Frequently Asked Questions
At The Gentle Dog Co., we know you may have questions about our services, processes, and how we care for your furry friends. To help, we’ve compiled answers to the questions we hear most often from pet owners like you. Whether you’re curious about our dog training methods, service areas, or what to expect from a Meet & Greet, we’ve got you covered.
Get Started
How long have you been in business?
The Gentle Dog Co. has been proudly serving clients since 2017. We began by offering specialised dog walking services for shy dogs and those that lunge at other dogs. Monica, our owner, is a force-free dog trainer with a passion for helping these unique cases.
Are you insured?
Yes, we’re fully insured through MGA Insurance Group. If you’d like more details about our coverage, feel free to ask during your Meet & Greet.
What is a Meet & Greet?
A Meet & Greet is our first appointment to get to know you and your pet(s). During this session, we’ll play sniffing games with your dog(s) to create positive associations. By the next visit, we’ll feel like familiar friends!
What areas do you serve?
We proudly serve the Upper North Shore including: Berowra, Berowra Heights, Mount Kurin-Gai, Mount Colah, Asquith, Hornsby, Hornsby Heights, Thornleigh, Waitara, Wahroonga, Warrawee, Turramurra, Pymble, Gordon, Killara, St Ives, St Ives Chase, Terrey Hills, Duffys Forest, Belrose and Frenchs Forest.
How long will it take to hear from you?
Once you fill out our Contact Form, we aim to respond within 24 hours.
What is daily/daytime dog walking?
A dog walker will take your dog out for a full hour, ensuring they get plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and a chance to explore the outdoors, all while keeping them safe and happy throughout the walk.
Are times guaranteed?
We operate on a 1 hour window to account for traffic, weather, and other things that may come up throughout the day. If your pet’s outing is scheduled at 10 a.m., we’ll arrive at 10 a.m. most of the times but it could happen that we arrive between 9.30-10.30 a.m., or between 9-10 a.m., or 10-11 a.m.
Will you take my dog to the dog park?
We’ll talk to you about that in our Meet & Greet as a dog park may not be the best option for your dog. Your dog’s happiness and safety are our priority. We take our doggies for adventures and visit dog parks only as a way to keep our doggies at ease in different places.
What happens if it rains?
Unless it rains heavily, we may cancel the walk. Most of the times, dogs are fine with a little bit of rain. We have rain jackets and boots for those wet days
What is a Pet Sitter?
A Pet Sitter is a contracted service provider who takes care of a pet in its own home, providing personalised attention and maintaining the pet’s daily routines, including feeding, playtime, walks, administering medications if needed, and offering companionship to ensure the pet feels comfortable and secure while their owner is away.
What is vacation pet sitting service?
It means that the pet sitter is available to visit your pets if you go out of town on a trip, such as on a vacation or a business trip.
During this time, a pet sitter will make scheduled visits to your home. Often these are scheduled to start between pre-determined time slots (such as 6am-8am, 2pm-4pm, 8pm-9pm, etc) that will best fit your pet’s regular schedule.
How long is a visit?
Each sitter determines what length of visits they will offer (such as 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc). Homes with multiple pets will often require longer visits than homes with only one animal.
How many times a day should my pet sitter visit during a vacation?
The frequency of visits is something you will negotiate with your pet sitter once the pet sitter interviews the situation and determines your needs and wishes.
Most indoor only dogs will require a minimum of 3 visits per day (at least morning, afternoon, and evening).
Most clients choose once per day, or twice per day for cats. Some sitters will consider every other day visits for cats. Every other day visits are not recommended for large male cats because of potential health problems.
Can a pet sitter stay at my home all day or overnight?
We offer live-in and/or overnight care, ensuring your pet receives round-the-clock attention and companionship in the comfort of their own home. This service includes feeding, walking, playtime, and maintaining their usual routines, providing peace of mind that your pet is cared for and loved while you’re away.
Live-in daytime care is available for special cases but very limited.
Should I have a pet sitter stay at my home or should I leave my dogs/cats in a boarding facility?
All pets are susceptible to changes around them. The less changes the better for them. Keeping your pets in their own environment eases their time away from you. Many of our pet sitting clients require our services several times a year which it’s great for the pets as they get to know the pet sitters and it’s like seen old friends again. We always make sure the dogs get a great first impression on us in our Meet & Greet. Creating good emotions is very important in our ‘’first date’’. That way, next time they see the pet sitter who’s coming to stay with them, they’ll be eager to spend time together. And we can add that after a great outing and a night sleeping together, we all become best buddies forever.
Can my pets stay at the pet sitter’s home instead of my home?
We do not offer boarding services, as our focus is on providing personalized, in-home care for your pets to ensure they remain comfortable and stress-free in their familiar environment. This approach allows us to maintain their regular routines and offer the one-on-one attention they deserve.
How much does pet sitting cost?
