Rachel P.
Corte Madera, CA
Services
Prices include all fees.
Rachel can care for
Availability
I exercise Max, my dog, early and most days I spend a few hours volunteering. Then I take Max out as he requests throughout the day, then work as much as the day requires.
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About Rachel P.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
Safety is the foundation of every walk. In general I’m a cautious person. I try to always be aware of: * Keeping a good hold on the leash. * What might be on the ground where your dog is sniffing * Using eye contact and body language for requests while avoiding leash pressure. * Watching carefully and keeping distance from cars and dubious dogs. Before the first walk, I do a meet-and-greet to learn your preferences and meet your dog. Routes are chosen to match your dog’s fitness and comfort. You’ll get a quick check-in with photos and a note after each walk so you always know how things went.
Information Rachel P. would like to know about your pet
The more you share, the better the walk. Helpful things to tell me: • Gear preferences (harness, collar, leash length) and where it’s kept • Reactivity or sensitivities — other dogs, bikes, skateboards, men in hats, vacuums, thunder, etc. • Resource guarding, handling sensitivities (paws, collar, harness), or any bite history • How your dog greets strangers and what cues they already know • Favorite rewards (treats, praise, toys) and anything that’s off-limits diet-wise • House entry instructions, alarm codes, crate or confinement preferences, and whether other people may be home • Anything else — quirks, fears, or “this always works” tips. There’s no such thing as too much detail.
A typical day
I run a small, force-free dog walking business and dogs are genuinely the center of my day. Mornings start with my own rescue, Max, then I head out for client walks across central and southern Marin. I walk calmly, allow for plenty of sniffing and weave in light manners work (loose-leash walking, check-ins, polite greetings) using rewards-based methods, never corrections. At the end of the day every pup goes home tired, happy, and a little better trained than when I picked them up.
Location
Corte Madera, CA
Pets
Force-free walker & former trainer
Pet care experience
. Hi, I’m Rachel — a Marin-based dog walker and former professional dog trainer. I have spent the last year walking 6+ miles a day with dogs of every size, age, and personality across Marin. Before that, I worked as a trainer, so every walk with me is a little more than just a walk — it’s a chance to reinforce good leash manners, build confidence, and burn off energy in a calm, positive way. My approach: I use rewards-based, force-free methods — no prong collars, no corrections, just clear communication and a lot of patience. What you can expect: • Reliable, on-time visits with photo and note updates after every walk • Leash-manners reinforcement built into every outing •. Plenty of time for sniffing • Comfort with reactive, anxious, senior, and high-energy dogs
Reviews
5 ⭐️ as always. As long as Rachel is available, that’s who I’m picking to watch my babes!
I don’t really need to explain why Rachel deserves 5 stars, she just does. She was communicative every step of the way and SO patient with my problem puppy (who really just a little anxious). She sent pics and updates every day, came once without pay, and deserves 7/5 stars, let’s be real. She was never ever late, never ever skipped, and made it so easy being thousands of miles away from my babes!
Rachel is very conscientious and you can see she really cares about the wellbeing of my dogs. She is comfortable handling my slightly reactive but otherwise docile pack. I would get her again.
Rachel is a dog whisperer. She has a calming demeanor and provides loving, safe, training and caregiving for dogs. Our rescue dog (Oliver) adores Rachel! Rachel is so giving and so attuned to both dogs and their parents. Rachel provides advice in a non-judgmental and caring manner so that all of our dogs feel safe, and are happy and well adjusted. I so very highly recommend Rachel for training, dog walking, and caregiving.
About Rachel P.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
Safety is the foundation of every walk. In general I’m a cautious person. I try to always be aware of: * Keeping a good hold on the leash. * What might be on the ground where your dog is sniffing * Using eye contact and body language for requests while avoiding leash pressure. * Watching carefully and keeping distance from cars and dubious dogs. Before the first walk, I do a meet-and-greet to learn your preferences and meet your dog. Routes are chosen to match your dog’s fitness and comfort. You’ll get a quick check-in with photos and a note after each walk so you always know how things went.
Information Rachel P. would like to know about your pet
The more you share, the better the walk. Helpful things to tell me: • Gear preferences (harness, collar, leash length) and where it’s kept • Reactivity or sensitivities — other dogs, bikes, skateboards, men in hats, vacuums, thunder, etc. • Resource guarding, handling sensitivities (paws, collar, harness), or any bite history • How your dog greets strangers and what cues they already know • Favorite rewards (treats, praise, toys) and anything that’s off-limits diet-wise • House entry instructions, alarm codes, crate or confinement preferences, and whether other people may be home • Anything else — quirks, fears, or “this always works” tips. There’s no such thing as too much detail.
A typical day
I run a small, force-free dog walking business and dogs are genuinely the center of my day. Mornings start with my own rescue, Max, then I head out for client walks across central and southern Marin. I walk calmly, allow for plenty of sniffing and weave in light manners work (loose-leash walking, check-ins, polite greetings) using rewards-based methods, never corrections. At the end of the day every pup goes home tired, happy, and a little better trained than when I picked them up.
Rachel P.
Corte Madera, CA