Downtown Dog

I couldn’t recommend Charlie, Andromeda, and Downtown Dog SF more highly. We got their name from a former neighbor who was also thrilled with their service. They’ve been taking our labradoodle since she was just a few months old. Before anything, Charlie came over to meet Millie and judge her temperament and fit for the group. You could immediately see his care and conscientiousness for her — even though it was his first time meeting our dog.
The big group walks were a huge improvement over the private walks our dog was going on before she had all her shots. On average, she’s gone from roughly 1:30 — 4 p.m. or so. Charlie has a key to our apartment, and was known by building management. They were very happy to hear we’d chosen Downtown Dog SF, as they knew how trustworthy he is.
Charlie also boards our dog when we’re out of town. It’s extremely convenient — he just brings her home after her walk and drops her back off on the day we return. His dog and ours get along really well, so she always has a friend as well. Once while boarding, our dog got sick to her stomach and while it had to be a really unpleasant situation, Charlie cleaned her up, took her to her normal vet, kept us updated, and supplied her with bland food so she could start to feel better.
In any capacity, Charlie and Andromeda very obviously care about the dogs under their care and do a great job tiring her out and making sure she’s exercised and happy. They even run an instagram feed to owners can see all the fun their dogs have throughout the week. Check it out:
We highly, highly recommend!

Downtown Dog (Charlie and Andromeda) are the absolute BEST at what they do, and I owe them so much gratitude for giving my dog Lulu the best life.
When we moved Lulu to SF from Canada over a year ago, Lulu was a complete terror (causing me to apologize profusely for her behavior). She’d been traumatized as a pup and we had been attacked by another dog, making her extremely defensive. Plus, she had never been properly socialized. Lu did not make friends in Canada and we were practically kicked out of the dog park in Montréal.
After walking with Charlie for only a month, her temperament improved significantly. And as a result, so did my anxiety (they say that when a dog is anxious and acting out, it is usually a reflection of the owner’s emotional state. Agreed!) I could have never imagined that only a few short months after her move, Lu would be walking with a pack, in California with a smile on her face (she actually smiles when she sees Charlie and Andromeda).
As a new dog owner myself, Charlie was such a fantastic resource and extremely patient with me — he answered all my questions (there were many!) and also recommended that Lulu go on a raw diet. At almost 11 years old, most people think Lulu is a puppy and she has more energy and stamina than ever before — she can beat me up the hill in our neighborhood and walks for 4 – 5 hours a day. She’s never tired and always begging for more walks.
Lu now waits for Andromeda by the door two hours before her pick up (including on the weekends when I have to tell her she’s stuck with me!) She is so excited to see her new best friend and her Pacific Heights pack. Andromeda always makes sure Lu’s paws are cleaned after her walk and puts the blankets on the white couch if I’ve forgotten to do so. (note: white couch and white dog = bad idea.)
When I have to travel for business, I know Lulu is going to have a blast at «sleep-​away camp» and unlike past boarding situations, Lu comes back even happier than when I left her. Charlie and Andromeda keep me updated on how Lu is doing so I’m at ease (I especially appreciate the pics and videos they send).
Downtown Dog gives each dog special attention — Charlie and Andromeda treat our dogs the way we would treat them. They put GPS on the dogs — safety is their number one priority. They are extremely reliable (rain or shine), considerate and always go the extra mile for our fur babies. And, I love the Instagram account they have and the adorable pics they post! It gives me a peek into the fabulous lives these dogs have while I sit at a desk and stare at a computer screen all day. As I said earlier, Lulu has a fantastic life with Downtown Dog.
Downtown Dog is the BEST for dog walking, dog boarding and everything else related to dogs. I can’t thank Charlie and Andromeda enough for everything they do for Lulu and the pack. They’ve changed her life and made my life a whole lot better, too :) I’d give them 10+ stars if Unilocal allowed me to :) THANK YOU!

Charlie is amazing! Charlie began walking after our puggle, Coop when he was just a pup and from day one to present day Downtown Dog has provided the reliability, love and honesty that you want and need from a caregiver to your fur baby.
Charlie is also super knowledgeable about dogs in general, shares photos on Instagram and there is no mistaking how happy Coop is to see Charlie when he comes to pick him up.
We are SO lucky to have Charlie and Downtown Dog.

Charlie and Andromeda are simply the best. They’ve been walking our two dogs (golden retriever and mini-​poodle) during weekdays for the past 18 months and we’ve had no complaints. Rain or shine, they’ve picked up our dogs everyday for their walk — unbelievable consistency now that I think of it. They care for our dogs like they were their own and recently they started using Instagram to share photos of the pack in action. Great people, great dog walkers.

Charlie and Downtown Dog are the best in the business. I moved from Denver to San Francisco over a year ago and my French bulldog had a hard time adjusting to city life at first. Charlie is absolutely amazing and gives my dog a chance to run around and play with other dogs in a safe off-​leash area. Downtown Dog puts a GPS tracker on each dog — they also put an extended training leash on my dog until they knew he’d come back when called. The leasing agent in my building went out of her way to tell me that Downtown Dog is the only company that she’d trust with her pup after watching several walkers come in and of the building each day, noting that Charlie really cared about the dogs he was picking up and the dogs all love him. I feel safe every day knowing that my dog is in great hands and is able to play and socialize while I’m at work.

