Review update. We've been happy Happy Tramps customers for 7+ years now and they have become family to our pup (and to us). If you're looking for a dog caretakers who provide much more than exercise, look no further. Not only have they improved our pup's behavior, they and are the first to alert us of anything new or suspect -- a sticker between the paws, digestion woes -- and we secretly fear that our dog loves them more than us. The quality of the outing, the attention and love, and the overabundance of tail wags are worth every penny and more. read more

After writing my initial review, I realized that I forgot to include a very important comparison that you might be considering yourself - Wag! Charlie has been to both Wag! and Happy Tramps and there is hands-down no comparison. Happy Tramps wins in every regard. See my detailed comparison below. In summary though, when I imagine my own experience as a kid, I would draw an analogy of Wag! to a rainy-day PE class where we were forced to stay in a gym and find things to do whereas Happy Tramps is like summer camp with trail hikes, running, swimming, and beach fun. If your dog is more mellow, then Wag! may be for you. But if you want your dog to be exercised and challenged, then Happy Tramps is the clear winner. Wag! The Good: * Drop off and pick up a little earlier and later than Happy Tramps offers * Camera to watch your dog's activities throughout the day for you helicopter parents (I admit that I stared at the cam as a good procrastination tool while at the office) The Not So Good: * Dogs just wander the gym in a pack waiting to see what the human does * Ratio of dogs-to-humans has to be approximately 30:1 * No mental stimulation * Charlie (my dog) would whine and climb my leg begging not to be dropped off...he clearly didn't like it * Takes time out of my schedule to pick him up and drop him off Happy Tramps: The Good: * Pick up and drop off is provided at your home - you don't even have to be there * Every day is a new adventure - Veronica and Leah make sure to mix up the activities and locations to keep the dogs mentally stimulated * Ratio of dogs-to-humans is no more than 6:1 * Charlie loves Veronica and Leah - he howls in happiness and bolts downstairs to greet them every day * Charlie comes home exhausted from a great day of mental and physical exercise * The price is unbeatable - all day care is same cost as Wag! And if you opt for half a day at half the price, I can guarantee that your dog will still get more exercise than a full day at Wag! For the value that they provide, they could even charge double and I'd gladly pay it. * It is a San Francisco small business - you're supporting local folks from your community The Not So Good: * Timing - with pick-up between 8:00 and 10:00a and drop-off between 3:00 and 4:00p, your dog may be home alone longer than compared to Wag! That's never been a problem for me because Charlie handles being alone fine. Furthermore, he's so exhausted from Happy Tramps that I find him passed out asleep even when I return home after 8:00p. But I understand that some dogs may have separation anxiety or a weak bladder that prevents them from being left for a few hours. If you're considering a dog walking service, please give Happy Tramps a try. Calling them dog walkers does them a disservice - Happy Tramps is a true Dog Adventure Group. read more

Love love love Happy Tramps! I used them for 2 years and Leah is just the best. I've recommended Happy Tramps to all my friends (including my neighbor who signed up for Happy Tramps!) I found out about Happy Tramps by asking my friends if they knew of a trustworthy dog walker in the area after we moved to Duboce Triangle. We had a nice meet-and-greet with Leah at a nearby cafe so she could meet us and get to know our dog, Basil. Basil fell in love with Leah (and even gets maybe a little too excited that she pees) and always enjoys her daily walks with her. She's super trustworthy, safe, and reliable which is all the qualities I look for in a dog walker. Since both myself and my partner are pretty busy and we didn't want to leave our dog home by herself all day. Leah is a lifesaver and checks on Basil midday to take her out for an hour long walk and socialize with other dogs. What I love even more is getting a very cute photo of Basil texted/emailed to me while I'm at work or seeing her face on the Facebook page. (daww-check out the cute photo of her: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/happy-tramps-san-francisco?select=jIn9Wmwld2dsBQ7Ny8Lj-Q#VQbRdkfvwfRA2I9oPFEsfA) What I also love about Happy Tramps is how flexible Leah is with our ever-changing schedule. There were sometimes where I needed someone to check on Basil at the last minute or needed to cancel a walk and she's super easy to get a hold of. The only sad thing I can say about Happy Tramps is that they're not in the East Bay! We're picking up and moving to Oakland and I know our dog is going to be super bummed not hanging out with Leah and the other Happy Tramps. I cannot rave enough about Happy Tramps and highly suggest anyone who is in need of a dog walker. Thank you Leah and Happy Tramps! read more

