JUSTIN COOK The Roanoke Times

Brandon Neice, an employee of NRV Varmints in Blacksburg, plays with his terrier, Mimzy (left), as Heathwood investigates a toy. Neice says many owners bring their dogs for the socializing and play factor. "She gets so excited to see other dogs," Neice says about his dog. "When I get her home, she just crashes and sleeps, so I can tell she's really enjoyed herself."

BLACKSBURG -- "It would fit in your paw."

Sarah Finkner, owner of Blacksburg pet-sitting service NRV Varmints, said she knew she was spending too much time with dogs when she compared something to the size of a dog's paw.

But she wouldn't have it any other way.

Finkner came to Blacksburg in 1999 as a student at Virginia Tech majoring in wildlife sciences. To help pay for school expenses, she started pet-sitting.

"By the time I was ready to graduate, I was hiring more people to help with the business," Finkner said. "I think it's just one of those services that's needed."

So she took the business full time, operating NRV Varmints out of her McCoy home until April, when she opened a location on North Main Street in Blacksburg.

Starting at 7:30 a.m., clients bring dogs to day care, which is a large room filled with chew toys, tennis balls, dog beds and even enclosed areas filled with mulch -- in case a dog can't wait for a walk to do its business.

"People usually bring their dogs in on schedule," Finkner said. "We get on a schedule like a regular day care."

The collars are then removed for safety, and the dogs are then free to play until nap time, about noon. About 2 p.m., the dogs get back up and resume play until about 4 p.m., when they are settled down in preparation for their owners to pick them up later that afternoon or evening.

"They find their best friends and their favorite toys once they've been here a couple of times," Finkner said. "We get to know their personalities."

Dexter, a Pomeranian, has been coming for a couple of months and gets very excited when it's time to go to day care, said Sean Ramirez, Dexter's owner.

Day care helps to tire out Dexter, Ramirez said, and it has helped him learn to get along with other dogs.

"He was a rescue dog, so he wasn't that well socialized. So we wanted to bring him to a place where he could be socialized with other dogs in a safe environment," Ramirez said. "He's really well socialized now, and it's made us very happy."

Many owners bring their dogs for the socializing and play factor, said Brandon Neice, an NRV Varmints employee. He brings his terrier, Mimzy, to day care whenever he's working.

"She gets so excited to see other dogs," Neice said. "When I get her home, she just crashes and sleeps, so I can tell she's really enjoyed herself."

All the dogs at day care must first go through a screening process before being admitted, including a behavioral and social history questionnaire filled out by owners and a trial day, when the dog is left for a short period, usually a few hours.

"Dogs often behave differently when their owners are around," Finkner said. "We don't work much on training, but we use some of the golden rules -- if it's unwanted behavior, we stop it."

All dogs must be spayed or neutered and up to date on shots before attending day care.

"The great thing is we get to see dogs when most providers don't," Finkner said. "We see them when they're happy and healthy and excited to see us."