Walk On, Pup!

My dog has been going to Walk On, Pup! for two years, anywhere from one to three days a week. I have always been grateful for Shaun & Saranique’s organized, thoughtful approach to day care: The pups are evaluated for temperament ahead of time, but they will work with difficult «personalities» and from what I’ve heard have transformed some little pills into confident pack members; they keep the «den» (house) a safe space for them by not allowing visitors; the dogs get two leashed, long walks/​day and options for «down time» in between. They do not breed-​discriminate and every decision they made is based on what is best and safest for the dogs in their care.
My dog is a sweet-​tempered boy but would not do well in a play-​based daycare because he prefers his time between walks to be mellow and rather solo, so he thrives here. He can go off on his own and get a nap if he so chooses and is not forced to «play.» He is an active sporting dog (agility and nosework), and when he comes home he’s not crazy from being pent up but is not exhausted as if he would be if he were running around in a big yard all day trying to avoid dogs that want him to play when he’d rather chill. So any training we do in the evenings is a joy!
Furthermore, the owners have been exceptionally flexible when my life has been unexpectedly turned upside down: when family crises have occurred, when I suddenly need an overnight stay, when my car has broken down, etc. I so, so, so appreciate their professionalism and willingness to help out, again in the spirit of what is best for the dog. I am also a teacher, and so as the seasons wax and wane and he may not go to daycare for a few weeks or a couple of months, he is always welcomed back happily.
The real kicker that finally got me off my rear to write a review was the addition of a puppy to our pack. My hope has always been for her to eventually be a member of the WOP family, but when extenuating circumstances led to my request (begging, really!) if they could take care of her earlier than expected, they accommodated us willingly. I almost cried with relief. I would give this place 10 stars if I could! I am trying to find a dog walker in my neighborhood to supplement WOP for days I can get home early, but it is hard to find people I trust as much as them.

Almost four months ago we adopted a 1.5 year old lab/​shepherd mix. We were virgin dog owners. And once we realized that our well-​trained dog freaked out other dogs with his exuberance we realized we would never have a peaceful walk until this was addressed. I would walk Doc and dread seeing another living creature, knowing that i had no way to control his 80 lbs of excitement. A month and a half into our dog parenting, we met Shaun and Saranique, the wonderful owners of Walk On, Pup! They normalized Doc’s behaviors, told us our dog was lovely and he had a trial date at the day care. He loved it! if I ask him if he would like to see one of his buddies by name, he runs to the garage. i recently took doc to Point Isabel by myself and was delighted with the improvement. he calmly walked around, off leash and ignored most of the dogs and even let a tiny chihuahua lick and sniff him while he lay down. AMAZING!
Not only do Shaun and Saranique help doc live a more active life, but they also let us feel less guilty about being at work all day. And they help us new dog parents out with useful advice.

My dog has been part of the Walk On Pup family since february and I feel really fortunate to have found them. As many do, I work a 9 to 5 schedule so making sure my dog is happy when I’m gone is a priority and they make it possible. There’s the obvious; their rates are very reasonable, they are conveniently located and they offer a wide range of services. Then there’s the personal, they genuinely love animals, especially the ones under their care. I know when I leave my precious pup with them he’s going to get a balanced day of socializing him with other dogs, walking/​exercise and nap time! All in the best hands possible.

I have been truly remiss in sharing my experiences with Walk On, Pup! Both of my dogs have been going there since April, and the experience has exceeded my wildest expectations.
I have two dogs, both six. One is a Lab/​maybe Great Dane/​maybe some kind of hound mix, who is roughly the size of a fourth grader and just about as hyper. The other is a pitbull mix who is the sweetest dog in the world until he’s on a leash, outside, and anywhere near other dogs (or small critters). Together they are a handful. They egg each other on, and are large enough that if they decide to take off on a joint walk, there’s pretty much nothing I can do.
These were my requests to the Walk On team: 1) help me control my giant goofball, 2) help me get a handle on the pit’s leash aggression, 3) help me figure out how to have lovely walks with both of them at the same time.
My boys go to daycare with Walk On 3x/​week for the pitbull and 2x/​week for the Lab, and I have also been through a private assessment to figure out how I can improve when they’re with me. I cannot give enough stars for how valuable this has been. My dogs are more calm and focused than I thought possible, I am armed with tips for making my own walks far more successful, and I can now recognize behavioral issues (theirs AND mine) in time to put a stop to it.
The Walk On, Pup! team has been so kind to both me and my dogs. We still have a lot of work to do, but for the first time in several years I actually believe that everything is going to be okay.

