Frequently Asked Questions.
Why should you choose us?
We know you have a lot of options when it comes to finding someone to care for your pets and we're happy you have found your way here.
REPUTATION
Our reviews speak for themselves. We also know that our clients are our best salesmen, and we have been very fortunate to please a whole bunch of them thus far. We have numerous 5 star reviews on google and facebook (can you link them here?) highlighting just how happy our pets and humans have been. Feel free to browse through them!
TRUSTWORTHY
We start with our dedication to earning your trust. This is the foundation of our business model and we know that without it we simply cannot satisfy our clients. Winston Salem Dog Care has been set up with the customer in mind in every aspect. We offer transparent and competitive pricing, modern methods of service tracking, and we aim to offer an exceptional experience that no other company can provide.
RELIABLE & ENGAGED
We guarantee to maintain consistent and clear communication with you. We are available and will quickly respond to any questions or concerns you may have. It's this consistent and clear communication that allows us to build your trust in our business.
PROFESSIONAL
We take our clients (pets and humans alike) very seriously. This is not a hobby of ours, it's a business and we treat it as such. We are a fully bonded and insured company, we are easily reachable, quick to respond, and explain everything in advance so proper expectations are set during the initial consultation and continue throughout our relationship.
EMPLOYEE DRIVEN
Most dog walking companies (including on demand services like Wag! and Rover) hire independent contractors to walk your dogs. By classifying their staff as IC's, they are legally unable to train, develop, and properly oversee the results. These companies also are not allowed to provide insurance or worker's compensation. This can lead to a number of different legal complications for not only them but also for you.We hire every staff member as an employee. We are able to oversee the quality of their work, build up and train each member of our team, and provide them with all of the tools necessary to complete their job to the best of their ability.
MODERN
Our business is run through software called Time to Pet that GPS tracks where we care for pets, records any walks, and allows us to add any additional comments and pictures taken during our walk. This information is then emailed to you upon completion of every appointment and stored in our system which you can access anytime. You are also notified real time by email and by the app when we enter and leave your home. That same user friendly system also handles our scheduling, payments, and customer/pet info... all of which you can access anytime through the customer portal. It keeps us accountable and you informed.
INNOVATIVE
We don't want to be just like every other company... We want to be WAY better. It's because of this that we strive to push the boundaries on what has become the status quo in this industry. We do this in a number of ways that you may never even experience, but it allows us to do things other companies just can't do. Our hiring strategy, industry specific software, and creative business model are some examples.
GRACIOUS
We are dog people. As pet owners, we know the value that a pet can add to someone's life. That is why it is so important for us to give back to the pet community. We proudly support local shelters and their efforts to rescue and rehabilitate many different species. Without them, countless pets would not get to enjoy the partnership that we are so lucky to share.
GUARANTEED
We guarantee that you will be 100% completely satisfied with the service that we provide or your money back. We are fully confident in our ability to provide you with excellent service... So confident that we are willing to put our money where our mouth is.
DOG FRIENDLY!
We absolutely love your pets! They are our passion and always put a smile on our faces. We are so fortunate to be able to work with them for a living while enjoying the beautiful NC outdoors, and we just love to keep your pets happy! When you choose Winston Salem Dog Care, you and your pets become part of our family.
Is Winston Salem Dog Care similar to on-demand services like Rover and Wag?
No.
These apps are really just tech companies in the pet care industry. They are funded by outside investors and focus heavily on their bottom line, thus quality can often slip through the cracks. Although there are good dog walkers working for these companies, there is a much greater risk of hiring someone that is not.
Winston Salem Dog Walking's primary focus is building a strong and lasting relationship with you and your pets. We are consistently there when you need us and will promptly resolve any issues that may arise.
These apps claim to hire only the best, but there are numerous stories of walkers losing dogs including an article in the New York Post that cites 3 lost dogs in just one month in New York City alone. The best dog walkers aren't going to lose your pet.
Winston Salem Dog Care hires passionate dog lovers as employees, continuously trains and develops them, and guarantee's our work or your money back. Don't let your pet be someone's side hustle.
These apps have outrageously long Terms of Service and if you dig through them, you will eventually come across the "we're not liable for anything" clause. Combine that with hiring independent contractors (preventing these companies from offering any formal training and only minimal oversight) and you potentially have a recipe for disaster. These contractors are also not covered by insurance, but may purchase it for a fee if they run into an issue that cannot be resolved.
Winston Salem Dog Care is fully bonded and insured with a policy that is double that of any on-demand dog walking app. We also provide worker's compensation insurance to all of our staff which protects both you and them if there is an incident or injury while we are on the job.
Where do I start?
The best place to start is by checking to make sure you and Winston Salem Dog Care are a good fit.
● Check our Service Area to make sure you reside within our boundaries.
● Check our Services to find what option will work best for your pet's needs. Once in the system, we can provide on demand visits, or the same day requested.
● Check out our Testimonials from our current and past clients. They have some pretty nice things to say about us!
● Visit our Contact page if you like what you see and submit your info, or give us a call. We will get in touch with you as soon as possible to schedule a Meet and Greet.
We are more than happy to answer any preliminary questions you may have and explain to you just how easy it is when we work for you. The next step is to schedule a free, no obligation, Meet and Greet. During the consultation, we will answer any additional questions that may have come up and cover how our scheduling and billing system works and what to expect if you choose to go forward with becoming part of the Winston Salem Dog Walking family.
What can I expect during a Meet and Greet?
