Portrait of Danny Rabkin, owner of Danny's Doggies, a dog walking, day care, and boarding service in San Francisco, CA — I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Danny Rabkin of Danny’s Doggies this month. We met because we’ve both worked with the same dog, Kodi, a beautiful, sweet, smart, and high energy adolescent chocolate lab. I trained her last year and Danny has been her family’s go-to dog walker and boarder.

Danny, you’ve been a professional dog walker since 2021. Tell me about your favorite dog walking experience.

It’s hard to pick just one dog walking experience. In general, my favorite experience is on days when I have more time in my schedule. We’ll walk all the way down to Golden Gate Park (GGP). That’s a treat for me and the dogs because it feels more leisurely, especially when it’s warm and sunny. We’ll walk down to the GGP Dog Training Area off of 36th St, where the dogs will play for a bit. Then we walk back along the JFK Promenade, which is nice because there’s a lot of room and it’s car-free. It’s good vibes.

What is your typical walking routine? How long are the walks?

My typical routine is doing pick ups throughout the neighborhoods I service and walking through Buena Vista Park to Corona Heights Dog Park. We’ll spend 90 minutes to 2 hours at the enclosed dog park where I let the dogs off-leash and run around. Then we walk down and I do drop offs.

*Danny’s Doggies at Corona Heights Dog Park*

What criteria do you use to determine which dogs to walk?

The first thing I do is chat with the prospective client to learn more about their dog. Dogs that are aggressive are the ones I say no to because I want to keep everyone safe. If the dog has no history of aggression and is able to walk long distances then I set up a meet and greet. I’ll ask the prospective client to meet me with their dog and I’ll have a few of my regular dogs with me to see how well all the dogs get along. Usually the prospective client is waiting for me at our rendezvous point and as soon as we’re within 5’ of each other, I ask them to start walking their dog ahead of me and then I catch up to them with my group. If I don’t see any red flags from the new dog like baring their teeth at my pack, then it’s a go.

That said, it may take a couple walks with the new dog to really understand if they’re a good fit. They can act differently around me without their owner and with my regular crew. Some dogs are too rambunctious with other dogs at the park and some stall and refuse to walk! So I’d say the main prerequisite to being a good fit is a dog that wants to walk!

As a dog walker that works with many dogs with varying degrees of training, what training and skills are most evident and helpful for you when you work with your clients’ dogs?

For walking my clients’ dogs, not pulling and meandering when we’re together as a pack are super helpful skills and very obvious when absent. In addition to solid loose leash walking skills, good recall makes my work easier when we’re at the off-leash dog park. If the dog is trained to wear a gentle leader, that can be helpful if they tend to pull when walking. Reactivity, scavenging, or chasing after things makes my job more challenging.

How do you manage your group of dogs?

While walking I can manage the length of the leashes. The pullers I keep on a shorter leash and the easy walkers get a longer rein. Periodically I have to stop to organize the leashes so they’re not all twisted and tangled up. I use a gentle leader with some of the big pullers.

At the dog park, the dogs tend to sort themselves out; the more introverted ones stick together and the extroverts hang out with each other. I’m always keeping an eye out to make sure all the dogs are behaving and playing well together. I’ll actively manage them by leashing them up or interrupting them if they’re going too hard or barking too much. I have an air horn as a last resort to break up rambunctious playing.

What strategies do you use to ensure the safety and well-being of the dogs you walk?

Prevention is key. I recently upgraded my gear to the Tiny Horse brand that has locking carabiners on both ends so the leashes don’t come unhooked from the dog or the shoulder sling I’m wearing. In addition to gear, I carry citronella spray and an air horn on me and I’m always observing and actively communicating with others when I’m with my dogs.

I know many of the regulars at the dog park and I’m hyper aware of who enters the dog park - both human and dogs - especially when the dog is unfamiliar and/or intact (un-neutered). If I see the dog’s body language is not friendly I’ll monitor them closely while the dogs are in the park together. I’m more cautious around un-neutered dogs and put some of my dogs on leash because I’ve had some dogs who are otherwise fine, be reactive to intact dogs. Once I know the dog and the owners are regulars, I’ll ask the owners of intact dogs to give me warning before they come into the park.

