All the walkers that work for Woofwalks are amazing. My dog Riley LOVES going on his pack hikes!

Lars has passed away, but I still feel grateful to WoofWalks (and especially Jerrod) for teaching Lars such nice manners and socialization skills when I first got him. I continue to sing their praises and to recommend WW to neighbors and friends!! read more

Woofwalks - My Lars - Dog Walkers Near Me

My partner and I had a very poor experience with Woofwalks about 6 months ago. We had just adopted a senior rescue and had received glowing reviews about the service from neighbors. Several weeks in, I received a call saying that our dog had been bitten and brought home. No apology, very little detail, just that he had been brought home. We later spoke to the walker who explained that our dog (14 lbs) had been bitten by a larger dog. We thought - oh no! But, these things happen. The wound was healing fine and we continued his pack walks with Woofwalks. A couple of weeks after resuming his walks, he scratched his wound open quite badly, necessitating a late Sunday night visit to the emergency room for anesthesia and stitches, resulting in a $700 vet bill. We were relaying this story to our neighbors who recommended this service, and they said, Ah! When this happened to our dog, Woofwalks' insurance covered the vet bill. We thought this was wonderful - even for Woofwalks to cover part of the bill. However, when we reached out to them to request this, I was shocked at their response. The business owner reiterated over and over that this wasn't their fault, and that we should have known better to keep him from scratching his wound by putting an e-collar on him. (Please note, they had been taking him for walks every day and never mentioned that this would be a necessary precaution). Moreover, she kept talking about how difficult the job was - to pick up multiple dogs, have them in the car together, drive on the freeway in the Bay Area, etc. Never was there an apology, simply lots of defensive language around how difficult the job is. I get it. This job is hard. Many jobs are hard. The primary issue I had with Woofwalks was not that the incident happened - they're dogs. Of course this stuff is going to happen. It wasn't about the money. There were two primary things I found most offensive about the business: 1) Even though the job is difficult, there was absolutely no acknowledgment of even partial accountability. They didn't even offer an apology until my partner explicitly had to say, 'You haven't even said sorry,' once things got so convoluted that we had to schedule a conference call with the business owner. 2) They made my partner and I feel shamed. They made us feel like we were stupid and irresponsible in caring for our dog. The owner even insinuated that we had done the wrong thing by taking our dog to emergency services when he had a large, bleeding gash above his eye. We had an extremely long back and forth on email where she kept on defending herself and passive aggressively telling us what we were doing wrong. Unsurprisingly, she stopped responding to my emails as soon as I paid the last invoice. In summary, I do not have any respect for this business owner and would not recommend their services. read more

I'm sad to write this and it's taken me many years to do so, but I finally felt people should know what I experienced. First of all, rat poop in the basement where they keep the food for dogs that are staying with them. (This was several years ago, so not sure the conditions now.) Secondly, I had arranged to drop off my dog before I drove to the airport to leave for Europe for dogsitting. They weren't there! I had to drive my pup back home in a panic and another dogwalker/sitter picked him up to save the trip. (Luckily still made my flight.) Lastly, I normally wouldn't have a fitness tracker on my dog, but someone gave me one to review it for them. My dog was staying with Stacy just after xmas one year. He had 2 days of 20 min activity and 1 day of 6 min!!!!! Which means he was in the crate the rest of the time!!!! WTF?! They said they were short on staff and offered 50% off one night's stay the next time he stayed with them. HELL NO! (And that was such a weak apology for something so horrific to do to a dog.) That was the icing on the cake. Never been back and would NEVER let my dog stay with them. Ever. I've referred other dogs there and I'm sad I did. They just don't have their S*** together for dogsitting. As far as training, Stacy helped a lot teaching me how to get my dog trained with the e-collar. read more

When I got a puppy, she as like a small alien who had invaded my home. I was a cat person and had not had a dog since I was a child. This little creature was quite foreign to me. And in many ways, scary. Stacey came to my home and taught me how to communicate with my little invader. She knows dogs and their behavior and is passionate about not only training dogs but humans as well so they can interact peacefully and so that everyone can be happy. I am lucky enough to work hours that allow me to take LouLou out for long walks everyday but if I didn't, I would definitely send her out with Woofwalks. Stacey and Shasta are all about dogs - their business is literally their lives and they are dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate about all things canine. LouLou is my precious companion and I guess my best compliment to them is that I would happily board her with them without hesitation. Sure, I would miss her but I would never worry about her because I'd know that she was in very capable hands. I recommend them to my friends; they worked with a friend's problem dog and have worked hard to turn this dog into a dog that I envy for her cool demeanor on a leash. They host "Leash and a Latte" at Point Isabel once a month as a chance to interact with their pack and the owners of their pack. They do this on their day off - because it's important to them. They are very upfront about pricing and rules. They have a contract that is very specific that not only protects them but also protects you and your dog. I actually would be wary of a company that would not want to meet my dog before I boarded it. You never know how a dog will react to a different environment and they take the time to make sure it will all be okay before you leave. read more

