Frequently Asked Questions – Pet Sitting, Dog Training, and More in Glendale, AZ

At FurBabies & Friends, we operate seven days a week to accommodate the busy schedules of pet parents throughout Glendale, Peoria, Sun City, and the Phoenix West Valley. Because many of our services, including dog walking, pet sitting, and in-home dog training, are appointment-based, we offer flexible scheduling based on your needs.

We do not have a storefront, but most visits are scheduled between 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM, including weekends and holidays. Every Sunday, Kristie provides your pets schedule and caretakers.

📌 This is one of the most asked questions we receive. For more pet care FAQ answers in Glendale, visit our full list below.

Thank you for considering FurBabies & Friends!  We’re always happy to help! If you don’t see the answer to your question in our FAQ, feel free to reach out directly.

Whether you're looking for dog training, pet sitting, dog walking, or other pet services in Glendale or Peoria, we’re here to help guide you through the process. You can call, text, email, or message us with your request, and someone from our local pet care team will respond promptly.

📧 Email: FurbabiesandFriends@yahoo.com
📱 Call or Text: 623-715-4777
📲 Social Media: @furbabiesandfriendsaz
👉 Request a quote or message us directly

💡 This is one of the most common questions we receive from pet parents. For more FurBabies & Friends FAQs, keep exploring our pet care Q&A section!

Most definitely! FurBabies & Friends is a licensed business in both Glendale and Peoria. (The City of Phoenix does not require a license for this type of service.) We’re also registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission and a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Each team member is bonded and insured through Pet Sitters and Associates. This provides protection for every pet sitting, dog walking, grooming, and training service we offer.  Giving you peace of mind at every visit. We are proud to be a trusted provider of professional pet care in Glendale, AZ.

If you'd like to see proof of licensing or insurance, just ask, we’re happy to share! We know your pet’s safety and your trust are the foundation of everything we do.

Yes! Every FurBabies & Friends team member completes a thorough background check and job shadows before taking on any client visits. We also implement a probationary period to ensure all pet care is compassionate, consistent, and safe.

Our sitters, walkers, groomers and trainers have hands-on experience. Each one follows our positive reinforcement standards and fear-free handling techniques. We proudly provide trusted pet care throughout Glendale, Peoria, and the surrounding Phoenix West Valley.

If you're searching for a professional, dependable, and well-trained team, you’ve found the right place.

Every pet sitting visit from FurBabies & Friends is customized to your pet’s care routine and your preferences. We believe no two pets, or homes, are the same. That’s why we take time to understand your expectations and tailor each drop-in accordingly.

Standard visit services include:

Feeding and refreshing water

Potty breaks, litter box cleaning, or cage maintenance

Administering oral or topical medication (as needed)

Playtime, walks, or enrichment activities

Mail pickup, light rotation, and home safety checks

You’ll also receive:

A real-time check-in and end-of-visit message

Photos and/or videos so you can see your pet is happy and safe

Whether you have a dog, cat, bird, rabbit, or reptile, our pet sitting visits are designed to meet your pet where they’re most comfortable, their own home. Our goal is to ensure your pet stays relaxed and your home stays secure.

All of the above! At FurBabies & Friends, we offer both overnight pet sitting and multiple daily drop-in visits, based entirely on your pet’s needs and your preferences.

For pet parents who prefer extra support and supervision, we provide three live-in overnight care options:

🕛 12-hour overnight stay

🕕 18-hour extended overnight care

🕓 23-hour full-time live-in service

During these stays, your sitter keeps your pet’s routine consistent, feeding, exercise, bedtime rituals, potty breaks, and medications are all covered with love and care.

For pets that don’t need someone overnight, we offer drop-in visits throughout the day. These include meals, water refresh, playtime, potty breaks, medication if needed, and companionship.

Whether your pet needs round-the-clock care or just a few daily check-ins, we’ll help build a custom pet sitting schedule that keeps them safe, comfortable, and happy, right in their own home.

In-home pet sitting with FurBabies & Friends means your pets stay in the comfort of their own home meaning no travel, no kennels, and no stress. Instead of taking your pet to a boarding facility, one of our bonded and insured professional pet sitters comes to you.

We offer three types of in-home pet care services:

💧 Drop-In Visits – Short visits for feeding, potty breaks, playtime, or medication.

🌙 Overnight Stays – A sitter stays in your home to provide evening and morning care.

🏠 Live-In Pet Sitting – All-day and overnight care for pets who need round-the-clock companionship.

Each visit follows your detailed care instructions and includes a message when we arrive, a recap at the end, and photos or videos of your happy pets. These visits are perfect for dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, and small pets.

Whether you’re traveling or just away for the day, our in-home pet sitting is a safe, comfortable alternative to boarding, and a great way to ensure your pets feel loved while you’re gone.

Without a doubt! At FurBabies & Friends, we regularly care for pets with unique medical needs, behavior plans, and mobility challenges. Whether your pet needs oral medication, eye drops, topical treatments, or special feeding routines, our experienced team follows your instructions with precision.