Shredded tennis balls and small balls are swallowing hazards. So as soon as we arrive at a park, I’ll walk around and pick up the tennis balls and throw them in the trash.

Lastly, I’m very careful when crossing the street at crosswalks. Unfortunately, people driving cars don’t like to stop for pedestrians and dogs!

Can you share a story about a challenging situation you encountered while walking a dog and how you handled it?

For the most part, people are nice when I’m out walking my dogs but every once in a while I do get trouble from people. I’ve had a few incidents where people are threatening toward me, which upsets the dogs. A couple people have yelled at me even though I’m not breaking any laws: I’m on public sidewalks and all my dogs are on leash. One person even hit me and I had to call the police! Due to that, I now wear a body cam to record the interaction for my own safety and evidence.

Dogs that are off-leash who approach my pack and try to interact with or integrate into my pack can be disruptive. I have to get the owner to get their dog under control, and unfortunately not everyone is cooperative. I do my best to be polite and communicate clearly with them and get my dogs away from the situation as quickly as possible.

How do you build a rapport with a new dog, especially one that may be shy or anxious?

I have a few anxious and shy dogs in my pack and I give them more individual attention. It helps when I’ve boarded them so they get to know me in a more relaxed setting.

Right, you also board dogs. Can you tell me a little more about your doggie day care and boarding service?

When I have dogs for the day or board them overnight, I treat them like they’re my dog, Crosley. They hang out with me at home and depending on the dog and how many I’m taking care of, I’ll take them everywhere with me – even to the gym, and neighborhood cafe or bar. If they want, they can sleep in my bed with me. They have the run of my home as long as they’re well -behaved.

I see that you’re certified in Pet First Aid and CPR, have you ever had a medical emergency with one of your client’s dogs?

Fortunately, I’ve never had to actually use my Pet First Aid training but I have had occasions in which I had to take dogs under my care to the ER. I used to have a weimaraner that I walked and looked after during the day. He liked to hoard balls and would fit as many as he could in his mouth. And he wouldn’t drop them. Once he swallowed one so that was my first trip to the ER with a client’s dog!

How do you communicate with pet owners, and what kind of updates can they expect from you?

With boarding, I send text messages with pictures. The owners always know they can text me to check in and get a response back pretty quickly within reason. Whatever their preference is.

When I’m walking, it’s simpler to upload photos to my Instagram (IG) account @dannys.doggies and tag the dog owners if I have their handles. It’s fun and builds community because they’ll chime in and share with others. If an owner is not on IG, I’m happy to text them individually.

For my final question, as a dog walker and dog parent yourself, what would be the number one piece of advice you would give to my clients who are looking for a dog walker? What would you look for or ask of a dog walker for your pup, Crosley?

It says a lot when the walker goes through all the steps to get the city business license, dog walker’s permit if walking more than 3 dogs at a time, liability insurance, first aid certification, etc. For me it demonstrates that they’re taking their job and your dog’s safety seriously and are being professional. Two other important criteria to look for are positive reviews and references, and requiring vaccinations for all their client dogs. That way you know your dog won’t be exposed to any serious illnesses.

Also, you can usually tell how they treat the dogs by how the dogs respond to the walker. Are they excited? Or anxious? Of course, I understand if the dog is fearful at first, but after some time, the dog should not still be afraid of the dog walker or dog walking experience.

Thank you so much for your time Danny. It was a pleasure getting to know you more!

Danny’s Doggies: “Expert dog care in San Francisco's NOPA neighborhood and vicinity. Leashed pack walks, excursions, active daycare, parks & play, and boarding. Individualized attention, all on foot. Licensed & insured.”

Check out Danny’s website to learn more about his dog walking services. If you’re not in Danny’s service area, check out GoDogPro, a directory that allows you to search for an established, force-free dog business including dog walkers and groomers that you can trust.

Does your dog zig zag when walking? Want help with easy walking on leash? Let’s chat!

Breath easy with good leash walking