"Time to Walk the Dog" The best dog walking/boarding business in the Bay Area, bar none. I first came upon the woofgals, Stacey and Shasta, in 2001 when I would see them at the Alameda dogpark. I didn't even recognize them as dog walkers because the norm for many of the other dogwalkers I observed at the park was to sit around chatting while the dogs in their care begged to have a ball tossed, roamed around getting into scuffles and/or eating poo. Stacey and Shasta were so engaged with the dogs in their care, I couldn't tell they weren't the owners. I was about to take on a full time commitment and would not have time for the dog's ususal romp, I asked if they were dog walkers, and lucky for us they were. We have been using them ever since. In 2004 we moved to Seattle and we drive down to board our dogs with them when we go on vacation. They come pick up your pup, take him out for a romp with about 10 of his closest friends, and bring him back all tired, happy, and begging for more. The little poop reports they leave are the highlight of your day - sounds crazy, but its true. What sets woofwalks apart is the level of training they give their puppy charges. It is quite a sight to see the slender and soft spoken Stacey walking with 10 or 12 dogs at heel, all waiting for her next word, and obeying it. Private training sessions are also available, you will be amazed by the results you will see after the first session. They run a small business and serve the Oakland/San Leandro/Alameda area. So if you are lucky enough to get a slot with them, you are one lucky dawg. Oh, and Ferghal says to tell you they're hotties. You know Ferghal likes his ladies and the woofgals are alpha hotties as far as he's concerned. read more

Our dog Ginger got hurt during a Woofwalk excursion on Monday. Ginger and the dogs were running and playing up in the trails, and Ginger came back with 1.5" cut on her chest and another gash in her shoulder. = -o !!!! Shasta promptly called to notify us of her injury and continued to keep us updated as she helped to address Ginger's wounds. Given that we were both at work (me away on a work trip no less), Shasta stepped in and took Ginger for treatment at the vet her dogs go to. Having the regular updates & knowing Shasta was there really made me feel at ease, especially when I'm out of town and not a quick car ride away. Ginger is fine and recovering. It could've been much worse but I know I can trust Shasta with the care of our dogs. Shasta, Stacey, and crew really love and care for these four legged, furry clients. read more

Athena loves Gerry and so does her friends. Woofwalks provides canine-friendly off-leash dog hikes but in my case, Athena friendly and Athena specific adventures. My dog loves to romp and explore off-beaten paths on her own while checking in with the pack. Everyone including the owner knows my dog and I so well. We adore the level of attention to detail and customer service. These reviews are genuine and these people love dogs! read more

After the neighbor complained that the dogs bark too much when they're home alone, I decided to find them a dog walker to get them out more while I'm at work. I tried WoofWalks because of the Yelp reviews and their website, and I LOVE them! Maya, our dog walker, is super nice and wonderful with the dogs. Borte is normally skittish around strangers, but she took to Maya right away. Temujin adores her, and when we were at our Leashes and Latte meet-up at Pt. Isabel today (a monthly event for the dog walkers and owners to hang out with the pups), he kept circling back to make sure that his pack was staying together. Maya is very flexible and even accommodated an extra Saturday walk when I was out of the town for the weekend (another friend dropped in to check on them and hang out). So glad to have found WoofWalks! read more

