Like a Well-Trained Hunting Dog,
You Found Us!
Click on the chart below to learn more about the different categories the pet industry serves and our approach to each one. Not a visual learner? No sweat! Scroll further to learn Our Philosophies in each category.
Ready to get started?
Our Philosophies
Whether you’ve made your decision or are still searching for the right fit, we want you to know our philosophies in all of these major categories of pet care. We hope you’ll find that we’re like a well trained dog — We answer when called and know all the coolest tricks!
Meet & Greet with Manager and Walker
Is there any other way?! We feel that the bond between your pet services provider should be just as strong as your bond with your pet. If you haven’t met the location manager or the walker performing the service how can you fully know what to expect? Just as important is meeting your pet before service begins is a must. You may have the sweetest and most lovable dog around but it’s important that we get to meet you and your pet prior to service. You just never know when Fluffy might decide that he just doesn’t like that one off person. We feel so strongly about the initial Meet and Greet that we offer it for FREE so you can make the decision with full confidence that you’ve chosen the right pet sitter. So why order a walker via an app? You got us!
Employed Staff (W2)
At Naperville Dog Walkers we take care of our employees by giving them W2 status meaning our team of walkers are entitled to workers comp if they are injured while on the job, can take advantage of unemployment if they can no longer work, participate in company managed 401k, PTO accrual for every hour they work and full time walkers/sitters are entitled to full medical benefits. NDW operates under policies and procedures that our staff is trained on and our managers work hard to uphold for every client we service. We may not be as cheap as the independents or next door neighbors but we believe you’ll find the service you will receive is worth it. We recommend that no matter which company you reach out to, make sure to ask about how they treat their team. Having the appropriate relationship truly does matter and we’re proud to employ our team!
Bonded and Insured
Oh yes! We often hear “make sure to ask if they are bonded and insured” which often results in a ‘yes’ from the company and an ‘ok, moving on’ from the client but what does it really mean to be bonded and insured? In short it means the company holds insurance to protect their clients in the event of an accident as well as having their staff covered under a surety bond, sometimes referred to as a dishonesty bond. While the majority of companies do have these policies in place, the majority carry bare minimum coverage. NDW holds a 2 million dollar liability policy and $50,000 surety bond so no if there is ever an issue, our clients, their homes, their property and their pets are covered.
Walkers Receive Training
An absolute must! Each NDW walker goes through a phone screen, in-person interview, an extensive background check, reference checks and one-on-one training with a manager and lead trainer. Oversight is severely limited with independent contractors in comparison to employees. Contractors may save the company money but pay attention as this also speaks to the level of training and management the walker receives. Most contractors don’t receive any training whatsoever simply because legally, they can’t. Contractors must be hired under the assumption that they are already fully qualified to perform their duties. This lack of training severely limits the service standards walkers can be held accountable to.
GPS Tracking From Door to Door
Gone are the days of the pen and paper system. Our system provides total transparency as you're able to see where we were when we scanned in, where we took your pup for their walk, and where we were when we scanned out. You’ll also receive email and push notifications(app only) when we arrive and leave giving you the peace-of-mind you need when it comes to care for your pet as well as the accountability you look for in a pet services company.
Local Presence
You can’t put a price on local. Local means building a relationship with the manager and staff. Local means walking through a physical door to speak to a human or talking directly to a manager on the phone. Local means not needing to be put on hold for the “next available representative.” Local is customer service with a personal touch. Naperville Dog Walkers IS local.
Email / App Notifications
Why should you even have to wait until you get home to know how things went with your pet? When everything these days comes with an app (or at least an email or texting service) there should be no reason to sit in suspense. If there is any concern about how your pet is doing you’ll know right away. In addition, if there is any concern about the job being done as expected you’ll be able to check your phone or email to see when we’ve arrived or when we left. You can also communicate directly with your pet pro through the system after every service in case their are any questions or even if you just want to say thank you!
Online Scheduling
You’ve got a busy schedule and a lot of the time it’s just easier to hop online to get what you need. At Naperville Dog Walkers you can manage your schedule via your own account online or from your phone. Just log-in from your computer or download our mobile app and start managing your schedule with a few clicks or taps. Crave human interaction? Feel free to call us too! There’s always a friendly NDW manager ready to help.
On-Demand Service
A perk of working with a team of employees is knowing that if your dedicated walker is on vacation that you have a team of other walkers that have been background checked and trained 1-on-1 with a manager or dedicated staff trainer. If your dedicated walker is out sick, on vacation or runs into car troubles, Naperville Dog Walkers can send a backup walker that you can trust!
365 Day Availability
Life has a way of never stopping and that is exactly why we’re here! Whether it is big life event, travel plans or a major holiday, we have an army of walkers ready to help you through life’s busiest times, 365 days a year.
Emergency Backup
Do you have a plan B if your current walker or sitter falls through? If you’re not sure definitely find out. If we ever have to send a different walker you’ll know that they’re always vetted by an NDW team member. Always available management team to offer support during an emergency. There is an endless list of challenges that may prevent a walker from staying on schedule – problems like access to buildings and homes with troublesome keys and locks, aggressive pets, sick pets, injuries, car troubles and more. A direct line to management is crucial to the teams success. Your Plan B is now Plan NDW!
Time Tracking
With Naperville Dog Walkers your account will provide an end of visit summary (also emailed to you) which will include:
• scan in time
• scan out time
•total duration of visit
•GPS route map
•pictures of your fur babies from the appointment
You’ll easily be able to see if you are getting what we said we would provide. If you’re shopping around be sure to ask how time is tracked and what kind of reporting you can expect.
Account Management Software
We work with 1000s of pets and no two are the same. Each fur baby has their own unique needs so you should have an efficient way of communicating those needs to your care giver. Our system allows clients to manage their own accounts including an extensive profile for both themselves and each of their fur babies. This means no writing out paper instructions, worrying about relaying those instructions to your walkers, or communicating last minute changes if your pet's routine has to be updated on the fly. Profiles can be updated at any time within a matter of minutes and any of your pets NDW friends will be able to view them any time they come for a visit. You can also pin specific notes onto specific appointments if there's a one time change or a special note or instruction.
Length of Walk
At Naperville Dog Walkers we provide a range of service options but 25 minutes is our average service. We feel this is an appropriate amount of time to give your pet the exercise and attention they deserve while holding a more realistic approach to scheduling. Other companies give a range or say “approximately __ minutes.” We say how do you build in travel time and what does approximately even mean?! Maybe I’ll get 20 but maybe ill get 30? With NDW you know exactly what you’re getting.
Average Price
We've built a pricing structure that is simple, easy to understand and still highly competitive. We care deeply about the love and exercise a pet can get while you're away. We make this easier by offering one simple weekday rate, and a outside of regular weekday business hours rate. Care during the day should be simple, affordable and trustworthy and we aim to make that easy for the working types and family types who need help taking care of their pet. Our price range is $18-$23 depending on frequency and time of visit. Have more than one pet? It's just $3 for each additional pet!