Leah and Happy Tramps are wonderful. A friend recommended her to us after we changed jobs and couldn't bring our little scamp Basil to our offices anymore. Basil got paired up with some good playmates for group walks, and every day when we got home she would be totally exhausted and happy as a clam. Leah's very easy to work with - we cancelled or added a walk day with short notice on several occasions and she was totally fine with it. (Not saying you should make a habit of this, but it's good to have the assurance that your pooch won't have to sit inside all day when you have an unexpected errand interfering with your usual work-from-home day!) Sadly, we have to discontinue Basil's walks with Leah because we're moving out to Oakland, but when Happy Tramps expands across the bay we will be more than happy to be repeat customers! read more

My dog Simon and I could not be more thrilled with Veronica and Happy Tramps! I can see that Veronica loves my little guy as much as I do (and he may love her more than he loves me but I can't blame him, lol). He comes home SUPER happy every day after great exercise and safe play. Veronica was very thoughtful about easing him into the dog group and making sure he was ready for off-leash adventures. She's great about everything -- dog safety, behavior, socialization, exercise, and fun. Plus she sends sweet photos of my dog's adventures throughout the week. I'd HIGHLY recommend Happy Tramps to anyone with a dog - you won't regret it! read more

I cannot say enough amazing things about Happy Tramps and Veronica; I don't know what we would've done if Veronica weren't around to help with our rescue dog, Sadie. We are new dog owners and rescued a 4 year old Old English Bulldog, Sadie, who needed a lot of love and care. She wasn't healthy enough to get spayed immediately upon adoption, and we had a period of time where we needed pet sitting services since we couldn't have her participate in a group adventure or pack walk. We both had inflexible work schedules, and the thought of having Sadie alone for over 8 hours in a new environment stressed us out. Fortunately we found Happy Tramps and Veronica, who were available to help us on short notice. Veronica's customer service just blows my mind - she is amazing to work with, is incredibly caring towards Sadie, and goes above and beyond with her customer service - from providing advice to us on ridiculous new pet owner questions, to sharing photos of Sadie (who looks either ecstatic or restful during her time with Veronica), to proactively checking in on our pup after she had surgery - the list goes on. Sadie has taken such a shine to Veronica and her visits have helped Sadie adjust to becoming an indoor city dog. Once Sadie got spayed, Veronica stopped by during the day to make sure Sadie was recovering well and that there were no emergencies or issues. It allowed us to have peace of mind, and I'm sure has been incredibly helpful in Sadie's recovery. I'd highly recommend Happy Tramps to anyone who needs a pet sitting service - I'm so grateful we found them! read more

I LOVE Happy Tramps! I recently used them for two weeks while I was away out of the country and I was really impressed. They were very well priced and extremely thorough in their background info check, wore my dog out on super great walks, and best of all they sent me daily detailed email reports! I loved getting those, especially when Leah included pictures. Leah and Hannah really seemed to adore my pup, and when Leah came by to drop off the keys, Freddy was overjoyed to see her. That's always a great sign! Freddy was also really well behaved when I got back, so I get the feeling that they really worked with him on all the training notes I gave them. I can't recommend Happy Tramps enough- Leah is the best! read more

Leah is the best! She is professional, responsible, and kind. To find a bonded and insured walker at a great price is so difficult in San Fran. During our interview she didn't go through my daily list and price everything individually like the other walkers I interviewed. She gave me one set price and that was it. What a breath of fresh air! Now we can actually afford to go on vacation AND pay a pet/house sitter. We are so happy we found Leah. I cannot recommend her enough. read more