I am a very active person but I called in for help when my adorable 6 week old Jack Russell Terrier PRESLEY came home. Woofwalks to the rescue! They spent so much time with me and him. He loves them and greets them with a smile. Sadly, I contracted chronic lyme disease and was confined to my bed for over a year and had an IV drip all day. They helped me so much, they care about their clients and the owners of their clients very much. I could rest easier knowing PRESLEY was taken care of and he always came home tired and happy. When I got my second Jack Russell PIPPY they would do little potty breaks for her when they picked PRESLEY up. When PIPPY passed away because of a neighbors vicious dog - Stacey and Shasta were so supportive. They love their "clients" as much as they love their own dogs. Due to my illness at times I have changed PRESLEY's routine or one time my front door lock would not work and they took him home to their house and they have always worked with me and PRESLEY to accomadate every need we may have. Kindness and frienship is all you experience from Woofwalks I am shocked a person could even have remotely had even the smallest issue with them. I even at one point had my friends pit bull/ridgeback/lab mix several days during the week for a few months and they walked her as well knowing I was to ill. They are amazing and I still have PRESLEY with them usually 5 days a week. You cannot trust your dog to just anyone but you can trust Woofwalks without hesitation. I started as a client with a puppy and became friends and well PRESLEY became family (he thinks so anyway). I know many people who love Woof's and I tell everyone with a dog about them. Everyone who works on the Woofwalks team is amazing and it shows. They leave report cards about your dogs day how they played with and their poop (which is good to know). I look forward to reading the daily report card and how much PRESLEY howled that day. You can even tag along, if you can keep up, on the dogwalks to see for yourself how much fun they have (and not just the dogs). I personally love Stacey and Shasta! I think anyone who meets them that truly cares about their dogs enjoyment and happiness will feel the same. My home would have been run and ruined by a Jack without them and instead I have an amazing family member and for that they deserve all the positive credit in the world. Thank you for being you... WOOFWALKS ROCKS!!!! read more

This is the first review I write, because Stacey, Shasta and their team really deserve 5 stars. I met them last year, to get help with my dog, because I didn't know how to fix her issues. And they came to rescue. They have great expert knowledge and experience, and they are patient with the humans as well. The most important part is, they really do care about the dogs and do anything to help and give advice hands on until you and of course your furry companion get it. Myself took a little longer to understand and pass it on to my dog, so we can have nice and relaxed walks anywhere now, we practice every day, and it is going great, because I didn't give up, because Shasta wouldn't let me. thanks again you guys and paws up from N.D. and Candy read more

I found Woofwalks thanks to all the positive reviews from fellow Yelpers. Boofer is nine months old and a very athletic pup. My boyfriend got him from the local Oakland SPCA when he was three months old and he worked at home at the time. Boofer was used to having companionship and when my boyfriend switched jobs, we needed a service that would provide plenty of exercise to tire Boofer out since he'll be left home alone for the first time. Woofwalks is great. Stacey and Shasta spent about an hour with us and assessed Boofer. We gave them details on what commands he knew and that he was not that good with recall. We decided to go with twice weekly walks for Boofer. Amy Jo who is the office manager is also great with prompt responses whenever I email her with questions or schedule changes. They were also very accommodating to walk Boofer's sister Ziggy when we dog sat her for a week. The handlers that take care of Boofer are Raul and Teresa. We had a little bit of a rough start the first week they took Boofer. Stacey, one of the owners were great about responding to our concerns and remedying some of the initial hitches. Raul and Teresa also took videos of Boofer during his Woofwalks to provide some additional reassurance. We got to see him with a long leash during his first few walks when they were training him to recall better. Other videos showed Boofer playing with lots of dogs and running happily through the trail. We get the report cards on his behavior and doggies he played with during the walk. It's a very nice touch. The other day, my boyfriend was walking Boofer on his day off and a mini van drove by. Boofer thought it was Woofwalks and he was pulling the leash and whining to get to the minivan. When it drove away, Boofer was sad and whining as if he missed the school bus for a field trip. Just that behavior alone lets me know that Boofer loves his Woofwalks! read more

If you are a loving parent to a pooch and work or travel, Woofwalks just might change your life. Not only are they truly professional and wonderful, they are an extension of our family. We rescued a darling pup, Ringo, about 3 years ago and knew that he would need daily exercise as he is an Aussie Sheppard/Border Collie mix. The days we had to leave him at the home, we had no idea who we could hire to exercise him long and hard like we do. Woofwalks came into our lives and saved the day. Ringo is taken on 2 hour off-leash excursions and comes home completely exhausted & happy. He waits by the front door on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Stacey, Shasta or Raul to pick him up and wags his tail into a frenzy when they open the door. I never second-guess his safety and I feel completely at ease knowing he is probably having a better day with Raul then he would with me! (lol) Wookwalks is always consistent, leaving us a Report Card each time they take Ringo out. I know many children's daycare facilities that don't even do that. His report card tells us how long the hike was, Ringo's energy level, demeanor, and behavior and always includes a nice note about the day. We often board Ringo with Stacey & Shasta and he returns home happy with his tale wagging like he was just at summer camp. Whether on the hikes or during his overnight stays with them, Ringo is treated and trained perfectly. They completely trained him to behave on a leash as his instinct is to run like the wind. For us, Woofwalks is a blessing and our happy dog seconds that! read more

