Before Your First Walk

Welcome to Low Key Dog Walks!
We're so excited to get to know you and your dog.

This guide will walk you through what you need to know before your first service and what you can expect once we start walking together. We've kept everything in one place so you can easily come back to it anytime.

Your Next Steps

Before we can begin services, we'll need a few things completed:

  • Attend your Meet & Greet

  • Accept your Client Portal invitation

  • Complete your pet's profile

  • Upload your dog's vaccination records

  • Confirm independent home access

  • Review and accept the required client agreements

Once everything is complete, we'll confirm your official start date.

Your Meet & Greet

Every new client begins with a Meet & Greet outside the front of their home.

These relaxed, dog-led introductions usually take 30–45 minutes and give us a chance to get to know you and your dog and determine the most appropriate service for their individual needs.

During your Meet & Greet, we'll:

  • Meet you and your dog

  • Learn about your dog's routine and personality

  • Discuss your goals, handling preferences, and anything your dog may find challenging or exciting

  • Observe your dog's comfort and body language

  • Review home access and scheduling

  • Answer any questions you have

Our goal isn't to evaluate a "good" or "bad" dog — it's to learn how we can best support them.

Meet & Greet Deposit

A $55 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your Meet & Greet.

The full deposit is credited toward your first invoice if services begin within 30 days of your Meet & Greet. If you need to reschedule your Meet & Greet, your deposit will transfer to the new appointment.

Your Client Portal

We use Time To Pet to keep everything organized in one place.

Before services begin, please:

  • Accept your Client Portal invitation

  • Complete your pet's profile in full

  • Upload current vaccination records

  • Add emergency and veterinary contacts

  • Turn on notifications

The Client Portal is also where you'll:

  • Receive Service Reports

  • Request or cancel services

  • Message our office

  • View invoices

  • Update your pet's information

Keeping everything in one place helps our office and walkers have access to the information they need to care for your dog.

Getting Ready for Walks

  • Communication

    One of the most helpful things you can do is keep us informed.

    Please let us know as soon as possible about changes to your dog's:

    • Health or medications

    • Behaviour

    • Routine

    • Household members or pets

    • Home or access instructions

    • Emergency or veterinary contacts

    • Anything else that may affect their walks

    Changes that seem small to us can sometimes feel significant to our dogs. Knowing what's happening helps us adjust our approach and support your dog appropriately.

    Whenever possible, please use the Client Portal for routine communication so information remains accessible to the whole Low Key team.

  • Home Access

    Reliable, independent home access allows us to stay on schedule and ensures we can reach your dog even if you're away or unavailable.

    Preferred options include:

    • Key-coded doors

    • Lockboxes with any required keys or fobs

    • House keys, when required

    We'll confirm the best arrangement during your Meet & Greet and make sure everything is ready before your first service.

    If you'd like your dog returned somewhere other than inside your home — such as a yard, garage, or another designated area — please let us know so the appropriate return instructions can be added to your account.

  • What to Have Ready

    Before each walk, please make sure we can easily access anything your dog may need, including:

    • Collar 

    • Harness

    • Leash

    • Identification tags

    • Weather-appropriate gear, when needed

    • Any other equipment we've agreed to use

    We provide treats and poop bags.

    Please let us know if your dog has any dietary restrictions and keep your dog's Client Portal profile updated with any special instructions.

  • Vaccinations & Identification

    For insurance purposes, we require current:

    • Rabies vaccination

    • DHPP vaccination or approved titer test

    If your dog is unable to receive a required vaccine, please let us know. In some circumstances, a vaccination waiver may be available.

    Dogs must also have a current municipal licence where required and personal identification.

What to Expect During the First Few Walks

Every dog settles into a new routine differently.

During the first few walks, we're primarily focused on:

  • Building trust

  • Learning your dog's communication style

  • Understanding their preferences and comfort level

  • Creating positive experiences

  • Finding the right pace and environment

  • Matching them with appropriate walkers and, when suitable, walking companions

Some dogs settle in immediately. Others benefit from more time and a gradual introduction to new people, environments, or walking companions.

We'll adjust as we get to know your dog.

How We Walk

  • Our Fear Free Approach

    Low Key is proud to follow a Fear Free, relationship-based approach.

    We believe dogs learn and thrive best when they feel safe. We prioritize:

    • Positive reinforcement

    • Consent-based handling

    • Emotional wellbeing

    • Thoughtful pacing

    • Individualized care

    • Carefully considered group matching

    Our goal is to build a positive relationship with them and create walks they can feel comfortable and confident in.

