We have been using Dogs Deserve It for 5 years, and I cannot say enough good things about the company. We have had nothing but positive experiences. The company constantly strives to provide the best services they can and has constantly improved over the years (though, they were excellent to begin with!) Our 5 year old German Shepherd Presley was suddenly struck with an autoimmune disease, coupled with developing megaesophagus, which requires him to eat upright in a chair. DDI did not hesitate to accommodate Presley's new "special needs." The walkers provided excellent care to him, feeding him at lunch when necessary and giving him his medications. It relieved so much anxiety during an extremely difficult time to know that Presley was receiving such good care while we were at work. We love receiving photos of Presley before and after his walks, and always look forward to the walker comments at the end of the walk. They are well-organized, very accommodating to evening/weekend requests and cancellations, and they are quick to respond to emails. read more

We used DDI for years and they were amazing! All of the walkers were great and the office staff was always quick to respond and very accommodating. I always knew my pup was in good hands with them. We've also used them for overnights which was so helpful when we were out of town and in a pinch! Highly recommend!! (We are moving out of their territory which is the only reason we won't be using them anymore and we are so sad!!) read more

Used DDI for 2 years while living in Chicago and had a tremendous experience. All the walkers were great with our dog and they were extremely accommodating and flexible. Great communication, reliability, and care. Would absolutely recommend to anybody in the Chicago area. Brooklyn and I were very lucky to have them. read more

So, first a disclaimer that this review is a bit overdue. I last used DDI in February 2014. Also for full transparency - when I used DDI, they offered an incentive to customers who review them on Yelp. Roll with me here: if you're continuing to employ someone to watch your pet, would you write a less than stellar review? Doubtful. Anyway I'm going to be "that" person giving a "5 star company" a 1 star review. Here's my long story short. We had just gotten our puppy, a mastiff-mix who was about 35 pounds and only 4-5 months old. A big little guy, we were trying to potty train him during the polar vortex. Not the greatest combo. Add to that a dog who is nervous near major streets and shy around strangers and you get a sometimes immovable force, a puppy who mid-walk will park it and be stubborn as all hell. This is frustrating. I know. I totally get it. However, after meeting DDI I felt confident we had found a trustworthy, affordable, and pet-first dog walker to help care for our new addition. The reviews online, organization, communication - it all screamed credibility. While I still give credit to the broader company, my experience with my walker was a very poor one. About 3-4 weeks into service I received a morning walk note (we were doing 2x day) from Cynthia saying the following: "He did ok but he did get stubborn a few times. When we got back I noticed he had hurry his paw sometime during our walk (his left heckle pad). Its just a scrap and I think he'll be fine. He did levee a few light blood streaks on your rug by the tv though. :( We'll take it easy for the rest of this week." Um....what? He's bleeding? I had an afternoon walk already scheduled and didn't want to make too big a scene until I could be home and see my dog/know she wasn't in my place. After some gentle back and forth, Cynthia said the following: "I think he scraped it when I pulled him along when he got stubborn. He didn't cry or anything so I had no idea I was hurting him. I only noticed it when we got home and I saw blood on the rug when we were playing." You'd think that this admission alone would prompt the company to give me a new walker and also comp those 2 walks. Minimum. But no. I had to actually *negotiate* on the phone and via email for this recognition alone. Very poorly handled. Thankfully, my dog is fine. She did drag him, he did cut his paw, and he did bleed on our rug. We have since moved on and are glad to have DDI solely in our past. read more

Dogs Deserve It is the best! We had a bad experience with a past dog walking service, and they swooped in to save the day! Rob comes 2x a day to walk our boy, taking him all different routes around the neighbrood. They have this app so you can track the GPS of the walk, the walker's notes, and even some pictures from their walk together. You can even schedule & cancel walks as needed ... super convenient but also great to follow along with your dog's day. Highly recommend using them! read more

We have been using Dogs Deserve it for the past two years to walk our dogs and to watch them when we go away for weekend trips. Its so nice seeing the updates after each walk/visit and I feel that the walkers have all been so loving to our dogs - Bailey & Bentley. Its been nice to know that they are in such good hands when we're not home. We are relocating out of the area and will miss DDI!! read more

