by Toronto Pet Daily & Best Dog Walker 2017 by blogTO
Toronto’s Most Trusted & Reliable Dog Walker
Barks N Purrs is a full-service dog walking and pet care company providing personal and loving care to all dogs and cats in downtown and Uptown Toronto. Voted #1 as Toronto’s Best Dog walking company in 2014 and best Dog Boarder in 2016 by Toronto Pet Daily.
Founded in 2007, Rebecca has worked very hard and dedicated herself to growing Barks N Purrs into a successful small team of experienced dog owners and animal lovers. We understand that life can get busy sometimes, and our furry family members need a little more attention than we can give them. Our affordable and flexible dog walking and pet sitting rates and services allow you the option to give your pup the potty breaks and the love and exercise that they deserve.
We are dedicated to your pets and only provide positive training methods, that mean we use healthy treats, toys, and anything else that your dog enjoys. It’s important to us that your pup is enjoying their time out, meeting new dogs, learning new skills and building a relationship with their new walking buddy. We also don’t want to forget the relationship between our clients and their walkers. That is why we leave detailed notes after each walk along with a photo. Our clients also have direct communication with their walkers when needed.
Take a moment to look at our “About Us” page to learn more about Barks N Purrs and why we are a trusted and professional pet care provider in Toronto. We are here to help you and are very excited to make you a part of our family.
Learn More About Our First-class Services
Dog Walking
Dog Walking
Puppy Visits
Puppy Visits
Cat Visits
Cat Visits
We’re Dedicated To Our Clients
See Why We Are Professional & Experienced
Proud Member of The Pet Professional Guild
All staff are bonded and insured through PROfur
Rebecca is a Certified Dog Trainer through Karen Pryor Academy
All walkers are Pet First Aid & CPR Certified
Provide only positive training methods
Mandatory police checks for Walkers and Sitters
If your walker is away or sick, we have you covered
Time To Pet – Making it easier for you to connect with us!
Here at Barks N Purrs, we use a web-based pet sitting software called Time to Pet.
As a client of Barks N Purrs, Time to Pet gives you the control of you and your pet’s information. You can review and send messages to our team, update your information, make updates to your pet’s routine, submit new service request and make cancellation/change requests and receive and check your invoices and daily feedback after your pets walk or visit.
Ready to get started?
Follow These 4 Simple Steps
New Clients
Step #1:
Fill in our Questionnaire. We will contact you within 24 hours
Complimentary Meet and Greet
Step #2:
Discuss how we can best meet your needs, answer any questions and determine if we’re the right fit.
Request Services
Step #3:
Register online at Pet Sitter Plus, fill out your pet’s profile and get started with our help.
Start Services
Step #4:
Your pup is gradually introduced to their walking buddies in a safe environment. Service feedback and picture sent after each walk.
What Our Clients are Saying
I’ve been using Barks n Purrs for a few years now and only have wonderful things about this company and the dog walkers. I’ve had 3 different dog walkers (due to me moving around the city) and each one has cared so much for my little dog, they are always on time, very professional, reachable, and definitely dog lovers at heart.
Each day I get a note with a picture of my dog out on her walk and she looks so happy in every picture I’ve been sent.
If you are thinking about using this company please do!
We have been using Barks n Purrs for the last 4 months and we are very satisfied. Rebecca and Georgina have been great with our Gus, giving him the attention he needs while we’re at work. Their patience with him as he learns to walk with the other dogs (which hasn’t always been smooth!) has been such a relief for us. They’ve even given him some extra TLC on those snowy/rainy days when Gus stubbornly refuses to continue his walk!
They have a great system for cancelling/requesting walks and have been very flexible with our sometimes unpredictable schedule.
We would definitely recommend Barks n Purrs for anyone looking for a convenient, dedicated service for your special pooch.
Our dog Chloe has been walked with Barks N Purrs for over a year now and we love it! Chloe loves her walker Dayna and is always excited to see her and the pack she walks with. When our usual walker isn’t available, I am always given notice and the walker that fills in shadows in advance of the change to ensure a smooth transition. Everyone on the team is professional and I feel comfortable knowing they are caring for my dog on her daily walks. Highly recommended!
We are really happy with Barks ‘n’ Purrs. Meeka enjoys walking with her dog friends and the walkers are always friendly and flexible.
A former frequent traveller, I have held off travelling more for a number of years because I moved away from my cat sitter. I need worry no more. Barks N Purrs is an amazing service which came recommended to me and which I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to others. I got a huge kick out of their daily update emails and pictures while I was away. Nicole, my cats’ caregiver was a godsend. I loved the fact that she lived in my ‘hood. When she came to meet my kids before I left they took to her immediately so that was hugely comforting. I also loved the Barks N Purrs client portal and their request for complete routine, medication and personality details. Vital when dealing with new fur-clients. I did wonder if my fur-kids would remember me when I came back because Nicole is so good at what she does. Ha! Thanks so much Barks N Purrs. I shall be contacting you again before my next trip to Australia!
We have used Barks n Purrs for the last year or so and have been very very happy with everything. Rebecca really appreciates that our dog is our baby and did everything she could to make us feel comfortable, arranging meetings with the dog walkers, providing ample notice if there were any changes etc. The best part of the walks is the updates and photos! Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a reliable dog walker who cares so much about your pets.