  • Group Walks

    Our Group Walks are intentionally small, with no more than four dogs per walker.

    Groups are thoughtfully matched based on factors such as personality, comfort level, walking style, existing relationships, and the overall dynamics of the group.

    Compatibility is something we continually assess. A dog's needs can change, and group combinations may change with them.

    If we don't believe a particular group is the right fit, we'll choose the service arrangement we believe best supports the dogs involved.

  • Off-Leash Time

    Off-leash time is never guaranteed.

    Before being considered for off-leash activities, we take time to build a relationship with your dog and understand their communication, comfort level, and recall.

    When appropriate, we use positive reinforcement to support skills such as:

    • Recall

    • Check-ins

    • Leash manners

    • Calm social interactions

    Whether a dog goes off leash on any particular walk is always at Low Key's discretion and may depend on the dog, location, weather, park conditions, other dogs or people present, and other safety considerations.

    A leash-only walk is never a lesser walk — we'll adapt the experience to what makes sense for your dog that day.

  • Parks & Shared Spaces

    As a neighbourhood-based company, we use a variety of local parks, fields, trails, and other shared spaces.

    Before allowing appropriate dogs off leash, our walkers assess the environment for potential hazards, other park users, dogs, gates, and anything else that could affect the group's safety or comfort.

    Our walkers are educated in canine body language and actively supervise social interactions throughout the walk.

    We also strive to be thoughtful and respectful members of the community while sharing public spaces.

  • Transportation

    A walker may need to transport dogs a short distance to facilitate their service.

    When transportation is appropriate:

    • We transport no more than three dogs at a time.

    • We consider compatibility before transporting dogs together.

    • New dogs are given time to build familiarity before being transported with other dogs.

    • Dogs may be gently secured when needed.

    • We encourage calm loading, unloading, and behaviour in the vehicle.

    Transportation decisions are made with the safety and well-being of the dogs in our care in mind.

  • Service Reports

    After each service, you'll receive a report through your Client Portal with notes about your dog's walk, photos, and occasional videos.

    Reports are also a chance to get to know your dog's walking team and stay connected to their day-to-day experience. Guardians are always welcome to reply and engage with their walker through Time To Pet.

    If you'd like a partner, family member, or other caregiver kept in the loop, we can also arrange for a copy of reports to be sent to them.

    When applicable, reports may also include updates such as:

    • Bathroom activity

    • Food & water

    • Anything notable from the walk

Walk Times

We schedule services within time blocks rather than guaranteeing an exact arrival time.

  • Morning: 8:00 AM–10:00 AM

  • Midday: 10:00 AM–2:30 PM

  • Afternoon: 2:30 PM–4:30 PM

Please make sure your dog is home and available for pickup by the beginning of their scheduled time block.

Your walker may arrive at any point during the scheduled time block, and pickup and drop-off times may vary due to traffic, weather, group scheduling, and your dog's individual needs. We aim to have your dog's service completed by the end of their scheduled time block.

We’ll do our best to accommodate specific timing requests when possible, but we cannot guarantee exact pickup or drop-off times. Neither are we able to respond to pickup-time inquiries during walking hours.

Weather & Changing Conditions

Walks don't always look exactly the same from day to day.

Weather, temperature, environmental conditions, your dog's comfort, and other safety considerations may affect the route, pace, activities, location, or amount of outdoor time.

Our walkers use their judgment to adapt each service with your dog's wellbeing in mind.

Booking & Scheduling

Recurring services are generally scheduled 2–4 weeks in advance and appear in your Client Portal.

Additional service requests are subject to availability and aren't confirmed until they've been accepted by our team.

Our office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Requests submitted outside office hours are considered received on the next business day.

For current cancellation requirements, premiums, booking options, and rates, please refer to our Client Service Agreement and Services & Pricing page.

Before We Arrive

The 5 Things That Help Us Most

  1. Keep your pet's profile up to date.

  2. Tell us about changes before your next service.

  3. Use the Client Portal for routine communication.

  4. Make sure we have reliable home access.

  5. Give us as much notice as possible when your schedule changes.

Before each service, please make sure:

  • We have reliable access to your home.

  • Your dog's usual walking gear is accessible.

  • Your dog's identification is current.

  • Medications or special instructions are up to date in the Client Portal.

  • You've told us about any recent changes that could affect your dog's walk.

Questions?

We're always happy to help.

If you're unsure whether something is important to tell us, we'd rather know about it. Send us a message through your Client Portal so we can answer questions or adjust your dog's care before their next service.

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