Heidi, Ryan, Janice, and the rest of the crew went so far above and beyond in providing excellent service that I can't believe that I waited so long to write a review. I found them not through Yelp but through the recommendation of a neighbor. Due to an emergency situation (I was 3000 miles away with a loved one in the hospital, requiring me to be away well past what my original catsitter was available for), they were willing to change their usual protocol (which would have been to meet me and my kitty beforehand) in order take care of my kitty. It's no small relief when you can find someone to trust with both your fur baby and your home, so I'm pleased to be able to highly recommend the Pawsitively Pampered Pet to anyone needing excellent pet care. read more

Very reliable and dependable!! Heidi , Ryan and their staff took care of my 2 kitties for 10 days. They gave play time , fed the kitties, cleaned the litter and picked up my mail . PPP made sure to clean up the kitty litter from the floor and sent a few photos over as I was missing my fur babies. My 2 kitties were well taken care of. I highly recommend them. read more

Excellent pet sitters. Very good with animals and trustworthy. Our cat likes them and she can be moody with other people and hiss at them.

I have worked with Pawsitively Pampered Pets ("PPP") for over 20 years, spanning 5 dogs, and can heartily recommend their service. PPP have been wonderful caretakers of my furry friends over the years and I trust them with my canine family. They are responsible, dependable and agile with my challenging brood. Not only do they rapidly respond to my schedule changes, but are attentive and flexible with my elder and special-needs critters. They truly care. I have experienced other services in the East Bay, but PPP beats them all! read more

I was just looking up pet sitter reviews because our regular pet sitter from Red Rover (who we love) is not available for our next trip. I came across all the glowing reviews for PPP and could not sign out without giving another perspective. We were long time customers with Heidi and for a long time we were very happy with the pet sitters she sent to care for our pets. But, at some point, there seemed to be a revolving door of pet sitters and the quality went down hill. The last time we used one of the pet sitters (November 2005) we came home to a house of horrors. Our house was a total mess. Cannot even describe the feeling we had walking into the house. Not sure how often, if at all, the dogs were taken out. When we told Heidi we would not pay for the services she actually called several times and left messages saying we still needed to pay her "or else". We ended up writing a letter of complaint to the agency who gives these folks their credentials...lo and behold, months and months later we got a letter of apology. It was a very nice letter, but by then, it was too little too late. Given all the positive reviews, maybe Heidi is back to doing a better job screening her pet sitters. If you do decide to try these folks out because of all the other glowing reviews make sure you interview the person coming over to do the actual job and talk to other people who have actually had them stay in their home. read more

Boerns. We left for a week, and had them come in and take care of our cats. I don't know how it happened, and I don't really care, but there was a bunch of kitty litter piled up behind the litter box... which the cats found and used. floor covered in all sorts of mess... and a note was left for us upon our return which was written by someone who was not the same person who came to the house and introduced herself as the sitter. cats dish was also empty when we got back.... boerns indeed. read more

It's four days before we leave for our visit back east, and I am frantically searching for a cat-sitter. Everyone I know (and everyone they know) is going away for the holidays. I begin knocking on doors in our apt. building, starting with the friendly girls across the hall. Turns out they're going away too, but they've got a cat-sitter: Enter Heidi and The Pawsitively Pampered Pet. I was a bit hesitant, because the last professional cat-sitter we used couldn't even get our friendly feline out from under the bed, and left a note saying she didn't see that cat once during the 10 days we were gone. But, I was also desperate, and the girls gave Heidi an enthusiastic seal of approval, so I called. Flash forward to our return home: A sweet hand-written card from Lynn (the employee who was responsible for visiting Bear), a freshly-cleaned litter box (so relieved to have that chore taken care of), and most importantly, a completely relaxed and happy kitty (this has NEVER happened before). Bear is my baby, and I don't trust her care to just anyone. The Pawsitively Pampered Pet wowed me, and I'd give them 6 stars if I could. read more