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE FOUND HAPPY TRAMPS!! Yes, I had to say that all in caps. Long hours at the office meant that I could no longer spend all day with my dog daughter, Carly, as she was once accustomed :( that's why I'm so grateful to have found Pete and Leah at Happy Tramps--I don't obsessively worry about whether or not she's ok while I'm at work. Pete picks her up promptly and they proceed to stroll/play/rub in grass for an hour five days a week for the past four months! And I know she's having tons of fun by how tired she is when I get home. I also get weekly updates of all their adventures and photos from all the places they've visited! PRECIOUS. Leah and Pete are always easy to reach and work with me on my ever changing schedule--I even needed a walk on a holiday the day before and they made themselves available. If that's not exemplary service then I don't know what is! BOTTOM LINE: check them out if you're in need of a dog walker. My dog and your dog could be friends!! read more

Finding a dog walker who was willing to be very flexible was important for me. My dog, Leanor, is not fixed, so when I let Leah know that she's in season, she walks her individually, and pays closer attention to her. When Leanor was competing in the show ring, Leah had to be flexible with schedule, since sometimes Leanor would be out of town for days or even weeks. It so obvious the amount of training that Leah does with Leanor also. While Leanor had most of the basics (sit, down, come, etc.), Leah has worked with her on "leave it", and most importantly, loose leash walking. Leah takes a lot of care to match up other dogs that she think is compatible with Leanor's temperament (playful), and Leanor seems very happy when Leah brings her home. I love the daily email reports, and I also love seeing my dog pop up on Happy Tramp's Facebook page! read more

I highly recommend Leah. She walked my dog Q for about 9 months, and from what I could tell (when I saw him immediately after the walks) he really took a liking to her, and Leah seemed to have a great attitude about balancing discipline with affection. I also really enjoyed her daily email updates -- probably a highlight of each day while I was at work, knowing that Q was at out & about being walked with his friends. Very sadly, Q passed away a few months ago, and it was clear that Leah was nearly as affected as I was by his passing... it was really touching & comforting that Q spent his final months with someone who really cared about him (when I couldn't be at home with him). Hearing Leah tell me silly/endearing stories from her daily interactions with Q helped me through my healing process. I don't regret choosing her over the other dog walkers I interviewed. I can also vouch for Leah's reliability and trustworthiness. There were times that I called her at the 11th hour for her assistance, and I never doubted her willingness to lend a hand. And I don't trust just anyone with my apartment keys... I never doubted Leah's character & trusted her to stay over at my apt overnight a few times to dog sit when I was out of town. She was always professional. In a nutshell, my experience with Leah is that: 1) she is really caring toward her dogs 2) she is reliable, eager to help, and 100% trustworthy 3) she mixes affection with a good dose of discipline (& taught Q a few tricks) 4) she has a consistently professional attitude, not to mention reasonable rates I've had 4 different dog walkers in my past, and Leah rises to the top. read more

I used Happy Tramps for over 2 years and I would highly recommend them! I have a small, grouchy dog that has special quirks. She doesn't always get along with other dogs... and so I worry about her sometimes when people other than myself take her out. With Pete and Leah, I never had to worry. I knew my dog was in good hands. They are super reliable, professional, flexible, and affordable. The only reason why I no longer use the service is because I moved. read more

Leah and Veronica at Happy Tramps are truly amazing. Within the first week of walking our dog Fritz, he was in love with them. Each day, they took him on amazing walks, from Bernal Heights Park to Fort Funston, and it was evident that they showed an amazing amount of care, attention, love and responsibility that gave us as owners all the trust and comfort in leaving our dog with them. When it rained, they made sure he stayed warm; when he wasn't used to walking off leash, they trained him to not stray too far from the pack. They taught him a lot and even took adorable pictures of him running around, having fun and playing with them, which just proved (beyond the pure joy we saw when he returned from walks) that they really did an outstanding job day in and day out. Leah and Veronica are amazing and leaving them was probably one of, if not the, hardest thing we faced when moving back to the east coast - there truly is nothing close to them when it comes to dog walking services! There is nothing like Happy Tramps in NYC unfortunately, but for anyone new to SF/the Mission - we couldn't recommend Leah and Veronica any more, they are fantastic! read more