I am not surprised at all that Walk On, Pup! has 5 stars. Peggy Sue is an adorable english bulldog. She is so cute that she gets away with really bad behavior that has begun to escalate. From dog aggression, to non-​stop barking from outside noises and even charging people on her walks. And now she is passed out! COLD! happily snoring and farting. My mind is blown. If any of you are worried about your bad dog as part of a walking pack don’t worry I was too! If you say: my dog is happier home alone than walking with a pack you have not tried this service. I have never seen my PS more tired and more happy. If you are looking to improve your dogs behavior and quality of life do yourself a favor look into Walk on, Pup!
As I wrote this a giant motorcycle just backfired and drove up the block, this would usually have her barking, she just sighed! I’m a little overwhelmed right now.

OMG I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner!
My puppy’s been at home alone for more than 6 months while I’m at work every day. It was hard on her, and I always felt guilty; guilty for leaving her home alone, and guilty that I couldn’t work late, go out with friends or have any type of social life because I didn’t have the flexibility to stay away from home longer than absolutely necessary. My life came to a grinding halt when I got the dog!
One day I saw a dog walker near my house and I asked a few questions about their services. WOW — was I surprised at what Walk On Pup provides!
My dog walks miles and miles every day, so she’s not crazy for my attention when I get home anymore. She’s had exercise, zen time and play time with other dogs, she’s been fed, and she’s gotten attention from 2 fabulous dog-​moms. Shaun and Saranique send me texts, pics and updates so I don’t worry about her at all. Their hours fit my schedule and I never have to feel rushed or worried. If I need them to, they’ll come to my house to pick up or drop off my dog if I’m running behind — no extra charge, thank you!
Everything’s better now that I’m sending her to Walk On Pup.

I was at the end of my rope with my dog’s leash aggression. He’s the sweetest pup, and he would just go crazy and look like a madpup on leash, no matter how I tried to take control– I’ve done a few recommended methods of dealing with his barking on leash. Saranique and Shaun came to my house and I saw how well behaved he was with them. They are so professional– they watched me as I’m normally with Lucky, and took notes and asked a lot of questions. They didn’t want to overwhelm me with the evaluation– so we’re doing one step at a time. The first step already feels so much better. One session and I’m actually feeling like I can walk my dog again. Of course this is all about training me, since Lucky is good with them. With more work and sticking to their advice, I’ll be trained in no time.
*update* it’s amazing how much one session, and him attending his daycare where they enforce what they’ve trained me to do with him has helped! He’s getting so much better and I can walk him like a normal pup, and people wouldn’t even know he had a problem with leash aggression. The work continues on, but now I get it more– what I need to do, and the consistency will pay off.

We’ve been taking our chihuahua pup to Walk On, Pup since September (when he finished his shots). We had gotten him at the shelter and he had definitely been taken from his momma too young. He was a mouthy, bouncy bundle of energy. We were starting to worry he was too much for us. Our friends (and their pitt bull) recommended Walk On Pup to us. We decided to give him a week of boot camp with them. He was with them every day from 9am to 6pm. For one thing, that freed us up from the emotional weight of dealing with a needy toddler. Compared to an obedience program, it was a bargain. He didn’t come home with a diploma or a list of commands, but he did come home tired, happy to see us, and less aggressive toward other dogs. That gave us renewed energy to work on obedience and training with him.
After the first day, they wrote up a detailed assessment of where our pup was in development, where he needed work, where he seemed on target. They comforted me in **my** separation anxiety. They posted amazing photos of my dog being a dog! When we went away for the weekend, we boarded him with them, confident that he would be among friends and well cared for. Again, he came home happy, not anxious, playful and and relaxed. (well, maybe not relaxed: he is still an energetic pup!)
Throughout our whole puppyhood process they’ve been generous and accommodating. I recommend them highly and am grateful that they are so conveniently located.

I’m SUPER happy with «Walk on Pup!’. The price is right on the money and I’m very comfortable with my dogs in their care. I’m a super picky owner with dogs that can be dog-​aggressive and therefore, have had a lot of training. When Shaun, Saranique or Erin take my dogs out I know that not only will they ensure my dogs stay out of trouble, but they won’t undo any of the training I’ve done either. They understand dogs and my boys love them. I’ve had a number of other walkers and Walk On Pup is my hands-​down favorite and the most reliable.

