Why Choose Us We do have a lot of fun at work, but we take our jobs very seriously. We are licensed, insured, and bonded. We put ourselves through the Dog Walking Academy so we know more than the average dog walker about dog behavior and pack management. We're licensed in Pet CPR and Pet First Aid. We belong to Pet Sitters International (PSI) and the East Bay Pet Sitters Association (EBPSA). Our six team members have experience working with animals in settings from the San Francisco SPCA to animal shelters to specialized veterinary clinics. We have policies and procedures to address everything natural disasters to introduce a new dog into an established pack. We work together as a team to support each other and you.. We were voted 2007's Best High-Tech Doggie Care by the East Bay Express because we use our Flickr account to post pictures daily (hourly, sometimes) of the pets we take care of. Our clients have logged in from India, London, San Francisco, and San Jose to see Buffy and Elmo on the trails, Linus at the beach, or Roxy snuggling with me on my bed. San Francisco magazine calls us a doggy B&B and voted us one of the "Top Five Places to Board Your Dog." Services Dog Walking Our dog-walking clients don't just go on dog walks-they have adventures! Dog walks are group outings to the beach or trails for a minimum of one hour. Dogs are usually off-leash. Some of our favorite dog-adventure spots are Redwood Regional Park, Leona Canyon, Claremont Canyon, the Albany Bulb, Pt. Isabel, and the Bridgeview Trail. We have permits with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) to take up to six dogs each on EBRPD trails. All dogs in our groups are up-to-date on shots, neutered or spayed, and good with other dogs. We're not dog trainers but we do constantly reinforce good trail manners. We pick up and return your dog to your home, rinsing and/or toweling your dog off as needed before we leave your relaxed and happy dog to wait for you. Dog Boarding We board up to four dogs each in our Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and Hayward homes. Boarding clients get a daily minimum of one hour of "adventure time" on the beach or trails. After that the dogs are in our homes where they get play time and time to snuggle, watch movies, and hang out. We do not leave dogs in the yard by themselves or put them in a garage or basement where they are not supervised. Boarding dogs have full access to our homes and us and are truly treated as if they are our own dogs. We only take spayed or neutered dogs that are up-to-date on shots and socialized with other dogs and people. Before dogs can board with us we do a trial day and night to make sure it's a good fit for both sides. We charge $50 cash or $55 check for the trial day and night and you must be in town that night. Regular boarding is $45 per day and we give a 10% cash discount. Fees Doggy Lama Pet Care Boarding per Day 1+ Hour Group Dog Hikes & Adventures Leash or Solo Walks (1/2 hour) Adult Dog $50 cash/$55 check $25 if 5 days/week $27 if fewer than 5 days/week $35 Puppy, Elderly, or Special-Needs Dog $55 cash/$60 check $25 $35 We accept personal checks or cash for payment. There are cash discounts (please see above). Boarding: Half the full amount is due at time the reservation is made and the second half is due when the dog is dropped off. We bill monthly in advance for dog walking. Clients must cancel or change at least 24 hours in advance of dog walks in order to avoid paying the full fee. There is a limit of five cancellations per calendar year. Testimonials "Good dog walkers are hard to find, and someone who boards your treasured pets in her home with the same care you would give them in your own home is a real find. This year, I traveled to India for work, and Molly's photos of my happy dogs in her care (sometimes snuggled in her bed) made being 10,000 miles away more relaxing. I can tell that Molly really loves my dogs, and they love her. She's very dependable and flexible, too. I've had many dog walkers over the years, and none come close to Molly. I can't recommend her any more highly!" --Chad Dickerson, Berkeley, CA "Molly and crew are consummate professionals who not only know how to care for pets, but love them like they were their own. When my dog goes to stay with her, I know he'll be having a fantastic vacation. His routine daily walks with Doggy Lama Pet Care are heroic doggy adventures. Seeing live photographs of these adventures on Flickr makes being hundreds or thousands of miles away so much easier. In fact, my dog loves his time with Molly so much that I am almost certain he would be happier if I were to travel more often!" --Matthew Rothenberg, Oakland, CA "I recently moved to the Bay Area and was looking for someone to watch my 4.5 year old pug (Beenie) when I am out of town. I found Molly