"Wow" Factors!

Jan 15, 2024: Edition 169

Updated Jan 15, 2024. (See comments for some of our reviews & recommendations.) Written by Nalina Matthews.

What are our "Wow! Factors"?

Well, there are several. Sits & Wiggles team members go above & beyond in every aspect of our business. We provide these wow factors in order to show our appreciation to our clients, but also because we love the animals we work with.

Some wow factors we don't advertise. They are surprise perks for our clientele. Other wow factors are:

1. It's evident to every person & animal who we meet that we're motivated by love for both animals & people.

2. Sits & Wiggles has been voted Nextdoor Fave for both 2022 & 2023! We started business in 2021.

3. We have combined 43 years of pet sitting & dog walking experience / 21 years of dog training experience / 12 years of pet related business owner experience.

4. S&W is Keith's second successful dog training, walking & pet sitting business. He sold A Tender Touch Pet Services in 2005, upon relocating to Bend.

5. We have experience caring for special needs pups, including those who are blind, deaf, elderly, reactive, anxious or fearful.

6. We are background checked, licensed, bonded & insured, & always have been.

7. S&W is veteran owned as I was a medic in the U.S. Army for 6 years.

8. We are trained & certified in cat & dog first aid & CPR, & always have been.

9. Safety is our top priority. On our blog, I discuss concerns such as microchips that dislodge, lost pets, leaving a plan in your will in case you predecease your pets, extreme temperature safety, pet toxins & more.

10. I created a Facebook group to connect pet parents with pet care providers. Central Oregon Pet Services welcomes requests for services as well as provider advertising. S&W doesn't accept jobs from this site, in order to allow other local companies & independent contractors to take the jobs. This is not a marketing platform for us but a community hub. This is one of the ways in which we support local small businesses.

11. We have highlighted other small businesses on our website & social media pages. We work with fellow pet providers in order to collaborate, refer clients, exchange ideas & create bonds.

12. Since day one, S&W has been OPEN EVERY HOLIDAY!

13. We have provided QUALITY, DEPENDABLE & TRUSTWORTHY service EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR in 2023!

14. We have a small crew of 3. The client & pets will ALWAYS meet the handler before services start.

15. We send updates along with photos & / or videos on every visit.

16. We have great driving records & our vehicles are insured.

17. We utilize an award winning pet care app which offers GPS tracking, scheduling, invoicing & more.

18. Cameras are welcome (with safety parameters of course). We don't question if you have cameras or where they're located.

19. Keith Matthews, CTA-CDTK, FFCP-DT, is a Professional Certified Dog Trainer with 2 certifications. He has 14 years of experience. He has owned & operated S&W with Nalina for 3 years. He graduated from Catch Dog Trainers Academy, & is a Fear Free Certified Professional Dog Trainer. In addition, Keith has 4 experience as a Vet Tech, & 12 years as Groomer & General Manager of 2 Grooming Salons. Keith has 22 years of pet sitting & dog walking experience. He's worked with many animals, including a baboon & a wolf from the movie White Fang.

20. Monica Dulwick, CPDT-KA, ABC-DT, FFCP-DT is a Certified Dog Trainer with 3 training certifications. She graduated from Animal Behavior College. Monica also earned the Certified Professional Dog Trainer Knowledge Assessed Certification. She is a Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer. Monica has 7 years of dog training experience. She also has 2 years experience as an Area Trainer, as she trained other dog trainers within Oregon. Monica is an approved instructor for the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen program. She is a member of APDT. Monica has worked with special needs, elderly, fearful, reactive & anxious pups. She has 7 years of pet sitting & dog walking experience. Monica provides walking services with Sits & Wiggles, & dog training services through her company, Dog Dialect, LLC.

21. I, Nalina Matthews, FFCP- PS, MHFA, am a Fear Free Certified Professional Pet Sitter & a Certified Mental Health First Aider. I have owned & operated S&W with Keith for 3 years. I have 14 years of pet sitting experience. I've owned & operated S&W for 3 years, have been a Dog Trainer Assistant for 5 years, & have been married to a Dog Trainer for 19 years.

