We have used WalkOn for our two dogs for the last year, ever since we moved to the area. The…read morepersonal service and attention to details we have received as we transitioned our dogs to a new environment has been a wonderful peace of mind. We have a rescue who is very shy, and Beth has succeeded in gaining his trust and affection, which he rarely grants to strangers. Our second is a large breed purebred, who can be aloof to folks outside her pack, as is normal for her breed, and Beth has demonstrated an understanding to handle the breed. We trust WalkOn with our walking and overnight sitting services. We get daily updates when we are out of town, and text report after a visit when we are in town. We are so glad we have WalkOn available for our dogs!

I had a last minute cancellation of my dog and cat sitter before a 2 week trip. I happen to live…read morenear Beth but didn't know it! We happened to see her car with her logo on it in our parking lot. Upon calling her up she responded quickly to my message and upon hearing my needs had things set up for me in no time. I got daily pictures and updates about my fur babies. I was so pleased with the care for my pets and how great they looked when I got home to them.

Bottom line: Marty made herself too comfortable in my home…read more I hired Marty to provide dog walking services in early January 2011. In mid-January I had to ask her to please stop doing my dishes and folding my laundry. In April/May Marty stopped by for a second unscheduled visit to visit my dog and let herself in my home despite my car being in the parking spot. In June I traveled overseas and realized that a fair number of pills from a pain medication prescription were missing. I do not have proof, but she was the only one with access to my home. Due to the time of my discovery (2 hours before my flight left) I had no other choice but to keep her employed for overnight dog sitting services. Upon my return, my house smelled of smoke and I found two air freshners strategically hidden in my home. My neighbor also commented that there were two individuals staying at my house. My dog loved her and I trust she did a great job with him, however, I would not trust her in my home.

Marty is always reliable and fantastic with our cat. It is great to have the same person come to…read moreyour home consistently whenever you have to leave your pet alone. We are lucky to have found a great service provider compared to the bigger companies who send someone different every time.

We have been using Fur Your Pet's Sake for just over two years now, and Jennifer & co. are…read morefantastic! We use them on an as-needed basis, usually when we go out of town for holidays (cat-sitting) or when just one of us is gone (for dog walking). We have not used the overnight dog-sitting service, but I'm sure it's great. They are full-service -- administering meds, scooping the litterbox, checking the mail, watering plants...very helpful for the longer trips out of town. Even though it is a small business (and we are sometimes last-minute with our requests), we get responses quickly, and Jennifer has never not been able to take care of our animals (even when we had particularly difficult situations, like medical issues with the cats or a dog that could not handle strangers). Every interaction I've had with Jennifer has been pleasant and professional. She loves animals, animals love her, and she is infinitely patient and accommodating. I think they are fairly limited to the immediate Laurel area, though you can can check if you live outside of town.

We have trusted Get Out Of Town for the care of our dog for more than two years now. They are…read moreprompt, courteous, and will always go the extra mile to make sure your pet is well cared for. They also watch cats, gerbils, birds, fish - and I'm sure whatever else you own that needs attention. Plus, their website is funny and provides all the useful information you'll need. The prices are right in line with other firms in the area. I would highly recommend them for your pet sitting needs. Go to the website or email getoutoftown@gmail.com

I've used Paws R Us for at least 4-5 years for my pup and my experience has been nothing short of…read moreincredible. Alex and Paws R Us is by far the best pet care/dog walking service in NOVA. I have never had any problems with Paws R Us and Alex really cares for my dog. She's very flexible and super accommodating. Her daily walk updates are always specific to what happened on each walk and she makes it a point to engage with my dog. Scheduling walks and payments are all handled online, which is very convenient, Alex responds to questions in a timely manner. Hurray for Paws R Us!

Alexandra- For clarification: your pet sitting was fantastic for several months. It was your…read more*customer* service that suffered, as evidenced by that text. You recommended I find a new sitter, so I did. Perhaps if you misunderstand something in the future, ask a question instead of responding in anger. Also, once you realize you misunderstood and responded inappropriately, an apology is usually in order, not more angry words. Best of luck for the future.

I've used Capitol Dog Hikes for a year now. I have a Golden Retriever who needs more than walking…read morearound a block - he needs to run off-leash. He goes with Capitol Dog Hikes three times a week and the difference is incredible. He's much more relaxed and mellow around the house. We also found out that a neighborhood dog is part of his "pack" and it's so nice when they see each other in our morning walks. I've shopped around for dog walkers/hikers and also researched dog boarding. The value that Capitol Dog Hikes offers, including pick up and drop-off service, is superior to any other place I've found. They also send pictures and videos so that you can see your dog in action - whether it's playing in the snow, chasing another dog or hiking in the woods.

