Shanti Cats & Dogs

Barbara came into our lives over a year ago after we became very unhappy and concerned over the quality of the walks our old walker was providing. She was recommended by another walker whose pack was full, and we have felt so incredibly lucky to have found her. Barbara walks our yellow lab Chloe 5 days a week and has pet sat her multiple nights on many different occasions. She is extremely reliable, always picking Chloe up at her regular time and not returing her home for at least two hours (sometimes more). On top of being reliable she is very flexible with situations that may arise where we need Chloe kept a few hours extra or walked on the weekend. She communicates clearly and responds to requests promptly. On top of being a good business person, you can tell that she truly loves the dogs and is very in tune with them. She keeps me alert if something seems «off» with Chloe and is happy to make suggestions or answer any dog related questions we have. Additionally Barbara takes beautiful photos of the dogs playing, swimming and looking overall very happy that she sends out regularly, which are always very fun to get. She even gave us a Chloe Calendar for Christmas last year along with Chloe’s favorite dog treats! I whole heartedly recommend Barbara and her service, any dog in her pack is a very lucky (and tired) dog!

This review for Barbara is way over due! She’s been walking Charlie, my chocolate Lab, for over a year now and she’s absolutely awesome! And I will admit, Charlie is a bit spoiled, he was walked by Rodrigo, of Bark to Breakers, for 3+ years, but Rodrigo’s service area changed so he recommended Barbara… and we couldn’t be happier! Barbara is fantastic with dogs, and she’s also an amazing person with a big heart!
First of all, «walking» is a bit of a misnomer, as she takes her pack to the beach and other off-​leash areas where the dogs can run and play and wear themselves out! Charlie gets so excited when he sees her and he’s absolutely tuckered out when she drops him off. Barbara is (& has always been) very accommodating with my schedule, and she lets me know if anything seems «off» with Charlie. Oh, and she’s always aware of the pack dynamics and has even stopped walking some dogs because they didn’t fit in. I absolutely trust her 100% with him… She’s truly an animal lover and it shows in how she cares for all of her dogs. I wholeheartedly recommend Barbara to anyone who’s looking for a dog walker/​boarder!

Barbara has been walking my dog Luna for about 9 months now, and she has been amazingly great. She is reliable, accommodating, and most importantly: my dog loves her! Barbara has also boarded my dog on several occasions while I’ve been out of town, and I always feel like I am leaving her in the very best care when she is staying with Barbara. If you are looking for a trustworthy and caring person who your dog will love, I give Barbara my highest recommendation!

Barbara has been walking Oscar for about 3 months now. She is great and sends us pictures of his walks and it definitely looks like he is having a good time! Barbara is also very kind and responsible and easy to trust. She has even boarded Oscar a few times when we had to go out of town and he seems to love staying with her. It is nice because we always feel bad when we have to leave him but we know he has a good time with Barbara.

Last time I left town and boarded my cat, he came home with fleas. Stressful times for the both of us. So this time I thought I’d scroll through Unilocal and find a sitter. I was a little apprehensive about hiring a stranger to visit my cat. I’ve never done anything like this before. I called Barbara and we set up a visit. After a few minutes of talk, it was obvious she was an animal lover and my cat would get all the attention he needed. Barbara visited every day I was gone and kept in touch with texts. She fed and played with him, collected my mail, and cleaned the litter box. In the past when he was alone he would trash the place like a young Axl Rose trashing a Holiday Inn in Toledo. Not this time. My cat was content.
I wouldn’t hesitate to hire Barbara again, and will happily recommend her to friends. She’s got a great way with animals and I was given peace of mind while away, which is worth every penny.

We quite literally couldn’t do it without Barbara. She took over walking our Brittany puppy, Ally, out of last-​minute necessity and the transition was seamless & wonderful. Ally has boundless energy and still needs a lot of instruction and — ahem — help in things like coming when she’s called. Barbara has never been daunted by any of it. On the contrary, she allows Ally freedom within reason, while teaching her every step of the way. Ally comes home from her walks happy and tired, and having learned a few things, too. You couldn’t ask for better.

Barbara is wonderful in so many ways! We adopted our rescue pup on a Sunday and were scrambling to find a walker or daycare. We were referred to Barbara and could not be happier! She met with us that afternoon (on a Sunday!), had an instant connection with our pup, and started walking her the following day.
Barbara is amazing with our dog. She (Pippa) comes home from her walks happy and tired, and she’s already showing significant improvement in terms of training (recall, sit, down, etc.) thanks to Barbara.
Barbara checks in with us (by text) regularly and sends lots of photos of play-​time, which we really love. Barbara is also responsive, flexible and accommodating. If I could give six stars I would!

Barbara is great! She has taken care of our dog many times, both for walks and for boarding. During Christmastime, she was also considerate enough to get Molly a few new toys!

Barbara is an amazing dog waker/​sitter.
She is super responsible and truly cares for our dog.
Also, she is very sweet and thoughtful. Molly loves her.
If you are looking for a professional, reliable, and caring dog boarder/​walker, call her!

Barbara has been walking our dog for the last month, and we can’t say enough how fortunate we are to have found her. She is reliable, flexible and easy to contact. She has a genuine love for dogs and keeps us updated and informed through pictures and training tips. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a caring and conscientious dog walker.

Barbara is an incredible dog walker and dog sitter. Really, «dog walker» does not begin to explain the loving, holistic care she gives to our dog. She truly loves our pet, like a second owner. She thinks about what our dog needs in order to be happy and well behaved, and then does a great job of executing those ideas. She is absolutely reliable and responsible. When we have to go out of town, Barbara has boarded our dog, and our dog always has a great time, judging by the pictures and how happy she is when we get her back. Easy to work with, easy to communicate with — our lives changed for the better the day Barbara came into our lives.

Barbara is amazing!!! She pet sits/​walks my two dogs and they absolutely adore her, as do I. She is a natural when it comes to animals and uses only positive reinforcement which is a must in my book.
If you are looking for a trustworthy, caring, and professional dog walker or boarder contact her.