Shaun and Saranique are just amazing. I’ve been bringing my Boxer, Lucy, for a year and a half. She’s my third Boxer and I’m aware that the breed can be challenging, needy, obstinate, and single minded. They’ve helped me shape her into a wonderful and fun-​loving companion for both humans and other dogs. Their patience with my ever-​changing schedule has been saint-​like, and their dedication to their charges awe inspiring. I had real concerns about raising a puppy while working odd and extraordinary hours but they’ve helped me keep things balanced and relatively sane. In my experience no other doggy daycare, from North Carolina to the Bay area, has ever shown this much dedication and concern.

I am so excited to get started with retraining our little dogs (and us)!

Walk On, Pup — thank you. I’ve been searching for the right dog for my lifestyle for a while now and the owners of Walk On, Pup have been diligent in answering questions, texts, and going on «interviews» etc. with me.
They could have easily sold me a LOT of training and walking and made themselves a bundle of cash, instead they have been honest and upfront through the whole process and I’m still looking with their help.
I’ve seen them handle difficult dogs and difficult people with ease and grace. Without hesitation I endorse Walk On, Pup. Very honest folks.

I have spoken with the owner of this company about my troubled dog, who was a stray and is still learning that all people aren’t out to get him. She was incredibly helpful and caring, and she really focuses on proactive approaches. She seems very knowledgeable, and possesses what I believe to be an innate understanding of dogs and how they communicate to us.
There are Dog People, and then there are dog «owners». Dog «owners» treat dogs as entertainment, as though they were animated stuffed animals, who are there to be neglected or coddled at whim. They discipline brutally or randomly or not at all. They do not always recognize that dogs need structure, training, preventative health care and good guardianship.
Dog People, on the other hand, regard dogs as feeling creatures that deserve to be treated kindly, disciplined well, and provided a healthy and safe home. They recognize their responsibility as the guardian of a dependent and they act accordingly. The owner of Walk On, Pup is definitely a Dog Person, and she is recognized as such by other Dog People, and by dogs themselves.
It is disappointing to see people who have never used her services, or in fact ever met her, or anyone who HAS used her services, use this forum to disparage her work. The spite and malice being spewed has prompted me to counter with what I know about her and her work. Anyone looking on Unilocal would be wise to discount the opinions of people who have never met the person in question, and in fact never reviewed any business before.

I adopted a deaf bull terrier /​French bulldog mixed 3 month old puppy in January of 2011 and for the first two weeks I realized I had taken on quite a handful and actually would end up feeling desperately helpless by the end of each day not knowing if I’d be able to be a good owner to such a little gremlin. The Walk on Pup family met him outside of their business and I explained to them the sudden difficulties I had no idea that I’d face. They had me start bringing my Valentine in a few days later. They had a couple days with him and invited me over for a meeting. They asked me thorough questions about what we do at home, our routine, the quirks in him that I’ve noticed… Etc. They then were able to tell me all these helpful things about the habits of his breed and how we can take some steps into helping him grow into a well behaved, happy dog. Within the first month my dog had stopped tugging me down the street when I walked him, trying to smother me for my food, he stopped showing all dominance when we would meet other dogs and he started waiting for me to tell him it was okay for him to do something. He transformed into a completely different dog is just a month and he was still only 5 months old! Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t just take a month and we are constantly working with him everyday.
My dog, being a double bully breed is very dominant in nature and very confident. His instincts tell him that he can do whatever he wants which can make, and at first did make, my life very difficult. They helped me work with him on fighting his instincts.
I have been going to Walk on Pup! For almost 6 months now and I couldn’t be happier with how they have helped me with raising him into a well behaved, ecstatic, respectful little pup.
Every week I look forward to taking Valentine to them and every morning that I do he seems happier than the last.
I’ve met a lot of people who train dogs, walk dogs, etc… And though I respect them for their skills, I am insanely impressed with the work that the Walk on, Pup! Staff does with their clients as well as the owners. I honestly wouldn’t know what to do without them.

My pit bull mix began her urban walks with Walk On Pup in August of 2010. She was about 2 years old and came from Berkeley Humane. She is a cute bundle of energy and began getting leash aggressive with other dogs and I was nervous about her interacting with other dogs.
Saranique and Shaun to the rescue. Rosie has gotten a lot of socialization with Walk On Pup as well as the exercise and play time that she loves. She is especially good at visiting other dogs in their homes. She still can be intense when other dogs visit at our house but she now has a «boyfriend» pit who visits for play dates.
We have also boarded Rosie with Walk On for about a week, glad that we were leaving her with people and dogs that she knew. Rosie came back to us happy and clean. Saranique and Shaun gave us updates and photos about how she was doing.
Rosie goes for one walk a week and the price is extremely reasonable. The cost per walk goes down if you add more days.
Very happy that I happened to see Saranique walking a huge pack by my house one day. I stopped and got her card and have been using their service ever since.