Woofwalks came highly recommended to me by a friend when I moved and my Greyhound, Jack Foley, started marking my house. Every time I left him home alone, he peed on the same wall in the same place like clockwork. I was extremely resistant to crating him, but met with Stacy and kept an open mind. Stacy is calm and confident, which is, you know, how you want your dog to be. :) She explained that he probably started marking out of anxiety but it became a habit, and helped me feel comfortable with the idea of crating him to help him break the habit. She took him for an overnight at her place and he did fine. I bought the crate she recommended, I crated him when I left him alone and sure enough, a few months later, I can leave him home alone now, out of the crate, with no issues at all. What a relief! Stacy really helped me gain back my peace of mind and also helped me understand that I have to be the boss, even when I don't want to. As she put it, "Just think of it this way. It's like Jack thinks he's the CEO with the corner office and private bathroom. We just need to take him down a few notches." Priceless! Jack is happy, I am happy, my floor is clean and I HIGHLY recommend Stacy! read more

I heard about Woofwalks from a neighbor who raved about how well behaved her young pup was due to Stacey's training. So I called Stacey. First of all, I have found her to be extremely generous with her time and advice. She was the only trainer I contacted who worked on an hourly basis - everyone else had huge set fees. She spent an hour giving me advice on the phone before I ever hired her. Then she drove all the way over to my house, brought her perfect gentleman of a German Shepherd, spent two hours teaching me and Bailey to heel, sit and down and charged me for an hour and a half. The lesson worked really well. I no longer get pulled down the street and i can see out the back car window! Stacey left it up to me to call her when we were ready for more training. And I didn't, simply because I'm taking a little tiime off work and have to watch my pennies. Recently I ran into Stacey and Shasta at a client's social function. In spite of the fact that I had not called her, she spent an hour talking to me about my dog's recall problem and then invited me to go on a group walk the next day, where she showed me how to do what she had explained the night before. So now, according to my calculations, I have had about 5 hours of training and paid for an hour and a half. Oh, yes, that doesn't include the advice from Shasta. And now Stacey is doing a free demo at my client's art gallery benefitting Hopalong Aniimal Rescue. (You should all go: July 21, Expressions Gallery, 2035 Ashby Ave., near Bart, midday- exact time to be announced.) I have been trying to figure out how to repay her in my own way. Maybe this review will help! read more

Our dog Sharky comes home happy, satisfied, and exhausted from walking with her dog walker, Gerry 3-4 times per week in the off leash pack. Easy and stress-free communication via their handy scheduling app which emails me every time she is dropped off with a cute note about her walk from her perspective, which is so fun to read! I really can't recommend Woofwalks and Gerry enough. They walk a few dogs in our building and I've never heard a single complaint. Sharky and I are very happy to be part of the Woofwalks clan!!! read more

Can't say enough wonderful things about our walker, Gerry. We thought Matt, our last Woofwalker was great; he left to open his own company, so Gerry became our new walker. He leaves the most entertaining notes about our 2 doggies, to the point that my husband and I get a great visual image of what Atticus and Roxie had been up to. We used their boarding services while we were away for 2 weeks (they got to stay with Stacey, the owner of the company). When they were dropped off, it was as if they had only been gone for a walk, didn't seem out of sorts at all. Great company, best walker, wonderful boarding. read more

Our Dog, Kona, started with Stacey and Shasta when she was 6 months old. Thank GOD for the training they provided. Stacey assured us I would not have to turn to lithium or have a frontal lobatomy after choosing our chocolate puppy! I couldn't figure the right reciepe for us to co-exist in the same house. Stacey promised she could help us. We had to be trained as well. Learning the language that a dog responds to. An angel sent Stacey. Kona went to boot camp for 2 weeks and transformed. WOW! We were pleasantly surprised! Kona is now 2 years old and she is the best dog! A gem. Thanks to woofwalks! Truly. We decided to have Stacey and Shasta walk/hike with her and the pack 2 days a week. This was brillant as S & S continue to reinforce Kona's training on a weekly basis. We have referred dozens of friends and even strangers that we have met at dog parks or on dog trails. We can't thank them enough. Kona adores them! Stacey's background in martial arts provides a direct heartfelt way. She is firm and disciplined along side the huge love she has for these animals and this work. ALL the dogs know whose top dog...Stacey. Shasta is playful and responsible at the same time. Also very focused. They are a great blend to have with the pups. The training the dogwalks and the overnight stays have all been very positive for us as well as our dog. Barbara and Julie read more

