Happy hounds has been my reliable cat sitter and dog walker for over 10 years. To me the most…read moreimportant things are quality of care, responsiveness, professionalism and, of course, must love pets. Carol and her team receive 5 stars in all three categories. Grateful that Happy Hounds was highly recommended by my neighborhood condo association, in Shirlington, and that I never have to worry about the fur babies when I leave home. Thank you Happy Hounds!

We've been happily using Happy Hounds for dog-walking and cat-sitting for years and years. We…read morehave an erratic schedule (lots of travel and telework), which means our dog-walking needs change daily. Kim, the owner of Happy Hounds, is always able to accommodate our last-minute requests and schedule changes. Unlike other dog-walkers, you don't have to buy bundles or pay in bulk; Happy Hounds lets you pay as you go and lets you buy extra-long walks. One of our dogs is a bit "sensitive" and won't walk unless she gets the right type of loving persuasion, and Carol the walker is able to deliver that. Melissa, the other walker assigned to our 'hood, always takes our walk-happy beagle out for really long walks. I'm going to miss Happy Hounds when we move away from the DC area. (I'd give them a perfect 5 stars if they also did in-home overnight sitting.)

Inga and her crew at Tickled Paws are professional, responsive, caring, loving, thorough, and…read morereasonably priced -- what more could you ask for in a pet sitter? We were going on vacation and needed someone to come in to feed our cats/scoop their litter/water the plants/bring in the mail. I followed a craigslist ad to the Tickled Paws website and e-mailed them with the dates and details of the services we needed. Inga responded within a day or so and we scheduled a free introductory session to discuss every aspect of what we needed, where things were kept, what the cats were like, etc. I appreciated that this introductory session was free because many places charge for this. I was prepared to pay if necessary, but it didn't make sense to me. I was impressed that Tickled Paws gets that this is essentially my interview of them, not a service they are providing me. Inga was a pleasure to work with. At our intro meeting she brought a new client packet with any info I would want. She thoroughly explained their procedures and took the time to learn everything she could about my cats, our apartment, and what we wanted done. Both prior to and during the intro meeting she clearly explained their rates, etc. and was honest with the length of session that would be necessary to get done what we needed done. She gave us a new client discount and the total I ended up paying was less than I had anticipated by a significant percentage. After the intro meeting, Inga sent me a .pdf of the signed service agreement and log in info for my client profile on their website. She responded quickly to the e-mails I sent her with some last-minute details and sent a follow up e-mail after the first day to let me know how it had gone. When I got home, the place was clean, the cats were contented and well-fed, and there was even a log on the table detailing what she'd done at each visit, whether she'd visited with the cats, etc. Most importantly, at every stage of the process, I felt that Inga genuinely cared for my cats. She payed attention to what I told her about them, she tried to make friends with even my very shy cat, and seemed genuinely overjoyed at making progress with them. I'm definitely not the type of person who thinks of her pets as children, but it really was comforting to feel implicitly that the cats were being cared for with the sense of affection and duty I'd use myself. After having been disappointed with the quality and price of service from similar pet care organizations in both DC and Virginia, I was so grateful for Inga and Tickled Paws. We'll definitely use them again.

Updated summer 2018 - Palstride stopped (rather abruptly) serving DC…read more Palstride will be my trusted pet-sitter from here on out! We received an in-person consultation before engaging Palstride the first time, during which they clearly explained their services and enthusiastically got to know our cats and their needs (where's the food? which toys do they like? where do we toss the litter? which blinds should be opened each morning? etc). After each of our engagements, we came home to find a diary containing detailed notes on each of the (3x daily) visits they made to our home, including what activities they carried out and how the cats were behaving. At my request, I also got a mid-trip report (with adorable pictures of the kitties) via email which was reassuring and a charming way to keep in touch. I appreciate their reasonable rates, the thoroughness of their service, and the Palstride staffs' obvious affection for the pets under their care. Finally, although the Yelp profile specifies "Manassas" as the location, Palstride's staff are entirely capable of handling a location in downtown DC. FIVE STARS.

We've been using Annette for over a year to take care of our dog Charlie. We moved from the area…read morebut loved the peace of mind we had during the day knowing our pup was under such great care. It was clear from our consultation that Annette loved animals and was great at getting our shy dog to sniff and cuddle with her. Charlie isn't great on a leash but he never gave Annette trouble and he loved to play with her on their afternoons together. We highly recommend her.