We love Rebecca and the Barks n Purrs crew! They have taken amazing care of our basset hound Dean since he was 8 weeks old. Would recommend them to anyone.
This is an amazing service! I used this company for the first time when I went on vacation a few weeks ago and was extremely impressed. Customer service is very professional and the cat-sitter that I hired was friendly and did a fantastic job of taking care of my cat. I love how they emailed me a daily update about my cat with a picture. It was a relief knowing that Chico was in such good hands. I would highly recommend Barks N Purrs to anyone!
Signing up to have our much-loved French Bulldog walked by a member at Barks N Purrs Pet Services was single handily the best decision we have made for her. That’s a big statement, but here is why:
When we first looked for a dog walking service I hunted around for the right fit since our Frenchie is an extension of our family. We wanted the best for her and wanted to ensure that those taking care of her were knowledgeable with the breed and truly cared about our pooch. In addition, they are insured and also have first aid training, which was icing on the cake as many dog walkers do not carry any type of insurance or have those expertise. I met our walker from Barks N Purrs in our building lobby and he immediately fit the mould. He was highly knowledgably, had a great personality and had sincere love for all the dogs under his care.
Every experience since signing up with Barks N Purrs has been positive. Any questions we have are answered with haste and are clear. Communication from the owner about dates they may be closed or altered hours due to holidays are communicated well in advance. Dog care tips, designed to protect your dog from the elements and keep them in great shape are provided as a value ad. Our pooch gets a chance to socialize with other well behaved dogs (independent walks available). She is always pooped when she gets back from the walk.
I unequivocally do not regret the decision to sign up with Barks N Purrs and I know our dog shares the same sentiment. A few keys words to leave with. Professional, Knowledgeable, Friendly, Communicative, Great experience.
Very happy since becoming a client with them. My dog Ellie absolutely loves her walker Dayna! I love that we get updates from the walk including a photo. A nice break in your day to get an email with a goofy pic of your dog having fun when you’re at work. They’re been very accommodating with our irregular schedules too, which is something other companies have not been willing to do. Would highly recommend them!
FAQ
1. How do we get started?
Please fill out the “Get Started” form and we will contact you within 12 hours or less. We will schedule a free in-home consultation, which will this gives us a chance to meet with you, your pet and go over questions regarding normal daily exercise, feeding instructions, your pet’s behaviour and anything else that needs to be discussed.
2. Are you and your staff insured and bonded?
Yes, all of our Pet Care Professionals are insured and bonded by Profur Insurance. We’ve got the certificates to prove it.
3. In case of emergency, how will Barks N Purrs take care of my pet? Are you Pet First Aid trained?
Yes, Barks N Purrs is trained with DogSafe Pet First Aid. It is very important to us that we are prepared and equipped to handle any emergency. One of the benefits to being an urban dog walking business is that the best emergency veterinary care is literally minutes away.
4. How do you hire your Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters?
We have taken greater steps at hiring the best. First, all Dog Walker and Pet Sitters must have grown up with pets and have either worked with or volunteered with animals. We start off with a zoom interview, and if successful, proceed on to a phone interview. We then take a few candidates and put them through several trials with a few of our experienced dog walkers. After an in depth evaluation we then make our decision and begin a 1-2 week training period.
5. Is it the same walker every time?
Yes the same walker will be there for every walk you need. In case the walker is away or sick we have substitute dog walkers who will cover when needed. In case of an evening or weekend walk, you may have a different walker, if you current walker is not available. We make sure all substitutes have met the dogs before walking them.
6. What do I need to know before hiring a pet care provider?
You should know that it’s important to do your homework. Ask as many questions as you feel are necessary. Anyone who is running a reputable business will be happy to provide you with all the answers you need in order to feel comfortable leaving your pet(s) in their care.
7. How do we set up the key exchange?
When we arrive for our initial consultation, we ask that you have a set of keys and fob available for your building. If your building allows you to leave keys at security, this is also acceptable. Please just make sure the security or management has our information
8. How do we pay you? When do you require payment?
a. We provide bi-weekly billing after the services are complete. You have 15 days to provide payment. There is a 3% fee for all late payments. b. Payment can be made by paying cash or cheque directly to your dog walker or by email transfer to [email protected]. Cheques can be made payable to Barks N Purrs.
9. Do you have a bad cheque policy?
A $20 fee is charged on all returned cheques.
10. What are your business hours?
Office hours are from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm on Saturday and closed Sundays. We are closed on Holidays. Walking hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m 365 days of the year.
11. Do you have cancellation policies?
For dog walking and puppy visits, cancellations must be made within five hours of the service’s start time or there will be a 50% cancellation fee. If we are not notified of the cancellation, the full cost of the walk will be charged. Regardless of what the circumstances may be our dog walkers come prepared and travel through any weather, so we feel their time should be respected and in doing so, charges such services in full. For dog boarding and cat visits for our regular clients, cancelling or postponing appointments must be done at least 7 days prior to the start date or there will be a 50% cancellation fee. If we are not notified of the cancellation, the full cost of the visits will be charged. For dog boarding and cat visits for new clients, there is a 50% deposit due before the beginning of services. Cancelling or postponing appointments must be done at least 7 days prior to the start date or the 50% deposit will not be returned.
12. Are there times when you feel you must deny or terminate service?
Barks ‘n’ Purrs reserves the right to deny or terminate any service due to safety concerns, financial concerns, or inappropriate or uncomfortable situations