I have used a number of walkers and boarding services during my time of being a dog mama--4 years. I have high standards, what can I say? And I really like to feel that whoever is with my dog is doing a good job, really loves my woofer, and is someone I can trust. My expectations, and the needs of my dog, have been totally surpassed by Stacey, Shasta and Woofwalks. In short, they are AMAZING. My extremely sweet but totally energetic Lab turned from a devilishly delightful dervish of my house, trash-chomping and counter-surfing, nibbling on my kids to an angel-in-training in 10 days thanks to S & S. I did their in-home boarding & training for Ruby while I prepared for moving myself and my kids to a new home. Not only was the cost extremely reasonable for the time spent (especially considering boarding costs for places that don't include training!) and the excellent follow-up sessions that are included in the cost. Ruby now has a clear understanding of expectations, knows how to calm herself quicker, can actually stay in a down when my 2 boys run by her bed holding Nerf guns and shouting--and she's not medicated, I swear! That, to me, is priceless. It allows me to love my dog more when I feel she's not a little pop gun of energy ready to go off at any moment! Though very sweet and obviously truly devoted to dogs, Stacey and Shasta mix love with firm, assertive and totally clear boundaries for the dogs. Ruby and I are incredibly grateful--I know better how to keep her in line without feeling stressed out or unkind, and she knows how to please me and get what she wants (love and treats) using obedient, rather than drama queen, tactics. It's a good thing. We are also doing Woofwalks neighborhood (and eventually off-leash) walks for her, so the training continues and is consistent. Take it from an experienced consumer of dog care service providers--Woofwalks is high-quality, compassionate love and guidance for your dog. I have never seen better. read more

Woofwalk is the best! I have worked with different walkers in the past but Gerry is something else! He is AMAZING!! He is very kind and communicative and the most important is that the dogs absolutely love him. Kate has also been very understanding and responsive the times I had to make changes to the dogs' walking schedule! Thank you all!! read more

We have used Woofwalks for almost 3 years. We used 1 other dog walker who we loved, but before a vacation flaked on us and we were out of luck. We met Stacey and Shasta at Pt. Isabel and saw how they were with the dogs. We asked for their number. We have used several dog walking services from Chicago, Seattle and SF. The hallmark that sets them apart is they mix of positive discipline/training with walks. Our alpha female dog needs a lot of exercise and socialization and she comes home pooped everytime. She is so happy when they come to the door. I also notice when she has boarded with them, she comes home better behaved! We also have a dog very susceptible to Poison Oak and we mentioned it only one time to Shasta. She suggested that she would wipe down our dog everytime with wipes to make sure the oils were off her coat , as well as, make sure that they keep an eye out on the trails. We haven't had a problem in almost 2 years and I notice now they wipe the other dogs too! They are always reliable, flexible and have a wonderful group of walkers no matter who comes to pick up your dog. The best thing of my day is reading the little report card they leave you about your dog's adventure for the day. read more

We had one of Woofwalk's walkers, Theresa (and husband Raul), bring our dog out for off-leash outings for about a month (we then moved out of their service area, and now we miss them very much!). Anyhow Theresa, Raul and Stacey came by to our home for the first meeting, and my dog was very wary of them as he is very shy. Seeing this, they took the time to get to know him and then came back a second time to do a dry run of just bringing him out of the house to their van and back. Theresa wrote a detailed note everyday that my dog went out with them. She would note who he played with, how he behaved, even the condition of his poop, and other interesting bits of info. I looked forward to reading her note every evening when I came home. Also, she was very willing to have us go on the trail and check out what an outing was like (unfortuately, we never had time to do that). She also took some photos and sent them via email - very nice! Overall, a great experience. Oh, the reason why i went to Woofwalks in the first place was because I had boarded my dog with Stacey for several weeks a couple of years ago. Since I had a wonderful experience (dog came back happy, and healthy), I looked them up again when I needed service. Stacey is also very responsive to email, which is great. Each time I've used Woofwalks, they have given me the peace of mind that my dog was in good hands, and I would definitely use their services again. read more

I love the Woofwalks team! They are solid, reliable, kind, and super-sweet to my girl. Life is tricky and there are a lot of things I can't count on, but the one thing I can trust is on Wednesdays and Fridays my dog is picked up, run ragged with her doggie friends, and safely returned. I've had last-minute requests, and not only have they been accommodated, but handled with a friendly and positive "no problem". I KNOW my dog is a better dog because of her her twice a week socialization with other dogs. She has much better social skills than she did a year ago prior to Woofwalks. Thanks "aunt Maya" and everyone else to cares for us. It takes a village. read more