Annette helped me with my cat and dog for many years. She is expert with challenging pets, as my…read moredog isn't easy. Annette was always timely and thorough and caring and reliable. She kept me updated too. I miss living near her and have a hard time finding anyone I can trust as I do her. For the many years that I was her neighbor, I saw her commitment to the pets in her care through all kinds of weather. She is dead I cared to her animals. My animals love her. I trusted her so much that I gave her a house key permanently in case of emergency. Many times I was running late or needed help with my animals and she was faithful and reliable. 6 stars

Pamela is incredible! She provided me with some simple and easy strategies to help with some my my…read morecat's behavioral problems and they really worked! She is super warm and friendly and great with following up to check in and see how things are going. You can tell she is a real animal lover and wants to help pet owners to understand the why behind problematic behavior so you are empowered to fix it on your own! Highly recommend Pamela!

We reached out to Pamela for help with our senior cat's refusal to use his litter box, and could…read morenot be more thrIlled with the results! He has only had a couple of "accidents" in the past two months, and we feel much more prepared with options if he does ever backslide. The difference has really been night and day - and apparently much easier than potty-training our (human) toddler :) We were so happy about Pamela's "bonus" recommendations that helped our cat get over his fear of little kids, and have loved seeing him have much more quality time with our family. We could not be happier with this new version of our cat - thank you so much, Pamela!!

very detail oriented. George cares a lot about making sure the clients are 100% satisifedread more

I used this company to take care of my rare breed pigeons and my rabbits this winter holiday and I…read morehad a very bad experience. upon my return I found one of my birds dying from a very strange injury. he had 2 broken legs and could not walk or fly and I did not know what to do. the owner never offered to pay for a veterinarian even though he later told me he was licensed and insured and the bird died. I don't know how this bird could have got this injury by accident and could not be caused by another bird. the owner denied responsibility but its hard to see how this could have happned as this kind of injury never happened before. not only that, but the owner placed the manure filled water container in my kitchen sink and never cleaned up the mess and I found some sealed boxes in my basement opened up. I will never use him again

We can't explain how professional and compassionate this company and their services are. Always…read moreprompt and going the extra mile, not only keeping us smiling but the whole family (our pup). Great communication, very fair rates, willingness to help, genuine care for our pet, our schedule and our home. The owner can read our dogs mind. It's very clear how much our pet loves LBD, and is sad when she doesn't get the time with them because we are around. Sometimes your kids just like their cool babysitters more! We've also been taught things by the company owner to help better train our dog and make our lives easier. I can't say enough good things but just know you can't go wrong!

Our pets won the lottery twice! Once when they negotiated their way to full-fledged family…read moremembers, and again when we met Adelaide - the professional, competent, charming, loving, and all around most awesome animal concierge and human. At one point, our pets spent a week every month in her care while we cared for a sick relative. Every time we came home, our pets were better behaved than we'd left them and certainly well cared for. We cannot say enough good things about Adelaide or the way she runs her business. She is worth every penny and more. But beware, your dogs will end up loving her more than you. Just be glad she returns them when it's time.

To say that I'm satisfied with TJ and his company would be a major understatement. I have been…read moreusing his service for eight years after originally being referred to him by a co-worker. My dog at the time was animal aggressive and I was very hesitant to place responsibility for Balboa in the hands of a stranger, but TJ put my fears to rest immediately. It is obvious to anyone with animal experience that he not only understands dogs, he bonds with them and communicates with them effortlessly. Within a few months of walking with TJ, Balboa was able to play with and greet other dogs and he never snapped or attacked animals again. As my dog became old and senile, TJ was incredibly kind and patient with him and even carried all 75 pounds of Balboa up and down the stairs of my apartment building after his hips began to succumb to the effects of the cancer. When I called to inform him that I'd put Balboa to sleep, I could hear the sadness and pain in TJ's voice and he sent me a sympathy card the same week. After a few months, I decided I was ready for a new dog and I contacted TJ to let him know I would soon be requiring service again. He volunteered to go to the NY Ave shelter with me, where he helped me pick out an adorable lab/hound mix, Adrienne. She is as excited to see her Uncle TJ every day as she is to see me and she simply adores him. My neighbors often comment that she is better behaved for him on leash than she is for me! I have referred at least a half dozen friends, neighbors, and co-workers to DC Dogs & Cats LLC without ever hearing a single complaint. Even my ex-girlfriend uses him for cat-sitting! I have been unexpectedly home sick and had family staying in my apartment and TJ shows up at the same time, every day, just like clockwork. I have absolute faith in him and it is a huge relief to know that my furry son is taken care of by the best in the business. I even call TJ when I have veterinary questions and he always seems to know what to do. While it seems like every unemployed housewife and college dropout is trying to start a pet care business these days, it is good to know that I have a genuine professional working for me. He has literally dedicated his life to animals- I believe he has 3 or 4 dogs of his own at home. It is worth noting that as owner of the company, he does have other walkers working for him. Although I've been fortunate to have the man in charge walking my dog himself, I did have the pleasure of dealing with one of his walkers, Chris, while TJ was on his honeymoon five or six years ago. It's clear that when he does his hiring, TJ uses the same high standards that I've come to expect from every aspect of his business. Oddly,I can't ever recall him taking a vacation day besides his honeymoon. In eight years, I've had only one billing mistake which TJ corrected quickly and with apologies- not a bad record, considering I'm billed every month. Checks are made out to the company name, so I know he is above reproach with taxes. He is also bonded, insured, and a member of the Better Business Bureau among other professional organizations. Alright, I could go on- but you get the point. If you're lucky enough to get on TJ's schedule, jump at the opportunity!

