Answers for the most popular questions

Why hire a professional vs. the kid down the street?
What is the first step to getting started?
What happens during the consultation?
What if I am not comfortable with having a stranger in my home?
What is your key policy?
What is your policy on neighborhoods requiring a parking pass?
What is your weather policy?
Will you pick up after my dog?
Will my dog be walked on a leash?
Do you have any breed restrictions or pets that you will not provide pet care for?
Are there any health requirements?
Will I give your pet their medicine?
What forms of payment do you accept?
When is payment due?
May I give my dog walker a tip?
Do you work on the holidays?
What are your hours?
Why do you request I call you upon my return?
What is job sharing?

Why hire a professional vs. the kid down the street?

A professional is backed by experience and training. I would have the commitment to show up each and every visit, keep my wits about me if another dog runs up to us, protect your pet, not let go of the leash, the training to handle some medical situations, and make every visit fun because I want to be there and enjoy what I do.

What is the first step to getting started?

Send me an email via my contact form to schedule your pet sitting or dog walking consultation. I will contact you by phone or email to discuss your needs, confirm you are in our service area, and coordinate a mutually agreeable date and time for our consultation. If you are outside our service area, I may be able to accommodate and a five dollar fee per visit will apply. Finally, I will send you forms to fill out. These forms provide me with all the information needed to care for your pets such as their routine, location of items such as food, veterinarian, emergency contact, and other relevant information.

What happens during the consultation?

The meeting allows us the opportunity to get familiar with each other, interact with your pet(s), go over your pet’s routine, and most importantly give you peace of mind. A plan will be created together to address personality, dietary, emotional and/or physical needs. Please allow approximately 30 minutes for your consultation. *Generally, only one consultation is needed. Should you require additional time, a second meeting, or services not booked, a fee will apply at the regular thirty-minute rate or any portion thereof.

What if I am not comfortable with having a stranger in my home?

No one understands this concern more than I do! Please know I have no reason to want to do anything else than what I came there for, to care for your pet(s). I only go where your pet is which is generally a common area. Additionally, I have a recent Clear background check and I am an insured pet sitter. Finally, I will send you a daily text to let you know how the visit(s) went which may be accompanied by a picture.

What is your key policy?

After many years of having clients keys, I am now moving towards lockboxes.  This way there is no need for a key exchange.
You may purchase a lockbox of your choice and provide me with the code. If  you have a digital lock like this it confirms I have arrived for my visit!  **If you use a digital lock, please advise me during our consultation if it is dependent on power or has a battery backup.

What is your policy on neighborhoods that require a parking pass?

Please contact your community management or security staff to coordinate entry to the community and/or any parking pass needed. This is a requirement even if you don’t feel like this is enforced.

Please understand this is in the best interest of all parties involved and any pets that are under my care. Any charges including but not limited to tickets, towing charges, impound fees, and alternate transportation incurred during visits will be the client’s responsibility should this not be provided or visits may be altered.

What is your weather policy?

If it is raining lightly, I will take the dogs out to play or walk. Upon our return, your pet will be dried off with a towel you provide. If it is heavy rain, the walk will be limited to a “potty break” as the rain could impair our visibility to drivers. However, the rest of the visit will be spent playing indoors. During hot sunny days, the ground is tested for temperature, breathing is monitored and the duration of outdoor activities may be limited to a shorter walk with the duration of the visit spent indoors playing.

Will you pick up after my dog?

If your dog “takes care of business” while we are out on a walk, I will pick up after them with the bags you provide. Not only is it the law, but it also helps prevent the spread of diseases to other animals as well as humans. This does not include a “pooper scooper” service. Litter boxes and yards should be scooped before pet care services start.

Will my dog be walked on a leash?

Absolutely! Safety is a top priority and it’s the law.

Do you have any breed restrictions or pets that you will not provide pet care for?

I do not have restrictions such as “Pit Bulls” (aka: American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, and pit mixes), Doberman Pinscher, and German Shepherds. I love big dogs! All “household” pets such as cats, kittens, puppies, hamsters, guinea pigs, hermit crabs, fish, birds, etc…are excepted. However, pets with a bite history will no longer be booked for services. Finally I will not feed live animals to other animals such as feeding mice to snakes.

Are there any health requirements?

All pets need to show proof of rabies and be free of fleas. If your pet is sick/contagious, please advise us so we can determine if services can be performed and/or if any special arrangements need to be made. Please understand these requests are made in the best interest of your pet as well as other pets we may care for or encounter.

Will I give your pet medication or supplements?

The short answer is yes if they will take it easily. My experience has been with pets who will “eat” their pill or powder mixed in their food or within a pill pocket.

Please note I am not able to perform injections. I am not experienced in giving injections and am a bit fearful of needles. To be more specific, I have passed out several times. For this reason, I am unable to accept jobs that require pets to receive injections.

What forms of payment do you accept?

Accepted forms of payment are cash, check and Google Wallet aka Google Pay.

When is payment due?

Payment in full is due at your consultation for all new clients. Established dog walking clients are required to pay at the beginning of the month. Reservations for a currently established pet sitting- vacation pet care clients will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of total services requested with the remaining balance due prior to the first day of scheduled service. *Any payment that is rejected or not left is considered non-payment of services. Unpaid balances will incur late fees until the balance is paid in full and any other costs associated with collecting payment. No other service requests will be accepted until your account is brought current.

May I give my dog walker a tip?

Gratuities are appreciated although not expected.

Do you work on the holidays?

I do work on holidays! However, my Dog walking service (M-F: 10:30-2:30) is not performed unless you request this service. Dog Walking and Pet sitting will be performed for an additional fee of $10 p/day for 1-2 visits and $15 p/day for 3 visits or overnight pet care and $25 p/day for the VIP package (1 visit and overnight) on the following holidays: Easter, Memorial Day Weekend (Sa-Mo), July 4th, Labor Day Weekend (Sa-Mo), Thanksgiving (Th & Fr), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Years Day.

What are your hours?

Visit hours: Mo-Su: 8 am-8 pm. Visits will be performed during these hours; requests outside these hours, providing availability, will be charged an additional ten dollar fee. Office hours: M-F: 8 am – 5 pm, Sa: 8 am – 3 pm, Su: closed. *Holidays: (1 day prior, during, and 1 day after) calls or emails to clients not currently under our care, will be returned the next business day.

Why do you request I call you upon my return?

If I do not hear from you, I could 1) make another visit to your pets as the law requires a dog not to be left unattended more than 12 hours. *Additional charges will apply at the regular visit rate and 2) Although I am hired to care for your pet(s), I want to know you made it home safely and your pet is being cared for 3) I would not want to make alarming phone calls to your emergency contacts if not absolutely necessary.

What is job sharing? Why is it not permitted?

Job sharing is when you share the care of your pet(s) with other friends, family, or neighbors. While I acknowledge the financial benefit of having friends and family share the visits, it is an insurance issue and can be stressful for your pet(s). Additionally, there could be confusion about dates and your pet is forgotten about. I feel strongly about what is in the best interest of your pet and for these reasons, we will not accept jobs of this nature.
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