We found Happy Tramps to help care for our 5 month old rescue puppy and noticed a couple things almost immediately. He seemed so happy and tired out after his time with them (and our little guy is hard to exhaust). We struggled with leash training but after he spent some time with Leah and Veronica, he was exponentially better walking on leash and is even great with recall. One of the best parts of Happy Tramps is getting all the pictures of our doggie during the day, it gives us such peace of mind to see him having fun. Plus we get so many more more great pictures of our puppy. They are amazing and the only people we trust to care for our "child" when we can't. I can't recommend them more highly! read more

We adopted El, a very shy dog from a rescue organization. Our first few months together were challenging since she had a really hard time adjusting to life in the city. Her fear of new noises, sounds, and new people essentially prevented us from being able to enjoy walks around the block with her much less incorporate her into our life in a meaningful way. And we went through months of frustration with our fair share of dog walkers, dog trainers, dog sitters, and eventually a behavioralist who all gave us a dizzying list of contradictory advice. It took us a long time and lots of trial and error to find the things that worked for El and the things that didn't. And as we began to understand El better, we started to become more selective about the people that we wanted around her. When finding a dog walker, the goal was to give El some extra exercise, but just as important, to help her build confidence in the safety of a pack of doggie friends. It felt difficult to convey the sensitive nature and needs of El to other services that mostly seemed to emphasize adventure and high energy play. And then in walks Leah! What I appreciate so much about Leah is that I feel like she intuitively understands El. Even on their meet and greet, I noted and appreciated the way that Leah turned her body away from El on their first greeting and the space she gave El to explore her inside the house. She intuitively understood the positive reinforcement that we were trying to do and shielded El from situations beyond her comfort level. I also appreciate that Leah is gentle, supportive, and thoughtful in working with us to help make El happier and healthier. I trust Leah to take care of El and genuinely believe that their interactions will be a stepping stone in El's growth. I feel lucky to have found Happy Tramps! read more

Happy Tramps is amazing -- I can't say enough great things about Leah! She has been taking our Boston Terrier, Hobbes, on group adventures for about 1.5 years (since we first got him as a puppy). Hobbes is so excited to see Leah every morning. She's been awesome at training him and managing his high energy, and she's even helped us monitor some of his health issues (e.g. allergies). We love getting Leah's updates and photos. It's such a relief to know Hobbes is in excellent hands when we leave for work every day! read more

Leah and Veronica have walked and house sat our pup Giri for over a year now and we could not be happier. Giri is a pointer, and like most dogs of his breed, loves to run. Beyond the usual walks and runs in the dog park around our apartment in the Mission, Giri goes on almost weekly trips to the beach, Crissy Field, Bernal Heights - the works. While we are hard at work on weekdays, Giri is out in the golden California sunshine, chasing birds and sticks or getting chased by one of his buddies in the park or beach. Veronica takes pictures of Giri romping around having fun and texts them to us; we now have a Facebook page full of those pics. But it's not been all play for Giri, thankfully. He was a pretty rambunctious 1-year old when we first met Leah and Veronica. Thanks to Happy Tramps training, little Giri has learned to obey commands, wait, and be patient, which has been a point of relief, and pride, for Giri's pet-parents. This past year, we've traveled for work and to meet family out of town. During our absence, Leah / Veronica have stayed home to house-sit Giri, look after and cuddle with him. Unlike with a pet hotel, we know that Giri is happy at home when he is with Veronica or Leah. Giri loves Leah and Veronica, and they love him too. Giri's pet parents are lucky to have found Happy Tramps. read more

Always on time, and always tired out our dog with swimming and off-leash adventuring! We would get pics at the end of the week of her adventures and it's clear she loved the dog group. Both Leah and Veronica are great and very responsive/observant. read more

