About Take Paws

A dog-walking company with a behavior service attached

Take Paws is, in its own words, "Madison's Trusted Pet Care Service" offering "Dog Walking, Pet Sitting and Dog Behavioral Training – A Madison Original." The about page says it is "a Madison original and locally owned dog walking and pet sitting business founded by Scott Rudolph and Caitlin Barry," and stresses that it is "not a national franchise or a corporation."

The behavior service

Training is priced on the services page as a separate line: "Dog Behavioral Session: $100/hour with our professional behaviorist. Behavior sessions usually last 1-3 hours and one session should be all you need." A dedicated Behavioral Training page exists in the site's own menu for more detail. The safety policy also points owners toward it: "We cannot guarantee service for dogs that are a danger to themselves, the walker, or others while on a leash. We can, however, talk through potential solutions in this case and you are welcome to consult with our professional dog behaviorist."

Who the behaviorist is

The about page names him: "Scott is a dog behaviorist, trainer, boarder, proud dog parent, and an all around animal-loving-guy. Dogs are his passion, and he has built his life around them … Scott has over 20 years professional experience and this is his calling and vocation."

The care services, with a published price list

Walks and visits are listed in full: a half-hour walk at $19 Monday to Friday, a fifteen-minute "Pit Stop" at $17, an hour-long attention session at $31, weekend rates at $21, $19 and $38, with small surcharges for additional dogs, before or after hours, and holidays. In-home boarding is "$50 for 24 hours in pet sitter's home + $10 per additional dog," on the condition that dogs "must be well-socialized with other dogs and must be comfortably crate-trained." Cat visits are priced separately.

Stated policies

Take Paws publishes its intake rules rather than leaving them to a call: owners "must disclose if your dog or cat has a bite history with humans, regardless of the context. It doesn't necessarily mean we can't work with you, but we need to know in order to ensure your pet's and our team's safety." Dogs are kept on leash outside the home unless written consent and a specific discussion cover an off-leash request. The team is described as "over twenty responsible, reliable animal lovers who are all bonded and insured," and the service area as Madison, Sun Prairie, Monona, Fitchburg and Middleton.