The summertime is often regarded as an ideal time to get a dog. It’s nice out, so housebreaking it isn’t as frustrating—you don’t have to stand out in the cold waiting for your dog to do his business. Many people also have jobs that allow them more time off during the summer months—teachers and telecommuters, for example.  Kids are also home from school, so it’s a great time to get the dog acquainted with the family. But for pet owners who get a dog during the summer and can’t be home all the time, Chicago dog walking services are a perfect way to supplement your time with your new pet. Whether you need help once or twice a week or want someone to visit your dog every day, a Lincoln Square dog walker from Cruisin’ Canines will happily hang out with your pooch.

Walkers in a Variety of Neighborhoods

Dog owners know how tough it can be to leave their pet at home all day while they go to work—even grown dogs can show off those puppy-dog eyes. You don’t have to feel bad about leaving them alone, though, if you live in any of the neighborhoods our dog walkers service. Whether you need an Uptown, Buena Park, Logan Square, Ravenswood, or Lincoln Square dog walker, or if you live in one of other neighborhoods we service, you can take advantage of competitive rates and multiple-dog discounts.

Summertime Services

If you’ve been thinking about getting a dog now that the weather is warming up, but you’ve been worried about leaving it alone while you’re away at work or school, you can trust the reliable Chicago dog walking services from Cruisin’ Canines. In addition to offering visiting services, we also offer boarding and cat visits—perfect if you go away for vacation.

When you need a Lincoln Square dog walker, don’t fret—help is closer than you think.

Lulu and Otto!!

Breed:  Lulu is a boxer mix and Otto is a Weimaraner

Age:  Lulu is 7 years old and Otto is 10

Where I live:  Logan Square

Joys in Life:  Lulu: splashing in puddles, running through tall grass, and cuddling.  Otto: catching his ball on the bounce, rolling in grass, and cuddling.

Cruisin’ Canines Chicago Dog Walker:  Lorie is our fabulous dog walker!

Chicago Dog Walking Buddies:  We enjoy Lorie all to ourselves!! 

Miko!

Breed:  Japanese Mi-Ki (aka a mix of a lot of breeds, he was rescued)

Age: Almost 6

Where I live: Wrigleyville

Joys in Life: Sleeping, laying on someone’s lap, his stuffed toy caterpillar, and sleeping more

Cruisin’ Canines Chicago Dog Walker:  Aaron

Chicago Dog Walking Buddies:  Just his buddy Aaron

Have you ever felt uneasy trusting a stranger with the responsibility of caring for your dog? If so, don’t worry; it’s only natural to feel that way. If you’re leaving your dog in the hands of other people while you’re away from home, it’s important to know whether or not they are qualified to properly handle your pooch.

At Cruisin’ Canines, we make sure that all our walkers are qualified to handle your dogs, whether it’s one of our Ukrainian Village dog walkers or one of our seasoned managers. To gain the trust of our customers, we make our qualifications and paperwork available to all. Below are some of our Chicago dog walking service’s qualifications:

Essential Dog Walking Qualifications

• Fully insured & bonded
• Workers compensation insurance – protects you from anything that happens to the dog walkers while they tend to your dogs
• Certificate of Liability Insurance
• Properly trained dog walkers
• Registered with the National Association of Pet Sitters (NAPPS)
• Vet recommended

Personal Qualifications for Dog Walkers

Although it’s important to have necessary, professional qualifications for staffers like our Ukrainian Village dog walkers, it’s also vital that they meet some personal qualifications as well. We don’t allow people to walk your dogs if we wouldn’t trust them with our own dogs. Therefore, we make sure our walkers are 100%, canine-enthused, puppy-loving, paw-pampering dog lovers!

Our Chicago dog walking service is full of people who naturally want to go out of their way to take care of your pooch. These are the people you see playing with their own dogs in their front lawns every day, walking them on the sidewalk with a big smile on their faces and playing fetch with them whenever they get the chance.

Trust Your Instincts

If you do not use our Chicago dog walking service to help care for your dog while you’re away from home, we ask that you use your own good judgment. Find someone you know and truly trust to take good care of your canine. Also, check and see if the person you’re relying on has the proper qualifications; it will help you rest at night to know that your pup is in good hands.

As always, Cruisin’ Canines is willing to help care for your animals, so feel free to contact us at any time. Our Ukrainian Village dog walkers and other walkers are constantly happy to meet new friends!

A Dog’s Point Of View

Have you ever thought about what it must be like for your dog to have an East Village dog walker or any of our walkers stop by on a regular basis? Since you have daily obligations that potentially keep you from spending most of your days with your pooch, people like us have the privilege of playing with dogs like yours all the time. Therefore, we all know how lucky we are and how much we love our jobs here at Cruisin’ Canines. But, what about the other side of the story? What do the dogs think about us being their pals?

To paint a better picture about how Chicago dog walkers like ourselves help your dogs, let’s talk about how dog’s must feel having daily visits from professional canine enthusiasts. We like to think that there are three different emotions a dog must feel when we come over to play and walk with them, such as:

Anticipation

Whether it’s our East Village dog walkers or our other walkers closest to your house, our canine clients typically look forward to our arrival. They know that their friends are coming over to play and take care of them, so they usually wait anxiously by the door. After several play dates, the dogs almost expect our arrival on cue.

We like to think of this as mutual anticipation. We get just as excited to take our furry friends on walks. However, the thing that excites us the most is knowing that we are helping your dogs. They need that mid-day attention in order to be happy and healthy dogs, so why not let our Chicago dog walkers lend a helping hand?