We brought our little Cairn Terrier-mix to Stacey to help us work through some of our new dog's separation issues. His separation anxiety was mild, but it's been troublesome enough where we did not feel comfortable leaving him home alone. Stacey offered to house him for a couple days to evaluate his anxiety and help train his crate training. Stacey has given us the tools that we need to manage his separation anxiety and he's definitely showing improvement in his crate training. Overall, we are extremely happy with the progress he's been making. I would highly recommend Stacey. read more

Woofwalks has been amazing for my dog, Tux. I had a lot of anxiety about finding the right fit for Tux after a couple of tries elsewhere. From the moment we had a meet and greet with Jarred, I could tell that he truly loves dogs and that his energy is perfect for them. Tux has been hiking with Jarred for about a year now, and he's always super happy and tired when I come home. Thanks :) read more

I absolutely love the woof pack!!!! They are so great with accommodating my ever changing schedule and they always do it with a chipper no problem! A few times I have been home (due to last minute changes of my schedule) when Holly Golightly goes out and comes back and she is one happy happy pup. They take her out for 2-3 hours at a time and work with her on socializing and lots of play. Whenever a minor issue (scheduling or whatnot) has arisen it has been handled immediately and with the right attitude. Her walkers always leave great notes about her day, sometimes I get a little jealous, I want to be out playing with dogs instead of in the office! I have used them for boarding, and I was a little nervous, my dog is kind of needy, being a rescue dog and all, and when I get back she is happy to see me but in no way dying to get outta there. The prices are totally reasonable for what you get, she has a big day out and needs a big old nap when she gets home, on woof days she dreams of squirrels, sticks and friends! They also work with dogs on any minor behavior issues that might arise. I actually can't say enough good things about them, they allow me to have a dog, I live in a small space and work full time, but when I know Holly will have a big walk a couple times a week, it takes the pressure off of me completely, so I can just enjoy my dog. 10 stars if possible. If you have a dog and you work, woof walks is the way to go!!! read more

Stacey and Woofwalks saved us! Like many people, our dog has a "checkered past". He was a rescue, and came with fear and nervousness issues. His bites were too fast and sneaky to stop -- he'd just dart out and nervously nip strangers before we could even see it coming. Two years ago, we were stuck. Our friend who usually took care of our dog when we'd go away wasn't available. I was totally panicked on two counts -- I was worried that we'd have to cancel our trip, because I figured that most boarding places wouldn't accept a dog with a history of biting. I was also paralyzed by fear; even if I could find a place that would take him, I worried about possible consequences if he should bite someone when he was not under my control. I was a mess! I searched and searched, and found Woofwalks. What intially gave me hope was the description I read of Stacey's approach with dogs, and of her openness to working with dogs with issues. An added plus was that the boarding would actually be in a HOME, instead of in a cage in a kennel. I brought him up to meet her for an interview, and my fears melted away. I could see instantly that she has fantastic instinct with dogs. Our dog loves Stacey, and she brings his "true self" out of him. We've boarded Cody at Woofwalks a number of times now, and I still can't quite believe it. His behavior there is great, and he loves being there! He's peaceful and mellow when he comes home. Perhaps more wondrous is that I've gone from paralyzing fear to relief and confidence, knowing that he's in excellent hands when he's there. Responsible dog owners take it very seriously when their beloved dog has behavioral issues. It is such a relief and a gift to know that there is a way out, and it's a happy way at Woofwalks. I whole-heartedly recommend Stacey at Woofwalks for her great technique with challenging dogs, and for providing a peaceful and happy home-away-from home. Thank you, Stacey!!! read more

I cannot emphasize how much I adore Kate (the scheduler) and Sofia (my walker)! I interviewed many dogwalkers before going with woofwalks. I need someone who understood my dog and the fact that he can be a little bit of a punk when off leash. Sofia is so great with him, and I can tell that he's had a great time because he literally doesn't move for hours after he gets back because he's so tired! I am really grateful to have found this team! read more