I just returned from a another weekend away during which I was truly able to relax knowing that PPP was taking excellent care of my cats and home, once again. That mental peace is priceless to me. I'm a former professional Dog Trainer and recommended Heidi and Pawsitively Pampered Pets to my clients for 3 years. I always followed up to make sure that they were satisfied with my referral. They were, every single time. I never got a single complaint. When I moved several years ago and could no longer trade pet-sitting services with a fellow pet professional, I gave PPP a try. Since then, I've trusted my cats and home to PPP at least a dozen times. My standards are high, and they are met or exceeded every time. PPP is a very professionally run organization with considerable pet expertise. They genuinely care about client satisfaction and my pets' health and well-being. They are flexible and have met my (sometimes unusual) requests every time, with a smile. Oops - I'd better call now before they book up for Thanksgiving. . . read more

We have worked with Heidi several times over the last couple years. We have had really good experiences. The first time I needed her services, it was a last minute request because one of the cats got sick & I needed a pro to give medicine in our absence. Heidi came to our house & did a walk-through with the person who would take care of our cats (Lynn). They thought of things I would not have & took a lot of notes. We came back several days later to 3 really happy cats. The house was as clean as we left it & all was well. Now, that sounds like what you would expect. True. But it's not the experience I have had with other cat sitters (not in the Bay Area, so don't make any guesses). On the last occasion we worked with that "sitter," we came home to wet human foot prints through the entire house and 3 traumatized cats. One of the cats had stopped bathing herself & had a huge hair matt on her back! The sitter hadn't noticed. Amazing. So, with the folks at Pawsitively Pampered Pet, when we come home to cats that are really happy, we deeply appreciate it. They're our kids, after all, & their welfare is important to us. Heidi seems to understand that & act accordingly. read more

We trust no one else with our sweet babies (house rabbits). PPPs attend to them as if ours were their own pets. Things are clean and pets happy when we return. They always leave a note reviewing the time and how the "kids" were. Our refrigerator broke on a long trip and they offered to clean it out for us! They go above and beyond. read more

We have been with PPP for 2.5 years since adopting our pup. As first-time dog owners not only did we need daily care for our puppy, we also needed to learn the ins & outs of dog ownership. We can't say enough great things about Heidi & Ryan. They have showed us the ropes & helped us raise our dog who to this day spends every day with them while we are at work. I have to drag her to my car at the end of the day because she doesn't want to leave! Absolute gems in the pet care world, highly recommend! read more

We were delighted with Jill and PPP. They took care of our house and pups last September and did a great job. When we got back, the house was tidy and the garden watered, and the pups were fat and sassy as ever. Jill left a nice note for us and the neighbors remarked that they had no problems with the dogs barking, etc. We hired Jill to walk the pups a couple of times before we left, to meet the neighbors, and get some phone numbers of folks she could call in case of an emergency. A couple of our neighbors are now interested in hiring PPP to care for their dogs. Jill has walked the pups a couple of times since then, and obviously, our crazy little terriers adore her. We highly recommend Heidi, Jill and Pawsitively Pampered Pets. read more

I have been using "The Pawsitively Pampered Pet" service for care of my large dog (Hitch) and cat (Sadie) for the last 6 months or so. I can't recommend them highly enough!!! They are completely trustworthy and it doesn't even enter my mind to be concerned about my pets while I travel both for work or pleasure often. They are flexible and easy to book and work with. When I return I can tell my animals are content and well cared for!! They've never missed a visit, always return phone calls within the hour if not sooner, and are a pure joy to work with. I feel blessed to have found them and I know Hitch and Sadie stress much less being able to remain in their home and know that this service will come care for them when it's needed. I can't recommend them highly enough! Extremely satisified!!! read more

We have loved Heidi & her team and would recommend PPP to anyone! They have been incredibly responsive and worked with us on an evolving schedule of pet walking needs all while delivering phenomenal service. Our pets were truly pampered! read more

Our two dogs had great care from Heidi and the PPP crew for the past 16 years. They took care of our dogs from their puppy years, through a home remodel and temporary relocation and through to their senior years with attendant special diets and medications. PPP was responsive and responsible throughout. We considered them partners in caring for our dogs and highly recommend them to anyone lucky enough to have a pet in their lives. read more