While we typically do not administer injections or subcutaneous fluids, we’re happy to discuss your pet’s situation during the Meet & Greet to determine what’s appropriate.

To ensure the best care:

📝 Please document all special instructions clearly during your Meet & Greet.

🧘‍♀️ We’ll follow your routine to minimize stress and maintain comfort.

💊 Medication administration is always handled calmly and compassionately.

We’re here to support your pet’s health and happiness, no matter what level of care they need.

We strongly recommend booking your pet sitting services in Glendale as early as possible. Peak seasons, such as holidays, school breaks, and summer travel, fill up quickly. During these times, we prioritize existing clients and those who plan ahead.

🐾 To ensure availability:

Book at least 3 weeks in advance for standard drop-in visits

For overnight pet sitting, reserve your spot as soon as your travel plans are confirmed

If you have a preferred sitter, reach out even earlier for the best chance of matching

While we always try to accommodate last-minute requests, availability is not guaranteed. Advance booking gives you peace of mind while providing your pet the best care with the sitter they know and trust.

We offer flexible dog walking and potty break options to meet your pet’s needs. Most walks are scheduled for 30, 45, or 60 minutes, depending on your dog’s energy level and your preferences.

During each visit, your dog will enjoy:

A tailored walk or backyard play session (weather dependent)

A potty break with clean-up

Fresh water refill

A treat with your approval

For quick relief or low-activity needs, 15-minute potty breaks are ideal, especially for puppies, senior pets, or homes without a doggy door.

Not sure which option is best? We’ll happily guide you during your complimentary Meet & Greet. After all, personalized care is what we’re known for!

Every dog walking session is designed with safety and comfort in mind. That’s why we only walk up to two non-reactive dogs from the same household at a time.

We do not offer pack walks or group walks with dogs from different homes. This policy ensures:

Each dog gets one-on-one attention

Walks remain calm and enjoyable

Safety is always a top priority

If you have more than two dogs, or if one of your pups is leash reactive or requires special handling, we may recommend scheduling separate walks. As always, we’re happy to discuss what works best for your pets during your complimentary Meet & Greet.

Your dog’s safety always comes first, especially during Arizona’s extreme weather.

During intense heat, monsoon storms, or cold snaps, we adjust walks as needed to keep your pet safe. These weather-related modifications may include:

Shortening the walk to reduce exposure, supplementing with playtime

Choosing shaded or cooler routes

Substituting indoor playtime or enrichment in your home or backyard

Checking pavement temperature to avoid paw burns

Shifting walk times when possible

If the weather becomes dangerous or unsafe, we’ll contact you immediately to discuss alternatives. We also recommend leaving indoor access available for your pup, especially during midday visits in summer or during storms.

Our experienced dog walking team in Glendale, AZ is trained to adapt in all weather conditions. Regardless of the forecast, your pet will always receive safe, compassionate, and consistent care.

Most certainly! At FurBabies & Friends, we know that every dog has different preferences, and pet parents know their pups best.

During your complimentary Meet & Greet, we encourage you to share:

Favorite walking routes

Local parks your dog loves

Ideal visit times or routines

Whenever possible, our dog walking team in Glendale, AZ will tailor the schedule and route to fit your dog’s needs and your preferences. Whether your pup enjoys a familiar sidewalk loop or prefers backyard play, we aim to provide a personalized, stress-free experience every time.

After all, custom care is what FurBabies & Friends is all about!

Force-free training means we never use pain, fear, intimidation, or physical corrections to change behavior. Instead, we rely entirely on positive reinforcement, rewarding the behaviors we want to see more of using treats, toys, praise, or play.

Kristie Halverson, our dog trainer, follows the LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) approach. She proudly maintains a no-shock, no-prong, and no-choke policy. We do not use or recommend aversive tools of any kind.

Importantly, force-free is the guiding philosophy, and positive reinforcement is the method. This approach is:

Backed by science, including the AVSAB’s Humane Dog Training Position Statement

Shown to build trust, improve learning, and support your dog’s emotional well-being

Rooted in compassion and an understanding of how animals learn best

Whether you’re working on obedience, manners, or behavior modification, our positive dog training in Glendale, AZ emphasizes clarity, kindness, and consistency, never punishment.

Our dog training is always force-free, fear-free, and rooted in positive reinforcement. Kristie Halverson, owner, trainer, and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluator, follows the LIMA model, which means using the Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive strategies for behavior change.

Kristie is a proud member of:

The Pet Professional Guild

The IAABC Foundation

The Association of Professional Dog Trainers

She does not use or recommend shock collars, prong collars, choke chains, or punishment-based tools—ever.

Her unique approach is built on the RESPPPECT framework:

Reward

Exercise

Socialize

Positive

Punctual

Patient

Energy

Consistent

Trust

Every training plan is personalized based on your dog’s needs, temperament, and learning pace. So whether your dog needs help with basic manners, leash reactivity, impulse control, or confidence-building, Kristie meets them where they are, without pain, fear, or intimidation.

