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FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

Our Most Asked Questions

We understand that you might have some questions before entrusting your best friend / fur baby to a new pet sitter. Since 2001, we’ve created a reputation in the North Texas community based on trust and kindness. Below we’ve included a list of our most frequently asked questions concerning your pet’s safety, well-being and general happiness. You’ll also find information regarding our areas services, cancellation policy and more.

FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

Our Most Asked Questions

We understand that you might have some questions before entrusting your best friend / fur baby to a new pet sitter. Since 2001, we’ve created a reputation in the North Texas community based on trust and kindness. Below we’ve included a list of our most frequently asked questions concerning your pet’s safety, well-being and general happiness. You’ll also find information regarding our area’s services, cancellation policy, and more.

All our sitters are employees of Grand Paws and not independent contractors. By being employees, this allows Grand Paws to professionally train each sitter and require them to follow all company policies, protocols, and safety procedures.

Many other local and national companies choose to use independent contractors as their pet sitters. Independent Contractors are their own businesses, contracted out by a company. They are not allowed to be trained by the company contracting them or required to follow company policy or procedures. Companies such as Rover, Wag, etc. are internet-based platforms where independent contractors find work. They are not a local service with local management.

 There are many advantages to using our service. All our pet sitters are mature adults and professional employees. Your pets will have reduced stress by staying in their own secure environment versus having to be transported to a boarding facility where they are in a foreign place. They are the happiest when kept on their current diet and exercise routine and surrounded by familiar sights, sounds, and smells. With our service, there is minimal exposure to illness from other animals such as kennel cough, canine influenza, parasites and other unfortunate hazards.

That depends on the number of pets you have and the type of service you request. Many of our kitty clients only need one to two visits per day while our adult dog clients may need two to three visits per day. Some clients want us to spend the night in their home with their pets, and some clients just want us to walk their dog while they are at work. All service is customized to the needs of your individual pets. For a complete breakdown of services and fees, Refer to our services page.

Most definitely. When you become a client of Grand Paws Pet Sitter, we always schedule a consultation for you to meet your sitter and let your pet get to know them. At this time you will discuss your pet’s routines, habits and any relevant information concerning the care for your pet and your home. 

As employees of Grand Paws Pet Sitter, all of our sitters are bonded and insured under our company insurance policy. Applicants are required to provide professional and personal references, two forms of identification showing eligibility to work in the United States, and must be willing to submit to random drug testing. Their references are contacted and verified in detail as to the validity of their work history and personal integrity. Extensive criminal background screenings are conducted by the Integrity Center, a licensed agency in the state of Texas. We look for mature, educated candidates with good communication skills and an innate love for animals. Once hired, our employees enter a training process designed to fulfill the standards of Grand Paws Pet Sitter. Our client-specific protocol is tailored to ensure the health, safety, and comfort of each pet entrusted in our care. All of our employees understand the gravity of the responsibility and privilege in caring for your precious pet.

We try and keep your pet(s) on the same schedule as you do, within reason. We ask for a two-hour time window to make our visits in. For example, if you wanted a morning and an evening visit, you might request between 7-9 am and 7-9 pm as a time window. If you book twice per day we aim to keep visits 12 hours apart but cannot guarantee it due to traffic and other pets schedules we are working around. Three visits per day give us more flexibility. Of course, if your pet is on medication, then we come at more designated times. We can come up to five times per day.

For the safety and security of your dog, we do not walk your dog with other clients’ dogs. Each client gets their own specified walk time where we care only for their pet. It is also our policy not to let the dogs in our custody go up to other dogs, while we are out. This prevents any kind of sudden mishap between them and any transmission of illness or parasite. If you have more than one dog, we will be happy to walk them together as long as it is safe for them and our sitter.

Our staff is a team of professional sitters; and we are all are qualified to step in, when there is an emergency with your primary sitter. We are available 365 days a year, and someone is always on call for last-minute emergencies.