Heidi takes care of our 2 big dogs almost every day of the week and has taken care of them when we go out of town. Having been a dogwalker/pet sitter in SF for over 5 years we were extremely leary and picky as you can imagine about who would care for our beloved dogs once we moved to Oakland. We spoke with a few different companies and didn't feel very confident that they could properly care for our doggies. We then found The Pawsitively Pampered Pet and we haven't looked back. The level of professionalism and trust is outstanding with these guys. Not only do they walk our dogs but will take care of them in a pinch with our last minute phone calls asking for extra walks. Ryan, who works with the company stayed at our house the last time we were out of town and the dogs were so well cared for and well-adjusted that when we came home it was like we never left. It's unfortunate that Robert G. had that experience with one of Heidi's contractors but Heidi has already assured us along with her other clients that she is no longer working with this contractor. Heidi is a true professional and we will continue to refer her services to those looking for a dogwalker/pet sitter. read more

A neighbor who had been using the The Pawsitively Pampered Pet for daily dog walks recommended their services very highly. We have a beautiful Doberman who was spending long days alone in our backyard while my wife and I worked 10-12 hour days. We love our dog so much and felt terrible that she was not getting enough exercise and socialization. We decided to call PPP and to start dog walking services. Heidi (the owner of PPP) came to our home to talk to us and gather information on our needs. We made arrangements for 30" dogs walks, 3 times per week. I can't believe we didn't do this sooner. Dan became our dog walker and has bonded with our dog in a very special way. I have been home on occasion when he has arrived and watched our dog ignore me and run to Dan for her outing. A big plus to using The Pawsitively Pampered Pet is that they have more than one dog-walker so if your primary dog walker is on vacation you are assigned a back-up walker. Services have never been interrupted rain or shine. We also thought our days of traveling were over because we refuse to use boarding. The PPP offers overnight services so she can stay at home while we are away. We also have 3 cats so the overnight services also cover care and feeding for our cats for the same price. The pet sitter will also put your garbage cans on the curb, take in the mail, water the garden and indoor plants, etc. Our dog is very, very cherished and spoiled but we wouldn't have it any other way. She is the light of our lives and we wouldn't trust her with just anyone. read more

Very, very happy with the service from Heidi. Came home after a couple of weeks to a very happy cat and a very clean house (or at least as clean as it was before I left- my house is full of clutter at the best of times). Heidi is very careful to prepare well and get tons of detailed info- even down to letting me know to contact my vet with her name which would never have occurred to me. This is a sharp contrast to other sitters I've used who are more the "give me the keys and I'll feed her now and then" type. I got regular updates and photos of a happy looking cat whilst I was away which was very reassuring. PPP are reasonably priced and it's abundantly clear that she and Ryan love animals, which is the most reassuring thing of all! I will definitely be using Heidi's services again. read more

I've been with Pawsitively Pampered Pet since October 2000. Yes, it's amazing and true, we've been using them for 11 years and Heidi and her crew have been the best. They take care of our 2 cats while we're on vacation, sometimes 3 weeks at a stretch, and when we'd come back, the house would be completely spotless and the cats as happy as ever. I love the little notes they would leave on our return so we could read up on how the cats had fared, both mentally and physically, while we were away (and actually if we were gone for a long vacation like 3 weeks, Heidi would email us to give us a quick update as well, so we didn't worry). I recommend them to anyone who needs a reliable pet sitting service. We couldn't be more pleased with how loving and caring they've been with our kitties. They're awesome. read more

We just returned home from a week long vacation to find our home and pets in wonderful condition. We had to unfortunately leave our sick little baby cat and go on a trip that has been planned for the past year. It was discovered that she had an infection in her paw and needed a pill and ointment twice daily. Our cat is not one for any medications! We have tried hiding it in her food, by mouth, in liquids, etc. She is always on to the fact that we are trying to "poisen" her (in her cat brain anyway) and will not take the medications easily. Heidi and her husband, Ryan, worked a miracle by getting the medications into her and cleaning out the infection. She was calm and not stressed out upon our return. Her wound looked almost healed and our other two cats were happy little campers too. Sometimes Mama kitty can be a bit of a terror if she is not feeling well. Our house looks in great shape; plants watered, mail and newspapers inside neatly stacked and litter boxes clean and fresh. We are so fortunate that Heidi was willing to take on this situation and handeled it with such grace. I know not many people would have been so successful, us included! Thank you PPP for giving us peace of mind whenever we travel. Heather of Oakland read more

Been great . . . reliable, easy to work with. I've been a client for 5 years.

