Rates for Best Friends Pet Services' primary service area within La Mesa & surrounding communities. See our "Currently Serving" section for details.

Our service rates for the La Mesa area begin at the prices listed below. Final pricing will be confirmed during your complimentary Meet & Greet, based on your specific pet care needs and any applicable additional services or surcharges.

Individual Walks:

• Standard Stroll (30 minutes):$30

  • Our most popular choice for a refreshing and engaging walk.

• Adventure Walk (45 minutes):$40

  • For dogs who love a bit more exploration and extended sniffing time.

• Extended Exercise (60 minutes):$55

  • Ideal for high-energy dogs, those needing extra mileage, or simply more outdoor adventure.

Walk Packages (Save More!):

Commit to regular walks and enjoy discounted rates!

• Weekly Wanderer (5 x 30-min walks/week):$135 (Save $15!)

  • Perfect for Monday-Friday consistency.

• Monthly Mover (20 x 30-min walks/month):$500 (Save $100!)

  • Our best value for ongoing, regular exercise.

• Custom packages available upon request for different durations or frequencies

Additional Pet Fees (from the same household, per visit):

• Additional Dog or Cat: +$10 per pet

• Additional Pocket Pet (e.g., hamster, bird, fish, reptile): +$5 per enclosure/tank

• Holiday Visits: +$10 per visit (as defined in your Availability section)

• Same-Day Booking (less than 24-hour notice): +$10

We offer flexible walk durations to perfectly match your dog's energy levels, age, and individual needs. Choose the stroll that best fits your pup's personality and schedule!

• Standard Stroll (30 minutes):

  • Ideal for: Most dogs, including those needing a good mid-day break, puppies learning leash manners, or senior dogs who enjoy a steady pace. It's enough time for proper potty breaks, sniffing, and a solid dose of fresh air and exercise.

  • Focus: A refreshing and engaging walk around your neighborhood.

• Adventure Walk (45 minutes):

  • Ideal for: Dogs with moderate to high energy levels, those who love to explore, or pups who benefit from a longer period of physical and mental stimulation. This duration allows for more sniffing, gentle jogs, or exploring different routes.

  • Focus: Extended exploration, more vigorous exercise, and deeper engagement with their surroundings.

• Extended Exercise (60 minutes):

  • Ideal for: High-energy breeds, dogs needing significant physical exertion, or those who simply thrive on extended outdoor adventure. This provides ample time for a thorough workout, scent tracking, and burning off excess energy.

  • Focus: Maximum outdoor adventure, comprehensive exercise, and enrichment.

Every dog walk is more than just a stroll – it's a personalized adventure designed to keep your dog happy, healthy, and stimulated. Here's what's included with each service:

Tailored Pet Care:

• Tailored Exercise & Mental Stimulation: Each walk is adapted to your dog's specific energy levels, age, and individual needs, ensuring they get the right amount of physical activity and mental enrichment through sniffing and exploration.

• Fresh Water & Hydration: We carry a portable water bottle and collapsible bowl to ensure your dog stays hydrated, especially during warmer La Mesa days. We'll offer refreshing water breaks as needed throughout the walk.

• Waste Disposal: We'll handle all pet waste responsibly and dispose of it properly, ensuring your neighborhood stays clean. (We always carry our own biodegradable bags!)

• Paw Check & Clean-Up: After each walk, we'll give your dog's paws a quick check and towel them off if they're dirty or wet, keeping your home cleaner.

Communication & Peace of Mind:

• GPS Tracking & Route Map: For your peace of mind, all walks are GPS tracked, allowing you to see the exact route your dog enjoyed. A map of their adventure will be included in your post-walk update.

• Photo & Pee/Poop Updates: You'll receive a detailed update after each walk, including:

  • A fun photo of your happy pup enjoying their walk.

  • Notes on their potty breaks (pee/poop activity).

  • Any notable observations about their behavior, energy, or interesting encounters.

• Basic Obedience Reinforcement (as requested): While not formal training, we can reinforce basic commands like "sit," "stay," or "come" during the walk if you request it, using positive reinforcement.

• Home Safety Check: Before leaving, we'll ensure your dog is settled back in safely, the door is securely locked, and any lights or alarms are set according to your instructions.

• Food/Water Bowl Refresh (if needed): A quick check and refresh of your dog's water bowl or a small portion of food if you've left it out and requested it.

Booking a walk with us is easy and designed for your convenience! We want to ensure a perfect match between your dog and their walker, so we follow a simple, personalized process for all new clients.

For New Clients:

• To begin your journey with Best Friends Pet Services, please visit our Get Started Section on our website.

• This section will guide you through providing initial information about your dog(s) and your needs, setting the stage for personalized care.

For Existing Clients:

Effortless Booking via Time To Pet:

• For all future bookings, please log in directly to your dedicated client portal on Time To Pet at https://www.timetopet.com/portal/bfpetservices.

• Here you can easily:

  • View your past and upcoming schedule.

  • Request new walks or modify existing ones.