TJ is very responsible with our dog Cecilia. He adapts to our crazy schedule (cancelling and…read morerescheduling all the time) with no complaints. Our dog seems happy and healthy. I'm not sure if he walks her 15, 19 or 47 minutes, I've never witnessed any of the short-walks other posters described here. My husband has been in the house when he came by and witness our dog's joy to welcome TJ. I do recommend DC Dogs & Cats. Besides, so many walkers dismissed my area as "We don't service your area" (hello! it's NE!) that I appreciate the time that TJ took to meet us and care for our dog daily.

If I could give a negative star I would. Horrendous. Appalling…read more If you have a pet who needs a mobile groomer, look elsewhere. Their's quit. Except, they didn't bother to call and tell me that and so I waited for the groomer to show up (for two days. she never did.) and was given all sorts of different stories each time I called to see what was going on. The first time I called the shop it was because the groomer was a bit late. The lady at the shop assures me the groomer will be there soon. Ok, no biggie. Two hours go by. Still no groomer. I'm an easy going gal but this is getting ridiculous. I call again. This time I'm told they have NO RECORD of my reservation. No name, address, dog info. Nothing. Um....what? I had literally JUST spoken with the same woman ABOUT my reservation. She had my info right in front of her. (Sh*t is about to get weirder folks)... The woman is incredibly rude and unapologetic. She literally says to me, "I don't know what to tell you. There's nothing we can do for you.". What?! Then she suggests I take a cab, with my two 100lb golden retrievers, to their shop for a groom. She offered to pay for the cab. I explain the reasons why my dogs need a groomer to come to the house. Mainly, I remind her that she JUST CONFIRMED my appointment in our prior call. She says she'll check with the mobile groomer and get back to me. Another hour goes by. No call from the shop. No groomer. I'm pissed. I call them again. They say they haven't heard from the groomer. They'll call her again and call me back. Guess what? Another hours goes by. No call, no groomer. I call them. They're CLOSED. I'm left with their voicemail system. Seriously? I leave a nice but to-the-point message saying that I'm still waiting for their groomer. I request a call from the manager. By noon the next day, I still have not heard from these people. And still no groomer. I call again and ask to speak with the manager. The same woman I spoke with yesterday gives a long sigh (still no apology) and explains that there's no way they can accommodate me at all because..... the groomer quit. Oooook? What?? At this point I begin to suspect that the mobile groomer quit long ago but they never attempted to tell me in the hope that I would just bring my dogs in to the shop. I again explain the reasons why I use mobile grooming in the first place and that I really don't want to give them my business but that I'm stuck with a Yelp deal. I plead with her to speak with her manager. She later emails me later requesting my mailing address so she can refund me by check (thank God). Guess what? 14 days later, three emails from me, and no check. No return email. No call. I'll be sure to update this review if I get anything from them but don't hold your breath. UPDATE: To give credit where credit is due, I received contact from two different owners or managers by email within hours of this review. They both apologized profusely and explained the mobile groomer quit without notice but that they should have handled the situation in a better and more timely fashion. They also assured me a refund would arrive soon and offered a discount if I return for services. I definitely appreciate the damage control.

I used to mock stores like this and the people who would shop at them. What kind of person buys a…read morebox of peanut butter bonbons and a "Dog Perignonn" chew toy for their dog, when a dog would be equally happy with an old sock filled with pork chop bones? That was before I owned a dog. Now I am that person. Barkley Square has everything to satisfy the dog and dog owner who has lost his grip on reality. Minus one star for the feelings of shame that overwhelm me when I buy a jumbo doggy cupcake for my dog.