What areas do you service?
We service Downtown, North Asheville (up to Reynolds Mountain), West Asheville (as far west as Malvern Hills), Kenilworth, Grove Park, Montford and East Asheville (up to Haw Creek). If you have a question about whether you’re in our service area, feel free to Contact Us!
Do you watch dogs in your home?
No. We are a dog walking and pet sitting company, which means we come to your home to care for your animals. We do not have the ability to look after animals in our homes and our insurance does not cover such services.
How far in advance do I need to schedule?
If you are a new client, usually about 3 weeks ahead of your desired start date or travel date is enough time to schedule a consultation, get you put in our system and be ready to go. There are certain times of year that are popular for travel — those usually fill up approximately 1 month to 6 weeks in advance. We can take reservations as early as you’d like to make them.
How long have you been in business?
Since 2010! We have been growing slowly and steadily for almost 8 years and love providing care for our furry community members.
Are you Insured? Bonded?
Yes! We are insured and bonded through Business Insurers of the Carolinas.
Do you meet my dog or cat beforehand?
Yes, at our initial consultation! Becky (the owner) or Molly (the manager) will come to your house to meet your pets and learn all of their details, from their personality and routine, to the ins and outs of their diet, medical history, and favorite activities. We’ll get a little info on you too!
Do you do shorter visits, like a 15 minute potty break?
We do not. We feel that 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time it takes to make sure that your animal is well cared for. Even for the shy cat who may hide, or the older dog who may not want to walk too far, they are still benefiting from our presence and appreciate the consistency and regularity of visits.
How do I schedule services?
If you are a new client, please get in touch using the Inquiry Form. From there we will gather more information about your pets and your walking or sitting needs, and we will schedule a consultation in your home with either. After the initial consultation, we can then begin to book you for services.
If you are an existing client, you us your scheduling needs and we will let you know within 1-2 business days if we can do it (pet sitting requests will sometimes take longer to confirm availability, but we will always touch base with you to let you know we are working on it)! If you know that you will need the same schedule each week for your dog walks, then we will set up a recurring schedule that reserves your space from week to week, until or unless we hear from you otherwise!
How many visits a day should I schedule?
This is entirely up to you. For dog clients (even those with a dog door), 2 visits per day is the minimum requirement. We suggest that you schedule our visits to mimic your daily routine and timing as closely as possible. Animals (especially dogs) love a routine, so if we can mirror their typical routine, that is comforting for them.
How do I know who will be my dog walker or pet sitter?
When you receive your schedule confirmation via email, the walker/sitter that is assigned to each visit will be indicated.
Can I request certain people or have the same person regularly?
You can — however, doing so severely limits our ability to guarantee we can accommodate your requested schedule. We are happy to take all necessary steps to make sure that your pet is comfortable. If they are shy and do better with a particular sitter, we can do our best to schedule things that way or take the extra steps necessary for them to get to know new people. We go to great lengths to have team members that are warm, caring, and confident so that everyone on our team can know and service every client.
Why do you need multiple copies of keys? Do you keep them? Is there another way?
We ask for two working copies of your key at the time of your initial consultation, with the understanding that we may need to make additional copies to furnish each of your walkers/sitters with a copy. Each walker/sitter maintains their copy, labeled by your pet’s name only (never your address or last name). If this method is not favorable, we are happy to use a hide-a-key or a lockbox that you provide. If you prefer, we can provide you with a lockbox for an additional charge of $45.
How do I pay for your services? When do I pay?
You can currently pay via PayPal, Venmo, or Check once you receive your schedule confirmation and invoice via email. For clients that are going out of town, the confirmations and invoices are emailed approximately 1 week before your scheduled dates and we ask that you pay prior to your departure. For regular dog walk clients, schedule confirmations and invoices are emailed the month within the first week of the month. We ask that you pay by the 15th.
How do you communicate with me while I am out of town?
We customize our communication to match the level you prefer. We are more than happy to text you updates (and pictures!) as often as you like. We always make sure to check your preference during our consultation.
How does my walker communicate with me?
Every walker has a smart phone and will text you after each visit with a potty report and any other relevant information.
Can you come at a specific time?
We work in 2-3 hour time windows. We will always come within our specified time window and we will always visits for the specified amount of time, even if we arrive at the end of the window. However, due to the unpredictable nature of working with animals and the variety of areas and clients we service, we can’t guarantee an exact time.
What if I need to cancel a visit?
We have a cancellation policy. If you need to cancel a visit and it is more than 24 hours in advance, then please email us with the changes. Your account will be credited for the cancelled visits. If you need to cancel and it is less than 24 hours notice, then please call or text. With less than 24 hours notice, you will be charged a cancellation fee of 50% of the service rate.
What if my return home is delayed? What if I come home early from a trip?
If you need to extend care, it is usually no problem at all! We ask that you email, text or call either the sitter who is caring for your pet (whom you will already be in communication with), or with Molly. The additional visits will go on to your schedule and your account, to be invoiced upon your return. If you return early from a trip, we follow our regular cancelation policy and issue a credit for visits that are canceled with 24 hours notice or more.
How do you know your walkers/sitters are on time and/or where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there?
We use technology! Not only are we a super close-knit team, but we use software called Pet Sitter Plus, which is designed specifically for dog walkers and pet sitters. When the walker/sitter arrives at your home, they check into the visit via an app on their phone, and check out when they have completed the visit. This allows management to keep track of the whole team at a glance, making sure visits are occurring on time, during the specified windows, and for the correct amount of time. Additionally, if a walker has not checked in by the end of the time frame for your visit, management is notified immediately via the software!
Do you administer medications? give injections?
Yes! Medications are no problem. And we can match you with a sitter that is comfortable with injections.
My dog doesn’t usually like new people, what do you suggest?
We work closely with you to figure out a success plan for your pup. Each dog is different. We can start slowly, with only one person being your primary walker/sitter. We can also schedule visits when you are home to serve as practice visits or schedule visits that are strictly for the purpose of allowing space and time for your dog to get warmed up to us. We will generally look for what motivates your dog, whether that is food, the leash, the ball, or a special toy and use that as a starting point. We have many walkers and sitters that are very experienced and well-versed in the nuances of shy and anxious animals.