In the end, the goal is simple: to foster a lifetime of trust, clear communication, and mutual respect between you and your dog.

The timeline for training results depends on your dog’s age, temperament, learning history, and environment.  
Plus the specific behaviors you want to change. Some dogs respond quickly to simple cues like “sit” or “wait,” while more complex issues, such as leash reactivity or fear-based behavior, may take several weeks or even months of consistent training.

Just as importantly, your role matters. Success often depends on:

Your consistency and follow-through

How well you apply techniques between sessions

The timing and type of rewards you use

Your understanding of positive reinforcement dog training

We always encourage clients to shift focus from speed to skill-building. Think of dog training like learning a language or starting a fitness journey, if you skip the foundation, progress stalls. The same goes for your pup.

Yes! We offer private, group, and in-home dog training sessions tailored to your dog’s needs and your lifestyle. Our positive reinforcement training services are available throughout Glendale, Peoria, Sun City, and the Phoenix West Valley.

Here’s how we support pet parents through flexible options:

Private Dog Training
Ideal for behavior concerns, basic obedience, puppy manners, or confidence building. These sessions are fully customized and held at your home or a nearby location of your choice.

Group Obedience Classes
A budget-friendly way to work on skills with other dogs and people present. Great for improving focus and communication in real-life distractions. Class topics include:

Beginner and intermediate obedience

Classes are held seasonally and announced on our Facebook Events page.

No matter which option you choose, Kristie uses only force-free, positive reinforcement dog training methods, guided by the RESPPPECT™ framework. Every training plan is personalized for your dog’s learning style, temperament, and your family’s goals.

FurBabies & Friends specializes in gentle, positive, fear-free, and cage-free dog grooming for dogs with fur, not hair,  in Glendale, AZ. All grooming takes place one-on-one in our private, climate-controlled studio making the set up ideal for anxious, reactive, or senior pets who need a stress-free environment.

We offer a wide range of force-free grooming services designed to keep your pup clean, comfortable, and cared for:

🛁 Core Grooming Packages

Dog Bath & Brush – Includes gentle shampoo, blow dry, and light coat brushing

Squeaky Clean Bath Package – Adds nail trim or grind, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, and thorough coat brushing with upgraded products

🧽 Specialty Grooming

De-Shedding Treatment – Multi-step brushing and blow dry to reduce shedding for up to 4 weeks

De-Matting – Safe removal of mats or gentle shaving when needed for comfort

✨ À la Carte Add-Ons

Nail trims or grinding

Ear cleaning or plucking

Teeth brushing

Paw shaves and facials

Sanitary or face trims

We also offer in-home nail trims and a nail desensitization training session for dogs who are fearful or uncooperative with nail or paw care.

Whether your pup needs a quick bath or a full spa day, we’ll customize their grooming experience with compassion, patience, and expert care.

At this time, FurBabies & Friends offers grooming services exclusively for dogs. Our private, cage-free grooming studio in Glendale, AZ is purpose-built for canine care, with equipment, processes, and protocols specifically tailored to dogs of all sizes, ages, and temperaments.

While we do not currently provide cat grooming, we’re happy to recommend trusted, cat-experienced professionals in the area. We believe every pet deserves gentle, stress-free grooming, even if that means connecting you with the right expert outside our team.

If you have questions or need a cat grooming referral in Glendale, just ask, we’re here to help.

No, FurBabies & Friends does not offer full-body haircuts or breed-specific grooming styles. Our grooming philosophy focuses on force-free, fear-free care that keeps your dog clean, healthy, and stress-free. We do not use cages or high-volume environments, ensuring a calm and individualized experience in our private Glendale grooming studio.

While we don’t perform full cuts or shaves, we do provide essential coat care and hygiene services, including:

✂️ De-matting treatments (when safe and appropriate)

🧼 Sanitary trims

🐾 Paw shaves and clean-ups

🐶 Face and ear trims for comfort and hygiene

If your dog needs a breed-specific groom or full haircut, we’re happy to refer you to a trusted dog groomer in Glendale, AZ who aligns with our gentle approach. Your pet’s emotional well-being always comes first.

Never! FurBabies & Friends is a 100% cage-free grooming studio. We do not use kennels, crate drying, or any assembly-line grooming practices. Every grooming session is one-on-one in our private, climate-controlled Glendale grooming space, designed to make your dog feel safe and relaxed.

This setup is especially beneficial for:

🐶 Anxious dogs

🧓 Senior dogs

🐕‍🦺 Reactive or sensitive pups

Your dog will never be crated before or after their appointment. Instead, we offer:

💚 Individualized attention from start to finish

🚶‍♂️ Potty breaks and decompression time

🎉 Plenty of praise, gentle handling, and stress-free care

We schedule only one dog at a time, or two from the same household, to provide a calm, fear-free grooming experience in Glendale, AZ. Your dog’s comfort and emotional well-being are always our top priority.