thru the East Bay Pet Sitter's Association. She promptly returned my call in response and we met up for a consultation. I found Molly to be very professional as she asked a lot of questions about Beenie, and she was very personable. Beenie has stayed with Doggy Lama pet care a few times, and each time I know that he will be well taken care of and treated as if he was a family pet. I don't like other boarding places where they are on a schedule and are limited to 1/2 hour play times, smelly facilities and *gasp* cages. With Doggy Lama, I know that Beenie will be taken to parks and exercised, he will sleep in the comfort of someone's home and get all the attention he needs. When I go on vacation or out of town, I don't have to feel guilty about leaving Beenie behind because I know he's having lots of fun himself and having a vacation of his own at Doggy Lama. --Louise Goto, Foster City, CA "I cannot recommend Molly and Doggy Lama Pet Care highly enough. They are attentive, intuitive, knowledgeable, caring and loving (you will want to hug them when you see how happy your dog is!). I look forward to giving Stella her very own vacation at Doggy Lama Pet Care again very soon." --Heather Wood, Berkeley, CA I don't know what I would do without Molly. I have Pebbles, a 13-year-old cocker spaniel who is deaf and can barely see out of one eye. As a result, I refuse to put her in a kennel and have said "no" to many trips because I didn't trust anyone to care for her. Then I met Molly. She has been fantastic with Pebbles. In fact, I get a bit jealous when I see how Pebbles is so excited when I drop her off. She runs around the yard and plays with other dogs and cats--this is quite unusual for Pebbles, who has never taken to other dogs or cats until now. Now, my trips are enjoyable and relaxing because I know that I can count on Molly to give Pebbles the best care that I could ever ask for. I highly recommend Doggy Lama Pet Care and Molly. --Janice Munson, Oakland, CA. More references gladly provided. Contact Molly Kenefick Office: 510-434-1974 Cell: 510-504-2003 E-mail: mollykenefick@yahoo.com Links General Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center--My old cat and old dog, who have lots of health problems, go to Drs. Jenny Taylor and Kirsten Williams, who combine practice integrative veterinary medicine, a blend of holistic and conventional approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Creature Comfort is a bit more expensive than most veterinary offices, but for people who want to try alternative as well as mainstream medical treatments on their pets, this is the place to go. The vets are wonderful, as are the staff. Lake Veterinary Clinic--I take my younger dog, Dexter, to Lake Veterinary Clinic, which is a mainstream Western medical approach. The veterinarians are kind and knowledgeable, as is the front-office staff. They are great on follow-up and have sent me articles in the mail after appointments about pet health issues we talked about. I love Lake Vet. dogTEC's Dog Walking Academy--Jack, Justine, Sara, Deborah, Karin, and I competed the Dog Walking Academy, where we learned about dog behavior, dog body language, and pack management, and became certified in pet CPR and first aid. The program taught us many useful techniques, from how to introduce a new dog into an established pack, how to greet another dog walker and her/his dogs on the trail, to how to keep our packs together when hiking. I cannot recommend the program highly enough-it is the only program like it in the country! Amy Jo Karn--Amy Jo Karn is an artist who does does amazing and original pet portraits on commission. She has done portraits of me and my six animals. I love her work. Doggy Lama Pet Care clients get a $50 discount on pet portraits-so ask for that if you become our client and want a painting of your pet(s)! DogSpeed--My friend, Heidi Zawelevsky, is a veterinary nurse with over 15 years experience. She does house calls and in-home post-surgical and other special care. Paws and Claws--This is my local natural pet food store and bathhouse. Its owners, Ruth and Diane, know a lot about pet food, whether it's natural, organic, or raw food. I've sent many clients whose pets were eating low-quality food to Paws and Claws. Cause and Effect Dog Training--I have known Kathy Kear for more than 10 years. Her commitment to dogs is unquestionable. She specializes in training "bully breeds" and aggressive dogs and has trained many dogs that shelters and owners had given up on or almost so. She’s amazing. The Senior Dogs Project--Adopting an older dog can be a wonderful experience. I've done so several times with great results. I love older dogs! Smiley Dog Rescue--I adopted my little dog, Dexter, through Smiley Dog, and have fostered many dogs for them. They are an amazing organization.