Arlington Dog Nanny

We started working with Arlington Dog Nanny in July 2024. At that time, I was on summer break from teaching high school, but worked 13-hour shifts as a hospital nurse. I scheduled two walks a day while I was working these shifts and one walk a day during the school year. We stopped working with ADN in April 2025, because I felt uncomfortable with a lack of professional boundaries and logical judgment. Pros: + My dog (Gracie) and I live in a high-rise apartment with only two allotted key fobs and other dog walking services asked for two sets of keys which I was unable to provide. ADN was okay with just the one fob + I scheduled walks by the month on the TimeToPet portal, which was easy to use + Walks were reasonably priced + My dog seemed to be okay with all of the walkers. We had about 5 rotating. I have a camera at home to watch her, but don’t tune in often. However, whenever I did, her walker was kind and gentle with her + Some walkers sent pictures of taken during the walk (my preference), but all walkers sent a message after + Walkers were on time and communicative if they were running late + Walkers dried my dog off if it was a rainy day Cons: - The owner of ADN asked if my dog and hers could do a play date in March 2025. I declined at the time. She asked again in April 2025 for a day in May. I was working that day, but as she was the assigned walker (two walks that day), I said she could take my dog for a play date in between, if she wanted to. She asked if my dog could sleep over. I said I wasn’t comfortable. We said we would discuss this closer to May. The next day, she told the assigned walker to bring my dog to her house. I found this out when I was sent a picture and video of my dog being pet by the owner’s boyfriend (who I hadn’t met before). She texted me asking if she had to return my dog. (Presumably a joke, but felt like she wasn’t reading the room appropriately.) She returned my dog about a half hour after I got home from work. The next day I told her I was very uncomfortable with what happened and requested to cancel services with my fob returned and she chalked it up to misunderstanding, but closed my account, left my fob out for pick up, and did not refund for the rest of the month’s walks - There were a lot of pricing and walk length options on the portal - it was a little confusing - I paid for 30 minute walks, but it didn’t seem like she always got 30 minute walks (closer to 20-25) - Sometimes the walker didn’t refill her water, even though I left a full water bottle right next to the bowl - Sometimes the walker didn’t wipe my dog’s paws off (a request I made) - I booked dog sitting for a 4-day weekend and that sitter was just fine, but didn’t give my dog very much attention. I never used this service again and instead opted to take her to family, who would at least occasionally play with her - Sometimes I would find shoe prints in the bathroom or kitchen (I don’t generally wear shoes in the house) - I do not think anyone from this company meant me or my dog harm, but their service was not so stellar that I could overlook the lack of boundaries, poor judgment, lack of proper apology, etc./it wasn’t worth the anxiety that this relationship eventually gave me