Frequently Asked Questions
Have Questions About Our Pet and Home Care Services? We Have Answers!
Welcome to the Four Seasons For Paws FAQ page! We understand that entrusting your furry friend and home to someone else’s care can bring up questions and concerns. That’s why we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions to address everything you might want to know about our dog walking, dog training, pet sitting, and home security check services. Whether you’re curious about our process, pricing, scheduling, or anything else related to our services, we’re confident you’ll find the answers you’re looking for here. If you have further questions after browsing our FAQs, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly. We’re always happy to chat and ensure you feel completely comfortable and confident choosing Four Seasons For Paws for your pet’s care.
Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
Absolutely! We carry liability insurance and all sitters are bonded through Pet Sitters Associates. Please feel free to contact us if any questions about our insurance policy.
It is required that you have a key available for us to access your property. Even if we will be entering by garage door or doors with a lock code. This is to ensure that we have access in the event of a power outage or equipment malfunction. You have the option to use a lock box or to hide the key in a specific location. You must show us where the key is at the time of the meet and greet. Services will not be approved until a key is provided.
At Four Seasons For Paws, we prioritize the safety and well-being of our Pet Care Specialists and the pets under their care. Meeting with both the pets and their parents allows us to ensure that we have all the necessary information to provide the best possible care for your furry friends.
By meeting with the pets, we can familiarize ourselves with their behavior, temperament, and any specific needs they may have. This helps us tailor our services to meet their individual requirements, ensuring a comfortable and stress-free experience for them.
Additionally, meeting with the pet parents allows us to discuss important details such as feeding schedules, exercise routines, any medical conditions or medications, and emergency contact information. This ensures that we have a comprehensive understanding of the pets’ care requirements and can provide the highest level of care and attention.
Ultimately, the initial meeting allows us to establish a trusting relationship with both the pets and their parents. It gives you the opportunity to ask any questions or address any concerns you may have, ensuring peace of mind while you are away.
In short, we will not provide services without meeting with you and your pets first. Meet and greets need to take place a minimum of three days before services begin.
We offer dog walking and dog care visits between 8am and 6pm. These visits can be tailored to your pet’s needs, with options for 30, 45, and 60-minute walks or visits. We do not offer visits outside these hours. We will provide vacation care visits or walks if a friend, family member, or neighbor is visiting your dogs for an extended period in the evening or is staying the night.
We will provide up to three daytime visits for your puppy or dog, up to two daily visits for cats, and one daily visit for other small animals. Additional visits can be requested for special circumstances.
A good rule of thumb is to request your services as soon as you know you need them! But if you forget to do that, our preferences are as follows:
For weekly visits, cat and small animal care visits, and dog walks, we prefer to have service requests by Friday before the coming week.
We cannot guarantee specific times as weather, traffic, and schedule changes have an effect on arrival times. We require a two hour time frame, but will do our best to arrive as close to the preferred visit time as possible. Time windows can be reduced to one hour for puppies and medications that need to be administered at specific times.
Walk times begin at the door and end back at the door. We allow for 5 additional minutes to refill water, and put leashes and harnesses on. So if you request a 30 minute walk, we will walk for 30 minutes and use up to 5 minutes for extras. If there are other required tasks that take up more than the 5 minutes, it will cut in to walk time. If the weather is extreme (too hot, too cold, storming, etc.), the walk will be shorter for the safety of your dog and your sitter. Indoor play will be provided so your dog can burn off energy safely.
We do not offer boarding at this time. All of our services are provided in your home.
Of course! Tips are not expected, but they are very much appreciated. 100% of the tips go to your Pet Care Specialist.
Home Security Checks
Absolutely! We carry liability insurance and all sitters are bonded through Pet Sitters Associates. Please feel free to contact us if any questions about our insurance policy.
