Running The Pack

I’ve had nothing but an extremely positive experience with RtP. (Although admittedly, my dog Pep gets so incredibly excited every time Lindsey comes to run with her, it makes me a little jealous. She gets more excited to see her than me.) I also really like the fact that they use an online scheduling system, which makes it super easy to check on or cancel appointments, and the automated payment option is super convenient. So I’ll just echo the other 5-​star reviewers, and say that RtP has been great with my dog, extremely professional, and I’m psyched to have found them.

I have trusted Running The Pack as my go-​to daily dog walking service since moving to the East Somerville area. Upon inquiring about services, RTP sent a company representative as well as my potential dog walker to my home.
The dog walker knew to leave my pup alone until she got to know him and within five minutes, she had hopped up on his lap. I was able to walk him through our normal routine and and share my special requests.
Since March of this year, Ginger has been regularly walked (and loved!). The dog walker leaves a note every day, often times noting cute things like squirrel-​chasing antics, etc.
If I need to cancel, I just log online to the system in the morning and receive an email confirmation before the Afternoon to let me know everything is set. I pay easily through their online system and have never had any issues.
I would HIGHLY recommend RTP.

We LOVE Running the Pack and our walker, Erin! They are so reliable, super flexible and they have the best little online thing so that you can cancel your walks or add walks if necessary. After a bad experience with another dog walking company, we were a little hesitant but we have been beyond pleased with all of our interactions with everyone there. They’re also understanding of our constantly fluctuating work schedules so it’s not a big deal if we cancel a few walks one week and add a few walks the next. We HIGHLY recommend them!

They are very reliable and flexible. Our walker comes to our house almost every day and leaves a note in our daily log to tell us how our dogs’ walk went that day. They are also available for pet sitting and overnight stays on short notice and at reasonable rates. The online scheduling and billing website is also very convenient. They have also been nice enough as to not charge me for a few last minute cancellations, even though their policies would have allowed them to.

Apparently, Running the Park has so many customers that they don’t have room for any more — or they don’t have the courtesy to call back a potential customer, or they’re just too pathetically disorganized to be in business — none of these options is good. On the morning of Monday, Sept. 17, I called to ask whether the company serviced my area, and I was told they did (and it’s on their service map). We discussed the various walking options, I settled on a one-​hour walk a day ($ 25), and the person on the phone told me that the individual who serviced my area would call me. No call by the next day, so I called back. I was told that the potential walker needed to «check her schedule» but that she would definitely call me. It is now Thursday, September 20 at 4 p.m. That’s FOUR DAYS. Have I received a call, even one to say that it isn’t convenient for her to walk my dog after all? Nada, nothing, not a peep. What an incredibly rude and stupid way to do business. What happens if the weather’s bad or if the walker can’t show up? Based on my experience, I predict they’ll never call you. I am convinced the super-​positive reviews here must be bogus (as in «friends of the owner»), because a business can’t be this rude or stupid for only one person.

Running the Pack is absolutely wonderful. When I first got my puppy, Jill walked me through what the best walking schedule would best, as well as passed along some advice about how to make sure the walks that he was on with me were encouraging him to be the best little doggy-​citizen he could be. Nichole is the walker that covers our area (South End) and she is incredible. She leaves thoughtful notes and insights about his walks in a little noteboke and is willing to do a little extra like refilling the kong with yogurt, leaving ice cubes in the water bowl.
Even when Nichole can’t make it, the other walkers are amazing. I forgot to cancel one of our walks so I was home when Jillian came by– she’d never met our dog before but immediately put him at ease and he happily trotted out on his walk with her! He is sometimes nervous to leave me even when it’s my boyfriend walking him– who he has lived with since he’s been with me!
Our little guy is super friendly off leash, but on, he gets very fearful of other dogs and I was having a one-​on-​one playdate in Charlestown with a friend’s dog who is also walked by another Running the Pack professional. She knew my friend’s dog and asked if she could try a little technique with our dogs and got our dog to stop barking at the other dogs. She just wanted the absolute best for the dogs and taught me how to introduce a fearful dog to other dogs in a safe and positive way! So so so so so incredible and I love how committed and caring Jill and all her staff are.

I’ve been using running the pack for a few years, and have been very happy with the service. We’ve had a few walkers from Running the Pack over the years, and 99% of them have been wonderful. The one time we were a bit disappointed, Jill and Jana were incredibly responsive and helpful (and Jana took over as our walker immediately). We have our dog walked, instead of run, and he seems to love it.
The best feature of this service (as opposed to other walkers), is that they’re very flexible and responsive – when I’ve had friends’ dogs stay with me, they’ve been happy to take the two dogs for a walk, and they’ve been flexible when I have had to cancel at the last moment. They have a handy website where you can make and cancel walks, pay online, etc. I have an automatic payment set up, so I never have to worry about remembering to write a check.
In summary, the folks at Running the Pack are responsible, communicative, flexible, and, most importantly, they love dogs. I’ve used a bunch of different services, and this one is the best.

Running the Pack saved us!!! We were in an awful situation with another terrible service and Jill and her team were the complete opposite of what we had been suffering through… she is kind, available to talk, thorough, organized and extremely knowledgeable. Our walker is the best and she loves our dog so much… and Olive loves her too! We could not be happier! They have a new online system that allows you to send messages, review your account, cancel or change appointments — it’s great! And unlike the other service, you pay through Pay Pal… much more comforting than having your credit card charged in advance without your knowledge etc. They are the best… we can’t say enough about them!!! :) You can’t go wrong with Running the Pack!

We’ve been clients of RTP for a little over 2 years now. During that time, we’ve had a little bit of turnover with the walkers (due to either schedule changes or graduations) but we’ve been very happy with everyone RTP has sent to care for our cattle-​dog mix, Augie.
They’ve been very responsive and easy to work with when we’ve had special requests (needing extra visits, having extra dogs at the house to deal with), and they take wonderful care of Augie.
I know this because a) I have nose-​y neighbors who TELL us how good they are with him and b) I“ve been home on a few occasions when they’ve come by and I’ve seen how thrilled he is to see them. He wags his whole BODY for his current walker, Kent. And he’s a bit of a challenge, too — he can be very fearful and reactive with strangers — so it’s very comforting to run into people on the bike path and have them say «saw Augie with your new dog walker the other day, they’re great together» or I how he reacts when they arrive and watch him trot over for a cuddle.

I cannot say ENOUGH about Running the Pack, I have been a faithful customer since I got my 12 week old Keeshond Kona. Kona is now almost 3 and always loves going to her sitter. Jill is the best and treats Kona like her own. I have peace of mind when I have to be away knowing that Kona is safe and happily patrolling Jill’s garden to be free of bunnies. Kona also loves Jill’s dog Alex, I only have to say his name at home and she barks of excitement. I have looked into other places in Boston and they are more impersonal and anxiety provoking for my dog. I have come to think of Jill not only as Kona’s sitter but as a friend, very highly recommended!

Our dogs love Running the Pack. They are a life saver. I can go to work and not worry that I am leaving my kids (dogs) at home, as our trusty dog gal comes by to love them as if they were her own. Our dogs are thriving, and everyone is happy. They are reliable and flexible.
I highly recommend them.