Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Welcome to our FAQ page! Here you will find answers to some common questions about our dog walking services. We understand that entrusting your furry friend with someone else can be a big decision, so we want to provide you with as much information as possible to help you make an informed choice. Whether you’re a new or returning client, we hope that this page will provide you with the answers you need. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for here, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly.

Top Questions

At Rain City Dogs, we are committed to using positive reinforcement (R+) training methods. We believe in the power of positive reinforcement to create a strong bond between you and your furry friend. With R+ training, we focus on rewarding good behavior, rather than punishing unwanted behavior. This method creates a safe and positive learning environment that helps dogs develop good habits and confidence. We are proud to use R+ training methods and look forward to helping your dog become a happy, healthy, and well-behaved companion.

It’s a clever way of saying we aren’t certified trainers. However, if you are working with a trainer, we will join a session, or speak with them, in order to emulate the important training regiment  for your dog. If you do not have a trainer, we are happy to hear from you about what we should do!

We work as a team so in case someone goes on vacation, their car breaks down or they call in sick we will always keep our promise to you. Because of the way our team works we can not promise the same dog walker every visit. However, If consistency is important to you we recommend booking an ongoing appointment so we can accommodate your request to the best of our ability.

We offer several options for accessing your home during dog walking visits. You can provide your own key lockbox, or we can provide one for you. We highly recommend using a lockbox as it provides a secure and convenient way for us to access your home. In case of an emergency or if your regular dog walker is unavailable, we have backup walkers who can access your home with the lockbox.

If a lockbox is not possible or allowed, we can also be buzzed in by the concierge or security, or you can provide us with a fob and key. We understand that apartments may have different access procedures, so please let us know if there are any specific instructions we need to follow to gain access to your unit.

If you choose to provide a key, we ask that you provide two keys, one for the walker and one to be kept at our office. This way, we can ensure that we always have access to your home when needed.

We take the security of your home and belongings very seriously, and we always ensure that keys and codes are kept confidential and stored securely. If you have any questions about our access procedures, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

In the event of extreme weather, we may need to modify our walking routine for your dog’s safety. We may shorten the walk, take frequent breaks, or play games indoors. We bring gear to keep your dog comfortable in all conditions, and we’re always happy to customize our services to meet your dog’s individual needs.

At Rain City Dogs, we strive to make our payment process as convenient as possible. We currently accept credit cards and e-transfers for all of our services.

  • For private and group walks, invoices are sent out on the 1st and 15th of each month. Payment can be made easily and securely through the Time To Pet app.
  • For hotel chaperone services, payment is due before services are rendered to ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience for both you and your pet.
  • For corporate services, payment will be made as per the agreement between our company and your place of business.

At Rain City Dogs, we understand that plans can change unexpectedly. Here’s what you need to know about our cancellation policies:

For private and group walks, we always appreciate advanced notice if you need to cancel. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance without penalty. However, if you cancel within 24 hours of the scheduled walk time, the full fee will be charged. In emergency situations, we will make exceptions to this policy.

For hotel chaperone services, we require prepayment of travel services upon booking to secure your pet’s care. The full amount will be charged at the time of booking, and is non-refundable in case of cancellation. This policy ensures that our chaperones are available and prepared to provide your pet with the highest quality care during your vacation in Vancouver.

For corporate services, the cancellation policy will be as per the agreement between our company and your place of business. As always, advanced notice is preferred for any cancellations.

If you have any questions or concerns about our cancellation policies, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always here to help.

At Rain City Dogs, we make it easy for you to schedule appointments with us through our Time To Pet app. Here are the two options we offer:

Recurring schedule – if you have a regular schedule for your pet’s needs, we can set up a recurring schedule for you. You can rely on us to be there every week at the same time, and you can let us know if you need to change or cancel any appointments. This schedule will automatically approve every week, so you know you are covered.