I recently started my new puppy with Leslie at Capitoldoghikes. Prior to starting, Leslie reassured…read moreme when I had concerns with how my puppy might handle the hikes. He is a French bulldog so he seems to overheat and get tired pretty quickly. That being said, he seems to have enjoyed them a lot and he gets to socialize with other dogs every day. He is exhausted when I get home, but instead of a 30 minute walk he gets a couple hour hike. For a puppy, this is great so he's not on his own too long. I also love seeing the pics and videos each day to see what he had been up to!

Inga and her crew at Tickled Paws are professional, responsive, caring, loving, thorough, and…read morereasonably priced -- what more could you ask for in a pet sitter? We were going on vacation and needed someone to come in to feed our cats/scoop their litter/water the plants/bring in the mail. I followed a craigslist ad to the Tickled Paws website and e-mailed them with the dates and details of the services we needed. Inga responded within a day or so and we scheduled a free introductory session to discuss every aspect of what we needed, where things were kept, what the cats were like, etc. I appreciated that this introductory session was free because many places charge for this. I was prepared to pay if necessary, but it didn't make sense to me. I was impressed that Tickled Paws gets that this is essentially my interview of them, not a service they are providing me. Inga was a pleasure to work with. At our intro meeting she brought a new client packet with any info I would want. She thoroughly explained their procedures and took the time to learn everything she could about my cats, our apartment, and what we wanted done. Both prior to and during the intro meeting she clearly explained their rates, etc. and was honest with the length of session that would be necessary to get done what we needed done. She gave us a new client discount and the total I ended up paying was less than I had anticipated by a significant percentage. After the intro meeting, Inga sent me a .pdf of the signed service agreement and log in info for my client profile on their website. She responded quickly to the e-mails I sent her with some last-minute details and sent a follow up e-mail after the first day to let me know how it had gone. When I got home, the place was clean, the cats were contented and well-fed, and there was even a log on the table detailing what she'd done at each visit, whether she'd visited with the cats, etc. Most importantly, at every stage of the process, I felt that Inga genuinely cared for my cats. She payed attention to what I told her about them, she tried to make friends with even my very shy cat, and seemed genuinely overjoyed at making progress with them. I'm definitely not the type of person who thinks of her pets as children, but it really was comforting to feel implicitly that the cats were being cared for with the sense of affection and duty I'd use myself. After having been disappointed with the quality and price of service from similar pet care organizations in both DC and Virginia, I was so grateful for Inga and Tickled Paws. We'll definitely use them again.

Updated summer 2018 - Palstride stopped (rather abruptly) serving DC…read more Palstride will be my trusted pet-sitter from here on out! We received an in-person consultation before engaging Palstride the first time, during which they clearly explained their services and enthusiastically got to know our cats and their needs (where's the food? which toys do they like? where do we toss the litter? which blinds should be opened each morning? etc). After each of our engagements, we came home to find a diary containing detailed notes on each of the (3x daily) visits they made to our home, including what activities they carried out and how the cats were behaving. At my request, I also got a mid-trip report (with adorable pictures of the kitties) via email which was reassuring and a charming way to keep in touch. I appreciate their reasonable rates, the thoroughness of their service, and the Palstride staffs' obvious affection for the pets under their care. Finally, although the Yelp profile specifies "Manassas" as the location, Palstride's staff are entirely capable of handling a location in downtown DC. FIVE STARS.

Karen is amazing with our 5 year old rescue bulldog, who is reactive to people and other dogs. She…read moreis so compassionate toward us and sympathetic to the issues, taking care to reinforce what we are trying to work on with the guidance of a trainer. She is super communicative, always keeps us aware of her arrival time, and sends pictures and updates, which are so appreciated. More importantly, she clearly LOVES dogs. This is not just a business for Karen, it's a calling. I am the most paranoid dog Mom in the world, so I am thrilled to death to have found this angel on the other end of Josie's leash! Peace of mind doesn't come along easily but we've found it in Karen. Everyone says they will treat your fur babies as their own. Karen really does.

Amazing dog walkers! Karen and her daughter have been taking care of my pups for a long time now…read more And let me tell you my dogs are a handful. Homer eats everything that is not nailed down and Lucy is blind. Kate. And Laura are timely and keep me posted about everything. I can't recommend them enough. They give the dogs full walks and make sure they are safe!