Walking dogs is not as easy as it seems, especially when you have to visit 20 different clients a day during peak season. This requires sticking to a strict schedule and promptly sending accurate reports and invoices. These apps listed below will help you take care of all this in the click of a button or two.
Table of Contents
BEAT APPS FOR DOG WALKERS
Twenty years ago, we’d check in to dog walks by using the client’s landline. Visit reports were handwritten notes left on the kitchen counter. Schedules were set a week in advance and texting did not exist. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine operating like this. (But then again, we didn’t have the internet in college, so we’re basically cavemen.)
While Urban Tailz continued to evolve with the times, everything changed when Wag and Rover hit the market. These dog walking apps, heralded as “Uber for dog walking,” were major threats to local pet sitters who struggled to match their dog walking app technology.
To be clear, Wag and Rover are dog walking apps. They connect people who need dog walking services with people who want to walk dogs. They are very similar to Uber and Lyft in that they are technology platforms that connect two people together vs providing services of their own.
But we’re a pet care provider, not a dog walking app. A small local business, not a tech giant. Where Wag and Rover use their platforms to source independent contractors for on-demand needs, we vet, hire and train employees for the longterm. Pet Care providers are licensed, bonded, and insured to provide pet care services. Wag and Rover are dog walking apps that have pages and pages of service agreement contracts where they highlight how they are not liable for anything that happens to a client’s dog or cat.
Again, we built a dog walking business, not a dog walking app. Which is why we rely on tech-savvy software companies like those listed below to help us stay competitive against the big guys. If you’re thinking of switching services, or just starting out in the dog walking/pet care world, this guide is for you. Here are the best options for your dog walking company:
Pricing: Solo plan: $35/month for one dog walker. Team plan: $25/month plus $13 per active staff member.
Additional features: Post-walk satisfaction reports. Staff management and accountability features, like reliability reports, automatic late notifications and time-off tools. Client and staff flags, which we use to indicate lockboxes, alarms and, now more than ever, COVID protocol. Photo gallery, which is great for our Instagram!
Bottom Line: Switching to Time to Pet has changed everything. It was a big investment, but we had a feeling Time to Pet would stay ahead of the curve, and they have. It is something that has worked perfectly for our needs as a large dog walking company.
It’s well designed and user-friendly. The team is open to suggestions and, on more than one occasion, has turned our feedback into actual changes.
Having a client app keeps everything in one place and helped us move away from staff-client texting. With real-time in-app messaging, our management team can read and review all communication between dog walkers/sitters and clients. This communication center (also available with Precise Petcare and DoTimely) has proved invaluable. More eyes on everything leads to fewer scheduling errors and miscommunications. It also protects the privacy and safety of our dog walkers and sitters. We had an issue several years ago with a male client harassing a female cat sitter over text. We never want that to happen again.
Pricing: $15/month for one dog walker, $35/month for 2-5 walkers, $75/month for 6-10 walkers, $140/month for 11-20 walkers, $180/month for 21-30 walkers, $230/month for 31-50 walkers, $290/month for 51-101 walkers, $390/month for 101+ walkers.
Additional features: Communication center where admin can review all messages sent by staff and clients. Built-in staff accountability tools, like automatic late arrival alerts, easy-to-read walker reliability reports and a “Live Sitter Map” that shows the last recorded location of each walker. Calendar integration, so clients and staff can view their appointments on Google Calendar, Mac Calendar or Outlook.
Bottom Line: Precise Petcare looks like a great investment for pet care providers. It has sleek, user-friendly tech for clients, plus a communication center (a must for us!) and walker accountability features our office staff would love. We know other dog walking companies who use Precise and who absolutely love it.
Pricing: Increases by $15 with every dog walker/sitter added, starting at $25/month for one walker. Launch by Scout, a more expensive option, includes a fully customized app, website, domain name, email, and more. Launch by Scout is a great option for new companies just starting out.
Additional features: Staff accountability tracking and tools, like arrival confirmations and photo check-ins. Calendar integration. Automatic push notifications for staff when a client changes or cancels appointments. Helpful pop-ups when you enter a home with an alarm (we want this).
Bottom Line: Scout is the new kid on the block. They have a great app with many useful and innovative features. We were seriously considering it, but without in-app messaging, it was not worth the price for us. If they add in-app messaging down the line, this looks like a solid contender for best pet sitting software. Launch by Scout is a very intriguing option for someone just starting out in the pet care industry or a company looking to modernize their website.
Pricing: $129/year for one walker (new users only with up to 300 clients), $45/month for 2-5 walkers, $90/month for 6-10 walkers, $160/month for 11-20 walkers, $260/month for 31-50 walkers, $320/month for 50+ users, $14/month for “a la carte” package that includes a “’sitter on the side’ option, limit of two, that allows you to manage your active sitter list without having to double your package price.”
