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Do you work at weekends and public holidays?Yes, we offer a range of services outside of our normal working hours. we offer different types of pet visits, walks, etc. Please call us to discuss your specific needs.
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What happens if there's an emergency with my pet?In the unlikely event of some medical emergency happening to your pet whilst we are with them we will endeavour to do whatever we can to help them. We have basic pet first aid training and we will do everything in our power to stabilse them. We will obviously call you as soon as possible to let you know the situation. Wherever there is an immediate need, we will take your pet to a vet. If it is not possible to visit your registered practitioner then we will take them to the nearest available practice for treatment.
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What if I have to cancel?We know that plans change so we want to be as accommodating as possible. Cancellations that are confirmed with over 48 hours notice will incur no charge. Any cancellations inside of 48 hours will be subject to the full fee due.
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Do you offer Emergency Care?Our busy, modern lives mean that plans can change for all of us. If you have a last minute need for someone to look after your pet (you have to work late or are unexpectedly delayed getting home, for example), we will always endeavour to help you. This service can also cover weekends and public holidays. All are subject to availability.
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Can you administer my pet's medication?Subject to prior, written approval and agreement, we will administer certain medication that your pet needs, whilst you have entrusted them to our care. It's best that this is discussed either at our initial 'meet & greet' or if it happens later, then we'd advise you to call us to discuss your specific needs.
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Are you insured?Yes, we have a specific Pet business Insurance, you can see a copy of it on request. We have Public Liability cover to £5,000,000, Injury to Animals to £25,000, etc.
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What are your Business Terms & Conditions?We always email you a copy of our business Terms & Conditions - it's our Service Agreement - when you become a client and you will also read the document as you register to our client portal but we can send you a copy of these beforehand, should you so wish.
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How many dogs will you be walking at any one time?We are insured for up to 6 dogs but we don't want things to get too mad, so we like to keep it a little bit more manageable with a maximum of 4 dogs per walker on a group walk or weekend trek. We believe this also enables us to provide each dog with more individual attention. In certain areas such as Fareham and Gosport, it has become a byelaw recently that no-one, whether a professional dog walker or someone walking just their own dogs, can walk more than four dogs at a time.
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Do you arrange collection and drop-off from my home?Yes, we will collect and drop-off your dog from home for you (or office, if that's what you need). In addition, when we drop your dog back we'll give them a towel dry and put fresh water down for them before we leave.
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Do I need to be home when you collect or drop my dog off?No, we've all been fully DRB-checked so we can be trusted with accessing your home by utilising your keysafe to make it easier for us to take your dog out. We'll even water your plants and pick up any mail for you, if you wish. Just let us know.
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How do you transport my dog to & from its walk?We have two 7-seater people carriers with privacy glass and air conditioning to keep dogs cool and our other walkers have regular cars. We do not use vans and we do not use crates. We prefer that your dog wears their own harness but we do also have RAC-approved safety harnessed in different sizes, too. These harnesses have been rigorously crash-tested for safety. We then buckle your dog to their own seatbelt or seat restraint. We can also use booster seats for smaller-sized dogs, to enhance comfort and ensure they enjoy the view, too. Most dogs enjoy the journey in the car to their walks and like to see where they are going and what's going on outside. That's why we don't use a van, we want them to enjoy every moment including the anticipation of where they are going to go. Besides, we don't know anyone who pops their dog into the back of their own van when they go out together on a family day so why should your dog have to endure that kind of environment when you're paying for a walk? We also carry power showers for those really muddy days, along with super-absorbent, quick-dry towels.
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Can I see where you're taking my dog for a walk?Absolutely! We send you a feedback report via email each day after we've completed our walks. These give details of where your dog has been walked and what they got up to. We accompany this with some photos, too. This continues our approach to being entirely transparent with you and involves you in their fun as much as we can, who doesn't want more photos of their dog?
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How do you manage the dogs on a walk?We firmly believe in non-threatening, positive reinforcement to encourage good behaviour. During our 'meet & greet' we'll find out what kind of things your dog likes to get when they have done something good (it might be specific treats or praise). You can also then note this in your dog's profile on the client portal as we will use this to keep them from 'wandering off the beaten path', so-to-speak! We spend a lot of time ensuring we walk compatible dogs together, where a dog is timid we will bring calm, well-mannered dogs on the walk with them so they don't get overwhelmed. With puppies (who are old enough to join our group walks), we find they learn much quicker by being around grown ups and this is very positive for their developing socialisation skills, too.
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What experience do you have with other animals?As a family we have owned our own rabbits, tortoises, hamsters, goldfish, cats and we have our own dog, too. We also have a great deal of experience with horses, too, and welcomed Bella (an Irish Sport Horse) into the family a little over a year ago. Gabriella has diplomas in canine behaviour, canine communication and animal psychology. We spend our days with animals and this gives us a unique opportunity to observe their behaviour very closely. This experience is vital to ensure we can manage almost all situations; we can usually pre-empt any negative behaviour and nip it in the bud before an issue arises.
Holty Paws offers a range of bespoke pet care services. Sometimes there's not enough space to tell you all about what we do and how we deliver our services. This FAQ's page answers some common questions about pet sitting and visits, senior dog care, pet taxi service, emergency and last minute pet care and much more.
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