Birzi’s Walk-n-Wag

Birgit is an amazing dog-​walker! As she is a certified dog trainer, she has a unique skill set that you do not see in other dog walkers. My small dog has been going on trail hikes with her for the past two years and I have seen such an improvement in her obedience. Birgit understands each dog’s needs and works with them during her hikes to improve their obedience as well as addresses any underlying causes of behavioral challenges.
We can now our dog off of her off lease when we go on trail hikes and she stays right by our sides. She also used to be fearful of other dogs but is now much more confident.
Overall, we have really been able to integrate our dog as part of the family in terms of vacations and outings without having to stress over any reactions she might have to changes and new environments, which is in large part due to Birgit’s work with her.
I also was lucky enough to go on a trail hike with Birgit and the other dogs that she watches and I saw just how much fun they all had and how wonderful she was with all of the dogs. Interpersonally, Birgit is a delight. I am moving soon and we will really miss the loving care that we have received while working with Birgit over the past 2 years!

Not your typical ‘dog walker’ – Birgit Hafermann is simply at another level. Every weekday, for the 6 years we lived in Berkeley, our cattle dog went with her and 2 – 3 other dogs on an off-​leash trail walk in Tilden. During all this time, Birgit was unfailingly reliable, responsible, responsive, punctual, and an absolute pleasure to work with. More than that, she became an indispensable part of our lives, available for last-​minute sitting and care when our travel plans would suddenly change.
One illustrative example is when Birgit picked up our dog and found him lethargic and reluctant to move – apparently, he had found and eaten something toxic around our house before she came. Birgit contacted us right away, brought our dog to the vet, stayed there for two hours while they evaluated him, and then checked on him in the vet hospital later that day, keeping us informed and helping us make decisions on the dog’s treatment all through the process. It was a scary incident for us, but Birgit made us feel confident that our dog was receiving the best possible care.
Through professional education and her own extensive experience, Birgit understands animal psychology and behavior at a very sophisticated level, and the dogs in her care respond to her. We like that she uses only positive reinforcement in her training. She designs her outings such that the dogs in a particular group are compatible with each other, and in the course of their hikes, actively works with the dogs to develop/​reinforce their social and behavioral skills. We receive compliments all the time on how well behaved and responsive our dog is, and much of that is due to Birgit.

Birgit is as good as it gets! She teaches obedience classes, walks dogs and does some pet sitting too.
We left our furry friends in her care last month. She was completely professional and we felt confident our home and animals were in great hands. Our dog is a pound puppy who has some issues with strangers. Birgit knows dogs well and knew just how to deal with our fearful and scary dog. I’m not sure others would have been able to do it.
While you’re away Birgit will send you email updates and when you get back you’ll get a detailed log of all her visits. We’ll definitely be using her in the future.