It is required that you have a key available for us to access your property. Even if we will be entering by garage door or doors with a lock code. This is to ensure that we have access in the event of a power outage or equipment malfunction. You have the option to use a lock box or to hide the key in a specific location. You must show us where the key is at the time of the meet and greet. Services will not be approved until a key is provided.
We will provide up to one visit per day with the exception of major holidays. But you can schedule home security checks at a frequency of your choosing.
Every home security check includes:
- Thorough inspection for any signs of leaks, damage, equipment malfunction, and attempted break-ins.
- Collection and management of papers, mail, leaflets, door hangers, and packages to maintain a clutter-free appearance.
- Regular watering of both indoor and outdoor plants to ensure their well-being.
- Responsible handling of trash and recycle bins, including bringing them in and taking them out on designated days.
- Rotation of blinds, curtains, and lights to create the illusion of an occupied home and deter potential intruders.
- Timely communication through an emailed journal, providing updates and accompanied by pictures to keep homeowners informed about the status of their property.
If something needs immediate attention, you can set up an appointment with the necessary repair company and we will wait while the service is completed. We will give you a full report upon completion of the repair! However, we bill an hourly rate for this. It is not included in your regular service fee.
Service Area
We provide dog training, dog walking, pet sitting, and home care services in Brighton, Howell, Pinckney, and Hidden Lake subdivision.
Our service areas are Brighton. Pinckney, Howell, and Hidden Lake Subdivision in South Lyon Michigan. If two or more of our Pet Care Specialists live within fifteen minutes of your location, it may be possible to provide services for your pets.
Payments and Fees
We accept debit cards with major logos, credit cards, checks, and cash! Though debit cards and credit cards are the preferred method of payment. Online payments are much easier for the Pet Care Specialists!
Invoices are due by 11 p.m. the first day of vacation services or the first day of the week for weekly dog walks and visits. In the event of additional unforeseen visits or other costs (such as food, supplies, vet fees, etc.), payment is expected within 5 days of the completion of services or a late charge of $20 will be applied.
With credit and debit cards, you have the option to make single online payments or to leave the card on file. If you credit card is on file, your payment will process at 11pm the first day of service each week or on the first day of your vacation.
We believe in compensating our team very well for spending time away from their families on holidays! So there is an additional $10 fee per visit on major holidays.
Holidays include Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, and New Years Day.
Transparent pricing is one of our promises! We do not charge fees for medication, more pets, or additional tasks. We only charge for the time spent at your home. We customize each visit to include everything that you and your pets require. We offer 30, 45, and 60 minute visits to accommodate and encompass your specific needs.
Cancellation Policy
We know that life happens, so we do our best to be as flexible as possible! But we do rely on having work to do. And we truly value our team! So our cancelation policy ensures that our Pet Care Specialists are compensated for the time that they set aside to spend with your animal companions.
For individual drop in visits and walks: To avoid fees, you need to cancel your visits within 24 hours of the confirmed visit or the full amount of visit will apply. The 24 hour limit is reached at the beginning of the time window in which your visit is scheduled. For example: If you have a visit scheduled between 12:00 and 2:00, your request for cancellation must be submitted by 12:00 the previous day.
For vacation visits: To avoid fees, you need to cancel your vacation visits a minimum of 72 hours before the first scheduled visit. The 72 hour limit is reached at the beginning of the time window in which your visit is scheduled. For example, if your first visit is on a Thursday between 12:00 and 2:00, you must cancel by 12:00 on the Monday of that week. If you cancel after 72 hours but before 48 hours, a $50 fee will apply. If you request cancelations less than 48 hours of the first visit, you will be charged 50% of the total invoice. If you return early from your vacation and don’t need the remaining confirmed visits, the full fee for all visits applies unless you request cancellations at least 72 hours in advance.
If you submit your cancellation requests before the deadline, you will receive a credit to your account for future visits. We do not refund credit and debit card payments.
When you are charged a cancellation fee, your pet sitter receives full payment for the cancelled visit.
Additional Information
You bet! Please see our Client Guide for questions about our software and communication.