Additional Features: Staff accountability features, like “short visit” notifications and late services notifications.
Bottom Line: Power Pet Sitter is a solid service that covers most of the basics, except photo updates. We believe a software update may be coming soon, at which point we will reevaluate our rating.
Pricing: DoTimely has three plans: Essential (free), Pro ($.025 per invoice under $100, or $0.69 for each invoice over $99) and Elite (from $689/month).
Additional features: Push notifications for clients and staff when schedules change or update. Communication center.
Bottom Line: DoTimely offers a lot of technology for free, which is pretty incredible. One thing to note, however, is its software is built to fit many different service industries, not just pet care. We wanted a specific pet care app. But to each their own!
Pricing: $27.99/month for one dog walker, $39.99/month for 2-5 walkers, $59.99/month for unlimited walkers.
Additional features: Mapping function to help plot routes. Accounting suite for tracking expenses.
Bottom Line: PetSitClick covers most of the essentials at a competitive price. Though it has a client app where pet owners can schedule services and make payments, it is unclear if it supports real-time in-app messaging.
Pricing: $30/month for one dog walker; $50/month for 2-5 walkers; $90/month for 6-10 walkers; $150/month for 11-20 walkers; $195/month for 21-30 walkers; $245/month for 31+ walkers.
Additional features: Post-walk satisfaction reports. Dog walkers can “acknowledge” their schedule when they check in, so managers know they’re awake and have seen their route for the day.
Bottom Line: Pet Sitter Plus is more expensive than PetSitClick, but without an app. Instead, it has an “app style” mobile-friendly online portal for staff, admin and clients. The client chat hub is new, and appears to offer a communication hub.
Pricing: $34.95/month for 1-5 walkers, $74.95/month for 6-11 walkers, $139.95/month for 12-20 walkers, $179.95 for 21-30 walkers, $219.95 for 31-50 walkers, $299.95 for 50+ walkers.
Additional features: Mapping function so dog walkers can plot their routes. “Home Safe” notifications.
Bottom Line: We used LeashTime before switching to Time to Pet. It worked great when we first signed up, but over the years we felt we needed a more innovative service to stay competitive. There’s no client app, so clients were required to do everything through an online portal. This made it difficult to accommodate last-minute requests. The UX design is still lacking.
Also, now that we have it, we can’t imagine operating without in-app messaging.
Our goal in writing this post is to highlight the dog walking apps and software services who help local dog walking companies, like Urban Tailz, stay competitive in the evolving landscape. That said, if we’ve misreported any information above, please let us know and we’ll update the post. The ratings above are only opinions of Urban Tailz and should not be treated as fact.
I have been working for Urban Tailz since 2009 after moving to Chicago from Michigan. I have a background in sales and hospitality, and I strive to make Urban Tailz the Four Seasons of dog walking.
PrevPreviousJuly Pet of the Month: Juniper
Next12 Different Cat Behaviors and What They MeanNext
[4/26, 1:01 PM] Poizen Aquila: BEST APPS FOR DOGS
Today, technology is king. You can do a multitude of tasks from your phone, including looking up important information, finding directions, ordering food, shopping, counting your steps, well, the list is pretty endless. It’s true what they say these days, “there’s an app for that.”
Well, if you’re a dog owner, there are quite a few apps out there that are geared specifically toward people with canine companions. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you need to download every single one, you’d never have the storage space on your phone. Instead, focus on these 20 choices when it comes to the best apps for dog owners, and take your pick based on what makes the most sense for you and your puppy pal.
BringFido
This convenient app lets you explore different pet-friendly places that you can enjoy with your pooch. Users can search through over 250,000 different locations, including dog parks, hotels, attractions, restaurants, vacation rentals, and more, and learn each location’s doggy rules, such as leash laws and other important info.
Petlas
This global database (The Pet Atlas) includes multiple features such as the ability to explore over 100,000 pet-friendly locations, over 50,000 listings of vet practices throughout the world, and even danger alerts. You can give (and get) a heads up from other pet owners about potentially dangerous situations for pets, such as poisonous plants in a park.
All Trails
If you’re into hiking, biking, backpacking, and other outdoor adventures that take you to the trails, this app lets you find all of the top trails where your dog can tag along with you. You can explore over 100,000 trails and filter them by difficulty level, length, and more. You can get driving directions through the app as well as create a list of your favorite trails.
BarkHappy
Connect with nearby dog owners, discover dog-friendly events and locations, engage in fun activities with your pup, and receive lost and found alerts with this useful app. You can even create and host your own doggy playdates and invite others through the app, plus receive exclusive deals on certain pet products.
