FAQ/FYI

Citizen Hound can often take a dog to the groomer, collect them afterward and return them home, or handle both trips for an additional fee. Contact management before booking the grooming appointment so the team can confirm that the location and timing fit the dog’s route. Groomers within the service area are generally the easiest to accommodate; trips farther away require an individual availability and pricing check. If you used to use a groomer from another location in the city, we recommend switching to one of our local shops. Appointments around the midday break between adventures—approximately 12:30–1:30 p.m.—often work best. If the groomer accepts early drop-off, a slightly later appointment may also work. When return transportation is needed, the groomer must allow enough time for the appointment to finish within the team’s confirmed collection window. Clients should provide the groomer’s details, appointment time, expected completion time, and whether they need drop-off, collection, or both. They should also tell the groomer who will transport the dog and authorize the necessary handoff. Transportation charges depend on the extra stops, travel, and staff time involved. Delayed collection or waiting beyond the agreed window may incur additional charges, so management will explain the applicable fees before arrangements are confirmed. Visit the Rates page for current published pricing. If a dog unexpectedly needs a bath after an adventure, staff may also be able to help, with bathing and any purchased supplies charged separately. Explore Additional Services and Choosing the Right Option →

Citizen Hound may shorten or cancel adventures when wildfire smoke makes outdoor activity unsafe for dogs or staff. The team monitors local U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) readings through PurpleAir and/or IQAir, focusing on the Marina district where many adventures take place. Citizen Hound’s operating guidelines are:AQI readingExpected responseAbove 150Walks may be shortened.Above 175Shortened walks are likely.Above 200Walks will be shortened if service proceeds; closure is possible.Above 225Closure is very likely.Above 250The walking program will close.These are company decision thresholds, not assurances that conditions below them are safe for every dog or employee. Consecutive smoky days, forecasts, conditions at the actual walking location, and individual health needs can lead to shorter walks or closure at lower readings. When shortened service proceeds, Pack Leaders may adjust adventure lengths to account for their own health needs and communicate those changes to clients. Staff are not required to continue working in conditions they consider unsafe. Available protective equipment also informs planning, but does not guarantee that outdoor work can proceed. The day’s initial service decision is made at 9 a.m., using current readings and the forecast for adventure times. Conditions may change afterward, requiring further adjustments. Families who need to make earlier plans should prepare for the more cautious outcome rather than assume normal service will proceed.The policy uses the EPA’s U.S. AQI framework, which classifies readings of 151–200 as “Unhealthy” and 201–300 as “Very Unhealthy.” Citizen Hound’s specific shortening and closure thresholds are its own operating guidelines. See the official AQI categories → Explore Safety, Transportation, and Weather-Responsive Care →

Current members can temporarily switch to Ad Hoc pricing for a planned low-use month, providing flexibility for travel, recovery, or other short-term changes.Before switching, count the walks expected that month and multiply by the current Ad Hoc rate on the pricing page. Compare that total with the monthly membership price; if individual walks would cost more, keeping membership is the better value. Clients must explicitly notify management before the first of the month that they want to “switch to Ad Hoc” or “switch plans.” Canceling walks or mentioning travel alone does not change the billing plan. Without an advance request, monthly membership remains the default, and changes cannot be made retroactively. For the selected month, membership is temporarily turned off and walks are billed individually. Membership automatically resumes the following month. Ad Hoc bookings depend on the real-time openings displayed in Collar rather than a guaranteed recurring schedule. Ad Hoc pricing cannot be used in consecutive months. Families expecting a longer absence should contact management about suspending membership with the required 30 days’ notice. Restarting afterward depends on suitable availability. Explore Ad Hoc Months and Temporary Membership Changes →

No. Missed or canceled walks do not reduce an active membership bill or accumulate as credits for later use. Monthly membership works much like a child’s daycare tuition: payment reserves the dog’s place in the program, rather than purchasing individual days of attendance. That ongoing commitment supports consistent packs, staffing, routes, and backup coverage while allowing Citizen Hound to offer better value for regular care than individual walk pricing. For a planned low-use month, clients can request a temporary switch to Ad Hoc pricing before the month begins. This may help during travel or surgery recovery. Clients must explicitly tell management they want to “switch to Ad Hoc” or “switch plans.” Simply canceling walks or mentioning an absence does not request a billing change. During the selected month, membership is temporarily turned off and walks are billed individually at the current rate on the pricing page. Bookings depend on real-time availability in Collar, rather than a guaranteed recurring schedule. Membership automatically resumes the following month. Switches cannot be applied retroactively, and Ad Hoc pricing cannot be used in consecutive months. Without an advance request, the monthly membership rate remains in effect. Longer suspensions require 30 days’ notice after the trial period. Prorating applies to the initial enrollment month or the first month back after a properly arranged suspension—not to missed walks during an active membership. Explore Cancellations, Ad Hoc Months, and Membership Pauses →

