Your pet will love us, too.
Experience peace of mind knowing your pet is getting the best possible care when you’re away.
The time has come to say goodbye to Happy Tails Pet Care.
This isn’t a sad goodbye, though! We’re redirecting our vision to focus more on dog training and boarding through The Working K9. Thank you for an unforgettable decade!
Your pet deserves the best, and that’s exactly what you provide!
So, when it isn’t you looking after your pet,
it should be someone you can trust completely.
Happy Tails Pet Care can help you!
We are leaders in premium full service pet care in Ottawa, Ontario.
Don’t trust just anyone.
You don’t want to trust just any animal lover with your pet’s wellbeing, because your pet is part of the family – we understand: our pets are part of our family, too!
Our highly skilled team consists of veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, dog trainers, and animal enthusiasts – all committed to offering your pet the individualized care they deserve.
All our staff have Pet First AID and CPR, to ensure they are equipped to deal with any emergency. Our staff are more than comfortable working with reactivity and other behavioural issues – your pet needs the best care, no matter what they may require.
We go far beyond meeting your pet’s basic needs.
We focus on confidence building, teaching manners, basic expectations, and stimulating your pet’s mind so at the end of the day they experience the satisfaction that comes from being both mentally and physically tired.
DOG WALKING
More than just a basic stroll! On a fun private walk in your neighbourhood, your dog will improve their loose-leash walking skills, build confidence, and get plenty of engaging mental stimulation. They’ll come home tired and satisfied! If your dog is reactive, don’t worry; they will be matched with walkers who have experience with reactivity. If the weather is particularly terrible, our staff can train your dog to use your treadmill (if you have one) or provide mental stimulation and play, indoors.
Private 30 minute walk: $25
Private 45 minute walk: $30
Private 60 minute walk: $35
*Each additional dog in the same household: $10.
BOARDING
Your pet will receive the same love and attention while you are away as when you are home! In your home or ours, your pet will receive care day and night, including walks, playtime, administering medication, and meeting specific feeding requirements. Your pet will thrive with their routine intact.
Boarding at a sitter’s home: $55 per night
Boarding (live-in) in your home: $85 per night
*Rate is based on one dog, additional fees apply for multi animal households –contact us for a customized quote.
PUPPY & CAT VISITS
While you’re at work, we’ll make sure your puppy or kitty has ample outdoor bathroom time/a spotless litter box, fresh food and water, and stimulating, structured, and supervised playtime to tire them out.
$20 per visit.
Visits are 15 minutes in length.
*Longer visits are available for an extra charge.
Holidays rates are 1.5x charge
2021 dates are as follows
Labour Day | Sept 6, 2021
Thanksgiving | Oct 11, 2021
Winter Holiday | Dec 20th 2021 – Jan 2nd 2022
Your pet deserves the best possible care.
1) Book your services
Select the days you require care for your pets, and what kind of services they’ll need.
2) Meet and greet
We will arrange a complimentary meet and greet to ensure a great match between our staff and your pet.
3) Experience peace of mind while you’re away!
Your pet is in great hands, learning and having fun!
Testimonials
I couldn’t ask for better service and care! We needed a last minute sitter for our new rescue that I was definitely nervous about leaving the first time. Set him up in home with the absolutely perfect Sara who not only spoiled and did an amazing job dealing with all his idiosyncrasies but sent us updates constantly so we actually managed a wonderful stress free week away knowing he was in perfect hands. Beyond thankful.
Amazing service, amazing team. They are very knowledgeable and answered all my questions, reassured all my concerns. Thank you for everything! You have a returning customer!
Veronica is fantastic. She came all the way out to Almonte to look after our dog and cat. Our dog is terrified of everything and everyone… Despite her peeing and pooping in the house out of fear (a new person in her house!), Veronica handled everything amazingly. And by the end of the night they were best friends (and that never happens!). Wouldn’t trust our pets to anyone else.
Thank you for stopping in to take care of the boys for a few hours while we took in some Christmas fun! We had a great day knowing they were in good hands and getting updates was very comforting!
Jamie has been awesome with both our dogs! They are always tired when they get home so I know they had fun.
My kitties are incredibly picky, but happy tails pet care has done such an amazing job giving them love and care, we came home to 3 happy kitties and no crazy messes!
Happy Tails did an amazing job looking after our Chinchillas while we were on vacation! We came home to happy furbabies who were well fed and well taken care of! Thank you!
Have any questions?
Why do I need a dog walker?