Charlie is the real deal. He’s super knowledgeable about canine behavior and packs AND he genuinely loves the dogs. He takes great care to make sure the dogs are safe, including outfitting every one in his pack with a GPS collar during the walk. He worked with Milo, my dog, to build the trust and respect before he let him off leash with the pack — safety being a top priority. The dogs know without a doubt who is the alpha of that pack — Charlie.
His knowledge and love of working with dogs is unmistakable when you see him interact with them. In return, Milo LOVES Charlie. It’s so great to see these two when they first see each other when Charlie picks him up. So much love there. Both ways. I know Milo is in great hands whenever he walks or boards with Downtown Dog SF.
As a business person, Charlie is honest, straightforward, fair and most importantly, reliable. He shows up to get Milo on time, every time, every day, rain or shine, just as he promised when I signed up with him over a year ago.
It’s a relief to know my little boy is in great hands every day while I’m out working to bring home the bacon.

We started using Charlie when our dog was only a few months old and feel so blessed to have found him as soon as we did! He worked with us to figure out the best routine for the pup and 2 years later we’ve never looked back.
Charlie is professional and very dedicated to his work. He really takes care of the dogs and the dogs love him. We’ve recommended him to everyone who asks, and they all only have great things to say about him. Our dog gets all of his energy out on the walks and I think secretly hopes Charlie will take him home with him for good one of these days!

Charlie is very trustworthy and such a good caretaker for our dog. I feel very safe leaving my baby girl with Charlie at any time and she’s so happy when she’s with him. He treats her like she’s his own. He treats all his dogs that way! So lucky to have found him.

Shortly after we adopted our dog Indie, our amazing dog walker moved from SF and we spent a year trying to find a replacement. We are so happy we found Charlie! Indie LOVES him and displayed none of the anxiety related behavior she has when going with other walkers. Some days I’m home when he picks her up and they are so sweet together, it’s ridiculous. Additionally his services are reasonably priced, he’s communicative and professional. Five stars all the way!

Zorro loves Charlie! Like any service dog walking is about the right fit and after 2 years and trying countless others Zorro has finally found a walker he likes!
Why Charlie is awesome:
1) He’s responsive and communicates well with me and my dog. He will promptly respond to my calls/​texts. He speaks to Zorro in a way that keeps him calm and engaged.
2) He’s on time. ’nuff said.
3) He GPS’s his pack. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of walkers losing a dog even for a few minutes or the dog bolts and heads home across SF. When you’ve got more than 1 dog it just makes sense to know where they are and be able to track them down quickly.
4) No high pitched squeaky voice or constant treating. This style may work for some dogs but turns Z into a chunky anxious mess. Z works best with someone who remains in calm assertive control, reinforces good behavior and physically corrects if needed. Basically Charlie is pack lead and Z follows his lead.
5) He gets that Z is an independent sniffer who needs to walk. So many other walkers seem to just park it at the park and expect the dogs to play together. This may work for some pups but when my dog is outside he’s on a mission to do something and doesn’t enjoy standing in one place nor will he play with other dogs for an hour.
We’ve found the right fit for us and am happy to recommend Charlie and his company to others.

3 words: Dogs love Charlie. He is a very professional and caring Dog walker. I am always very impress and how careful and protective he is with all his groups or on his private walks. He goes above and beyond by having gps system on collars for all his dogs. Definitely a great example to follow!

In a town with no shortage of dog walkers, Charlie & Downtown Dog still manage to stand way, way above the rest! After interviewing a dozen other dog walkers, and trying out a handful recommended on Unilocal and by friends, Downtown Dog has been the best of all worlds: my 5 year old dog is absolutely in love with Charlie and I 100% trust him with my best friend in the world.
And it goes beyond good old exercise and belly scratches, Charlie has helped to make my dog a better canine citizen. He’s been skilled and patient in helping ease my pup’s anxiety and increasing his tolerance in stressful situations. Things that other dog walkers balked at, Charlie fixed! And he sends me the pictures and updates to prove it.
You certainly have a lot of dog walking options in San Francisco, but for consistent, personalized, and knowledgeable care, there is no provider better than Downtown Dog.

Our golden retriever mix has been with Downtown Dog for over a year and we couldn’t be happier with the experience! Charlie goes above and beyond to make sure our dog is comfortable on the walks, and he’s even flexible with pick-​up times to make sure he isn’t home alone for too long.
With Charlie’s training and patience, our dog has gone from being just barely dog-​tolerant to being one of the most popular dogs in his class. We were really blown away by the progress he’s made with Charlie’s help, especially compared to what other dog trainers have tried in the past.
Overall, Downtown Dog is the perfect mix of professionalism and down-​to-​earth, friendly service. Two thumbs way up!