Welcome to The Dog Pile!

Hello! My name is Angie Nickerson and I’m the visionary behind The Dog Pile. I grew up on a farm where dogs were free to roam and investigate and discover and socialize and get endless amounts of exercise. Because of this upbringing, I raised animals of all types into adulthood including bearded dragons and iguanas. I’ve never not had animals in my home. What I discovered through my suburban to urban transition is that it was increasingly more difficult to create the social interactions my dogs needed to thrive. Doggy daycares weren’t yet a concept and, in a city setting, off leash areas were scarce. It wasn’t something I had to even think about when I was a kid, it was just organically our way of life. I had about a decade of successes and failures in attempts to properly socialize my dogs. In 2008 I decided to welcome dogs in my home as a dog walker and a doggy daycare sitter with Little Furry Friends and then eventually with Rover. I wanted to create a pack/family atmosphere and find spaces for dogs to run and play. At about the same time, I completed a dog training course through Animal Behavioral College and received my dog training license. In 2022 I took a leap of faith, followed a lifetime passion and opened The Dog Pile.

Acres and acres of private, wooded properties! The Dog Pile is a member of Sniffspot, and we frequent several favorite properties. We look for secure, fully fenced properties with plenty of space to stretch our legs. Some bonus features are properties with switchbacks, agility equipment, and/or a water source for swimming.