For those with busy lifestyles, it can be difficult to find the time to provide adequate exercise for your dog. Hiring a dog walker gives you peace of mind that your dog is getting the exercise they need. Our staff are exceptionally well trained, and are able to provide amazing mental stimulation through training and structured activities on the walk, so your dog comes home even more tired in less time! In fact, your dog will likely learn great new behaviours while with our staff that you can enjoy with them on your walks together.A dog walker can also be a lifesaver in inclement weather – we know a wide variety of indoor exercise tricks to put to good use when the weather is too hot or cold to walk your canine companion outside safely. If you are in the process of dealing with your dog’s reactivity or aggression and feel uncomfortable walking your dog in public, a highly skilled dog walker (like the staff at Happy Tails!) can ease that anxiety and help your dog’s training.
Why should I choose a dog walker instead of a dog daycare?
At a doggie daycare facility, you have little to no control over the other pets who are there. Frequently, daycare facilities do not provide a truly structured environment: often, animals are within a closed environment but essentially left to entertain themselves. Real “rest” time, away from the stimulation and distractions of other pets, is limited or non-existent. A dog walker provides customized, structured stimulation and exercise that is exactly suited to your particular dog.
What is a slip lead or chain collar, and why do you use them?
Slip leads and chain collars are the preferred tools of many top trainers. Slip leads and chain collars give dogs the appropriate positive reinforcement when they are in the heel position – the collar stays nice and loose around the dog’s neck. It is amazing how quickly they can grasp that this is the behaviour you want from them with the appropriate tool! However, should the dog move from that position or bolt, these tools allow the handler complete control.
How far in advance should I book your services?
For holidays and other popular dates (such as Christmas, March Break, etc.), advance booking is highly recommended. We cannot guarantee availability, especially with less than 24 hours notice.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will be charged the full amount of the service fee.
What payment types do you accept?
We accept credit cards or e-transfers.
What is a “structured” walk?
A structured walk is essentially walking with a purpose, rather than simply holding the end of the leash and walking in a straight line for a given amount of time. A structured walk includes lots of mental stimulation – sitting at stop lights, recall, and other basic obedience commands. These activities keep your dog mentally engaged as well as physically engaged.
Do you stay in my home, 24/7, with the live-in boarding option?
During the “live-in” boarding service, we are there during the day and night to look after your pets. We confirm our scheduled time away with you in advance, so you know exactly when we will be out of your house and for how long – just as if we lived there!
My pet requires medication - is your staff trained to administer this?
All of our staff are trained to handle basic medications, and we have veterinary technicians as well as veterinary assistants on our team who can easily handle more complex requirements such as injections.
Our qualified staff are ready to go above and beyond.
Veronica Malkova
Founder / Owner / Trainer
Read Bio
Born and raised in Ottawa, ON with family roots in the Czech Republic, Veronica always had a passion for animals both big and small, growing up.
In 2012, Veronica took her dog walking “side-hustle”, Happy Tails Pet Care Services, full-time. By word of mouth, Happy Tails began to grow and was quickly inundated with clients. Over the next several years, Veronica dove deeper in to the world of dog training and began showing and competing with her dogs, as well as client’s. Fast forward to 2018, where Veronica had already been training and trialling dogs for some time, the high demand called for something more; The Working K9 was born. She made the decision to split the two main services Happy Tails offered (pet care and dog training) in to two companies: Happy Tails and The Working K9 – where one company would deal solely with pet care and the other deal solely with dog training.
For her, animals are not just a hobby they are a passion and lifestyle. Happy Tails Pet Care and The Working K9 are now leading their respective industries and have over 20 staff, combined. To date, Veronica’s resume includes but is not limited to a plethora of show and sport titles, training service dogs and therapy dogs both privately and for various organizations, Temperament Testing for A-Class breeders, as well as training and teaching both police and military across Canada and the United States of America. Through Veronica’s knowledge, passion, and work ethic she has been fortunate to have built great friendships with some of the biggest names in dog training, around the world. So whether you are looking in to having a dog as a companion, service dog, protection dog, hunting dog, show dog, or anything in between, Veronica is your go-to gal.
In her spare time, Veronica enjoys traveling, hiking, catching up with friends, going to the shooting range, fishing, taking a rip on the ATV, stargazing, and so much more. Veronica is a young soul with a wise mind, who simply loves the life she lives and lives that life every day to the fullest, with her four-legged crüe.