I would recommend Dogs Deserve It to anyone who asks. I had been using them for about 6 months to walk my dog, Schmidt, a few times a week. They were very flexible with sudden changes in schedule and always very accommodating. They have a tracker system which will email you when the walker gets to your place and when they leave again. They email you an update from the walk and you can even see where they walked in the neighborhood! read more

I love Dogs Deserve It! I needed to find a flexible, affordable walk service for days when I couldn't come home right after work to let my dog out, and was having the hardest time finding a flexible company. Most require a set amount of walks per week, which is not what we need. Our neighbor recommended Dogs Deserve It and I'm so glad they did! Customer service is excellent - they respond incredibly fast to emails and questions. I LOVE the online tracking system - I know when they come to our apartment, the status of the walk, and I love the cute little notes the walker puts in the system :) They are so trustworthy and I truly appreciate the service and help they've provided us. Highly, highly recommend this company!! read more

DDI is the best dog walking service I have experienced! Not only is their customer service amazing, they truly listen to your dogs needs. I have an elderly pit who has had serious medical issues - the way they initially came in to our home to meet us was clear that they take your dogs care - into their own. Sandor is our main walker and he is SUPERB! I have to vouch though when I needed a last minute walk any of the other walkers we have had in on an interim basis have been phenomenal. I love the dog walk report so I have an idea of what my dog did or did not complete while I was at work! I would recommend them to anyone and would gladly be a referral source for this business!! So so happy I found DDI! read more

I was referred to Dogs Deserve It by another dog walking company that wasn't accepting more clients at the time. This seems like the best thing that could have happened to us since we got our puppy in Sept. Obviously, having a puppy isn't easy, but DDI has made it so much better by letting me relax while I am at work, knowing that Susan is in safe hands. What they do EXTREMELY well, and what has impressed me the most is how responsive Alli and Lauren are to emails. Suz has been having some tummy issues and so we have had some special requests and changes to her scheduled walks. I have always received an email back from Alli or Lauren that morning letting me know they will let our walker, Adam, know and ensure us it is no problem to make changes. Adam has never disappointed us and always lets us know how Susan is acting that day and if he saw any changes in her behavior. When you have a sick pup, this is extremely important and I could not be more grateful of the team's effort to ensure I can rest at ease. As an added bonus, it's also great to know they are willing to help enforce training habits you would like to see, as well as incorporate leash etiquette into their walks. That alone is an amazing service to provide. Extraordinary customer service and communication with your clients goes a long, long way; and for this reason, I know I will never have to shop around for a new dog walker. read more

Dogs Deserve It walked our pup for the last few years and we were so pleased with the services they provided. Their communication was fantastic and we enjoyed our daily pup updates from our walker, Rob. They took great care of our furry family member and were very accommodating to our ever changing schedule. We would highly recommend this company if you're in need of a trustworthy, high quality dog walking service. read more

Cannot stress enough that this is the premiere service that I have used in the Lincoln Park area. I have been with two other companies previously in the last three years and DDI has been the best experience I have had. I have been a customer for two years and use DDI for both dog walks weekly and dog sits as well. read more

I've been with DDI for a few years now and continue to be a happy customer. My 4 year old mixed-breed dog can be both nervous and stubborn and the walkers we have had always take the time with her that she needs. My favorite thing about DDI is their flexibility. I've changed our schedule a few times throughout the years or sometimes need to add/remove a walk last minute and it's never been an problem. I so appreciate DDI for the peace of mind knowing someone reliable is walking my don't if I can't. Highly recommend!! read more

I can't say enough amazing things about Dogs Deserve It! Mucha, my red lab, was a customer for 7 years until I recently relocated to Denver. Although I was excited about the move, I was sad to remove Mucha from her amazing walking service. Mucha received the best care for all 7 years!! I loved the daily notes from her walkers and would frequently send the fun notes to my family so they could see just how much she was loved. I will miss Lauren, Sam, and the whole crew SO MUCH!!! Whenever Mucha gets a new walker - they will have gigantic shoes to fill. THANK YOU, DOGS DESERVE IT!!!! read more

DDI provides amazing dog walking services. We have been with DDI for over 2 years now and have loved the three walkers assigned to our small dog. They all seem to genuinely love her and they treat our home and dog with the care we would. I have been home when the walker comes a couple times or run into them walking other dogs when I had a day off and my normally shy, aloof pup runs up and greets the walker- that's the true test of how kind and great they are. DDI also has amazing customer service and great technology to offer you peace of mind that your dog actually went on a walk. I normally don't write Yelp reviews but DDI has been amazing. read more