The 7 Best Apps for Doggy Wellness
PetCoach
How would you like to be able to get expert advice about your pup through a convenient online chat? PetCoach lets you do just that — with its live chat tool, you can talk with veterinarians and other pet experts about your pet’s health, behavior, and nutrition.
Pet First Aid
If you’re a pet owner, then this app from the American Red Cross is a must for you! The app puts expert veterinarian advice for everyday pet emergencies right at your fingertips. The info is easy to understand, informative, and best of all, right there when you need it. The Red Cross also offers in-person pet first aid classes.
Whistle
This app lets you track your dog’s location, monitor his fitness level, health, and more. The app is free, but you will need to purchase the device and a subscription is required. Users get handy notifications when their pet leaves a designated safe zone, as well as virtual vet support to help you be the best pet parent possible.
PupTox
This helpful app provides a crowd-sourced list of over 250 items that are considered toxic to dogs and cats. You can search for items or browse via convenient categories. Now you’ll never have to worry if those plants you want to put in your garden are poisonous for your pooch, or if your dog gets a hold of some table scraps, you can run a quick check to see if they’re on the tox list.
Tractive Dog Walk
This app uses your phone’s GPS to track your pup’s walks, plus you can log how far and long your pooch traveled, and snap photos as you stroll along together. You can even record your dog’s bathroom habits! This app is great for dog owners, and also a great tool for professional dog walkers that want a thorough record to provide to their clients.
Dog Buddy
Keep track of your dog’s vet visits, vaccines, health records, medications, activity level, walks, and more with this app. You can also record milestones, photos, and a doggy diary, as well as access basic pet CPR and first-aid info, and set up reminders for vaccinations.
iKibble
This app provides a database that gives you quick access to a list of common foods and tells you which are safe for your pup to eat. It also provides information about the foods, including health benefits, feeding instructions, and how to properly prep the food. You can keep track of your dog’s favorite foods, and safely introduce new foods to your pal.
The 5 Best Apps for Dog Services
Rover
This app (and website) allows you to search through an extensive database of trusted services for dogs and cats. You can find pet sitters, dog walkers, house sitting, drop-in visits, boarding, and doggy daycare, all through a convenient search tool. All of the services are backed by the Rover Guarantee and include 24/7 support, photo updates, and reservation protection.
Wag!
Search through a database of background-checked dog walkers and other service providers, including sitters, boarders, and more, all complete with 24/7 customer support and backed by $1 million in home liability insurance. The company also donates a portion of each walk that is booked through the platform toward feeding a shelter dog in your local area.
Chewy
Set up a convenient auto-ship for your pet’s dog food, medications, and more through the Chewy app. You will get access to 24/7 support and receive discounts on most auto-ship orders.
Dog Monitor and Pet Cam by Annie
This app and monitor system is like a baby monitor for your pooch. You’ll need a subscription service, but then you’ll have full, real-time access to your fur baby no matter what time of day or night. Use the app to keep an eye on your pet or soothe him when you’re away, which can come in super handy if you have a dog that is dealing with separation anxiety.
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
This site allows you to check for insurance rates, quickly and easily submit claims from anywhere, upload pet photos, update your information, review your insurance policy, and check the status of your claims, all from the palm of your hand. You can also access their blog for helpful health and training resources.
4 Extra Apps for Doggy Fun
BarkCam
Want to get the perfect pic of your puppy pal? BarkCam features 15 different sounds designed to get your dog’s attention so you can snap a great photo.
Puppr
This app is like having a little dog trainer in your pocket, just BYOT, Bring Your Own Treats. You can look at easy to follow photo instructions to teach your pup over 50 tricks using the built-in clicker, plus get your training questions answered via a live chat feature.
Dog Whistler
This app is exactly what it sounds like, a dog whistle for your phone. You can choose from a variety of frequencies and create different lengths for your whistle. Use it as a training tool for your pooch, or just test it out on your friends to see how long they can take it.
Dog Translator
Okay, so this one is completely all in fun, and of course, it isn’t going to actually tell you what your dog is saying…but if you ever wondered what your pup was trying to tell you, this app gives you a silly way to do it.
While you may not need all of these apps (and hey, maybe you do), this definitely helps narrow down your options! Depending on what you need the most help with when it comes to your furry friend, this list can help you handpick the dog phone apps that best fit your lifestyle. For extra insights into ways to make a better life for you and your dog, make sure to check out the rest of our blog!
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Check out other publications to gain access to more digital resources if you are just starting out with Flux Resource.
Also contact us today to optimize your business(s)/Brand(s) for Search Engines