We are in the business of answering questions, and we get a lot of them about walking dogs.

We happen to have the words “pet sitting” and “animal care” in our company name.  So what exactly does that mean?  Well, it covers quite a lot, including… pet sitting visits in your home, puppy potty breaks, horse and farm animal care, overnight care, and… DOG WALKING!   We are a multi service, multi-talented group of professional pet care providers!  In addition to pet sitting, we love to get your dogs out walking in local parks and around your neighborhood.  Because a walked dog is a happy dog and a happy dog means a happy you!

Here are some of the most common questions we get about walking dogs:

ARE YOU A DOG WALKER OR A PET SITTER?

These 2 titles are interchangeable but do have subtle differences.  Typically a dog walker comes once (maybe twice) a day while you are at work, at school, taking in a dinner and a show or a night on the town.  We come in, walk your dog or let them out in the yard for a potty break and some play time.  We refresh their water dish, feed them if you need us to, give a final belly rub and see them the next time you need us.

A pet sitter is the term used more for when you go on an extended vacation and we take care of your animals for the duration of your trip.  We can come as many as 4 times a day to walk your dogs, take care of all feedings and any medications, we can even spend the night in your home so your pet doesn’t get lonely.  Pet sitters are responsible for multiple species of animals as well.

Can a pet sitter be a dog walker?  Yes.  Can a dog walker be a pet sitter?  Yes.   “Pet sitting” in our company name does not limit us to just clients who are going on vacation.  We would be happy to keep your pets company if you have a late meeting, a long commute to Manhattan, or whatever your day has in store for you.

I HAVE MORE THAN 1 DOG, CAN YOU WALK THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME?

Yes.  Our limit to walking dogs on leash is 3.  We have walked more than that on occasion, but when it comes to the safety of our staff and your dogs, we want to keep it at a reasonable number.

WHERE WILL YOU WALK MY DOG?

The Millbrook/Pleasant Valley area has some great parks and quiet areas to walk dogs.  We will talk to you at your Meet-n-Greet consultation about where the best place to walk around your home is.  We do stick close to your home and will not pick up your dog and drive too far, but if you happen to live close to a park or hiking trails, we can walk your dogs there.

MY DOG PULLS, CAN YOU STILL WALK HIM?

I have to say that 80% or more of the dogs we have walked pull to some degree.  We’ll talk to you about how much they pull…  is it just at the beginning of the walk when they are excited? Is it just when they see a squirrel?  What kind of leash/collar/harness do you use to help decrease the amount of pulling?  We will take all of that information into account when deciding which of our walkers would be best suited and the safest choice to walk your dogs.  If they are absolutely horrible and have dislocated your shoulder or literally pulled someone to the ground – we’ll stick with the yard and throw the ball around for them.  We don’t want to endanger ourselves or your dogs.

HOW MUCH DOES A DOG WALKER COST?

Our dog walking rates start at $23 for an average 30 minute visit.  Depending on where you live, how many dogs you have, if they need a longer walk, or if you have other home requirements while we are there, the rate may be adjusted. Or you may require a longer visit in order for us to give your dog(s) a proper walk, and take care of anything else you may need. We offer a 60 minute visit starting at $35.  80% of our daily walkers are at the rate of $23.

CAN YOU WALK MY DOGS EVERY DAY?  WHAT ABOUT ONLY 1 OR 2 TIMES A WEEK?

Yes.  If you have a long commute to work Monday – Friday, or if you work from home every Tuesday, we don’t have to come on that day.  We don’t have a maximum or a minimum.  We can come as many times a week as your pups need.  You may need us if:

• Your pups will be inside without access to a potty place for more than 6-8 hours.
• You recently had surgery and/or a medical condition that prevents you from walking your dog.
• You are too busy with your family and the dog has been getting left out of the loop
• You are a senior and may be able to walk when the weather is nice, but you are nervous about slipping on the ice/snow.

DO YOU PROVIDE YOUR OWN POOP BAG AND/OR LEASH?

We certainly can. We provide a supply of poop bags to all of our staff and I know that I have multiple rolls in every corner of my car.  Some clients have their own bags, some don’t.  We’ll come prepared no matter what. While I also have an extra leash in my car, I don’t think I have ever used it for a regular client. If your dog has a harness, a slip lead, a martingale – we want to use what the dog walks best on and is most familiar with.

MY DOG DOES NOT LIKE MEETING OTHER DOGS ON WALKS.  HOW WILL YOU HANDLE THIS?

We don’t like meeting other dogs while we are walking either.   Even if your pup is friendly and likes to say hello, there is too much risk encountering a dog (and owner) that we don’t know.  We want to keep your pup as safe as possible while entrusted in our care.  Some dogs I know are what I call “exuberant greeters” and get very excited, which is just as much of an issue of a dog that may be shy/nervous.  When we see another dog about to cross our path, we either walk wide to the side, cross to an adjacent sidewalk, or step off the path and put the dog in a sit until the other dog passes.

This is another issue we will cover in the free consultation before we even take our first walk with your dog.

DO YOU TALK ON YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE YOU ARE WALKING MY DOG?

We encourage our staff to silence their phones when they are walking a dog but there are instances where we would need to answer our phone or check text messages:

• We answer calls and texts from currently traveling clients.
• We answer calls from our children’s school
• We take and text pictures to the owners of the dogs we are walking

We do not answer calls from friends who are looking to make dinner plans.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE WEATHER IS TOO HOT OR TOO COLD?  DO YOU STILL COME FOR A WALK?

Unless you ask us not to, we will 100% still come.  At the very minimum we will get your pup out for a potty break and then decide how long/short the walk needs to be.  We take into consideration several factors when making a decision based on the weather:

• What breed of dog do you have?  Long hair?  Short hair?  Big? Little?
• What is the actual weather doing at your house?  If you’ve lived in in the Northeast for any amount of time you know it could be pouring at your home but dry half a mile away.
• Will your dog suffer any health consequences by going for a walk?  Short nose dogs (Pugs, Frenchie’s, Bull Dog’s) have a tough time breathing on a good day, extreme heat makes it even more difficult for them.
• Will our staff experience any health consequences by going for a walk?  We don’t want anyone overheating!
• What are the winter conditions? Is there a great deal of ice or snow which will make walking outside of your yard too difficult? Extreme ice especially, is hazardous to both your pets, and our walkers. We will make a judgement call and adjust our walks as needed.
• What is the wind chill?  It can be sunny and snowing and we can have a great walk, or the wind can be whipping and freeze our cheek’s and your pups paws in an instant.

AND OUR LEAST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:
CAN MY CAT GO WITH YOU?

Absolutely!