Frequently Asked Questions

Why Choose The Monster Minders?

We've been doing this since 2005, which makes us one of the most experienced dog walking companies in Philadelphia. (You'll be hard-pressed to find a service that has been around as long as we have.) What does that mean for you? With over half a million walks under our belts, we have the experience and dependability that Philadelphia pet parents have learned to trust over the last 16 years. We’re a Philadelphia magazine, three-time Best of Philly® winner. (Best Dog Walkers 2013, Best Pet-Sitters 2009 & Best Urban Pet Sitter 2006). Additionally, all of our walkers are employees (not contractors) and are offered continuing education in dog training and behavioral science. Know that when you chose The Monster Minders - you’re getting more than “just a dog walker.” You’re getting a trained canine professional. Learn more about what
sets us apart.



Who will my Minder be?

Our Minders are trained, bonded/insured, back-ground checked full-time employees for our family-owned business. We invest in our staff. We train our staff. We retain our staff. We do NOT utilize Independent Contractors, which is on the rise as national technology corporations are looking to cash-in on the "gig economy." We are a team of professionals who understand that our clients deserve more than a stranger in their home each time the book. We respect that we are caring for not only your best friend, but also your home. As a company, everything we do revolves around dog safety, peace of mind for our clients, and treating our employees well. We believe that happy, experienced, and thoroughly trained employees allow us to offer our clients a more dependable, trustworthy, and consistent service. Our Minders become "part of the family" for us and many of our clients. We also offer our Minders job security, workers compensation, benefits such as Paid Time Off (because it's the right thing to do) and ongoing dog training opportunities. Our Minders are a team of dog professionals working together for one goal: To make The Monster Minders the best dog walkers in Philly. You can check out our Minder bios here. All of our new clients are able to meet their Minder at our Minder Meeting before walks start. Contact us to secure your Minder Meeting!



How do I know what happened on a walk?

We get it. We worry about our dogs too when we're away from them. Minders use a scheduling app, and office managers are constantly monitoring the schedule in real-time so we know where Minders are throughout the day. This assures our clients that no pup is left behind. Clients get automated notifications each time a walk is completed with notes about how much fun we had with their monster. We want you to rest easy when you are away. ​ Clients can also request schedule modifications, view invoices, view their upcoming schedule, and update their pet care preferences via our cloud scheduling system and app.



How do keys work? How do you access my home?

Keys are numerically coded with no identifying information on them. (We have a very robust key-tracking feature included with our cloud scheduling app so we know where keys are at all times.) If you live in a condo building that requires front desk sign-in/key pick-up, we're happy to comply with your building's key policies and pick keys up at the beginning of each walk. We're also very comfortable with coded lock systems. ​ While we're more than happy to use a lockbox, we do not REQUIRE the use of a lockbox. There has been a new trend in the last few years to require clients to leave their keys in lockboxes outside their homes. (Especially with “app-based” corporations.) Why? This is for ease of scheduling so the company can send in “whoever is working” to your home (without offering consistency of care or tracking keys.) This is not how we operate. We wouldn’t want new walkers in our home every other day and we know our clients don't either. Peace of mind for our clients is at the core of our business model, and home security is a big part of it.



I do not need a weekly walker. I just need pet sitting when I'm on vacation. Can I book services?

Clients who use us weekly are able to book vacation pet sitting, weekend, holiday and overnight services with us. We are primarily a weekday dog walking service. If you are only looking for here-and-there care when you're out of town, you're probably looking for a pet sitter vs. a dog walker. As a weekly dog walking service, we specialize in ongoing, weekly care for monsters. It's how we build our staff's schedule and bond with our weekly pups. Our minimum booking parameters allows us to send the same Minder into our client's homes for peace of mind and walker consistency.



If I book weekly walks, can I also use you when I go away on vacation?

We know life doesn’t stop on the weekends, and we’re proud to offer pet care 365 days per year for clients who use us on a weekly basis. So feel free to take that weekend trip or head down the shore for the day. We provide walks and visits between 10AM-2PM on Saturdays and Sundays. If you are heading out of town and need overnight pet sitting in your home, we have you covered. Our overnight pet sitting services are available 365 days per year for our weekly clients. (Think super fun slumber party!)