Our pet sitting services start at $150 per night, which includes dedicated, professional care for your pet in the comfort of their own home. This rate covers feeding, walking, playtime, administering any necessary medications, and ensuring your pet stays happy, healthy, and comfortable while you’re away. Additional services or special requirements can be discussed and tailored to meet your pet’s specific needs.
Do I meet the sitter before service?
Yes, of course. We’ll have a free Meet & Greet appointment. This consultation will give the sitter time to learn about your pets, fill out paperwork, take notes about your home and required tasks, and collect keys from you.
Please, make sure you schedule your consultation in advance as peak season Easter, Christmas, December and January fill up fast.
Are the pet sitters insured?
Yes, all our pet sitters are insured for liability. Their coverage includes care, custody, and control of the pet. We can provide proof of coverage, or a phone number you can call to verify they are currently insured.
In addition to this, all our pet sitters have gone through a police check.
What kind of pet education and/or certification does the sitter have?
All our pet sitters have a Pet Sitter Certification, demonstrating their professional training, knowledge, and commitment to providing the highest standard of care for your pets. This certification ensures they are equipped with the skills needed to handle various pet needs, from feeding and walking to managing emergencies, giving you peace of mind knowing your furry friends are in capable and compassionate hands.
Does the sitter know pet first aid?
Yes, all our pet sitters have a Pet First Aid Certification.
How will the pet sitter access my home?
We require a tested key at the Meet & Greet appointment that we can take with us. If you do not have one available to take with us, the fee for us to return to pick up a key is $30. We strongly recommend having a lockbox on your property with a backup key. We do not accept garage door openers to access your home.
Can you visit every other day?
No, we do not offer every other day visits. This is for the safety of your pet and the security of your home. We require to visit your pet every day to make sure your pet is fine. In case you have a dog, we’ll be happy to take him to our doggie adventures every day.
Does the sitter have a backup plan in case of a personal emergency?
Yes, we work as a team. That means that if one of the pet sitters cannot take care of the pets, another pet sitter will do it. All our doggie clients usually know 2 or 3 team members.
Will I have the same sitter serving my home the entire time I’m away?
Yes, usually the same pet sitter will start and finish the pet sitting job. In case, another team member starts or finishes the pet sitting job, we’ll definitively let you know before starting the pet sitting job.
Will the sitter be allowed to bring anyone with them to the sits?
No. Noone outside The Gentle Dog Co. will be allowed to visit your home. Only another team member could visit the dogs to feed them or take them out for a walk in case your pet sitter is out.
Will I get updates about my pets?
Absolutely! Your peace of mind is very important to us. We’ll create a chat group on Whatsapp with you, the pet sitter, and the managers. If your pet is called ‘’Brady’’, the chat group will be called ‘’Team Brady’’ where the pet sitter or any other team member that will take care of your pet(s) will post photos/videos and a note daily or every second day.
What happens on the last day of the pet sitting?
The pet sitter will leave 1-2 hours before you arrive and send an update to the whatsapp chat.
Why choose The Gentle Dog Co. to train with?
Because our rule #1 is Do not harm. We’ll teach your dog the greatest skill a dog can learn, whether he’s a puppy, a teen, or an adult dog… to make good choices.
Monica Vanthoff is the owner of The Gentle Dog Co. and she’s a positive reinforcement and force free dog trainer, and will give your dog choices for your dog to choose instead of chewing your shoes, barking at the window, digging in your garden, following you everywhere, pulling on lead, etc. Remember, the problem we see is not the real problem. The real problem is what we don’t see and it’s our job to find out what need is not being met.
What training methods do you use?
Monica uses only positive reinforcement and force free methods to train and modify behaviours.
How long have you been training dogs?
Monica’s been training dogs since 2016
What kind of training do you offer?
Monica offers Puppy training, Socialisation outings, Walking Loose on Lead, Teen training, Reactive dogs, and Enrichment training.
Do you have a Dog Training Certificate?
Yes, Monica’s first formal qualification was a Statement Of Attainment in Dog Training (SOADT) at Richmond Tafe in 2016.
What equipment do you use?
Monica trains the dogs using a harness and a lead. Flat collars should be worn only to hold the ID tag.Monica does not use any aversive tools like choke collars, prong collars, or electric collars. Monica neither uses head halters or Martingale collars.
Do you teach obedience?
No. I believe we should teach a dog to make better choices, not to obey us. Why?. Because many dogs obey due to fear to be punished and when the punisher is not there, dogs may behave as they originally would, without understanding why certain behaviors are inappropriate. Instead of teaching obedience through fear, I focus on helping dogs learn to make better choices by understanding and reinforcing positive behaviors, creating a trusting and respectful relationship between you and your dog.
Do you have a dog training facility?
Yes, our Doggie Enrichment Center is located in Hornsby. We do our puppy classes and enrichment sessions there. We think that all our doggies see that place as a ‘’Doggie Disneyland’’ because it’s a magical place full of enrichment and cognition games where they do what they do best… Sniff!.