22. Pet care is our full time passion. We don't have another career to work around.

23. We only schedule one overnight job at a time. This ensures that we have emergency coverage for the overnight client.

24. Giving back to our community is one of our core values. We have a history of dedicated volunteerism. Currently, Keith is on the Habitat for Humanity of Oregon Homeowner Advisory Council. In the past, we've volunteered with The Humane Society, Caring for Troops, Neighbor Impact Head Start, Bend LaPine School District, Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes, The American Cancer Society, The Red Cross & The Salvation Army.

25. We share tips on how to interview other pet service providers. If our schedule permits, we offer to join you on provider consultations. Whether you choose to hire us or not, we will assist you, as we want only the best for you & your beloved pets. There is no cost for this service.

26. We have joined local dog trainers & pet sitters on their initial meetings with clients, in the name of safety. This is free of charge.

27. We offer free entrepreneurial guidance to new & aspiring pet care professionals.

28. Every team member is Fear Free Certified. We don't use alpha rolls, shock, choke or prong collars on your pets. We won't yell at, yank, harm or disrespect you or your pets. Fear Free methodologies minimize the potential for fear, anxiety & stress in the animal.

29. Keith is one of ONLY 3 Fear Free Certified Dog Trainers in Bend.

30. Monica is the ONLY Fear Free Certified Dog Trainer in Redmond.

31. Nalina is one of ONLY 2 Fear Free Certified Pet Sitters in Bend.

32. S&W can be found in the following directories: The Pet Professional Guild / Force Free Oregon / Fear Free Pets / Dog Guide Bend.

33. Sits & Wiggles team members are ever evolving & growing in a forward trajectory. We continue to add to our skills & knowledge bank.

34. We are trained to read dog body language, which offers the opportunity to minimize the potential for conflict between dogs in order to maintain safety.

35. Sits & Wiggles team members are ethical, honest & transparent in our words & actions. Our rates, qualifications & experience are clearly stated on our website, Facebook & Google. Our policies & procedures are clearly defined in our comprehensive contract. Clients can message us, access their invoices or request bookings through our pet care program.

36. Sits & Wiggles, LLC has NEVER left an overnight client without service. This is due to how we structured our business model. We have an emergency plan, and are set up to expect the unexpected.

37. We don't charge extra for weekends.

38. We don't have last minute booking fees.

39. Sits & Wiggles creates personalized music videos starring your pets, with client permission of course. For the initial video, clients can choose a favorite genre or song (as long as the content is appropriate). Keith is the video mastermind. I have yet to meet another dog trainer, pet sitter or dog walker who takes the skills, time, energy & passion to perform this service. In addition, this is included in our rates.

40. We include 2 dogs & one cat in our base pet sitting rate.

41. We include 2 dogs in our base walking rate.

42. We provide every client with 3 phone numbers so that they're always able to reach us.

43. Sits & Wiggles has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau.

44. Our contract is thorough & comprehensive. It clearly states at the top that we can attempt to create an alternate contract if you don't feel comfortable with this one.

45. Sits & Wiggles creates personalized music videos starring your pets, with client permission of course. For the initial video, clients can choose a favorite genre or song (as long as the content is appropriate). Keith is the video mastermind. I have yet to meet another dog trainer, pet sitter or dog walker who takes the skills, time, energy & passion to perform this service. In addition, this is included in our rates.

46. We offer "Bonus Time", which is additional time that we spend with your pets, for FREE! I've never experienced another company that offers HOURS of service for free to their clients.

47. All initial consultations except for dog training services are free of charge. We do offer a free half hour phone consultation for dog training services. All of the other services offer a free hour long in person consultation.

48. If your job is one month or more in the future, we will provide a second free hour long meeting. This assists your animals to familiarize with us again.

49. Oral, opthalmic & otic medication administration and management are included free of charge!

50. We intentionally leave daytime walking, sitting and training spots open for last minute bookings, delayed or cancelled flights, et cetera. In this sense, we expect the unexpected.

