Best Friends Dog Walkers recently celebrated our 4th anniversary. We are honored to be helping you provide excellent care for your pets. Many locals are familiar with our world-class dog walker and pet sitter services.

Over the years, we started to observe that certain dogs and cats weren’t able to go to kennels and boarding facilities. We saw a need for a local group to provide in-home boarding services for pets that didn’t “do well” in this setting. So our Kennel Alternative service was born. After a year of providing this much-needed service, we wanted to take a moment to help illustrate what exactly it is that we do. We’ve received questions, and we wanted to answer some of them.

About our Kennel and Dog Boarding Alternative

How did you think of a kennel alternative service?

Dog boarding facilities and kennels are great, especially Cedar Rapids area establishments. But let’s face it, not all pets do well there. Some dogs and cats need specialized care and attention. Dog boarding and kennels can get swamped, and it can be hard to give each pet individualized attention.

The main reason we dreamed up this service is because some pets experience a lot of anxiety when they’re away from home, and their human parents. Having someone come to your home to care for your pet can help alleviate some of that anxiety. And at the end of the day, it’s about doing what works for you and your dog or cat. Pets are family, so you want what’s best for them.

How much does it cost?

One day of our dog kennel or dog boarding alternative costs $35. We priced it this way because this is the average rate for one day at the kennel for one dog.

How does it work?

We visit your pet three times during the day at your home. The exact times can be determined by you, or we can do a general morning, afternoon, and night stop. We are extremely flexible and can provide any care your pet may need on these visits. As an added perk, we include one, 20-minute dog walk (a $15 value) during one of the visits.

Also, we understand that you probably want to meet your pet sitter beforehand. Therefore we offer a free consultation to any new customer to get to know you and your pet and ensure that we’re the right fit for your family.

Do I pay more for multiple pets?

No. As long as your pets get along well, we’re more than happy to provide the service for multiple dogs and cats at one rate. In a kennel or dog boarding facility, you are essentially renting space for multiple pets so then may, in turn, charge two rates.

If you have any questions regarding our pet sitter, dog walker, or kennel alternative services, please reach out to us at [email protected]