Frequently Asked Questions
What services do you offer?
What days and hours are you open?
I offer Check-In Visit services Monday-Friday all year long excluding Memorial Day, July 4th, Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years Day. Hiking is available every month excluding July & August due to the heat and the CT biting fly season. Hours of availability are based on the season and Daylight Savings Time. Hiking availability is based on the heat index (summer) as well as extreme cold temperatures (winter).
Do you offer discounts?
I offer Multi-Dog Discounts (15%), Multi-Day Discounts (25%) and Multi-Day/Dog Discounts (30%).
Do you Pet Sit overnight or over the weekends?
Under most circumstances I do not Pet Sit. I'm happy to recommend some options.
Are you insured and bonded?
I am insured for Care, Custody and Control. This coverage includes coverage for damage caused to your home, its contents and your property during the completion of my services. Coverage extends to your dog(s) while in my direct custody and control and injuries or accidents sustained by your dog(s) while hiking or during transportation to and from the hiking trail. I’m not Bonded as I’m the sole Owner/Operator of Paws to the Path LLC. I do not have employees or utilize Independent Contractors.
What happens if my dog is injured while on a hike?
I will immediately contact you. In the event I can’t reach you I will contact your Emergency Contacts.
If I’m unable to reach anyone, I’ve included in the Hiking and Other Services Agreement a Release for Emergency Veterinary/Medical Care Form requiring your signature. This form permits me to transport your dog to your preferred Veterinary Clinic to receive medical treatment in the event of an accident or injury. The form releases Paws to the Path LLC for liability (unless due to negligence) and financial responsibility for any treatment required to stabilize your dog, at your Veterinary Clinic or Emergency Hospital in the event I can’t reach you or your listed Emergency Contacts.
If a life-threatening emergency occurs I will attempt to contact you and then your Emergency Contacts for notification. I will immediately transport your dog to the nearest Emergency Veterinary Hospital for triage. If I’m still unable to contact you I will instruct the Emergency Hospital to perform only the medical procedures required to stabilize your dog until I can contact you.
Do you provide services for dogs with Special Needs?
It would depend on the specific needs of the dog. Generally speaking I will work with dogs with Special Needs if the services I provide would not potentially cause further hardship for the dog.
Will you provide services for dogs that have a human bite history?
It depends on the specific circumstances surrounding the bite incident.
I reference the Dr. Ian Dunbar Bite Scale in helping to determine the suitability of these dogs for the services I provide. I reserve the right to refuse to provide services based on my assessment as well as to cease providing services, at any point, if in my determination the dog is a danger to myself or other people and dogs.
Do you offer general obedience training or off-leash hiking?
I do not offer training outside of the training necessary to safely walk and hike your dog(s).
I work with the dogs to teach loose-leash walking as well as commands specific to hiking over difficult terrain. These commands include wait, easy, sit, stop, stay and OK as a release word. I do not work with dogs off-leash in terms of hiking. Almost all of CT and RI State Parks, Preserves and Land Conservancies mandate that all dogs be leashed, at all times.
Do you provide group hikes for dogs that need exercise as well as socialization with other dogs?
The only option I do provide for dogs in desperate need of canine socialization is to introduce them to and ultimately hike them with my female Boxer. There is no additional cost for this service however scheduling would be dependent on my schedule.
Where do you hike the dogs?
The location depends completely on each individual dog. Reactive, fearful and anxious dogs are hiked on very remote trails to ensure limiting exposure to their triggers (other people and dogs) and promoting a feeling of safety.
Dogs with no behavioral concerns can be taken to more popular trails.
I generally hike within roughly a 30-mile radius of Griswold, CT utilizing the State Parks and some Preserves in both CT and RI.
Do I need to supply any equipment for my dogs for hiking?
No. I provide all the necessary equipment for hiking.
- I offer 1-Hour Hikes for all dogs, but only for one dog at a time.