51. Sits & Wiggles charges zero last minute booking fees for all services.

52. All dogs are evaluated for safety prior to entering public spaces or meeting another dog.

53. Sits & Wiggles' handlers respect our clients' privacy. We will only share pet photos & videos with advance written permission. We never post until after clients have safely returned home. We don't disclose who our clients are, where they reside or work, personal details, etc.

54. Sits & Wiggles listens to & respects the pets' non verbal communication.

55. For overnight jobs, we allow the pet to choose which team member they connect with best. That person will perform the job.

56. Sits & Wiggles is more than a business. It is a community. We created a Facebook group for our community members to create friendships, share ideas, & more.

57. We send monthly newsletters to our Wiggly Community.

58. We won't play loud music in your home, or otherwise upset your neighbors. We won't throw parties in your home, or leave it smelling of smoke.

59. S&W won't advertise on our vehicles, in order to keep our clients, their pets, homes & identities safe. S&W discourages pet parents & providers from sharing job dates, in order to maintain safety.

60. Dogs are always leashed except when in fully fenced yards or dog parks.

61. Sits & Wiggles is professional, responsible & respectful at all times.

62. For current clients, we offer off leash adventure hikes, as well as butte hikes, park & river visits.

63. We offer Sniff Spot Adventures, in order to provide physical & mental stimulus, while minimizing the potential for illness that dog parks may increase.

64. Sits & Wiggles respects time restrictions. We won't communicate with our clients before 8 am or after 8 pm unless the client initiated the communication.

65. We are mindful of time differences, & don't disturb you during your sleep or family time, with the exception of emergency scenarios.

66. We have a positive, upbeat outlook.

67. Our rates are competitive; not the lowest or the highest in our area. These rates are value packed as we include many services, extensive experience & peace of mind.

68. S&W accepts several forms of payment.

69. We support other small businesses.

70. We always ensure that clients have arrived home safely & on time. Should a client's arrival be delayed, they may need extended pet care. Also, we genuinely care about the safety of our clients.

71. Our vehicles are equipped with dog specific first aid kits.

72. We follow the pet's routine, training & personalized needs.

73. In order to assist the multitude of lost dogs, we carry extra leashes, collars & treats at all times.

74. Our handlers help lost pets when we can. We've reunited several with their families. Others we connected with the Humane Society.

75. We respect pets' boundaries & timelines.

76. We are established within the community of like minded local pet professionals who utilize fear free, force free methods. If we're unavailable for your requested dates, we attempt to locate you trustworthy care.

77. Sits & Wiggles provides pet taxi services to & from the vet or groomer.

78. We also offer urgent vet transport. This service is available to our current clients at all times, but is dependent upon availability. We recommend having a backup emergency contact, as we can't guarantee availability.

79. Sits & Wiggles offers wedding attendant services. Your dog can be included in your celebration! Our handlers will tend to your pup while at the event, & provide round trip transportation. We will attend to all the dog related details so that you are free to enjoy your special day.

80. Overnight pet sitting services include a plethora of additional services such as mail retrieval, plant care, trash/blind/light rotation, linen services and more.

81. We leave the home clean. When you return, your home will look untouched. We bring our own food & hygiene items. We launder any linens that we use.

82. Our website has a resource page. A decade ago, I created a resource group on FB. Central Oregon Resources hasn't been updated recently. However, pertinent resources can still be found in the files section.

83. Every client receives 3 phone numbers, so that they can reach us via text or phone.

84. We are able to ascertain which dogs will mesh well. With pet parent permission, we facilitate dog play dates, which evolve into lasting friendships.

85. We've been able to step in & help when pet parents discovered that their pet provider never showed, or canceled at the last minute. Of course, we can't guarantee last minute availability. However, we will certainly try.

86. Our clients are a true community. We schedule community days. Friendships have been forged between people & pet clients. We've been invited to share in client celebrations, etc. WE"RE BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR OUR CLIENT COMMUNITY!

87. We have a plan in motion to assist our community. Stay tuned!

Nalina Matthews, representing Keith Matthews & Monica Dulwick

Owner / Operator of Sits & Wiggles, LLC

bendpetsitter.com / sits-wiggles.com

541-4CANINE / 4wigglyk9@gmail.com