I have never been happier with a pet sitting service. I am very protective over both of my pets and would never leave them in the hands of someone whom I deem incompetent. If I am going to leave my boys in someones hands I want them to be capable hands and that's the hands of Heidi and PPP. PPP's Lynn took care of my boys as well as I do, the mail was taken in, the house was as clean as I had left it AND there was an update note left telling me how the visits went. Both of my boys were healthy and happy. I felt comfortable that Heidi was intent on having us make another set of keys after one set seemed to give a bit of trouble. For the next trip I have planned in the summer I am most defiantly going to call PPP again. A+++ read more

I called to set up pet sitting service for my 2 dogs while i would be away on vacation. Heidi called back to say that they would be available for pet sitting during that time and gave me all the details that they require at least 2 times a day visits...which i was fine with, even though i didn't really need 2 visits a day (family in area to visit dogs at night) but was still willing to pay $23 per visit so at $46 a day for 16 days would total $736. Here's where the problem come in. I asked to set up a meeting with her to come and meet with myself and my dogs. She informed me that it would not be her that would be pet sitting, but 2 different people and that it would only be possible to meet with one of the sitters and not both. I explained that one of my dogs is skittish with new people and would need to meet the people first before some stranger just shows up in my house. Still not possible and she she told me that they would not be able to pet sit for me because of this? This sounded a little sketchy to me! Why would i allow someone I've never met to have a key to my home and take care of my animals...Glad they decided they could not pet sit for us after all....i read some of the other reviews on here which confirmed what i had suspected. Just read them for yourself. I was able to find another pet sitter that was more than willing to bring the 2 people who would be sitting my dogs while gone. They even came out the same day! They showed concern for my dog with new people issues and she took to them very quickly. Not only that...they will come once a day at $17 a visit......i'm saving money and piece of mind. My suggestion...do your homework and look around elsewhere....there are people out there that are truly animal lovers and not just acting as a business in it for the money. read more

Heidi, Ryan, and Lynn have been a part of our family for a number of years now, talking care of our 2 golden retrievers - - one at the end of his life and the other at the beginning. Their services are beyond compare - - dependable, caring, and trustworthy. But the thing that really distinguishes Pawsitively Pampered Pets and the folks that work there is the heart they bring to their work. We just lost our 14 1/2 year old Oliver yesterday and as soon as folks heard he was failing, they specifically came by to see him and say good-bye (when they were not scheduled to be here). Oliver was blind, deaf, and a bit wobbly at the end, but he was always treated with great care and dignity by Ryan. They were a real team. Today he brought me a lovely card, some pictures of Oliver and roses to say how sorry he and Heidi were about our loss. A touching tribute to a good friend who is gone and much appreciated by me. Our dogs are part of our family and we expect those who relate with them to feel the same. You cannot go wrong with Heidi and everyone who works at Pawsitively Pampered Pets. They are still part of our lives, working with us to tame the wild child, Charlie, who is our new golden. We look forward to the years that come working with them as Charlie grows up. read more

I love these guys and the dogs love them too. Friendly, professional & reliable.

Heidi Kistler found her calling when she started a pet care business over 10 years ago. She is absolutely outstanding with animals. My dogs have had her love and care and walking since they were puppies. In all these years she has NEVER missed a walk. That is impressive. No cancels. Your dogs/pets are always her priority. Her commitment and integrity to caring for my dogs (and all my friend's dogs that use her now) is impressive. And most of all she is trustworthy. You need to trust who you let in your house and more importantly who you let take your dogs away from your house for a walk. Pets are part of the family and Heidi takes care of ours like they are her family. Well really they are. If anyone wants a reference please contact Heidi at her site or at 510-336-9861. I am listed as one of her raving references. read more