I LOVE DOG DESERVES IT! They are great and reliable. Our dog walker, Nyssa is great. She is always on time and very detail with all her notes on my puppy. This company is very high Tech. We can schedule a walk on the day of as long as it's before 9am. My husband and I have very unpredictable schedule, this company is able to accommodate us! Also, they do not have minimum walks per week. This is a huge plus for us since some days we work from home. They are very flexible and very responsive to our emails! I LOVE Dog deserves it! can say it over and over again. :) read more

DDI goes above and beyond any service based company I have ever worked with, EVER! Not only are the walkers extremely friendly and take care of our dog so well, the staff is so accommodating! read more

DDI was by far the best dog walking service I have ever used. They were extremely professional and made sure that we always knew that our dog was taken care of. DDI walkers send you a complete email every time with exactly how your dog is doing and even how the walk went. They are extremely flexible and try the best they can to accommodate all of your request. The staff was very friendly and completely understand how important your dog is to you. I recommend that everyone who is looking for a dog walking service use DDI. read more

If there was an option to give these guys more stars I would give it to them. Hands down, the best dog walking service out there. Besides having great, animal loving, friendly and dedicated walkers- their customer service is above and beyond. They have been more than accommodating on numerous occasions and always made sure I was satisfied. They always responded to my every request right away and I never had any issues with them. You can tell that each person that works for this company truly loves dogs. We recently moved up north and we are so sad to part with this company. You will definitely be missed, DDI! read more

Dogs Deserve It goes above and beyond to take amazing care of your pup. They will do everything they can to ensure you and your pup have a seamless and positive experience with them, including going out of their way to accommodate last minute requests, sharing real-time messages and photos from walks, and being especially proactive in their communications and updates. I've had an excellent experience with them and would highly recommend them to any dog lover. read more

I have been using DDI for my two little doggies for years now and cannot say enough good things about them. They are responsive, reliable and flexible with their scheduling. Their walkers are caring and are very patient, especially when it comes to my stubborn little one. I use them for daily walks and to pet sit when I go out of town. I always know they are in good hands. They make good use of technology to send detailed notes about their walks, including pictures and GPS tracking. My doggies love their walkers. I highly recommend DDI to anyone. read more

I really don't have anything bad to say about DDI. We love the service and are sad to be leaving it. From the initial interview process where they sat with me about the service and meeting my pup. To the daily updates on the app. I absolutely loved everything about it. It was great to get the pictures of my pup on walks and get updates on how she did. I was very impressed with the backend service as well. They were very responsive and incredibly helpful. Canceling walks and rescheduling was a breeze. I highly recommend DDI read more

I have been using dogs deserve it for almost 2 years and I have had a wonderful experience! My walkers were all very respectful, kind, and informative when entering my home and waking Sophie! I would highly recommend using their services. The people who work here are so accommodating and kind. read more

Dogs Deserve It is awesome! The owner (Lauren) and our walker (Rocco) are both so friendly, professional, and great with dogs! They are extremely flexible with scheduling and very reasonably priced. They also have an awesome online system that alerts me when my dog is being walked, where's he was walked and for how long. I also get cute little notes from our walker at the end of each session. Online payment is a breeze too. I would highly recommend these guys to anyone looking for these services! read more

when I got a new puppy last year, finding a reliable and trustworthy dogwalker was one of the many decisions that I had to make. I have never had a single issue with DDI. They are great with the dogs, and would highly recommend DDI to anyone looking for a great dog walking service! read more

We've used Dogs Deserve It for the past 4+ years to walk our dog and they've been wonderful. We've had several walkers over the years, all of which have taken an interest in our pup and provided her with the exercise and attention she needed while we were at work (special shout out to Sam who was Penny's favorite!). Being able to track progress and payment online has also been extremely helpful and the emails we get during check in and check out are great! read more

DDI has been great walking my new puppy. They are always on time and give a detailed report on each walk.

