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Meet our team!

And learn what makes us the best pet care providers in Nashville. 

At NDW, we prioritize the well being of your furry, feathery, or even scaly family members. That's why we ensure that all of our team members undergo a comprehensive training process. This commitment allows us to provide the highest level of care and safety for your pets. You can trust us to treat your pet like our own! Not only do our team members complete in-person training, but they must also complete our Pet Pro online training program. 

MeeT rachel

NDW's Manager & Pet Fanatic

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Hi, I’m Rachel!   I began my career in the pet industry in 2011 and have been pursuing this passion ever since. After receiving my Bachelor of Science Degree from Austin Peay State University, I moved to Sanford, North Carolina to attend North State Canine Academy.

 

In 2014, I graduated as a Certified Master Trainer specializing in Basic/Advanced Obedience and Behavior Modification. Shortly after graduating, I was offered a job as the head trainer at Sequoyah K9 Academy in Chattanooga, TN. I spent seven years there, not only honing my training skills, but also had the opportunity to move into more of an administrative/management role, handling anything and everything related to customer service, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

After meeting my now husband of four years and having our first son, we decided it was time to move back home to Nashville to be closer to family. I have now been in the management role with Nashville Dog Walkers since August 2024. I'm so thankful to have found a job here that will allow me to continue working with animals and their owners, and I'm looking forward to getting to know all of our four-legged friends in Nashville!​​

A few fun facts about me:​

  • I'm a dog mom to one quirky, eleven-year old Mini Aussie. Her name is Luna (from Harry Potter).

  • I'm a certified police dog trainer specializing in detection, tracking, and patrol.

  • I've competed in numerous dog sports, most notably WDA, and I love training competitive obedience.

  • I love coffee, gardening, and the outdoors.

  • If I won the lottery, I would open a guinea pig sanctuary.

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GET TO KNOW OUR PET PROS

At Nashville Dog Walkers, our top priority is to ensure your pets are in great hands. Our team members go through a lengthy vetting, hiring, and training process before your pets are put in their care. We sincerely believe we have the BEST team of pet care providers in town. Your pets get to spend time with and get to know our team, so we believe it is important for you to get to know them as well! Click on a photo below to read about our incredible pet experts. 

More About Our Training Program

There are many reasons why we believe Nashville Dog Walkers stands out against other dog walking companies. One of those reasons being the extensive training each of our team members completes before becoming a part of the team. Even before joining the team, our employees undergo an extensive vetting, hiring, and training process. We know allowing someone into your home and to care for your furry family members is a very sensitive responsibility. Because of this, we run background checks and reference checks on each of our employees before starting with training. Many dog walking companies provide minimal training, if any at all, before handing off the responsibility of pets to new employees. While loving pets seems to be a universal language, that does not mean pet care is a simple task that should be taken lightly. Each pet has its own personality, needs, challenges, and specific care instructions. No 2 pets are the same! We believe it is important for our team to know how to work with all pets big and small and to provide care for their specific needs, from learning how to use and handle different types of harnesses, how to administer medication, how to follow specific feeding routines, etc. Our staff is also trained and experienced on how to navigate different dog and cat behaviors and encourage and reinforce positive behaviors. It is extremely important to us that our staff are properly trained and competent to complete each job thoroughly. Our employees are PROFESSIONAL pet care providers who are also trained on proper client etiquette and how to keep themselves and pets safe while on the job.

Train and Engrain

Pet Pro Training

Not only do new employees complete 2 - 3 days of in person training, meeting the dogs and learning from our lead walkers, but they also complete a custom online training course that was designed from the ground up for our team. We partnered with the team at PetPro Training to develop this specialized training program. This comprehensive system ensures that each of our walkers are fully prepared and knowledgeable on how to provide the highest level of service and care for you and your pets. Your pets are our top priority!

Courses

Our Prairie Path Pet Pro Training includes :

Client Consultation Training

Working with Cats

Client Communication 

Dog Body Language & Behavior Management

Equipment 

Mapping your Route

Precise Pet Care

Safety Protocols

Visit Walkthrough

*Coming Soon - CPR & First Aid

Intersted in joining our team?

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