Certifications & Highlights:
- Sponsorships/Ambassador with Fromm Family Foods (2020)
- Sponsorships/Ambassador with Vessi Footwear (2020)
- Sponsorship/Ambassador with Naturawls (2020)
- American Kennel Club approved AKC FIT DOG! club (2020)
- American Kennel Club Judge for: AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, AKC Canine Good Neighbor, AKC Community Canine, AKC Urban Canine, and AKC Trick Dog tests (2019)
- Sponsorship/Ambassador with Gunner Kennels (2019)
- Forrest Micke at First Dog: Westwood, NJ (2019)
- Firearms Training – Florida Firearms Academy: Tampa, FL (2018)
- The Balanced Dog – Brian Agnew: Thousand Islands, ON (2018)
- Ongoing work with Ivan Balabanov of Ot Vitosha Malinois & Premier Protection dogs: Plant City, FL (since 2016)
- Ongoing work with Natalia Balabanov of Dog Training of Tampa Bay: Plant City, FL (since 2016)
- Ongoing work with Greg & Theresa Chan of ConnQuest Dobermans: Newtonville, ON (since 2016)
- OHS Pet First Aid: Ottawa, ON (2015)
- Director – Dames Saving Danes Rescue: Ottawa, ON (2015)
- Volunteer & Adoption Coordinator – Friendly Giants Dog Rescue: Ottawa, ON (2013-2014)
- Founded Happy Tails Pet Care Services: Ottawa, ON (2011)
- Protection & Self Awareness Course: Ottawa, ON (2008)
- CanWest CanSpell: Ottawa, ON (2007)
- Emergency Vet Course: Ottawa, ON (2006)
- B.A.S.S: Ottawa, ON (2006)
- Pet Sitters International
- IPO Ottawa
- German Shepherd Schutzhund Club of Canada
- Canadian Kennel Club
- American Kennel Club
- International Association of Canine Professionals
- North America Diving Dog
- American Working Malinois Association
- Obedience (Schutzhund/IGP, Rally Obedience, Competitive Obedience, etc.)
- Protection (Schutzhund/IGP, Police/Military K9 criminal apprehension, etc.)
- Scent (Tracking, Scent Boxes, etc.)
- Agility (Intro/Basic to Competitive)
- Service Dog (PTSD, Autism, etc.)
- English
- French
- Czech
Mead
Walker / Sitter / General Manager
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Although Mead grew up surrounded by animals, her passion for doing more with dogs truly kicked in when she brought home a little white fluff named Mac – a Great Pyr x Golden Retriever pup. When it comes to her life with animals, she enjoys learning the in’s and out’s of animal behaviour, so you’ll often see her joining our sister-company’s (The Working K9) workshops and classes with Mac. With a degree in Psychology from Carleton U, Mead doesn’t just love to work with animals – she also has a true passion for working with special needs children and adults which she has been doing since 2016. In her spare time, you’ll find Mead outdoors with Mac or getting her sweat on, at the gym.
Languages: English
Highlights: Holds a B.A Honors in Psych. with a concentration in Health Psych. (Carleton University, 2019), currently enrolled in her B.Ed. (University of Ottawa, 2021), as well as a Trainer through our sister-company, The Working K9.
Lindsay
Walker / Sitter / Head of Staff
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As Happy Tails’ Head of Staff, Lindsay is absolutely thrilled to be spending her days surrounded by Ottawa’s most loveable pets. She prides herself on her vast working knowledge of practically every breed imaginable, for offering care personalized to the needs of each individual animal, and for providing their owners with excellent communication all along the way. And with her love of photography, you can always count on Lindsay to share the most brilliantly adorable photos of your beloved pet, as she cares for them.
Over the years, Lindsay has personally cared for a variety of pets. Everything from a toy poodle named Tara, to a bearded dragon named Bruce. Right now she shares her home with two precious bunnies, a holland lop named Gus and a harlequin named Lacey and both just can’t stop demanding treats!
Languages: English
Highlights: A total expert on rabbits, avid photographer, and an absolute animal enthusiast.
![[Full post on Facebook]
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A month ago we made a bittersweet decision. Shortly thereafter we sent out an email to all. Finally, the day has come where the last post on this page will be made.
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To all of our wonderful clients,
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It’s been 10 amazing years since Happy Tails first started as a dog-walking service that eventually grew to become the largest full-service pet care company in Ottawa. In that time, we’ve cared for thousands of animals, interacted with thousands of clients, and expanded our services beyond dog walking and boarding to include training through our sister-company, The Working K9, which now operates out of both Ottawa, ON and Tampa, FL.
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Through The Working K9, we work with clients all over North America (even down south in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico and overseas in Europe doing our virtual training sessions) alongside our own training and competing with our personal pack of K9’s between Canada and the USA now.
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It’s time to make the bittersweet decision to say goodbye to Happy Tails Pet Care Services and close this chapter of my life.
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[...]
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Finally, from all of us at Happy Tails Pet Care Services, thank you for a decade of amazing experiences. I personally can truly say I would not be here without all of you. Happy Tails was my foundation. Happy Tails allowed me to get my hands on so many breeds, temperaments, and ages of animals moulding me into the teacher, trainer, and competitor I am today. My heart is full.
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Here’s to The Working K9 and its continued success; time to kick it in to high gear!
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- Veronica
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The Working K9
IG: @TheWK9
FB: www.facebook.com/thewrkgk9
WEB: www.theworkingk9.ca](https://happytailspetcare.ca/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
We’d love to hear from you.
Happy Tails Pet Care Services
Your pet will love us too.
Interested in dog training? Check out our sister company, The Working K9.