On-demand – if you need a walk or pet care service on a more flexible schedule, our on-demand option is perfect for you. You can request appointments as needed through the app, and we will do our absolute best to accommodate your schedule. These appointments will show as “pending” until we confirm them into our schedule. The more notice you are able to give us, the higher the guarantee.

Once an appointment is scheduled for you, you’ll be able to see which team member will be providing the service and a bio about them. You can also see the confirmed time of your appointment in the app.

If you have any questions about scheduling appointments through our app, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always happy to help.

At Rain City Dogs, we believe in positive reinforcement training to help your dog learn and grow. Giving treats during walks is just one way we use positive training techniques to reinforce good behavior.

For example, if we see your dog running too far ahead of us, we may call them back to us and ask them to sit. We’ll reward them with a treat for listening and following our commands. We choose treats with unique proteins such as crickets, bison, duck, or fish to avoid common allergens like chicken.

We understand that every dog has unique dietary needs, so please let us know if your dog has any allergies or dietary restrictions. We’ll make sure to choose treats that are safe and appropriate for your dog.

We walk rain or shine, and we know that many dogs love to get dirty on their walks. We’re happy to take your dog out for an adventure, but we understand that you may not want a muddy or wet dog in your home.

We ask that you keep a towel handy so that we can dry your dog before we let them back into your home. While we will do our best to clean and dry your dog, please note that there is a limit to how much time we can spend on each dog.

If you prefer, we’re happy to leave your dog in a designated area, such as a mudroom or outdoor space, to avoid bringing any dirt or mud into your home. Just let us know your preferences, and we’ll be happy to accommodate them.

We currently are open 7 days a week, but we only currently offer hotel chaperone services on the weekend at this time.

Dog Walking Hours:

  • Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
  • Saturday and Sunday: 11am to 3pm

Office Hours:

  • Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm

Please Note: We are closed for all regular BC stat holidays

Private Walks

We use a two hour pick-up window

Due to the complexity of our Pup Parent’s varying schedules and the unique challenges of maneuvering through Vancouver in all climates, we reserve a two-hour window around the time of your scheduled walk.   For example, if your pup is scheduled for a 3PM walk, you can expect your walker will arrive sometime between 2PM and 4PM.   This window helps us manage constantly varying schedules, bad weather, toweling dogs off after rainy or snowy days, varying travel times between clients, and of course elevators that sometimes take forever to come for what ever reason.

We work as a team so in case someone goes on vacation, their car breaks down or they call in sick we will always keep our promise to you. Because of the way our team works we can not promise the same dog walker every visit. However, If consistency is important to you we recommend booking an ongoing appointment so we can accommodate your request to the best of our ability.

Please check out “Join The Crew” to see where we are currently accepting new clients

Group Walks

it’s really hard for us to guarantee a specific time for our group walks. but we start our day at 9:00 AM, we end our first group walk around 1pm and then do our pick up and drops offs for our afternoon walk  and last dog is normally dropped off around 5:00 PM.

Please check out “Join The Crew” to see where we are currently accepting new clients

Hotel Chaperone

To secure your pet’s Hotel Pet Chaperone Service, we require prepayment of travel services upon booking. The full amount will be charged at the time of booking, and is non-refundable in case of cancellation. This policy ensures that our Chaperones are available and prepared to provide your pet with the highest quality care during your vacation in Vancouver.

For our Hotel Chaperone services, we accept anyone within Vancouver, Canada.

Corporate Services

The dog walking service is typically paid for by the business rather than the staff members. We understand that providing a dog walking service for your employees can be a great way to improve morale and productivity in the workplace, but we also know that it can be challenging to coordinate and manage the logistics of the service. That’s why we offer a customizable plan that can be tailored to your business’s specific needs and budget. We can work with you to create a payment plan that fits within your budget and helps you achieve your goals. If you have any questions or concerns about payment, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help!

We recommend that employees leave a leash, collar, and any other necessary items for their dog with the designated contact person at the workplace. We’ll handle the rest!

For our Cooperate Services, we accept any business within Vancouver, Canada.

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