Meet and Greets can be scheduled outside of our normal dog walking hours. Our regular weekly consultation hours are:
Monday-Thursday 6:00pm-7:00pm for boarding and daycare
In-home care and overnights by appointment.
Meet and Greets usually last about 30 minutes to an hour depending on the complexity of your care plan, and your pet’s special needs. This is a great way for us to get to know one another. We really enjoy this opportunity to begin building a relationship with you and your pet.
In addition to answering any questions you have, we will explain how our system works in depth and discuss your pet’s normal routine. This will also help us to get a lay of the land (including where leashes, treats, and anything else we may need are kept).
If you do not have keypad access to your home, for a $17 deposit, we will give you a lockbox to secure a key for us. If you are a regular scheduled client we will leave the box. If you schedule travel coverage, we will remove the box at the conclusion of your trip. Deposit will be refunded when you no longer need the lockbox and we pick it up.
Before your consultation, you will receive a Welcome Email with information to access Time to Pet, our scheduling app. Please read our service agreement and enter your address and pet care plan before we meet. We will discuss and adjust info at our Meet and Greet.
Once the above steps have been completed, we will be ready to approve your appointment requests.
I just need coverage for a few days, can you help me?
Yes! We specialize in travel care and short term care. Be sure to contact as early as possible to make sure we can meet your specific needs. We will always do our best to assign one walker for your entire trip, however, we may need to take a team approach.
I just found out I need a visit today, can you help me?
For established clients we will do our best to get you coverage the same day. There will be a $5 scheduling fee for all requests made after 5pm, the day before. We ask that all requests made after 9am be made in Time to Pet and include a phone call or text to make sure we see it as soon as possible. As always we will do our best to help when emergencies arise.
How do you get in when I’m not home?
Winston Salem Dog Care will provide a lockbox with a $20 deposit.
The lockboxes we use are highly rated and have a 4 digit combination code. We will choose a discreet place to put it in order to access your home.
We can also access your home through a coded garage if applicable, but we would still need to have at least one key on file as a backup in the event the power goes out.
Unfortunately, we recognize that some apartments might not allow you to have a spare key. It is ONLY in these circumstances that we can check out a spare key from the office. We operate on a tight schedule and when office staff are with other residents or are out on tours, this is a major inconvenience for us and thus we try to avoid it when at all possible.
For clients who need a fob to access your building or elevator, we only need one copy that can be stored in the lockbox.
Should you discontinue service with Winston Salem Dog Care, the lockbox must be returned within 14 days of your last scheduled appointment.
Will I have the same care provider each visit?
Winston Salem Dog Care believes we have one of the best care teams available. We take pride in our ability to create personalized care plans for our clients and to do that, it sometimes takes a team to make it happen. We will always try to provide the same sitter for an entire booking if a client requests to. One of the benefits of using our team over an individual is that you get substitutes that you can rely on to be there for you and pets. This allows us to take same day appointments and spare-of-the moment trips. Having a thoroughly vetted, trained, and background checked team allows us to have substitutes at the ready.
We will always notify you who will be coming into your home and you have the ability to mark preferred sitters and any you do not wish to use in our app. After each visit, you will have the opportunity to complete a Happiness Survey.
Do you walk dogs from different families together?
We only walk dogs from the same family together. We do not provide group or "pack" walks. By doing this, we are able to give 100% individualized service and attention to your dog.
What do you do if our pet has an accident in the house?
This is the ugly (and stinky) side of pet care, but it's still part of the job!
If your pet is a dog, the first thing we do is to get your pet out of the house to make sure they don't have anything left in the tank. Our team members carry some cleaning supplies with them and will do the best they can to clean and remove any odors. Please be sure to make a note in your account where they can find your cleaners in the event they need them. If you have pets that will be going in and out, please leave an old towel for our providers to wipe your pet down in the event of rain or mud. This does eat into our scheduled walk time, but we know that you will be happier coming back to a less soiled and stinky home.
What does your insurance cover?
For your peace of mind, all of our team members are covered under our insurance and bonding. Our insurance protects against things that may happen while we are with your pet. While your pet is in our care: injury, damage, and loss to either your pet or a third party is covered. Bonding protects the priceless possessions inside your home. For instance, a dog walker accidentally knocks over and destroys your favorite fabergé egg... the egg is covered.
Our pet business insurance also covers are staff and we have a worker's compensation. This adds another level of liability protection for you in the event that an injury occurs on your property.
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand life happens and we do not charge for cancellations. However if you forget to cancel and our team member drives out, you will be required to pay for the visit.
In the event of inclement weather, we may shorten their visit or try to come at a different time based on radar. We will be in communication with you. The only time we will not take a pet outside is with lightning within 5 miles and if the area is under a severe weather warning.
Can you take care of my pet on a holiday?
Yes! We encourage all of our clients to schedule through the app as soon as you know your travel dates. We fill our schedule first come first serve so don’t wait. It’s easier for us to put you on and remove you if your plans change.
2022 Holiday Schedule
To compensate our sitters for being away from their families and friends on holidays, we charge and extra $5 per visit on the following dates:
● New Years Eve and Day
● Easter Sunday (April 17th)
● Memorial Day Weekend (Friday to Monday)
● Independence Day (July 1-4)
● Labor Day Weekend (Friday to Monday)
● Thanksgiving Weekend (Thursday to Sunday)
● Christmas Holiday (23rd-26th)
Overnight and boarding will carry a $5 per night fee on these holidays.