Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, and no. Daily Fitness Sessions are provided by our Endurance Athletes who have made a significant investment in their own fitness training--not everyone can run six miles five days a week. Additionally, our Athletes are all either college graduates or students and choose to work with us as they enjoy running and love dogs. Most of our clients don't use dog walkers on days they have scheduled Daily Fitness Sessions as these sessions provide relief walks on the way to and from the designated running areas.

A 'walker' does not give sufficient exercise for your dog. Although we as humans walk around, this does not constitute as exercise for an active dog. We need to get the heart pumping and paws (legs) running!

Yes, we are fully Bonded and Insured to protect you, your pet, and our staff. Upon request we will send you our certificates for both. You should always ask for proof of these before entrusting your pet with any care provider. Reputable providers will happily provide you with proof of their policies.

A 'walker' does not give sufficient exercise for your dog. Although we as humans walk around, this does not constitute as exercise for an active dog. We need to get the heart pumping and paws (legs) running!

Yes, we are proud of our accomplishments with Dog and Runner, Inc. At our introductory meeting we can provide you with references of our current clientele.

It depends on where you live. We like to explore trails, pedestrian paths/sidewalks, and areas with minimal auto traffic. If your dog has a favorite place, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate these requests.

Our services are priced based on the number of dogs that can be safely handled at a time. Special Attention services (running, rollerblading, and fast paced walking) are exclusive to your pet. Essential sessions (running and fast paced walking) allow a maximum of 3 dogs at a time. Please note that we only group dogs together when they are compatible in temperament and abilities.

We customize our runs for each dog. Our time slots are from 11:00 am - 4 pm. We will accommodate your time preference as best as possible. If you have a doorman, we ask you to leave keys for us with them, if not we keep a copy of your keys with our staff.

We only accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. We do not accept personal checks or cash. We will bill your card once every two weeks, just before services are rendered for that billing period and send a detailed itemized email receipt. Our database system is completely secure and we use JP Morgan Chase as our credit card billing agency.

Certain breeds can easily log up to 35 hours a week, according to the book Running With Man's Best Friend by Davia Anne Gallup (Alpine Publication, 1986). It really depends on the type of breed, your pet’s age, and the dog’s current condition.  We encourage all prospective clients to visit their veterinarian and have their pup cleared for exercise before enrolling them in regular cardiovascular activity. Our endurance athletes will be looking out for any signs that your dog may be nearing their physical limitations.

Ideally, an exercise plan should be established when your dog is still a puppy and continue throughout your pet's life. As your dog ages, exercise tolerance and requirements can be adjusted. In general, no younger than 8 months is appropriate for your endurance running with your dog, though there are exceptions. A consistent low-impact outlet for their energy is often advantageous when trying to train a puppy.

A walk around the block or a 15-minute romp around several times a day is minimal exercise and is NOT enough to meet the average dog's needs. Active breeds such as dogs from the sporting, herding, hound and terrier groups, northern breeds or any mixture of these are well suited for running. Virtually all adolescents require much more exercise! However, a few breeds do require very little exercise to maintain good health and will derive little benefit from running.

Ideally, an exercise plan should be established when your dog is still a puppy and continue throughout your pet's life. As your dog ages, exercise tolerance and requirements can be adjusted. In general, no younger than 8 months is appropriate for your endurance running with your dog, though there are exceptions. A consistent low-impact outlet for their energy is often advantageous when trying to train a puppy.

Exercise is important for your elderly dog for many reasons. First of all, exercise helps maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight may lead to a number of health problems. It places excess stress on your pet's heart. When the heart doesn't function properly, other organs may suffer including the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. Over time, these problems may become severe enough to cause life-threatening conditions.

A light, short jog may be particularly beneficial for dogs with dysphasia because little active extension of the hip joint is required; rather, a light jog passively extends the hip by pulling the limb back. The dog then actively advances the limb. This activity may be especially beneficial early in the conditioning program while other treatments are started. Consult your veterinarian to be sure.

Additionally, weight loss results in greatly decreased progression of osteoarthritis. Appropriate exercise and training will also maintain muscle mass that will help improve stability of the hip joint, maintain endurance and maintain the health of cartilage.