Absolutely. Our sitters all live within close proximity to the clients they serve, having better accessibility to your home than if they lived far away. We use great caution in getting to our clients homes in severe weather, and you can be assured we will be there for your pets. We work in all weather conditions; and our priority is to get to your pet, and make sure their needs are met, even during inclement weather. We do not endanger them by forcing them to walk on ice or during a lightening/thunderstorm, but we make sure they can relieve themselves. When initially meeting with you, we ask for an emergency contact, such as a close neighbor or friend, who could be available if the roads were impassable. Thank goodness, in this part of the country, that doesn’t happen very often!

We keep your preferred veterinary information with us at all times and will transport your pet to your vet, if we feel it is absolutely necessary. Of course, we would try to reach you first; but should we be unsuccessful, that would not prohibit us taking them for treatment. We are familiar with all the local emergency clinics and have a veterinarian on call for those clients who do not have an established veterinarian. Our priority is your pets’ health and well being at all times.

Yes. We will administer pills, liquids, ear and eye drops, injections and subcutaneous fluids based on our ability to assign a sitter to you that is experienced in your pet’s particular type of medication. Many of the pets we see are on some sort of medication at one time or another.

We ask all of our clients to call us upon their return so we know they made it home safely. Unfortunately, many clients forget or are just too tired. Should you get delayed and need us for a longer period of time, please call and let us know and leave a number to call you back. We will return your call and confirm that we will continue seeing your pet until you return.

Yes. We are bonded, insured and a member of The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and Pet Sitters International.

We will be happy to give you names and numbers of current clients who can attest to the quality of our service. Let us know what neighborhood you live in, and we will put you in touch with some of your neighbors that use our service.

We have a business office in Collin County, and our sitters live and work in the neighborhoods they serve, including Plano, Addison, Far North Dallas, Frisco, Carrollton and The Colony. Our business hours for returning calls are Monday-Friday 8am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-5pm. The phones are monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies, and we will return your call without delay. If you call after hours and it isn’t an emergency, then your call will be returned during our normal business hours.

We ask you to book as far in advance as possible to guarantee availability. Often clients book with only 24-48 hours notice, and we are able to accommodate them. We do charge a last minute fee, if non-holiday service is booked with less than 24 hours notice. Any holiday service booked with less than 2 weeks notice is subject to a last-minute fee as well. We do not over book ourselves, and any last-minute reservations will have to fit into our scheduling. Holiday bookings should be a minimum of 2 weeks in advance in order to secure a reservation. Holiday service includes the days surrounding: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Spring Break, Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.

All cancellations are on a case-by-case basis. We ask for a 1 week notice during our peak season (non holiday) to avoid a cancellation penalty. For consistent daily dog walking clients, we ask for 24 hours notice. All cancellations past the policy deadline will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Any holiday service requires notice of cancellation at least 2 weeks prior to the start of service. Otherwise, we charge 50% of the entire service booked. Once holiday service has begun, we do not give refunds for returning early or cancellations. Overnight service requires a 50%, non-refundable deposit to reserve a sitter to stay on the premises overnight. 

Payment is due at time of service being booked. You may pay by zelle pay, check or cash. Gratuities are never expected but always appreciated for exceptional service. 100% of the gratuities go to the sitter performing the service.

We are always looking for professional, trustworthy, and mature pet lovers to join our team. If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Grand Paws Pet Sitter, please call us at 972-931-0054 or Visit our Career’s Page.

More Questions?

At Grand Paws Pet Sitter, we want you to feel 100% comfortable before you leave your pets with us. If you have a question that we have not addressed – or if you have a specific concern you’d like us to be aware of – give us a call at 972-931-0054 or send an email to [email protected]. We will do our best to give you a reply within 24 business hours.

A Letter from the Owner. . .

I started Grand Paws Pet Sitter back in 2001, because it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to find pet sitters who would not only care for my pets, but also love them like I do. My goal is to provide our clients with superior pet care with the utmost integrity and professionalism, while having fun along the way.

 – Owner, Dana McKool

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