Frequently Asked Questions
Our Dog Walking Services / How Is The Time Calculated?
The time of your service starts at the time we pull up to your door to the time we leave your house. We are happy to do the extras like feed your pet, put on pet clothing etc., but it is factored in to the time you have booked. We have a schedule and need to keep to it so the next customer is not late. Many pets require medications so our schedules are carefully planned.
If I Want To Tip, How Can I Do So In This New System?
Although not "expected" like some industries, tips are appreciated by many the staff. To tip you do so after your services. When you go to your invoice, then click make a payment. You will have the option located on the upper right to add a tip. You can also elect to add a % total and save.
Pet Boarding/Sitting Solutions: How Long Will My Pet Be Alone
& What Is Check in / Check Out Times?
Our in-home pet sitting service is designed to provide your pets with exceptional care while allowing them to remain comfortable in their own home. Please note that our pet sitters do not remain in your home 24 hours a day unless this has been specifically arranged as part of your booking.
Like most professional pet sitters, our staff may leave your home for normal daily activities, work commitments, or to care for other scheduled clients. Healthy adult pets are generally comfortable being left alone for a normal working day. While being alone all day is not always the case with our boarding, we are being upfront in advising that some days this could be the case.
If your pet has special requirements, such as medications, is a senior, is a puppy, or requires more frequent bathroom breaks or companionship, we can often arrange for one of our professional dog walking staff to visit during the day. This helps ensure your pet is not left alone for extended periods, with visits typically allowing us to reduce the time between care to approximately four hours max. Please discuss your pet's individual needs with us during your Meet & Greet so we can develop the most appropriate care plan to accommodate the specific needs.
Rates are based upon a noon to noon boarding time, but we are flexible. If you have a late arriving flight or early morning departure please advise of times in your meet and greet and we will do our best to accommodate customized check in and check out times.
Rates are based upon a noon to noon boarding time, but we are flexible. If you have a late arriving flight or early morning departure please advise of times in your meet and greet and we will do our best to accommodate customized check in and check out times.
How Do We Prepare Dogs For The Heat In Summer?
At The Paw and Snout, your dog's safety is our top priority. During the summer months, we use a variety of techniques to help keep pups cool and comfortable while outdoors. We also monitor each dog's behaviour and physical actions closely to recognize signs of heat stress and determine when conditions are no longer safe for a walk.
To reduce the risks associated with hot weather, we take the following precautions:
Cooling Before and During the Walk
We carry a 3-gallon sprayer and, when appropriate, gently wet a dog's belly and paws before starting the walk. For dogs that are uncomfortable with being sprayed, we can use wet towels to dampen their paws and underside where their blood vessels are closest to the skin and aid in cooling.
Checking Surface Temperatures
Before each walk, we often use an infrared temperature reader to measure the temperature of sidewalks and other walking surfaces. While some experts suggest that surfaces become unsafe at approximately 25-30°C, or when you cannot comfortably hold your hand on them for 5–7 seconds (recommendations vary by source), we consider the temperature we read, the time of day, cloudy or sunny, and routes possible from your location as well as the hand heat test to make our decision on whether it is safe or not. It's also important to remember that different materials retain heat differently. White concrete is typically much cooler than black asphalt, metal sewer grates, or manhole covers. A reading of 28°C on white concrete can mean these darker or metal surfaces can exceed 60°C. Whenever possible, we avoid asphalt, metal grates, and manhole covers altogether.
Frequent Water Breaks
We carry a water bowl and up to 3 litres of fresh water on every walk. Dogs are offered frequent opportunities to drink, and we may also wet their paws to help them cool down.
Resting in the Shade
If a dog begins showing signs of becoming too warm, we take additional breaks in shaded areas to allow them to cool down before continuing.
Choosing Cooler Routes
Whenever possible, we walk on grass instead of concrete or pavement and select routes that provide more shade and cooler surfaces. We usually have many routes scoped out for your dogs, some for winter, some for summer, some to avoid diogs etc, in summer we also try and find more shaded routes when hot.
Adjusting the Walking Pace
During hot weather, we reduce our walking pace to minimize exertion. Running or fast-paced exercise should not be done when temperatures exceed 26°C, and the threshold is even lower for short-snouted breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston Terriers.
Shortening or Cancelling Walks
If weather conditions become too hot or we believe a dog is at risk of heat stress or burnt paws, we will shorten or cancel the walk. The health and safety of every dog will always take precedence over completing a scheduled walk.
Walk cancellations due to heat — alternatives
Your dog’s wellbeing comes first. When temperatures reach unsafe levels, we’ll cancel outdoor walks to prevent heat stress, paw burns, and other heat-related risks. We will notify you.
What we can do instead
House Visit: A short visit for a safe potty break, indoor attention and enrichment, water and light play. This includes a welfare check: We’ll confirm your pet is comfortable, re‑fill water, and adjust blinds, fans, or A/C settings you’ve approved. House visits are available in 20 and 30 minute durations. Prices will be adjusted.
We’ll notify you as early as possible on days with heat advisories and confirm the best alternative.
What Are Your Safety Protocols And Cancellation Policies For Winter?
We have been fortunate that our Winters the past years have not been as cold. But there have been days too cold for pups. We do not have a specific temperature where we cancel walks as there are many variables such as wind, humidity and other factors that can factor unsafe conditions. On dry, calm and sunny days minus 28 a lot of dogs can easily stand, while minus 20 on humid and windy day no one can stand that. Different breeds also react differently to the cold. Husky's love it while short haired dogs hate it. Is there snow or only dry cold cement to walk on? So many factors. This part we ask customers to decide if you think it is too cold for your pet as you know them best. However there may be days when we will close as it is unsafe for the walker and most dogs. Windy, cold days with little or no snow and blizzards are often two reasons we may cancel.Measures we do take in the winter- We try and walk dogs on snow as snow is usually -1-16C which can be warmer than the air temperature. - Ice and concrete/asphalt/metal is avoided as best as we can.- We usually have routes picked out for colder days like in between houses where there is less wind etc.- Shorten walks if too long for your booked duration.- Offer house visits where we let pup out to go potty and give them some play and human time...20-30 minute durations available.