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.

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.

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 & Service Fees (from the same household, per visit):

• Additional Dog: +$10 per dog (for dogs walked concurrently)

• Puppy Care Add-On: +$15 (per puppy, per walk, for dogs under 1 year)

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

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

Multiple Dog Walks Policy: For the safety and well-being of all pets, we prioritize a safe and enjoyable walking experience. While we strive to walk dogs from the same household together, we may need to conduct separate walks if they cannot be safely and effectively walked concurrently due to temperament, leash skills, or specific needs (e.g., strong pullers, reactivity, or very young puppies requiring individual attention).

If separate walks are required, each walk will be charged as a base service (e.g., a 30-minute walk will incur the full 30-minute walk fee for each separate walk).

To ensure the safety, well-being, and positive experience of all pets in our care, and our care providers, we require the following:

1. Up-to-Date Vaccinations: All pets must be current on their core vaccinations as recommended by a licensed veterinarian. This is crucial for protecting your pet and others they may encounter, and for the health and safety of our team.

   • For Dogs: Rabies and DHPP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza).

   • Proof of Vaccination: Please provide a copy of your pet's vaccination records from your veterinarian at least 48 hours prior to your first scheduled service. This helps us ensure a smooth check-in process.

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

3. ID Tags & Microchip (for Dogs/Cats): All dogs and cats should wear a collar with current ID tags (including owner contact information). We highly recommend all dogs and cats be microchipped.

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

5. Temperament & Safety: We cannot provide services for pets with a history of unprovoked aggression towards people or other animals. The safety of your pet, our care providers, and the public are our top priorities.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Adequate Supplies: Owners must ensure there is a sufficient supply of food, medication, and any other necessary pet care items for the duration of the scheduled visits.

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 Tuesday through Saturday.

• Rest & Recharge: Sundays and Mondays 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 Sunday or Monday, 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:

  • Dog Walking Window: Our services are available between 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

  • Safety First: For the safety and comfort of your dog and our walker's visibility, we do not schedule walks during dark hours (before sunrise or after sunset).

• 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.

Booking a dog 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.

• 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.

Payment Policy

Our payment policy ensures seamless booking and reliable care for your beloved pet. All payments are processed securely through our online system, powered by Stripe and managed via your Time To Pet client portal.

1. Payment Schedule:

   • Individual Dog Walks & Drop-In Pet Sitting Visits: Full payment is due at the time of booking to instantly confirm your reservation.

   • 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).

2. Accepted Payment Methods:

   • Major Credit Cards (Recommended): We accept all major credit cards processed securely online. For instant booking confirmation and to secure your reservation, digital payment via credit card is required at the time of booking.

   • Note: You may see a temporary authorization from your bank before the payment fully clears; this is a standard banking process and usually resolves within a few days.

   • Cash Payments: We also accept cash. Please be aware that bookings paid with cash will only be confirmed after we have physically received and processed the payment. To arrange a cash payment, please contact us directly in advance.

3. Invoicing:

   • You will always receive a detailed invoice for your services through your Time To Pet client portal.

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.

    • Important: Please start your text message with:

      
      EMERGENCY CANCEL: [Your Name] [Service Dates]
      
      (e.g., EMERGENCY CANCEL: Jane Doe 7/15-7/20)