Makana (my dog) just LOOOVES Maya. I looked them up on Yelp, as we just moved from a perfect scheduled itinerary for Makana in SF to Oaktown and had to start anew. Maya came by for the meet and greet. We did not see the connection between them, but tried it anyway. God am I glad we did. Kate in the background is amazing in follow up and responding in short of notice changes or just simply confirming your requested dog dates. Maya is so lovely and Miss Em is always so exhausted from her play-dates it is lovely. When you work and leave your pup alone all day it is great to know she is in great hands and has a blast. Thank you Miss Maya, thank you Kate. As a side note: I simply hope the choke collar story by Scooter is a misunderstanding, has never happened, or if it by any chance did, Stacey stopped working with that person. Animals deserve to be treated with love, patience, no yanking, impatience, or even hatred. read more

Woofwalks has been great. They responded to my original inquiry very quickly and have been helpful and responsive since. Our walker, Noelle has done a great job of 'training walks' with our pup. She is helping her learn recall so well that she will soon be able to romp off leash with the rest of the pack. She come home calm, happy and exhausted every time. read more

Woofwalks changed our dog's behavior in 2 short hours one Saturday afternoon. Our pup went from dragging us around the neighborhood screaming at other dogs to heeling like a gentleman. Woofwalks are truly miracle workers. He also spent a week boarding with them in a loving home environment. THANK YOU WOOFWALKS! read more

My australian cattle dog, Chili, and I have been clients of WoofWalks for almost three years. During that time, we have used all the services - pack walks, training and boarding. I can't recommend WoofWalks highly enough for anyone who has four-legged family members that need attention during the work week, or when you are out of town. Theresa and Raul have walked Chili through two moves (they kept Chili on their roster even when he was technically out of their area) and he boards with them regularly. I know Chili is in the best hands with T&R and that they know how to handle him in all sorts of different situations. Their detailed updates are personal and meaningful and they have always been incredibly flexible with my ever-changing schedule. Chili also boards with them for all my business travel and family vacations and he comes home happy, excersized and centered every time. We have also trained with Stacey and Shasta when Chili was having a hard time adjusting to living in a dog-filled apartment complex. If you are considering dog-walking, training or boarding services, please put WoofWalks at the top of your list. You will be hard-pressed to find better advocates and caregivers for your treasured companions. read more

I too have a people and dog aggressive shelter dog. I thought I would never find a place to board him and that our family vacations would always be a driving trip with the beast. A new baby upped the ante and I had to find a place that would not only board him but work with him (and me). He just came back from his first over night stay, exhausted and calm. Stacey is a dog genius. I've tried everything from dog training classes to months of in home sessions. Stacey achieved more in the first hour with him than all training previously. Thank you Woofwalks! read more

Biscuit and I were totally frustrated trying to get along until Stacey came to our home. Within 1.5 hours, she got both of us trained. Now I have an obedient puppy that listens to my commands and follows me around. What a transformation in such a short time! Biscuit was also aggressive to dogs. I was skeptical about him hiking with Stacey and the pack. When I saw pictures of Biscuit playing with other dogs, I could not believe my eyes. He came home tired and happy. What a wonderful experience! read more