I really wanted to like this business, but they ghosted on me. I arranged for pet sitting back in June (it's now October) and they agreed to my dates. But now that it's closer to our vacation date, I've called and emailed and no one's been in contact to get keys or confirm details with me. I now have to find a new pet sitter with just a week's notice. Very frustrating and disappointing. read more

I wish I could give Leah 10 stars! Leah took our pup, Marty, on walks & adventures for the 2 years that we lived in San Francisco. Our dog came to love her so much that every time she came to pick him up he did his "happy bark." Leah is loving and trustworthy with the dogs. She is so skilled in getting them to behave, I think our dog learned to be social and as polite as a pup can be from his time with her. Finding someone to take our dog on walks, and spend time with him was hard, and of course we were nervous to leave him in the care of a new person, but within one meeting, we were sure that Leah would be Marty's best friend. She is incredibly reliable, communicates with us and comes to the rescue in a pinch when we couldn't get home from work at night. read more

Leah is amazing and super reasonable. She gives me constant updates on my little boy and Fred loves her!!

This is the absolute best dog walking service in San Francisco. Leah has taken such good care of my puppy, Maisie! Everyday, I come home to an calm and happy puppy. My puppy absolutely loves Leah because their of their thrilling adventures and excellent training. My puppy even recognizes Leah on the street and bounces for joy. My favorite aspect of Leah's service are her weekly emails showcasing my puppy running and playing with the other dogs of her pack. It always brings a smile to my face and makes me so happy that my dog is being treated so well. Thanks so much Leah for taking care of Maisie!!! read more

Leah is really fantastic! We are so happy to have her be a part of our fur family. She is extremely accomodating, flexible, will even go back to our house to double check something, etc. I have full faith and trust that she takes care of our little doggie well. I have a Whistle Activity and GPS tracker on him so I know exactly when she picks him up and drops him off and I know how tired he is when she takes him to the park. She also does some training and lets me know if there's anything I should be aware of. Leah is the kind of dog walker you can completely trust -- seriously look no further if you need a dog walker!!!! read more

Amazing! Our 10 year old pom mix loves his play dates with Leah and the small pups group. We were worried when we brought him home with us a few months ago that he wouldn't get enough puppy interaction time (came from a home where he was 1 of 3, but the mom could only keep 2 when she moved to a new place). Taking him to the ball park was hit and miss with whether the dogs would be his size or gentle enough to play with. Happy Tramps is the perfect spot for Zoey! He comes home tired and smiling after a hard day of work at the park. PLUS! He's become more confident holding on to his ball at the park (used to drop it as soon as another dog approached him), and he pulls less on the leash when we walk him. I'm so grateful to Leah for all she's done for our pup! read more

I was very concerned about having my dog Dexter be looked after when I got a job working downtown after always working from home before but Leah has completely put my mind to rest and I think Dex may be even happier than he was when he had me home all day! I love the daily email updates and it seems that we don't just have a dog walker but a dog trainer as Leah is always working on Dex's manners, leash technique and other little tricks. All round awesome read more

I corresponded with Veronica and Leah about having my Australian Shepherd, Murphy join the Mission SF pack. Unfortunately, Murphy wasn't a good fit, but despite this, Veronica gave me a ton of excellent recommendations when she didn't have to! I would definitely recommend you reach out to them - they truly care!!! read more

I never thought I'd use a dog walking service for my dog, but a friend of mine told me about one of their walkers, Peter. He had an instant rapport with my dog. Charlie (my dog) didn't seem so wound up when I'd get home from work and he seemed generally more happy. I'd encourage anyone in need of a dog walker or pet sitter to use Happy Tramps! read more

