstone of who I am—I never stop learning. My young dog is also a Certified First Responder Therapy Dog, carrying on the legacy of service.

I feel truly blessed for the incredible relationships I’ve built through this dog-sitting dream. While I absolutely love what I do, I’m equally passionate about canine nutrition, conditioning, and overall health and wellness. Both my Dalmatians have ranked in the top 10 in FAST CAT for their breed —which fuels my drive to understand how proper care impacts canine performance. My love for wellness led me to earn a Certificate of Completion in Raw and Natural Nutrition, and I continue to encourage pet owners to ask questions, do their research, and advocate for their dogs’ nutritional needs

Outside of dogs (is there a such thing!?) I enjoy everything horse related and spending time with my mini horse and donkeys. I also have a passion for graphic design and photography. While I despise Florida summers, I do love nature and the outdoors. My family and friends are very important to me and I love spending time training and trialing my dogs.