519-494-6967
ABOUT GIRL'S BEST FRIEND
Girl's Best Friend is a personalized pet care service located in London, ON. Girl's Best Friend specializes in dog walks, group play dates, and consultations.
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Girl's Best Friend's philosophy is that a well-exercised and well-socialized dog is a well-behaved and happy dog. Through daily exercise, routine, and socialization, your dog will lead a fulfilled life. Dogs, like people, are social creatures that have unique personalities and needs. By calling in Girl's Best Friend, you can ensure your dog will get outside, come home tired and ready for a nap (and not ready to eat your new couch).
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Girl's Best Friend takes pride in establishing well rounded groups of friendly dogs that love to be together. I’m committed to the well being of all our furry friends, and I offer both private and group activities to meet the individual needs of your pet. I use my education in canine body language and general understanding of energies, as well as information collected from owners and an initial meeting, to figure out what services would best suit your dog.
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Girl's Best Friend is proudly woman owned and run.
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Current certifications include:
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Pet First Aid (PetSaver Program)
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Canine Body Language (In Dogs We Trust)
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Animal Reiki, L1
Katie and Ryker
ABOUT KATIE
Roger
I have been a part of the London community since 2004 when I moved here to pursue my degree from Western University. I felt at home in the city and decided to stay here after I graduated. I've held jobs in the restaurant industry, customer service, retail, banking, and pet care. Can you guess which one has been my favourite?
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I began working part-time at Global Pet Foods about 10 years ago, volunteered as a foster home for ARF Ontario for many years, and made wonderful connections within the dog walking community. In 2013, Girl's Best Friend was born.
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Nahla
I truly love what I do and I believe that reflects back with lots of happy dogs and satisfied customers. Dogs are incredibly special to me, and I treat them with love and respect at every encounter.
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I have two dogs of my own, Nahla and Roger. They both have "jobs" within Girl's Best Friend and frequently make an appearance during playdates and group walks! When I'm not working, I love to cook, take the dogs to the cottage, and work on my green thumb.
SERVICES
The Playdate: $20 / 30 Minutes
GBF's signature offering, behold The Playdate! Here's how it works: Girl's Best Friend has access to a few private, fully fenced backyards where an organized and supervised playdate happens for a group of no more than 6 dogs. These backyards are owned by my clients and create an excellent alternative to the dog park: a controlled environment with a curated group of friendly dogs, with no unknown health or safety risks. The dogs are free to run off-leash, wrestle, chase, play with toys, sniff whatever they want, all while I keep a close eye on them. I encourage fair play amongst the dogs, making sure there are equal opportunities to be the chaser and the chased, the wrestler and the wrestled. I keep a close eye on body language to ensure everyone is relaxed and having fun.
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Each session consists of 30 minutes of off-leash play (sometimes a little more). I take care of all pick-ups and drop-offs, including a 4-paw wipe down before your pup re-enters the house. Cue nap time for them and quiet time for you.
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Add $5 per additional dog from the same household.
The Group Walk: $20 / 30 minutes
Group walks are great for dogs who like to socialize with others but perhaps prefer more traditional exercise. I gather a group of no more than 6 dogs, and we go for a stroll together (usually in the neighbourhood). Throughout the walk, I help to instill positive leash manners and social behaviour. We focus on not pulling, giving the other dogs their space to move about, and of course a chance to relieve themselves.
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Add $5 per additional dog from the same household.
The Solo Walk: $25/ 30 minutes
For those who need a little bit of individual attention, The Solo Walk is perfect for senior dogs, dogs with disabilities, or dogs that prefer a little extra personal space. As with The Group Walk, I reinforce positive leash manners. This means less pulling, less biting the leash, and maintaining forward motion. But we always stop to smell the flowers. Solo walks allow for even more focus on manners. If this is something you'd like some extra support with, The Solo Walk was made for your dog. Time can be extended upon request.
The Consult: $65/ approx 45 minutes
A brand new service for 2021, due to popular demand.
Things are different this year. More people are working from home, kids are around more often, resources aren't as readily available as they used to be, and helping your dog through these times can be challenging. During a consult, we can cover:
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some amazing tips that will help your dog transition from work-from-home life when the time comes for you to head back to the office
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how to crate train for success
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teaching your dog to self-soothe
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basic obedience
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what does a puppy's schedule look like?
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how to take the perfect selfie with your dog
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ideas for socializing your dog during a pandemic
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boredom solutions for your dog
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and more!
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Whether you have a brand new puppy or a dog that's been part of the family for a while, it sometimes takes a village to raise a dog! We'll cover any questions or concerns that you bring to the consult and make sure you leave feeling confident.
TESTIMONIALS
"Not only is Katie an amazing, caring dog walker, she is now our friend. No words can express the care she gives our Max. He hears her name and gets excited. Even though we moved out of London, she is still our one and only dog walker! We drive in so Max can spend time with her and the other puppies. Thank you for your continuous love you show our canine family member and us as well!"
Allison/ Max's owner/ Retired teacher
"Fantastic all around. There is no one I could recommend more highly. Katie is so deserving of high praises and trust. I'm fairly sure she's my dog's favourite person forever."
Joyce/ Poppy's owner/ Nurse
"Katie, and Girl's Best Friend, are amazing! A highlight of our dog's day was when it was a 'Katie day.' Mentioning her name would result in our dog running to the door! I would recommend her services without hesitation to anyone!"
Laura/ Zoey's owner/ Lawyer