- I specialize in working with reactive, fearful and anxious dogs by hiking on remote trails, during off-peak hiking hours with the strategy of never seeing another person or dog; and
- 30-Minute or 60-Minute Check-In Visits for all the dogs in your home.
What days and hours are you open?
I offer Check-In Visit services Monday-Friday all year long excluding Memorial Day, July 4th, Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years Day. Hiking is available every month excluding July & August due to the heat and the CT biting fly season. Hours of availability are based on the season and Daylight Savings Time. Hiking availability is based on the heat index (summer) as well as extreme cold temperatures (winter).
Do you offer discounts?
I offer Multi-Dog Discounts (15%), Multi-Day Discounts (25%) and Multi-Day/Dog Discounts (30%).
Do you Pet Sit overnight or over the weekends?
Under most circumstances I do not Pet Sit. I'm happy to recommend some options.
Are you insured and bonded?
I am insured for Care, Custody and Control. This coverage includes coverage for damage caused to your home, its contents and your property during the completion of my services. Coverage extends to your dog(s) while in my direct custody and control and injuries or accidents sustained by your dog(s) while hiking or during transportation to and from the hiking trail. I’m not Bonded as I’m the sole Owner/Operator of Paws to the Path LLC. I do not have employees or utilize Independent Contractors.
What happens if my dog is injured while on a hike?
I will immediately contact you. In the event I can’t reach you I will contact your Emergency Contacts.
If I’m unable to reach anyone, I’ve included in the Hiking and Other Services Agreement a Release for Emergency Veterinary/Medical Care Form requiring your signature. This form permits me to transport your dog to your preferred Veterinary Clinic to receive medical treatment in the event of an accident or injury. The form releases Paws to the Path LLC for liability (unless due to negligence) and financial responsibility for any treatment required to stabilize your dog, at your Veterinary Clinic or Emergency Hospital in the event I can’t reach you or your listed Emergency Contacts.
If a life-threatening emergency occurs I will attempt to contact you and then your Emergency Contacts for notification. I will immediately transport your dog to the nearest Emergency Veterinary Hospital for triage. If I’m still unable to contact you I will instruct the Emergency Hospital to perform only the medical procedures required to stabilize your dog until I can contact you.
Do you provide services for dogs with Special Needs?
It would depend on the specific needs of the dog. Generally speaking I will work with dogs with Special Needs if the services I provide would not potentially cause further hardship for the dog.
Will you provide services for dogs that have a human bite history?
It depends on the specific circumstances surrounding the bite incident.
I reference the Dr. Ian Dunbar Bite Scale in helping to determine the suitability of these dogs for the services I provide. I reserve the right to refuse to provide services based on my assessment as well as to cease providing services, at any point, if in my determination the dog is a danger to myself or other people and dogs.
Do you offer general obedience training or off-leash hiking?
I do not offer training outside of the training necessary to safely walk and hike your dog(s).
I work with the dogs to teach loose-leash walking as well as commands specific to hiking over difficult terrain. These commands include wait, easy, sit, stop, stay and OK as a release word. I do not work with dogs off-leash in terms of hiking. Almost all of CT and RI State Parks, Preserves and Land Conservancies mandate that all dogs be leashed, at all times.
Do you provide group hikes for dogs that need exercise as well as socialization with other dogs?
The only option I do provide for dogs in desperate need of canine socialization is to introduce them to and ultimately hike them with my female Boxer. There is no additional cost for this service however scheduling would be dependent on my schedule.
Where do you hike the dogs?
The location depends completely on each individual dog. Reactive, fearful and anxious dogs are hiked on very remote trails to ensure limiting exposure to their triggers (other people and dogs) and promoting a feeling of safety.
Dogs with no behavioral concerns can be taken to more popular trails.
I generally hike within roughly a 30-mile radius of Griswold, CT utilizing the State Parks and some Preserves in both CT and RI.
Do I need to supply any equipment for my dogs for hiking?
No. I provide all the necessary equipment for hiking.