Unlike the majority of dog walking companies we never leave you without the coverage you pay for. We're only closed on major holidays or their observed dates. Citizen Hound’s regular walking program operates Monday through Friday, except for the holiday closures listed below. Its team-based coverage system keeps walks running when individual Pack Leaders take vacations or sick leave, so clients do not need to arrange replacement care whenever their regular walker is away. 2026 holiday closures:Monday, February 16: Presidents Day; a required Team Development DayMonday, May 25: Memorial DayFriday, July 3: Independence Day observanceMonday, September 7: Labor DayThursday–Friday, November 26–27: Thanksgiving and the following FridayThursday–Friday, December 24–25: Christmas Eve and Christmas DayThursday–Friday, December 31–January 1, 2027: New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Open with voluntary cancellations requested:Monday, January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. DayWednesday, November 11: Veterans Day On these two days, Citizen Hound remains open but asks clients who do not need their scheduled walks to cancel through Collar, helping reduce the day’s workload.Independently arranged pet sitting may still be available during walking-program closures, including Team Development Day. Availability and arrangements should be confirmed directly with the sitter. Explore Scheduling, Coverage, and Membership Logistics →

Yes. Current clients have three ways to add care beyond their dog’s regular adventure, subject to availability. A Discounted Additional Walk lets 1 Group members add the other group adventure that day. Clients can book available openings directly through Collar. Dogs attending both adventures remain with their Pack Leader during the midday routes, extending their time away from home. An Outside Hours walk provides an additional outing or potty break before or after the regular walking day. Visit the pricing page for current rates for both additional group walks and Outside Hours care. A walk-day extension provides additional care independently arranged with a participating staff sitter. The dog may stay at the sitter’s home after the adventure, or the sitter may provide care in the client’s home when available. Clients generally collect their dog from the sitter’s home; return transportation must be separately confirmed. Before booking an extension, the sitter confirms the location, available care window, collection deadline, and charges—including when an extension becomes an overnight booking. Staying beyond the agreed window can trigger an overnight charge, even if the dog does not stay until morning. Sitting extensions follow the sitters’ shared published expectations and quote process, but are contracted and paid for directly with the sitter—not managed, supervised, or guaranteed by Citizen Hound. Explore Additional Walks and Schedule Changes →Explore Sitting Extensions, Rates, and Expectations →

Current Service Fees: Apple or Google Pay: Not recommended because of frequent reconnections needed.ACH: No fees for customers (0.8% absorbed by business, capped at $5). If you choose ACH, many banks have a security clearance that is required. You should get an email from Stripe with instructions. Usually this involves a microtransaction and reporting a 6 character code that comes with it, viewable in your banks' transactions record. Visa Credit: Total is 3.9% + $0.35 (0.9% absorbed by business, maximum 3% passed to customers)MasterCard, Amex: 3.9% + $0.35 cents Debit: not offeredOnly for subscription plans: Venmo: No fees for either party, provided you set up an automatic, scheduled payment for the last day of each month. (Tap Pay/Request, select Schedule)Zelle: No fees for either party, provided your bank supports automatic recurring scheduled payments. This feature is available through certain banks, but not through Zelle's standalone app.Invoices remain due upon receipt, with a five-day grace period. After that, a $15 late fee applies for each additional 15-day period an invoice remains unpaid.• • To request Venmo or Zelle transfers please contact MGMT. To add or change a payment method:Go to your Account menu, by tapping on the profile icon in the top right corner, or Account in the bottom right. Select Account (settings) near the bottom of the list of optionsScroll down to Payment Method, and tap Add (or Change if you already have one)Select Add (+)Input your card or ACH details, or choose Apple or Google Pay (not recommended for subscription plans due to higher fees).Follow your Bank’s authorization steps if prompted.Check your email for any further bank security measures needed. 95% of errors are due to added security measures missed. Select the newly added payment methodSelect Set upTo remove a payment method:Go to your Account menu, by tapping on the profile icon in the top right corner, or Account in the bottom right. Select Account from the list of optionsGo to Payment Method, and tap ChangeTap EditTap the red (x) on the payment method you wish to removeConfirm removal of the payment methodIMPORTANT FINAL STEP: apply the right payment method to your Membership Subscription: Go to your Account menu, by tapping on the profile icon in the top right corner, or Account in the bottom right. Select Subscriptions from the list of optionsClick the name of the MembershipTap Update Payment MethodSelect the correct onehttps://support.collar.pet/help/adding-or-removing-a-payment-method/