Cherylynn is a great dog walker! She is kind and patient with my untrained pack. She's reliable and…read morecan be counted on to keep appointments and show up on time. And she's always in a good mood. My dogs always get excited when she shows up. I highly recommend The Wagging Walks!

Please, please, please do not bring your pet here. On picking up our dog I noticed a bad injury…read morefrom a trimmer/blade, Gabby did not mention anything until I called it out. Her communication, the unprofessional setting, repeated fixation on payment in cash made me really uncomfortable. Seek a professional groomer - Gabby is not one. Understand that some have had positive experiences here but the whole operation is not to be trusted. You would be putting your pet in unknown and possibly harmful circumstances.

Gaby is a very sweet and knowledgeable person and has the best price in NYC for Persian cat hair…read morecuts - which is not easy to find in Brooklyn / Queens (and if you do find it, they're always booked and you have to book weeks in advance). I loved that she didn't come up with all of these extra charges lots of other places like to surprise you with like a "matting fee" when there is not much. She just has the flat rate. Best of all, she took in my cat same day I called. Definitely going to be seeing her every 3 months!

Kelly has a genuine love for dogs, and I have no doubt my dog is in the best of hands when he's…read morewith her. She reliably walks my dog every morning and is very easy to communicate and work with. She's taken away the headache of finding someone to love and walk my dog when I can't. A great find!!!

I feel very comfortable leaving my dog with Kelly. She is punctual, playful, and has a true love of…read moredogs!

Easy call on recommending Jessie. She's been around pets her whole life, and it's clear that…read moreanimals recognize that because they love her. She's always on time, and will not only walk your pet but help them behave a bit better if they're a little unruly. It all comes natural to her, so your pet is in good hands, guaranteed.

Entrusting Mr. Barkypants, my first-born son, to a dog walker is akin to how I imagine it might…read morefeel to someday entrust a less furry child of mine to a nanny: He/She sure as hell better be committed, conscientious, able to survive blizzards*, and love Mr. Barkypants as his/her own. Using this (perhaps slightly unreasonable) standard, I interviewed many, many dog walkers before I found Dean Gray of The Dog Train, a dog walking and training company that Dean and his business partner own and operate. Though I haven't yet had to put them to the blizzard test*, it is clear that Dean is an excellent dog walker and human being, more generally. Importantly to me, Dean and his business partner are the only dog walkers in their small company and they generally only walk one dog at once (or three dogs, together, at the most, who have had time to acclimate to one another). I feel strongly about not having just any random person walk Mr. Barkypants: I've witnessed how some walkers who work at larger operations treat (or rather mistreat) the 5-10 dogs they walk at once. Sadly, it doesn't seem uncommon for some dog walkers, on the Upper West Side at least, to roughly yank leashes or yell and scream at dogs, or to refuse to stop walking to allow one of their charges to use the little dog's room, or to tie dogs up to a post in the park while the walker enjoys a cigarette and long chat with his friends. I am confident that Dean does NOT do this; Mr. Barkypants would probably behave very differently with him than he does. Interestingly, though Mr. Barkypants isn't terribly fond of strangers and he is particularly non-fond of strangers who are male and who wear hats, he took to the hat-wearing Dean like he took to liver treats from the first or second walk on. Dean has a gentle, quiet, calm, non-domineering manner with dogs (and humans, really). He isn't embarrassed about speaking to dogs in goofy voices -- a talent I quite appreciate. Moreover, wrt his human dealings, too, Dean is prompt and as honest as Abe: He lets us know when he isn't able to walk a full hour (because of severe weather or sickness) and deducts from his pay despite our asking him to take the full amount. In truth, I do find Dean's business partner, Jessie, to be less conscientious. In contrast to Dean, who deducts whenever he does not walk the full hour -- even if it's due to circumstances beyond his control like extreme heat -- in our experience, Jessie consistently shaved time off of walks. I know this is not unusual for dog walkers in Manhattan, but it just highlighted for us the difference between a truly excellent walker and a more run of the mill one. In one instance, she also did not call us when she was unable to open the inner door of our home, until after the time for the walk had passed, claiming that she had called Dean for our number and that he didn't have it. (He does have it and texted it to her.) If she'd called when she'd arrived, we would've been able to arrange for her to get in the door. She insisted on charging us for the walk, anyway, because she had stopped by. Luckily, we have Dean almost all the time. Rates, by the way, are extremely reasonable for Manhattan dog walking, especially since Mr. Barkypants gets Dean all to himself on walks. According to their website, Dean is bonded and insured as a dog walker and is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Dean is also Animal Behavior College certified. I haven't hired Dean for dog training, since Mr. Barkypants is already perfect. ;) But I can speak with knowledge about Dean's excellent credentials as a dog walker. He *will* treat your dogs with respect and patience -- or at least I'm pretty sure they will based on how they've treated my first born son. I can't recommend him enough. ---------- *I've walked for an hour and a half through snowstorms while sleep deprived at midnight (uphill both ways, barefoot ;) to give my baby a good walk. Anyone who takes him out better give a shiznit -- or better, yet, two.