I'm ready to become a client! How do I set up services?

First, let us know what type of services you are looking for by filling out our quick online form. The more details you can give us the better so we can quickly determine that we have a Minder available in your neighborhood, during the days and times you need. (If not, we will add you to our waiting list and reach out when we have an opening.) Then we'll determine a time to come over to your house and introduce ourselves, do some paperwork, sign contracts and meet your monster. You can show us where you keep all of your supplies and we'll chat about your dog's preferences and quirks. After the meeting, we'll get you all set up online and you'll be ready to go.



What if my Minder is sick or needs to go on vacation?

Here at The Monster Minders, we do not think time off for our employees is luxury, it's a necessity! Our employees are pet care professionals and we treat them as such. That is why we proudly offer our employees Paid Time off. So what happens when your Minder needs time off? We'll contact you ahead of time to let you know who will be filling in and give you a chance to offer any special instructions or details. It's always a great idea to keep your online file up-to-date in case another Minder has to jump in at the last minute due to sickness. Our cloud system makes this easy! And of course, a manager is on duty seven days a week for feedback and questions. If your dog would not be happy about another Minder coming into your home, we'll work with you to figure it out.



Will my dog be walked with a bunch of other dogs and/or will random dogs be in my home?

Absolutely not! We believe in one-on-one care for safety and tailored visits. We don’t believe that walking dogs from various households at one time is a safe activity in an urban environment. Nor would it allow us to tailor the walks to a monster’s specific training requirements and preferences. Safety and mental enrichment are two focuses of our dog walking services. Pack walks just don’t allow proper attention to either goal. Our focus will be on your dog, and your dog alone during our visits. This also assures that you don't have other animals in your home.



What about nasty weather?

Don’t worry, we won’t melt. We all have all-weather gear for rainy/cold/snowy days. If it rains, remember to leave out a towel so we can dry off your monster. If your dog has strong feelings about rain, we’ll just go out for a quick potty break and spend the rest of the time playing inside. In extreme weather, (heat waves, snowstorms, thunderstorms, etc) services may be modified for the safety of everyone involved. Since 2005, we have dealt with hurricanes, blizzards and the Pope. (Remember when the Pope shut the City down?) We have the experience to know how to handle things when nature (or the Vatican) sends us curve balls.



How does payment work?

Clients are billed on a biweekly schedule on the 1st and 16th of the month for the previous two weeks of walks. We require all clients to sign up for automated e-checking to make paying for services a snap. (Personal checks or cash payments are not accepted.) Emailed confirmations will be sent the day before each billing date. Clients are always able to log onto our website or app to view old invoices, check past payments, tip their favorite Minders, or update their bank account details.



As a company, how are you handling Covid-19?

We have done tens of thousands safe walks since re-opening in the new normal. Our protocols have evolved as the CDC and City of Philadelphia have updated their recommendations. We have done two major client and employee surveys (in 2020 and 2021) to get the pulse on how our clients and employees are feeling before making major changes. We move slow and thoughtfully after major declarations from the CDC because we believe that homes are different from a grocery store. Our evolving protocols take not only the official recommendations into account, but also the peace of mind of our employees and clients. As a company we believe vaccinations work and we believe in the science of mask-wearing. We realize that everyone has varying levels of comfort as we move through this next stage of the pandemic. We are more than happy to meet you where you are at. Our crew is 100% vaccinated and vaccination has been mandated at our company.



I'd like to become a walker. How do I apply for a job?

If you're looking for a long-term, stable job and you ADORE (we really mean ADORE in CAPS) dogs, we'd love to talk further. You can eaisily apply online and learn more about becoming a full-time dog walker. If you have any questions before applying, give us a shout!



What neighborhoods do you service?

We cover many Center City Philadelphia neighborhoods between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers and roughly Spring Garden to Snyder Avenue. (We are based in Bella Vista, right of the Italian Markets.) Our neighbohoods include: Bella Vista, Queen Village, Society Hill, Washington Square West, Midtown Village, Chinatown, Old City, Loft District, Northern Liberties, Art Museum, Rittenhouse, Fitler Square, Graduate Hospital, Point Breeze, Newbold, Passyunk Square and Pennsport. Check our service area map for more details.