Dog Sitting

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up for dog walking or pet sitting services?

Call us at the Rufus and Delilah office at (818) 986-8740 or complete the Contact section on our website so we may contact you to discuss your custom pet care needs. We will set up a consultation to introduce you to your sitter and to review all the necessary information we will need while caring for your pet(s) in your absence.

Will I get to meet my dog walker before the walks start?

Yes. We always set up a one-time complimentary consultation to introduce you to your dog walker and to review your detailed client profile before the dog walks start.

Will I have the same walker each day?

We will match you with a dedicated dog walker. You will then have the same dog walker each day unless there are dates when they are unavailable.  In this situation, we will contact you to let you know we need to set up an alternate walker to fill in for your dedicated walker. We will also set up a practice walk for the alternate walker to join your dedicated dog walker so the dedicated walker can introduce your dog(s) to the alternate walker and show them how they do everything.

Alternatively, we can send the alternate sitter with your detailed profile and keys to the visits without meeting you and your pet(s) first if your pet(s) would welcome the sitter walking into your home not having met them before.

Will my dog walker come at the same time each day?

We ask you to choose a two hour arrival timeframe during which your walker will come each day rather than coming at a set time.

Where do you walk my dog(s)?

We walk each client’s dog(s) in your own neighborhood. We do not gather dogs from different clients and walk them at the same time. We believe our time and attention should be focused solely on your dog(s).

Are you insured and bonded?

Yes. Everyone working with Rufus and Delilah Dog Walking and Pet Sitting is insured and bonded through Rufus and Delilah Dog Walking and Pet Sitting and each sitter is required to carry their own pet sitting liability insurance.

When do I give a key to my dog walker?

We require two sets of working keys from every client. Keys are to be given to us at the time of the consultation. One set of keys is for your dedicated dog walker and the other set is to be held in the office for emergencies, lockouts, or in case your keys should stop working or break in the lock. If you do not have two sets of keys ready at the consultation, you may either mail them or we can set a time to come back during office hours to pick them up for a $20 fee. We do not have a location for any in-person pick-ups or drop-offs..

What is the best way to reach Rufus and Delilah Dog Walking and Pet Sitting?

Calling the office at (818) 986-8740 or sending an email via our contact page are both great ways to contact us at Rufus and Delilah. If you want to speak with us right away, please call and we will be happy to talk to you about how we can help with your custom pet care needs.

What is your cancellation policy for regular daily dog walking or ‘as needed’ dog walking services?

We have a 24-hour cancellation policy for regular daily dog walking and ‘as needed’ dog walking. If you cancel with more than 24 hours notice from the earlier part of your arrival timeframe, then we will be happy to credit the walk(s). Walks canceled with less than 24 hours notice will not be refunded as we will also have to pay your dog walker. Cancellations for Mondays will need to be received before our office closes for the weekend on Fridays at 5 p.m.

How is payment handled?

Services are invoiced differently depending on the service type. All payments are due in advance to reserve your sitter. When we first meet at the new client consultation, payment is due for your first invoice at that time. For future pet sitting and as needed dog walking services, invoices will be emailed at the time we confirm your reservation. For weekly dog walks with an ongoing set schedule after you pay your first invoice at the consultation you will be emailed invoices biweekly or monthly from month beginning to month end. We request all future and ongoing payments to be mailed directly to our office.

Is the information I give to my sitter confidential?

Yes. Rufus and Delilah Dog Walking and Pet Sitting is committed to keeping all information we receive from our clients and sitters confidential, and will not disclose any of your personal information including your mailing address, phone numbers, and email address. We will only use your information as a means to take good care of your pets and home while you are away.

Can I hire my sitter directly without Rufus and Delilah Dog Walking and Pet Sitting first?

Please do not place the sitters in the uncomfortable position of offering them pet sitting or dog walking work apart from Rufus and Delilah. You are sometimes given the private cell phone of the sitters as a means to reach them in an emergency while you are away. We ask that you do not contact them to set up future sits when you return. The sitters are prohibited from soliciting or accepting work directly from clients and they sign an agreement to this effect. Thank you for respecting this policy.

Will you take care of my pet(s) without meeting us first?

Unless we have already met with you for an initial consultation we will be unable to provide any dog walking or pet sitting services.

What kind of notice do you need for our pet sitting and overnight reservations?

In order for us to guarantee our availability for your dedicated sitter or an alternate, please give us as much notice as possible when requesting visits. The holiday season is always the busiest and our sitters book up quickly.

Do your dog walkers take my dog(s) off-leash during their walk?

No. We do not walk dogs off leash. We do this for their safety.

What kind of timeframe do you need for our scheduled dog walking or pet sitting visits? Do you come at an exact time?

For dog walking and pet sitting visits, we ask for a minimum of a two hour timeframe during which you would like your dog walker or pet sitter to arrive for their visit with your pet(s).

Will I get to meet my sitter before the pet sitting visits?

Yes. We always set up a one-time complimentary consultation to introduce you to your pet sitter and to review your detailed client profile before the visits start.

Will I get the same sitter each time I am away?

We prefer to keep the continuity of the same sitter with the same pets and we will do everything possible to make that happen for additional pet sitting requests. If your initial sitter is not available, with your permission, we will match you with an alternate sitter. Should an alternate sitter be providing you with pet sitting services, we would be happy to set up a paid 30 minute practice visit for you to meet the alternate and to review your client profile with them.

What are the different lengths of pet sitting visits that you offer?

We offer pet sitting visits in 30, 45, and 60 minute visits. We also offer extended pet sitting visits of 2 hours or more.

When caring for clients with dogs when their family is away, we require a minimum of 3 pet sitting visits a day for their safety and comfort. When caring for clients cats when their family is away, we require a minimum of once daily visits.

What is your cancellation policy for pet sitting services?

For our Pet Sitting reservations, cancellations made with more than 7 days notice from the start date for all the dates will be issued a credit to be applied to future pet sitting visits. Cancellations made with 7 days notice from the start date for any of the dates will receive 50% credit for all the dates to be applied to future pet sitting visits. Cancelations made with 3 days notice or less from the start date for any of the dates will not receive any credit for any of the dates canceled. We do not issue refunds.

Can you administer medication to my pets while I am away?

Yes. As long as you let us know of your pets individual needs when you first contact us, we will match you with a sitter who is able to administer medication.  Some medication administration including IV’s and fluids will be offered at an additional cost if we have a sitter available.

When do I give a key to my pet sitter?

We require two sets of working keys from every client. Keys are to be given to us at the time of the consultation. One set of keys is for your dedicated pet sitter and the other set is to be held in the office for emergencies, lockouts, or in case your keys should stop working or break in the lock. If you do not have two sets of keys ready at the consultation, you may either mail them or we can set a time to come back during office hours to pick them up for a $20 fee. We do not have a location for any in-person pick-ups or drop-offs.