Relief

Another positive feeling we like to give our doggie patrons is a sense of relief. We like to think your dogs are relieved, knowing that there are people like East Village dog walkers to help look after them while you’re away. They know that after you leave the house, they won’t be alone for too long. Before they know it, they’re relieved and excited to get out of the house and play for awhile.

Entertainment

Finally, the best emotional gift that we like to think we give to your canines is pure joy/entertainment. If the dogs are not having fun, we are not having fun. We take time throughout our walk to play with the dogs, keep them active and give them the attention that they need.

Even though we like to assume that the dogs become sad once we leave for the day, we know that they’re looking forward to their owners coming back home. Our Chicago dog walkers ensure your pets are healthy, and happy.

Jack and Sophie

Breed:  Jack: fawn pug, Sophie: black pug

Age:  Jack was 5 in November, Sophie 3 in November

Where I live:  Best neighborhood in Chicago, Roscoe Village!

Joys in Life:  Jack: a Kong filled with peanut butter, snoozing on John’s lap.  Sophie: Fetch! I’m really fast.  I also like to pull stuffing out of things, toy, cushions, etc.


Cruisin’ Canines Chicago Dog Walker:  Steve

Chicago Dog Walking Buddies:  We enjoy our one on one time with Steve!

Have you ever wanted to know more about the Cruisin’ Caniner’s who love and care for your pets while you are away at work or on vacation???  Now you can!  We have created a Walkers Tab on our website featuring most of our Chicago dog walkers and a small biography about them.  We are currently updating the tab with additional walkers so if your walker isn’t currently up, check back soon.  Take a moment to visit the website and find out more about your Chicago dog walker and the rest of the Cruisin’ Canines Crew.

Dobby

Breed: Australian Terrier

Age: 1 1/2 years old

Where I live: North Center

Joys in Life: Loud squeaky toys, ‘helping’ load the dishwasher, apple slices, and ducks in the Chicago river!

Cruisin’ Canines Chicago Dog Walker:  Alex

Chicago Dog Walking Buddies:  Bunny the Boston Terrier, and his neighbors Alice, Bunny, and Kirby the French Bulldogs

Just north of Wicker Park, Bucktown is home to some of the coolest living spaces and residential homes in the city—and, of course, some seriously cute dogs! If you’re walking your dog in Chicago, this neighborhood has a combination of calm residential streets and wide open public park spaces for you and your pooch to explore.

Holstein Park: A Bucktown Dog Walker’s Dream

With its wide open fields, playground areas, pool and picnic areas, Holstein Park is a beautiful place for dog walking in Chicago. If you and your little companion want to take a leisurely stroll through the trees, you can. If he prefers the company of children and other dogs, you’re sure to find them here. And if you’re looking for a place where the two of you can take a break from the excitement and just sprawl out for a nap in the grass, you’re in luck! When the weather is warm, Holstein Park is like a magnet for Bucktown residents and their dogs, and a frequent destination for any Chicago dog walker in the area.

A Neighborhood On the Rise

Bucktown is a safe, family-friendly area that is in a continuous state of renewal. If you like to do a little window shopping while you’re dog walking, Bucktown has plenty of attractions for you, from art galleries and boutiques to trendy restaurants, bars and cafes. If you’re considering a move to this neighborhood, you’re in luck, as well. This neighborhood has a historic and traditionally residential past, meaning that it’s loaded with dog-friendly family homes and gorgeous architecture. Not your style? That’s OK—Bucktown is also a popular neighborhood with young professionals and artists, and as a result, it’s home to plenty of newer, more modern homes that are perfect for single professionals, couples, families, and of course, dogs!

Convenient Location

If you like some neighborhood variety when you’re walking your dog in Chicago, Bucktown is centrally located enough that you can enjoy other popular areas with ease! Located right between Logan Square, Wicker Park and Lincoln Park, Bucktown functions like a hub between beautiful, historic neighborhoods that are perfect for a stroll with your pooch.

If you think that taking the dog out for a walk amounts to little more than a bathroom break, think again! Your dog relies on walks for plenty of reasons other than eliminating, so whether he’s a big dog and you think he can “hold it” or he’s a tiny one that needs frequent potty breaks, he has to go outside several times a day to stay physically and mentally fit.

Canine Social Networking

Every dog walker in Chicago knows the value of socializing a dog—and the inevitable trouble if you don’t. Dogs need to be socialized frequently from a young age, learning how to behave around people and other dogs. If they don’t start when they’re young, they may grow up to be fearful, aggressive or over-excited at the sight of other animals or strangers. If your dog doesn’t get out of the house frequently, you’re breeding trouble.

Dog Walking and Fitness

Whether your dog is big or small, he needs regular walks to stay in good shape. That doesn’t mean taking him out for one extra-long walk a day, either—imagine if you sat on the couch from morning to night, only getting up to take a jog right before bed. Your muscles wouldn’t take to it, and your body wouldn’t necessarily benefit much from the exercise. Just like you, your dog needs to be active throughout the day, stretching his legs, working his muscles and keeping his metabolism going. If you have to leave him at home alone throughout the day, a quick mid-day visit from you or a local dog walker can make a world of difference in his physical health.

Walking for Emotional Well-Being

Dogs can get bored and lonely when left alone for too long, which is why Chicago dog walking services are so popular—they make sure that your little buddy has the companionship he needs and the activity that keeps his mind sharp. If he doesn’t, he can become restless, even developing a sense of separation anxiety that kicks in whenever you leave for the day. If you can’t make it home during the day to give him some attention and a few minutes of exercise, consider contacting a local dog walker that can stop by to show him some love.