2022 Summary of Services & Policies 

Effective: 1 January 2022

Walks

  • Individualized appointments in familiar surroundings for your pet
  • Flexibility in structuring appointments to include play, feeding, individual walks for multi-dog households, etc.
  • We use only positive-reinforcement methods when handling your pups.

 

Description of Service
A walk is a 15, 30, 45, or 60 minute appointment with the dog(s) of the client’s household.  During this time period, a team member will leash up and take the dog(s) out for a stroll around the neighborhood.  We strive to have the same team member walk the dogs, but occasionally another member may fill in. If requested, this appointment can include play-time with potty breaks in addition to or instead of a walk.  These visits include a recap of the appointment, either verbally with the client or via a Pet Journal Entry in your Precise Pet Care account (you will receive an email notification each time a new journal entry is created or an entry is commented on).
 Clients with multiple dogs can request that team members walk all dogs at the same time for the entire period, or they can ask to split the appointment time and give each dog a shorter, individual walk. 
When choosing an appointment duration, take into consideration any additional service you would like for your dog (e.g., grooming needs on wet days, feedings).  These additional services will occur within the 15, 30, or 60 minute time frame, not in addition to that time, meaning your pup’s walk may be shorter than the specified time, unless you request a longer appointment to allow for the walk duration desired plus additional services.  

Restrictions

As a proponent of modern, positive reinforcement based training methods, Puget Sound Puppers (“PSP”) does not advocate the use of aversive training methods nor the tools used in that style of training. More specifically, PSP team members will not walk or train dogs using choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, or any other tool or item used to apply pain or discomfort in response to an unwanted behavior.  By using our service you agree to us not using those items or methods and understand that we do not shape behaviors through the application of physical corrections, such as striking, hitting, shouting, or startling.
 While we do our best to get our canine clients outside year round, dogs unwilling or frightened to go out in severe weather will not be dragged, tugged, or otherwise forced outdoors.  In such situations, clients can choose to downgrade their appointment to a shorter time frame (15 or 30 minutes), or keep the original appointment length and allow their dog to enjoy playtime inside with their walker buddy, with at least one attempt to bring the dog out for potty when (s)he seems to be more relaxed.
 If our team member encounters a situation in the home requiring extensive cleanup or attention, the work done during this time will necessarily result in a shorter walk for your dog(s).  

Overnights

    • Our pet pros stay over from 7pm – 8am
    • Two walks per day (evening, & following morning), plus feeding & meds
    • Attention to home maintenance (watering plants, bringing in mail and newspapers, etc.
    • Evening & next morning updates for each night of the stay
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  • One (1) 30-minute midday walk is included for regular walk clients for each night of the stay; all other clients can request midday walks as needed at our listed rates

Description of Service
An overnight is an in-home (“in-home” being the client’s home) stay by one of our pet professionals to care for the pets of a client’s household.  Unless other arrangements are made, the pet professional arrives by 7pm and stays in the client’s home until at least 8am the next morning.  During this overnight period, the pets are fed, medications administered, and the dogs are walked or taken out for potty or play, in accordance with the client’s instructions.  The pet professional will take the dogs out for an evening walk and a morning walk the following AM (or playtime in the yard, if a walk is not possible) for each night of the stay.  Clients will receive a recap around 8:30pm Pacific Time each evening, and an update the next morning before departure.

For our regular walk clients, one 30-minute walk or potty break at the midpoint of the day is included for each night of the overnight stay. Clients may request additional midday appointments (or a longer midday break) at an additional charge. Non-walk clients can purchase midday walks at our listed rates.

Deposits for extended stays and holiday stays

Overnights lasting four (4) or more nights and all overnight stays that occur on holidays where we offer service by request only will require a nonrefundable 20% deposit on the base rate (i.e., $32.00 per night requested) before the overnight is booked. Upon completion of the stay, the deposit will be applied to the total bill. For overnight stays that are canceled, the deposit can be transferred to pay for a future overnight stay that occurs within 6 months of the original booking.

