Photo by Leah Ball

dogwalker etc! sitter Kate condos with roo (black lab), hoku (yellow lab) and Kanani (chocolate lab)

Photo by Leah Ball

erin gerwig, owner of dogwalker etc! holds her dog, isabella.

dogwalker etc! is a new service that caters to all of your pet’s needs

Thanks to Erin Gerwig and dogwalker etc!, long workdays, business meetings, family vacations – and simply not having enough hours in the day – don’t have to mean a cooped-up and unhappy pet.

The premier pet-sitting company caters to both pet and pet owner, providing professional services such as dog walking, overnight pet- and house-sitting, private luxury boarding, doggie tours, transportation and bathing.

“I had a few disasters before finding Erin, which has to be about six years now,” said Mari Wong, a Hawaii Loa Ridge resident and mommy of three Labradors. “Oh, my God, I don’t know what I would do without her because she’s been just perfect and I just trust her so much. I just want someone to treat my house as if it’s they’re own, and she’s the only company that did that. She’s impeccable because I think she’s such a perfectionist. And she’s got a lot of good people working for her.”

The dogwalker etc! staff has grown from a business idea six years ago to a 20-person operation servicing about 500 (human) clients islandwide. The staff are trained in pet CPR and provided with a thorough educational training session to ensure top quality care and safety.

“The nice thing about having a big staff is that we’re always available,” Gerwig said. “What also sets us apart is our customer service. Customer service is really important to me, and that’s what I stress with my staff and what I look for when I hire my staff.”

To ensure safety for the sitter, pet and home, which is always Gerwig’s main concern, dogwalker etc! is licensed, bonded and insured for liability. And the entire staff of dedicated pet lovers are fully trained and undergo a comprehensive background check.

“We offer primarily in-home pet care, which is where the sitter comes to the client’s home and cares for the animal there, which is a nice alternative to boarding kennels because the animals don’t actually have to go anywhere,” said Gerwig, owner of two Cavalier King Charles spaniels named Isabella and Libby, and one cat adopted from the humane society named Elian. “We also offer a new service called private boarding, where we take one household of animals in at a time, so it’s oneon-one with the sitters and 24-hour care in the sitter’s home. And we do everything from bathing, taxi service to and from vets, our midday walking is very popular and we do the doggy tours.”

For the midday walking service, Gerwig or one of her trained staff visits during the afternoon, up to three times a day, to walk the pet(s). She also modifies these visits to accommodate the owners’ and pets’ lifestyles, which includes activities such as swimming in the pool, playing fetch or even simply administering medication.

“I have a lot to do up here – there’s certain leashes for each dog, she has to remember to lock the gate,” said Wong, a legal assistant at the federal defenders office. “She takes my babies diving and swimming in the pool. My youngest, Hoku, just dives into the pool and Erin taught him that.”

Although the company primarily cares for dogs and cats, its services are available to any domestic pet. The company has cared for miniature horses, Jackson chameleons and even an octopus – just as long as it’s legal.

As for the walking service, dog-walker etc! hasn’t received any requests besides dogs, however, as Gerwig said, “I’m sure the day will come.”

To learn more about the services and sitters, visit www.dogwalkeretc.com