I hate giving small businesses a bad review--after all, this is their livelihood, and my review could hurt them. However, my job as a Yelper is to tell the truth about my experience, so here goes. The reason we decided to send our dog to Woofwalks was because of the three positive reviews here on Yelp. Upon further inspection, I'm starting to notice that these reviews might not be from unbiased customers: The first is Stacey, the owner. The second is a longtime friend. The third is a person who has one review and one friend--the review is for Woofwalks, and Stacey is the friend. So here is an unbiased review, Yelpers. Our first impression of Stacey was a good one. She seemed really nice, and she seemed to like our dog. But it was all downhill from there. First off, the cost. We aren't in Woofwalks' serviceable area, so they couldn't come pick up LuLu for a walk. I offered to drop LuLu off at their house and pick her up whenever it was convenient for Stacey. To me, I'm doing part their work for them, but I guess that's not how Stacey saw it, because she told me I'd need to pay the daycare rate ($35--their regular rate is $25) for their services. I asked what I'd be getting for that cost, and she told me that she'd take Lulu on TWO walks instead of just one. That sounded good to us, as LuLu has a ton of energy and we wanted her to have as much exposure to other dogs as possible. We decided to go every other week rather than every week, as $140/month is a lot of money to have your dog walked 4 times. Fast forward a month: we were never confident that LuLu was getting two walks--something seemed shady (like the time Stacey told me I could pick LuLu up at noon, which totally wasn't enough time for two walks), and LuLu didn't seem very tired. Then, when we left their house one day, we noticed that they'd left a bunch of dogs unattended in the back of their truck. It wasn't a hot day, but we thought it was a little odd. They'd just come back from a walk, and Stacey & Shasta were making themselves comfortable inside the house while the dogs waited in the crowded truck. Our frustration increased when we had to go out of town and arranged to leave our dog with Woofwalks. While I was standing there, Stacey and Shasta had a conversation in front of me about whether or not they would charge us the client rate ($35/day) or the non-client rate ($40/day). I was very unhappy to hear that they would even CONSIDER charging us the non-client rate, especially given the fact that we are paying MORE than their average customer! It was at this point that we decided to terminate our service with Woofwalks--we disliked them more and more, and for the price ($35 for one walk!) it just wasn't worth it to us. But we were going out of town, and didn't know of anyone who could take our dog. Woofwalks agreed to give us the client rate for LuLu. My sister-in-law also needed to have her dog (Chickenpox) boarded, so we arranged to have him boarded with Woofwalks also. I asked Stacey if it would be necessary for them to meet Chickenpox. Stacey told me that I should talk to the people who would actually be boarding the dogs (they contract out to another couple), and gave me his number. I called the boarder and he told me that he didn't need to meet Chickenpox, because he's 14 and barely does anything. Then, less than a week before we were scheduled to leave, Stacey left me a message telling me that she needed to meet Chickenpox. This irritated me to no end, as I have a life and made sure to have all of this squared away weeks earlier. I got the feeling that they only wanted to meet the dog because they wanted their cut of the profits from the boarder. The only way I was able to get her off my back was to have the boarder call her and tell her that we already had things worked out, and that I was starting to get pissed. So we boarded the dogs, and all was well...until we got the bill. And of course, those cheapskates charged us the non-client rate for LuLu, without telling us that they would be doing so. Stacey claimed that, because we terminated our service a week before the boarding (we actually asked for a "break" because my fiancee had just quit his job), we were no longer clients. Nice. She quoted us a price for boarding, and in my opinion, she should stick to that quote. If she planned to charge us more at ANY point, she should have told us. I find it interesting that they would alienate a client for $15. For all they know, we were planning to come back for services when my fiancee got his new job, and they lost our business for that $15. Not to mention the business of other people, because they KNEW I was on Yelp! Overall, I thought the way we were treated was both appalling and totally unprofessional. In the end, I was wary of Stacey and Shasta, and I didn't trust them. And who wants to leave their dog with someone they don't trust? read more

I had Woofwalks take my dog out for about a year. I would say that, while my dog was probably treated well, I was not. And, as important as it is for the dogs to have a good time, it's the humans who are paying their hard-earned money for the service. In a nutshell, I had several disputes about invoices and one missed pick up that I was told that I was responsible for in all cases. The customer is not always right with this business. I decided that it was best to look elsewhere for dog-walking services. read more

We're so happy to have found Woofwalks. Our pup, Elroy, was in need of a qualified trainer and friend to take him on hikes while we're at work, and we found the perfect match in Gerry. He's been nothing but kind, and Elroy adores him. Further, the entire WW team has been super flexible about schedule changes and our various odd requests, which puts us at ease knowing we have a trusted partner and friend. read more

WoofWalks has been incredible with our dog. The service is so easy to use. Most interaction can be performed online, which helps with the last minute schedule request. As to the services, they leave my dog Rosie exhausted. You can tell if Rosie went out for the day the second you walk to the door. If she is at the door, she didn't get a WoofWalk. If she is on the couch, dirty, and asleep, she romped with Mia and her WoofWalks crew. Mia is terrific with Rosie; they have a real bond. And talk about a dog walker that goes above and beyond. The city of Oakland was performing sidewalk repairs, blocking the street, in our neighborhood recently and Mia's inner New Yorker came out, arguing to gain passage to take Rosie out for the day. WoofWalks is a great service. Gerry has also provided great service to Rosie. Give them a shot. Perhaps your dog can frolic with Rosie and Mia! read more

I have used Woofwalks for 6 months and have been very pleased. Both Stacey and Shasta are very caring people and and are very knowledgable about dogs and care very much for the welfare of all the dogs. My dog loves going on his outings with Woofwalks and really enjoys all the contact with the other dogs. Additionally, Stacey and Shasta were a tremendous help with helping me learn how to better control my dog's barking at other dog's while on walks in only one training session! If you want to keep your dog happy, send him on a Woofwalk! read more

They take out our beagle-dachshund Ruby out for 2+ hours every day, almost every day to different trails and parks. All of their walkers have proven to be friendly, knowledgeable and trustworthy. What more could you or your pup want? read more