Restrictions

Because of high demand from clients and PSP’s limited resources to accommodate all requests, clients should bear in mind that they may not be able to book a stay with us without several months’ notice. For Christmas stays in particular, PSP suggests submitting your request 6-12 months in advance.

Private Dog Training

Live a happier life with your dog through positive reinforcement training.

All training services start with an initial consultation with our owner & head trainer, Wesley Hawkins.  During this consultation period, he gathers information about the help you need, formulates a training plan, and you both decide together whether our one-on-one coaching or day training package best suits your & your dog’s needs.

One-on-One Coaching 

We work with you and your dog at every appointment, in the places where you need the most help. 

  • Address problems such as: pulling on leash, jumping up, and ignoring you when called.
  • Improve aggression-related issues like lunging, reactive barking, snapping, and biting.
  • Learn safe, pain-free, dog-friendly training skills that build confidence and trust. 

Day Training 

You’re busy, so let us do the training. We work with your dog to jump start the training, which makes it easier for you to utilize your dog’s new skills in your daily life. We train your dog for you three times per week, then we meet with you once a week to explain the details of the week’s training efforts.  

  • Address problems such as: jumping up on people or learning to settle around others
  • Jump-start shaping new behaviors
  • Great for on-leash issues like pulling, jumping, lunging, and barking at other dogs, people, cars, etc.
  • Super-flexible scheduling options–you don’t need to be home

Availability, Notice for Requests

Our normal hours of operation are 8am-7pm, Monday through Friday, with limited availability outside these times.  While we do our best to accommodate all requests, please note the following:

  1. Requests for weekend walks or walks outside our operation hours on weekdays cannot be accommodated without at least 24 hours notice.  
  2. The more flexibility you have, the easier it is for us to accommodate additional or sporadic requests for service.

During times of inclement weather or other catastrophic events that result in treacherous driving conditions or other situations that would put an employee’s safety at risk (e.g., snow or icy roads & sidewalks, flooding, roads closed due to disaster), we reserve the right to cancel service at no charge to the client.  Clients are also able to cancel same-day at no charge under such circumstances.  

In times of snow or ice, please keep your sidewalks & outside stairs/porch shoveled and clear of ice.  Our walkers appreciate your efforts to keep conditions as safe as possible, should we need to come by for a visit.

If outdoor conditions prove hazardous to dogs or our employees (e.g., poor air quality during wildfires, excessive heat in summer), we are happy to make recommendations for alternate activities or shortened appointments.

Holidays 

Puget Sound Puppers LLC will offer limited service on the following holidays:

Monday, May 30, 2022 (Memorial Day)
 Monday, July 4, 2022 (Independence Day)
Monday, September 5, 2022 (Labor Day)
Thursday, November 24, 2022 (Thanksgiving)
Saturday, December 24, 2022 (Christmas Eve)
Sunday, December 25, 2022 (Christmas)
Saturday, December 31, 2022 (New Year’s Eve)
Sunday, January 1, 2023 (New Year’s Day)

Service on the above holidays is offered by request only; all normal service will be canceled on the above dates. 

Because of limited staff availability combined with the high probability that any available staff will also be assigned an overnight stay on holidays, walk requests will be restricted to a 9am-6pm window.  We will not accept requests for walks outside those hours during the above holidays.

All walk, visit, & overnights services rendered on the above dates will be charged double (2x) the base rate, plus any other applicable surcharges.

