Let me know what their expectations are for walks and drop ins, including getting ready and coming home. (For example, do they expect a scatter feed in the yard after a walk? Do they do best if we chill out for a few minutes when I arrive before playing?) If I’m boarding your animal, it’s helpful to know their general routine, as well as any allergies, destructive tendencies, etc.

During a walk, I’ll take the lead from your dog. If they’re into sniffing, we’ll follow their nose. If they’re focusing on me, we’ll make it a training game walk to learn new things and practice different kinds of walking (heel, turning, changing directions). If they struggle with reactivity, we’ll make sure to avoid triggers or set them up for success by starting at a distance they can handle, if you’d like me to work with them on it. When boarding, I like to rotate toys and enrichment in enclosures (Ex tunnels vs boxes, dig boxes, shreddable toys vs harder chew toys vs tossing toys) and ensure I handle them at least once a day to check for any potential issues. When boarding dogs, they can have a walk, training, or free time in the yard three times a day, and we have a variety of puzzles, toys, and games to keep things interesting.