Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Frequently Asked Questions In Leander, TX

Ready to get started? Simply fill out our New Client Form so we can confirm sitter availability in your area and ensure we match you with the perfect caregiver for your pet’s unique needs.

With The Pet Gal, you get the peace of mind that comes from hiring a trusted, professional pet care company. Unlike independent sitters, we offer unmatched reliability, full coverage, and added security. Our 15+ years of experience, dedicated customer support team, backup sitters, and $2 million insurance policy ensure your pet is always in the best hands.

A Professional Pet Sitter is an experienced pet care expert, often with industry certifications, who provides personalized, in-home care for your pets. They are dedicated to ensuring your pets are safe, happy, and comfortable in their familiar surroundings while you’re away.

At The Pet Gal, we take pride in our rigorous hiring process. Each sitter undergoes two comprehensive interviews and a thorough criminal background check to ensure your pet’s safety. To remain on our team, they must maintain a Pet CPR and First Aid Certification and regularly participate in animal behavior classes. Many of our sitters also bring additional expertise as veterinary technicians, animal behaviorists, or dedicated volunteers with animal rescue organizations. This commitment to excellence ensures your pets receive the highest level of care and attention.

When you join The Pet Gal Family, you’ll be assigned a primary sitter. While we do our best to schedule your primary sitter consistently, however, there may be times when additional sitters are needed. Rest assured, even if your primary sitter can’t make it, our other skilled sitters are fully trained to provide the same level of care your pet deserves!

At The Pet Gal, we provide loving care for all domestic pets! Our services include dogs, cats, birds, fish, guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, reptiles, chinchillas, and even worms. No matter your pet’s species, we’re dedicated to ensuring they receive the attention and care they deserve.

We don’t operate a boarding facility. Instead, we are a professional in-home pet sitting company, dedicated to caring for your pets in the comfort of your own home. Our experienced pet sitters reside within a five miles of your home.

Absolutely! At The Pet Gal, we take pride in our reputation as one of the country’s most trusted pet care companies. Our clients’ satisfaction is our top priority. From the very beginning, we’ve maintained exceptional ratings because we genuinely care for your pets. If you ever feel our service isn’t meeting your expectations, we’re committed to making it right. You can trust us to provide the loving and attentive care your pets deserve.

Absolutely! We are fully insured through Kennel Pro, with a comprehensive policy coverage of $2 million. This ensures your pets, home, and your peace of mind are always protected while in our care.

At The Pet Gal, we prioritize your security and convenience. We do not hold onto client keys. Instead, we access your home in one of two ways:

1. Lock Boxes: We recommend using Shurlock lock boxes, available for purchase from The Pet Gal for $25.00 plus tax. These allow easy, secure access for our sitters.

2. Electronic Access: If you have electronic locks, key fobs, or garage codes, please ensure that spare keys are hidden on your property or entrusted to a neighbor. This is a precaution in case of power outages or low battery issues.

Your peace of mind is our priority, and we take every measure to ensure safe access to your home.

The ideal number of visits depends on your pets’ specific needs and your comfort level. For indoor dogs, we recommend a minimum of two visits per day, with most clients opting for three. You can schedule up to five visits daily if needed. For outdoor pets, we require at least one visit per day. Dogs that are crated or confined need a minimum of three visits: two 30-minute visits and one 15-minute visit. For cats, we suggest at least one visit per day.

Our base prices are designed to accommodate the care of one pet. If you have additional pets that need care, please review our additional pet prices listed on the web site.

Absolutely! Our team is skilled in administering oral medications, thyroid creams, and ointments. Please note that there is an additional fee for administering subcutaneous fluids and insulin injections. Many of our dedicated Pet Gals and Guys are trained veterinary technicians, ensuring your pet receives the best care possible.

Absolutely, you can keep your pets outside, but it’s crucial to ensure their safety and comfort. All pets that spend time outdoors must have a fenced yard to prevent them from wandering off, adequate shelter with shade in the summer and warmth in the winter, and access to plenty of fresh water. Don’t forget that dogs and cats should wear identification tags, be microchipped, and wear GPS tracking collars for their safety.

Daily dog walks are crucial for your pet’s overall well-being. A well-walked dog is a happy dog, leading to fewer destructive behaviors at home. Beyond providing essential physical exercise, daily walks offer vital mental stimulation, helping your dog relax and unwind after their adventure.

These refreshing breaks can alleviate separation anxiety and provide a much-needed potty break when you’re away. If your pet spends most of the day alone, a daily walk ensures they receive the attention and enrichment they deserve, fostering a happier and healthier life.

Absolutely! We can certainly help them to walk properly using various walking tools (Easy Walk harnesses, dog backpacks, treats, Gentle Leaders, etc.) that all provide positive reinforcement training. We’ve found most dogs that are learning to walk properly on a leash do best when on a consistent walking schedule of at least three days a week.

We typically walk dogs mid-day between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. However, during the hot summer months, we prefer to start earlier or later in the day to ensure your dog stays comfortable and avoids walking on hot pavement.ind, Our scheduling blocks are flexible, allowing us to accommodate your pet’s needs while keeping their safety in mind.

At The Pet Gal, we believe in the power of positive reinforcement. For this reason, we do not use choke, shock, prong, or bark collars. Instead, we are happy to recommend alternative collars that best match your dog’s personality, walking style, and behavior for a safer, more enjoyable experience.