Heidi and her employees practically raised my labrador puppy with me. I don't know what I would have done without their expert help. I did do training classes with my puppy, but it was their reinforcement of good habits and discouraging bad ones that really helped a lot. I also use their services often when traveling and have never had a problem. There have been different people at my house over the years, and they have all been extremely professional and helpful in taking care of my house, my dog, and 2 cats. It's nice to know I can leave town and not have to worry about any of those things because they are so well taken care of. read more

PPP has been a life saver for me. I travel for work and for pleasure, often out of the country. I can't tell you the how important it is to not stress over the loved ones you've left at home. When I return, my pets are happy and healthy and my property looks as good as when I left it. And Robert, I've only gotten good reports from my neighbors. Two of whom are now PPP regulars. 5 cheers for Heidi and the guys read more

I first started working with PPP/Heidi about 10+ years ago for my cat. I was always impressed that my otherwise surly old man cat seemed cool with "the help" and that the PPP folks always left a lovely handwritten note about Buzzy, plants, and general goings-on. A very nice personal touch (I'm a note-leaver too so especially appreciate it). House, yard, and cat were all left in terrific condition on multiple occasions. Well, that cat passed away in 2005 and now I've reconnected with PPP to take care of my new 2-year old sibling kitties. They'll probably hide under the bed the whole time, but I am genuinely relieved that Heidi's business is still going strong because I know they'll be well-taken care of by people that genuine love animals and provide fantastic care. And, that helps me have a more relaxed trip away. Highly recommended. read more

The crew at PPP have been taking care of my sweet cat for almost 10 years. They are dependable AND go the extra mile! Most importantly, my incredibly finnicky and stranger - phobic feline friend loves them - which is a better recommendation than I could give. I've recommended Heidi and team to my friends and neighbors. read more

LOVE Heidi and Dan and the kind care they show our pets, our home, our plants. Have tried other pet/house-sitters but PPP has earned our complete and utter loyalty. They are conscientious, reliable, and kind-hearted. What a pleasure to be able to travel guilt-free because the crew at PPP is taking care of every detail, every need. They have become part of our family, and we cannot recommend them highly enough. read more

Can't say enough. Nice, nice people. Totally reliable and competent, even with somewhat demanding requests like watering each part of the garden differently, sitting companionably with semi-feral cats, and more. They genuinely love animals. Worth every penny. read more

I never thought I would find such great pet sitters as Heidi and Ryan. They are everything you could wish for: They take great care of my cats. They always show up, do what they need to, and secure the house. They are totally honest. They are also very pleasant to deal with. You couldn't ask for anyone better. read more

I don't think I have ever given Heidi and her team more than a few days notice of my travels. No matter how busy the holiday weekend, somehow they are always able to include me in their schedule. When I come home from a trip, my cat isn't frantically meowing and freaking out as often happens when I have friends stay with her full time. PPP only makes two half-hour visits per day when I am gone, but they must be high quality visits because I swear my cat seems happy and calm when I return. Add some more points to my review because I just found out that if I insist, PPP will let my cat outside (but they would also worry like mothers, so maybe I won't insist); and there is also a housesitting option, which I will definitely take advantage of for long trips. read more

i am always amazed when i use these people that everything goes sooooo smoothly. i come home my house is fine and my pets are happy. even with a couple of chuckle heads like my dogs they are so patient and caring. thanks you guys read more

I am not particularly good about writing reviews, but I felt compelled to write one for these guys. I have had two really good experiences with them -- for dog walking services and in-home overnight care for my two beloved four-legged friends. I was a bit stressed out about these plans given that I was leaving my pets in my home and counting on PPP to come over and take care of them once I left. Well, in each case it worked out swimmingly. They are real professionals, and I am incredibly appreciative of the LONG notes they leave behind with details of what occurred in my absence. The notes reflect a thoughtfulness and caring that really made me feel great about my choice to hire PPP. I saw someone on Yelp griped that the in-home care is done by someone other than the owners. That is true, but I couldn't be happier with the way the person they sent to my home behaved. He showed up on time, left a 3-page note for me, tidied up (including taking out my garbage) after his stay, and even put the bedding through the washer/dryer before leaving. The dogs were also happy and content when I got home. In all, I think their prices are very reasonable and they offer a great service. I am a skeptic when it comes to my "kids" but PPP has two thumbs up from me. :) read more