Alysha is AMAZING. PERIOD. She is always there when I text…read moreher to ask questions, booking is simple and easy, and she is so kind and considerate of the way we like our dogs taken care of. She has them sit for their treats, and makes sure to give them lots of love before she goes. She comes 2-3 times a week and is always on time and walks them thoroughly. They love her and jump when they hear her coming. Seriously couldn't recommend Alysha and her partner Eric more. They even rushed over when we locked ourselves out~ Talk about customer service!!! If you are in their walking area, they are the only dog walkers you should consider.

Alysha has been walking our dog for over 2 years. All I can say is if you are looking for a dog…read morewalker STOP LOOKING, this the team for you! She (and team) are flexible, reliable, responsible, caring and truly love dogs. They treat your dog the way you would treat them (if not better!) with lots of love. We have had Alysha pet sit for us sooo many times and our pup just loves her. HIGHLY recommend 10 stars!!!

I'm so glad I found Mef! She's been walking my little Charlie a few times a week for the past year…read moreand has shown him so much love and care. She is communicative, reliable, and always quick to respond if I have a question or update. I cannot recommend her enough!

Mef has been walking my 3 dogs for the last year. When we first met, she came in and together we…read moredesigned a personalized walk schedule for my pups and she stuck to it. She is very reliable and caring. She is also available for extra walks and holidays when we need it. She doesn't walk a dozen of dogs at once like the other walkers in the neighborhood. She gives very personalized care according to each dog's and owner's need. When my dogs are with her, I know that they will get the exercise and the care they need. She is my favorite dog walker

I had a great experience with Spunky Paws. They really go above and beyond to accommodate and…read moreprovide the best service for their clients. Often times I had last minute engagements or client meetings and Cristal (absolutely adore her) would be extremely flexible and helpful in adjusting to my sometimes impromptu schedule changes (coming in the evenings or during the day to feed and walk my dog). They're very mindful in providing updates on how the walk went and sending pictures during the walk, which I loved. Most importantly my pooch thoroughly enjoyed going on walks with Cristal. Especially the Central Park walks Spunky Paws provides :)

I've lived in the city for 6.5 years and never found someone I trust to take good care of my…read morechocolate lab, Bizzy. Fast forward to randomly meeting Tamara, energetically greeting dogs to take on a hike, and my life immediately changed for the better. My dog actually wanted to jump into this 'stranger's' car herself. I found the person I could trust. My biggest concern has always been my dog's safety. There is truly no detail spared when it comes to the safety of these dogs. Tamara starts with a meet and greet in order to assess the dog's response to recall as well as their fitness level. Once they're approved and start hiking they are secured into the car while traveling to and from the hike. GPS tracking devices are provided for their collars. And there is additional staff depending on the amount of dogs per walk. These dogs have an absolute BLAST. They come home happy, tired, and CLEAN! Tamara does a thorough tick check on each dog as well. She's comprehensive in her communication and makes herself available for any questions or concerns. The best part? She does it all because she genuinely cares about these animals. Tamara brought me to tears the first time I met her; I knew I had found someone who loves dogs to her core and would do anything to keep Bizzy safe while also allowing her to have FUN! We love our Shape Up Your Pup family so much!

Shape Up Your Pup is, hands down, the best dog hiking service out there. I'm doing a disservice…read morecalling them a 'service', because they care so much about my Nahla that she gets giddy every time she knows it's time for a hike. They take the dogs upstate to hike offleash in the fresh air and trails in the woods and at the beach. They send video and photos from every hike and seeing Nahla run free with her pack of buddies is the greatest gift we can give our dog and amazing to see. Being cooped up in NY and never having her paws hit fresh dirt nor grass nor streams nor sand nor the ocean is exactly why Shape Up Your Pup has made our 'fur baby' happier than she's ever been (and in better shape than ever.) Thankful that we were referred to them last year when we moved from California (so I know what a great hike looks like :) )