We wholeheartedly recommend this company to any dog owner. We feel particularly qualified to evaluate Dogs Deserve It, LLC because one of us was employed as a dog walker at a high end company in Washington, DC, we used other dog walker companies in Chicago before we found this one, and we are both extremely discriminating with regard to services for our Weimaraner, Harding. We have been clients of Dogs Deserve It, LLC for the past ten months and intend to continue using their services as long as we live in Chicago. From the first day on, Dogs Deserve It, LLC staff displayed the following exceptional qualities: * Individualized approach to, and love of, dogs: We have had the opportunity to observe the walkers with Harding (both with their knowledge and, on a few occasions, driving by without their knowledge). They were engaged with our dog, used the training techniques we requested and exhibited a very caring and attentive demeanor toward Harding. Unlike most dog walkers in our neighborhood, the Dogs Deserve It, LLC walkers do not talk on their cell phones or listen to music when they are with the dogs. To the contrary, they make their time with Harding about Harding. Every day we receive detailed notes about Harding's walk. These notes demonstrate a level of care and honesty that is unparalleled, especially in comparison to the other companies that we used in the past. The best evidence: Harding is always excited to see his walker and arrives home happy time and time again! * Qualified and well-trained staff: We first discovered Dogs Deserve It, LLC because they are the only dog walking service in Chicago that trains their walkers in effective leash training. They learn how to correct the dog and reinforce good behavior. With a dog like ours, that can be very challenging, yet, they excel. * Highly professional and attentive staff: We have greatly enjoyed working with the owner of Dogs Deserve It, LLC. Lauren is extremely professional, kind natured and responsive to our requests. Somehow, she manages to fit in even our last minute requests for walks and is very flexible. Her walkers are no exception and follow the example she sets. * Multiple services offered: We have also taken advantage of the other services offered by Dogs Deserve It, LLC, including the overnight pet sitting and dog taxi. We were relieved to find someone we trusted to stay in our home with Harding and will continue to use this service. In addition, Lauren was very patient with our dog and we were relieved to find a safe way to transport Harding to appointments when we are not available. Based on our wonderful experience, we are confident that Dogs Deserve It, LLC is one of -- if not the -- best dog walking company in Chicago. We are grateful to have found them and believe any dog owner would feel the same way. read more

Lauren and her team at Dogs Deserve It are just the best! I have a 15yo dog, Ellie Mae, that is pretty much my baby. Her safety and comfort are the most important things to me so I was a little nervous at first hiring a stranger to come into the house and check on her and walk her. Well, 3 months later...boy was I wrong! Laura (dog walker) took the time to get to know Ellie and I can honestly see how happy and excited she is on the days Laura walks her. Ellie has bonded with her walker so much that recently on a business trip a different walker/sitter had to take care of her but Laura ended up having to come over and calm Ellie down and basically introduce her to the new person since she wouldn't go near her. That's unbelievable customer service if I have ever heard it. If Ellie trust her that much, then so do I! I also use Dogs Deserve It for Pet Sitting services. It's worth every penny to let her stay in her own house and bed and know that she's being treated as if I was there. Recently I had the misfortune of a 5+ hour delayed flight and there I was sitting in another airport in mother panic mode thinking my dog was going to bust a bladder. Even though it was a last minute request, Lauren assured me Ellie would be taken care of. Amazing! I highly recommend Dogs Deserve It. You will find Lauren to be genuine and really want to take care of your loved ones as much as you do. PS..I swear she must sleep with her cell phone because no matter what time I email her about changing days, pet sitting or just checking in, she responds to me within 15-20 minutes. read more

Lauren and her team are absolutely incredible! I've been using DDI since my French Bulldog was 2 months old and they have been so patient with my stubborn little guy. At 6 months he's finally walking around the block! Lauren is very considerate and accommodating. If you ever have any questions or concerns she's always available to answer. When I first got my puppy, I was a clueless mommy and even emailed Lauren from PetCo--she answered almost immediately. Their prices are also one of the most reasonable in the city. read more

I am a fairly new customer to DDI, and am really glad I chose them. Being a former dogwalker myself, I am as picky about choosing who handles my dog and even more careful about who enters my home! My dog Rocky is a 9lb Maltese rescue, so he was never housebroken until he was a 5 yr old adult. Translation: he's extremely picky about where he likes to go outside (not just any lawn...no joke) and he's prone to potty accidents if he's not on a schedule. When I met with Lauren and the walker I explained where around my building he would go and not go, and they were very understanding and have been great with following instructions and showing up on time. After the walks started, Rocky started experiencing separation anxiety since I used to work from home and he had to get used to being alone. I asked the walker to do some extra details after the walk..ie- put a thundershirt on him, give him some supplements, activity toys, etc. Again she was very attentive and made sure all steps were done. Rocky really loves his walker Christy! I love the fact that while I am at work, I get an instant email update at the beginning and end of walk, plus a gps map of where they went. The company I used to walk for just leaves notes on a memo board for when you get home. I never have to wonder if Rocky was walked, no worries during the day! The team is always very professional and understanding of schedule changes at the last minute. I have recommended them to a friend and she really liked them at first try as well. I can't say enough good things, will be sticking with them for the long haul! read more