At The Pet Gal, we choose not to use retractable leashes due to their potential drawbacks. These leashes can create a safety hazard by allowing pets to stray too far away, making it difficult to maintain control in busy environments. They can also lead to sudden jerks if your dog suddenly lunges, which may cause injury to both the dog and the handler.

Instead, we recommend solid leather leashes for their many benefits. Leather leashes are durable and provide a comfortable grip, giving you better control during walks. They also offer a classic, timeless look and can withstand the wear and tear of daily use. Plus, their strength and reliability ensure your dog stays safe and secure.

No, we don’t offer pack walks. At The Pet Gal, we prioritize individual attention and care for each pet. This approach allows us to provide personalized services that cater to your pet’s unique needs and preferences.

At The Pet Gal, we’re committed to providing care for your pets, come rain or shine! While we will always be there for your dog, we prioritize their safety and comfort. If there’s a torrential downpour, hail, or dangerous lightning, we will not proceed with the walk and will offer alternative solutions. We also consider your dog’s preferences—some pups enjoy splashing around in the rain, while others prefer to stay cozy indoors. Rest assured, we’ll be there to care for your pup!

Each of our sitters must pass two interviews and a criminal background check before hiring. Once in the field, they must maintain a Pet CPR / First Aid Certification and continually attend animal training and behavior classes. Additionally, many are veterinary technicians, animal trainers, or volunteers with animal rescue groups.

Founded in Round Rock, Texas, in 2009, we’ve proudly been serving our community with trusted and loving pet care ever since.

No, we are not a franchise. We are a proud, community-focused company. Being deeply rooted in the local community allows us to build meaningful relationships, ensuring your pets receive the personalized care they deserve.

We have a support team of six people. One Leads Coordinator and five Scheduling Coordinators. Working in Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Hawaii.

In the event of pet illness or other medical emergency and the specified vet is unavailable. The pet will be taken to the closest vet or Emergency Care Hospital. We have a company credit card to pay for care if we can not reach our clients. Our portal also has a required field to let us know the max spend for emergency care.

We only hire responsible pet professionals. We are EXTREMELY picky about who works for The Pet Gal. To help our sitters do their job properly, we use industry-leading scheduling software that notifies you when your sitter has arrived; shows visit start and end times; tracks walks and transportation services with GPS. Once the visit is completed, the sitter sends an update, including a visit report card and photos for you to review.

No, all visits must be booked through our client portal. This ensures your visits are covered by our liability insurance and guarantees proper scheduling. Booking outside of the portal not only puts your sitter in a difficult position but may also result in your account being locked. Using the portal keeps everything secure and organized for you, your sitter, and our scheduling team.

No, all communication must go through our client portal. This ensures that our Scheduling team stays informed of any updates or concerns about your service, allowing them to make adjustments without disrupting other visits. Directly contacting your sitter can lead to uncomfortable situations and may result in your account being temporarily locked.

The Pet Gal accepts all major credit and debit cards for your convenience. Invoices are due on the first day of service, but you’re welcome to make full or partial payments anytime beforehand through our easy-to-use portal or app. If payment is not received by the first day, we’ll automatically charge your card on file. Should you request an extension of services, the same rate will apply, and payment is required at the time of the change. While tipping your sitter is optional, you can easily add a tip when completing your invoice if you’d like to show your appreciation.

Absolutely! Think of tipping your pet sitter as you would for any other exceptional service. While tips are never expected, they are always appreciated as a gesture of gratitude. Whether it’s a few dollars after each visit, a special holiday tip, or even thoughtful gifts, our sitters are delighted by your appreciation. For your convenience, we’ve made it simple to add a tip directly through your client portal, just like paying for services.

Our sitters cherish their weekends with family, just like you do. To ensure we can continue providing exceptional pet care on Saturdays and Sundays, we offer an incentive for our sitters. A small $4 per visit surcharge allows us to maintain availability and keep your pets happy, even on the weekends.

Holidays are a busy time for our sitters, with schedules often booked up to two months in advance. When you secure a holiday reservation, it means we may have to turn away other clients—much like booking a hotel room. To fairly compensate our sitters for spending time away from their families and pets, we apply a time-and-a-half surcharge for holiday visits. This ensures we can continue offering reliable, high-quality care when demand is at its peak.

Holiday rates apply to ALL visits made on: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

We understand that unexpected situations come up, and while we do our best to accommodate last-minute requests, our sitters often book up months in advance. To encourage flexibility in their schedules, we apply a small per-visit surcharge for these urgent requests. We’ll always do our best to make it work for you and your pets!

Last Minute Request Fees

• Same Day: $25
• Next Day: $15

Pet Sitting, Dog Walking and Pet Taxi Service Requests

31 or more hours: No Charge
15 or more days^*: No Charge
14 days – 8 days^*: 50% of holiday visits
7 days – 31 hours^*: 100% of holiday visits
30 or fewer hours: 100% of remaining scheduled visits up to 30 hours

Wedding Pet Attendant Requests

Day of reservation: 50% Non-refundable deposit
0 or more days^*: 100% of request
7 or fewer days: 100% of request

^*Request(s) falling on a holiday

Holidays
New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

For non-holiday cancellations, we offer credits toward future services—no refunds will be provided.
Cancellations on holidays* will result in the forfeiture of payments—no credits or refunds.

*New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.