  • Update your pet's information and instructions.

  • Communicate directly with your walker.

• Please note our "$10 Same-Day Booking" fee for requests made with less than 24-hour notice.

• For Individual Dog Walks & Drop-In Visits: Payment for individual walks/visits is due 24 hours prior to the scheduled service.

• For Weekly/Monthly Packages: Payment for all packages is due at the start of the service period (e.g., on Monday for weekly packages, or on the first day of the monthly period).

Accepted Payment Methods: We accept major credit cards (processed securely through Time To Pet), PayPal, Venmo, and cash. You will receive an invoice for your services directly through your Time To Pet client portal.

We strive to offer consistent and reliable service while ensuring a healthy work-life balance, allowing us to be energized and present for your pups!

• Standard Walk Days: We generally offer dog walks Wednesday through Sunday.

• Rest & Recharge: Mondays and Tuesdays are typically reserved for our personal time to recharge and manage administrative tasks. While these are our primary days off, we understand that unique situations can arise.

• Flexibility for Established Clients: For established clients with specific, recurring needs that may occasionally fall on a Monday or Tuesday, please reach out directly via Time To Pet. We are sometimes able to accommodate these requests depending on our schedule, though availability will be limited.

• Hours of Operation:

  • Our walk windows are generally available between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

  • For your dog's safety and comfort, and our walker's visibility, we do not schedule walks during dark hours (before sunrise or after after sunset). This ensures the best experience for everyone involved.

• Holiday Availability:

  • We understand the need for pet care during holidays! We are happy to provide walks on most major holidays to accommodate your needs.

  • Please note that all walks scheduled on major holidays will include a $10 holiday surcharge per walk.

  • (We will communicate any specific holidays we are completely closed for well in advance.)

• Booking Lead Time:

  • To ensure optimal scheduling and availability, we encourage you to book your walks at least 24 hours in advance.

  • For walks requested with less than 24 hours' notice, a $10 same-day booking surcharge will apply. This fee helps us accommodate last-minute scheduling adjustments.

We understand that plans can change! Our cancellation policy is designed to balance flexibility for our clients with ensuring fair compensation for our walkers' time and scheduled commitments.

• Standard Cancellation:

  • For any individual dog walk, we require at least 24 hours' notice for cancellation.

  • If you cancel with 24 hours or more notice, your account will not be charged for the scheduled walk.

• Late Cancellation:

  • Cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice will be charged at 50% of the scheduled walk's rate.This helps compensate your walker for the time slot they reserved for your dog.

• No-Show / Lockout:

  • If your dog is not available for their scheduled walk (e.g., you've returned home early without notifying us, or we cannot access your home at the scheduled time), the walk will be charged at 100% of the scheduled rate.Your walker will wait a reasonable amount of time (typically 10-15 minutes) before departing and notifying you.

• Holiday Cancellation:

  • Cancellations for walks scheduled on major holidays (which incur the +$10 surcharge) require 48 hours' notice.

  • Cancellations made with less than 48 hours' notice for holiday walks will be charged at 100% of the scheduled rate (including the holiday surcharge).

• How to Cancel:

  • All cancellations should be made through your Time To Pet client portal. This ensures proper logging and communication. If you have an emergency and cannot access the portal, please text us immediately.

To ensure the safety, well-being, and positive experience of all dogs and their walkers, we require the following:

• Up-to-Date Vaccinations: All dogs must be current on their core vaccinations, including Rabies, Distemper/Parvovirus (DHPP/DAPP), and Bordetella (Kennel Cough). Proof of vaccination from a licensed veterinarian is required prior to the first service.

• Current Flea & Tick Prevention: For the health and safety of your dog and others, all dogs must be on a regular, veterinarian-recommended flea and tick prevention program.

• ID Tags & Microchip: All dogs must wear a collar with current ID tags (including owner contact information). We highly recommend all dogs be microchipped.

• Appropriate Walking Gear: Dogs must have a properly fitted, secure collar, harness, or head halter. We do not use retractable leashes due to safety concerns. Owners must provide a sturdy, non-retractable leash for each walk.

• Disclosure of Health & Behavior Issues: Owners must fully disclose any known medical conditions, allergies, injuries, fears (e.g., thunderstorms, strangers), behavioral challenges (e.g., leash reactivity, aggression towards dogs/people, anxiety), or past incidents. This information is crucial for providing the safest and most effective care.

• No Aggressive Behavior: We cannot provide services for dogs with a history of unprovoked aggression towards people or other animals. Your dog's safety, your safety, and the public's safety are our top priorities.

• Spayed/Neutered (Recommended): While not always strictly required for individual walks, we strongly recommend that all dogs be spayed or neutered once they reach the appropriate age for health and behavioral reasons.

• Accessible Home Entry: Owners must provide reliable access to their home (e.g., two sets of keys, lockbox code, or secure garage/door code) at the time of the Meet & Greet.

• Emergency Contact Information: Owners must provide up-to-date emergency contact information for themselves and an alternate local contact who can make decisions in their absence.