**Overnight slots for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve & Day fill up early.  All accepted overnight requests for these holidays will require a nonrefundable 20% deposit at booking, regardless of the length of the stay.  Plan to submit your request before April 2022.**

Cancellation Policies

Walks & Private Training

We are happy to cancel a walk or private training appointment at no charge when given notice by 7pm the evening before the scheduled appointment (either via Precise Pet Care or email).  For walks, please reach out to your scheduling coordinator or the Director of Operations to cancel. For private training, please get in touch with your trainer. For walks and training appointments canceled after 7pm the evening before, we reserve the right to charge the canceled appointment at the full rate. 
A walk or training appointment that would otherwise be canceled late can be rescheduled for free; if, however, that rescheduled appointment is canceled, we reserve the right to charge for the appointment.  The date of the rescheduled walk appointment must fall within one week (7 days) of the date of the original walk to avoid any cancellation charges; it cannot replace a normally scheduled walk day or previously requested day (i.e., clients cannot make a timely cancellation of a walk, then “reschedule” a late cancellation for that day and time).  

Overnights

Overnights can be canceled at no additional charge with at least 72 hours notice.  Deposits for canceled overnights are not refundable, but they can be transferred for use toward a future overnight stay that occurs within 6 months of the original booking.

Overnights canceled with less than 72 hours notice will be charged at their full rate up to the first three days.

Access to Your Home

As part of the terms of service for walks, overnights, and day training, the client must provide PSP with access to the home, if the dog is left indoors, or with access to a fenced yard, if the dog is left outdoors.  

If the dog is indoors, the client is to provide PSP with access to the home in one of the following ways before service commences:

  1. Provide two sets of keys (one for the principal walker, one as backup) to the home.  Upon termination of service, PSP will return both sets of keys to the client.

Note: if a FOB or key labeled DO NOT DUPLICATE is required, the client must still provide PSP with two sets of each item at the client’s expense.  Both sets will be returned to the client upon termination of service.  

2. Keep one set of keys in a lockbox, and give PSP the location of the box and its access code.
3. Give PSP an access code to a combination-style deadbolt

If PSP is required to disarm a home security system upon entry, the client will provide the appropriate protocol for disarming (and re-arming) the alarm.  PSP agrees to use reasonable care with all sensitive items and information, including but not limited to keys and security access codes.

Billing

Overnight Deposits

Any requests for overnights requiring a stay lasting four (4) or more nights OR occurring on a by-request holiday (regardless of length) requires a 20% nonrefundable deposit upon booking.  This deposit will be applied to your total charges after completion of the overnight.

Any deposit from a canceled stay can be applied to a future stay that occurs within six (6) months of the originally scheduled dates.

Billing Schedule 

Unless clients are signed up for autopay and indicate otherwise, all clients are billed on a biweekly (i.e., every other week) schedule for walks. Invoices are sent via email from QuickBooks on Monday mornings. The client is responsible for ensuring these emails arrive in the inbox of an email address that is checked regularly. We are happy to help you set a filter to make sure the emails do not go to Spam or your Trash.

Overnights are billed separately on the Monday following the conclusion of the job, regardless of billing cycle.

Private Training fees are due upon completion of the appointment for Initial Consultations and single sessions. Fees for multi-session packages are due in full before the beginning of the first session, unless alternative arrangements are made with Wesley Hawkins.

Payment Options

We accept payment by check (pay to Puget Sound Puppers LLC) or online via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex) or e-check.  All payments are due within 14 days of invoicing.  We do not accept cash for walks or overnight service.  We also have an autopay service (see below).

Past Due Invoices

  • All payments are due within 14 days of invoicing.
  • Once an invoice is 7 days past due, Puget Sound Puppers will assess a late fee of $10 for every week an invoice remains unpaid.  
  • If a client has 3 or more invoices overdue, Puget Sound Puppers reserves the right to suspend service until the client has brought their account up to date.  
  • If any invoice goes more than 90 days past due, Puget Sound Puppers will permanently cancel service, and any invoices at least 90 days past due will be sent to collections.  The client is still responsible for payment of all outstanding invoices.

Autopay Service

Clients who keep a checking account on file for autopay receive a 3% discount on ALL SERVICES.

We also offer the option to “set it and forget it” via our Auto Pay service.  With this option, the client keeps a checking account on file with PSP.  Auto Pay clients can choose to be billed biweekly or monthly (default is the 1st of every month, unless the client requests a different day).