Iv'e had nothing but outstanding experiences with Happy Tramps. I've been using them as needed for a couple years, after being referred by a friend. Like many pet owners, my dog is my baby and means the world to me, and I can get a little obsessive and worried about her care when I'm not with her. I have a larger dog who is a little fearful of other dogs, so I've hired Happy Tramps for private solo-dog walks on numerous occasions when I'm out of town or having busy days and need her to be let her out. Recently I injured my back and just wasn't able to give my dog good walks, and Leah at Happy Tramps was so accommodating and flexible with my last-minute request, and juggled her and the other walkers schedules to accommodate me for walks that week. My dog came back panting and happy from her walk. Another time I had a house-sitter caring for my dog whose work schedule changed suddenly, and again, Leah was able to put me at ease that my pup would be taken care of, and make room to take care of her. What stands out to me about Happy Tramps is the above-and-beyond care and professionalism they extend. I feel completely comfortable and assured that my dog is getting personal attention and care. My dog's idiosyncrasies are remembered, she is given affection and long athletic walks, they are punctual and communicative, and they update you with photos of your dog on her walks too and how she was. I trust them, which is the most important quality to me in a dog walker and caretaker. While Happy Tramps is a business, I never feel like my dog is just a number to get through. Instead I feel like they take care and joy in each member of their Happy Tramps family. read more

Leah has been walking and pet-sitting my puppy for over 9 months. My pup and I cannot be happier with her -she is so flexible and accommodating. When we first got our pup, she was very helpful in pointing out some of his typically young puppy behavioral issues and helping us turn him into a good canine citizen. He's now a very well behaved dog, and I attribute a lot of that to Leah's patience with him. My pup loves Leah very much and looks forward to seeing her every day for his walks. He also loves when she stays overnight with him - she spoils him more than his mom and dad do. We are so lucky that when we go out of town, we can rest assured that our pup is well taken care of. read more

Happy Tramps is a great dog walking service. Peter walked our dogs Francis and Lucky, and they absolutely loved him. Additionally, I agree with other HT clients that it is difficult to find a bonded and insured walker at this price. Finally, Peter and Leah are so easy to deal with. I recommend Happy Tramps 100%. read more

It's about time I wrote a review for Happy Tramps, I've been recommending them to my friends since 2010. I hired Happy Tramps to take my 16 yr old out for daily walks. Leah did a fantastic job with him (he was severely arthritic and needed much special attention). I knew I found a quality walker when people in the neighborhood would recognize my dog on afternoon walks and chat me up about how they saw the way Happy Tramps cared for him while I was at work! 2 yrs later and a new puppy we now have happy tramps back! Great service, reliable, affordable and best of all they really love animals and it shows! read more

Veronica is our walker. She is delightful. The best. The dogs love her. The clients love her. Our dog has made lots of friends and gets lots and lots of exercise. And because Veronica is an amazing photographer we get beautiful photos to confirm this. read more

Leah is a great dog walker/caretaker -- our pooch has a lot of (ahem) energy, and she's working wonders with him. She seems to genuinely love all of the pups she walks. I've recommended her to friends and they (and their dogs) love her, too. We all heart Leah! read more

Leah and Bronwyn are awesome! They are always available to answer our (many) questions about our dog, and are flexible and accommodating about dog walking and pet-sitting. Our dog Hannah loves them both! Happy Tramps' dogwalking fees are very reasonable for San Francisco, especially when you take into account that your dog will get a loooong walk every day, and will have variety, too! Walking in a group, individual attention, going around the city, hanging at the park, etc. Leah and Bronwyn are very good about training and loving our dog, and we get cute update emails every day about our dog's walk and activities. My husband and I could not be happier about Happy Tramps, Leah, and Bronwyn! read more

I can not say enough positive things about Happy Tramps, Leah and Veronica! We have been with Happy Tramps for about 4 years and can not imagine working with any other team. I have absolutely no worries when our dog is with Veronica. She is professional, flexible with our schedule when we need it to be and very caring. I have seen her go out of her way to help dogs that are not under her care as well as provide exceptional love and care for our Chocolate Lab. If our dog has injured himself, as all dogs will eventually do, Veronica is on it - providing first aid if necessary and definitely communicating with us. She is awesome! You can not go wrong working with Happy Tramps!! read more