Lauren and her staff are incredible! I have been using the DDI service for almost a year now and cannot say how much I appreciate all they do for us. They are always accommodating and flexible, even with last minute requests for changes in our regular schedule, which unfortunately happens more often than I would like as we are both young professionals. Our dog is always excited to see our walker, McKenzie, who takes excellent care of him. She is so good with him and always let's us know as soon as possible if she has any concerns. What I love most about DDI is that they scan in and out when they come and go, so that I know when McKenzie has arrived and left, and they use a pedometer so that I know how far they've walked. They also send a short email after the walk with notes about what was done during the scheduled time. These always make me smile and always help alleviate the guilt of having to leave my pup at home all day. I would recommend the DDI service to anyone and everyone! read more

We loved using Dogs Deserve It when we lived in Lincoln Park. We were so sad that they don't walk in the West Loop. The owner is extremely nice and was so good with our dog (he can be a bit of a wild man). She was very informative during our initial visit and made us feel very comfortable. We had 2 great walkers during our time. I really like how they moved to the GPS tracking system and appreciated all the notes they left us! I would recommend this place to anyone! read more

As with most dog owners, our puppy is a member of our family and finding someone we could trust to walk her during the day while we are at work was a top priority for us. Luckily Lauren and her team made the decision of leaving our "baby" an easy one and we couldn't be happier. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend DDI and here are just a few of the many reasons why.... 1. Lauren took the time to come to our house to meet our new puppy and explained all of our options. From the moment you meet her it's obvious that she loves dogs, loves her clients and loves what she does! 2. We were lucky enough to be paired with Christy as our walker and couldn't be happier with our experience. She takes time to play fetch with Macy when they get back from their walk (her favorite activity) and it's clear Macy loves her. It takes a lot to trust someone with your puppy and we trust her completely. 3. What we appreciate most about DDI is their dashboard that notifies us when our walk has started and when it's complete. Christy also leaves a sweet note that details the walk for the day such as #1, #2 - if Macy got to see other pups on her walk - if there are any concerns or changes in behavior she noticed - and anything else that might be relevant. Talk about peace of mind! 4. DDI is also flexibile. Our travel and work schedule changes from time to time and there is never a problem adjusting our walk schedule to accommodate. They have an easy online pay process and scheduler as well. Overall DDI is the best dog walking company around. We can't thank them enough for taking care of our sweet pup! Read less read more

DDI is such a reliable service and I always know my pup is in good hands! My schedule is so erratic and their online scheduling system is a breeze. Soooo convenient! The walkers are always great and I love their notes and pics. I rarely review or yelp, but this one is worth the effort. Thanks for taking care of my dog! read more

Everyone at DDI has been great! From the dog walkers to the dog sitters, everything has been excellent.

I can't say enough great things about Dogs Deserve It! They are professional, communicative and utilize technology to provide you with updates on their dog walking/kitty sitting. Leaving our sick kitty for four days made me nervous at first but meeting Lauren and getting live updates from our sitter, Keli, made me feel at ease and I knew Zoe was in good hands. I will definitely use them again next time my husband and I are out of town! read more

I have used DDI exclusively for 10 years with three different dogs and I have no complaints. Lauren and her team are incredibly kind and thoughtful and detail-oriented. Their customer service is amazing. If you request a change at the last minute or you have to correct a minor detail in your instructions... They always respond quickly and respectfully. It is actually quite impressive how they are able to instill that culture among all their managers and dog walkers. DDI is absolutely worth it and I don't know what I would do without them! read more

Our rescued senior pup has been with DDI for a year. Great walkers, variety of flexible services and app/website to communicate updates. Lauren and the team do a thorough job of onboarding each client so be sure to contact them a couple of weeks before you require regular walks. read more

Great communication; fast and understanding. My pup and I are very happy with DDI.