MANAYUNK

By Melissa Anderson

We sat down with Danny Offenbacher from City of Paws Pet Care—the mobile-based pet care service—to talk about the best places to walk dogs, their Doggy Bed & Breakfast, and some funny dogs that they've grown to know and love.

What drew you to Manayunk to start City of Paws?

Danny started off by saying that he and his partner Don have always loved Manayunk. "While investigating into different neighborhoods, we finally decided on Manayunk because it's so dog-friendly and centrally located," he said.

What do you like about having a Doggy Bed & Breakfast in your home?

Danny mentioned this is an extremely popular service. "There is always activity going on in the house, which is nice," he said. "Most of the clients are friends with our two Puggles, so they always have a buddy."

Explaining what this experience is like, Danny added, "With the Doggy B&B, we want to make the experience as calm and comfortable for the animal as possible and it's really as if they're at their own home."

What do you do typically do with your visitors?

The dogs get to take daily walks, and Danny highlighted some of their favorite places to walk the dogs. "We go to different trails, such as the Manayunk Bridge Trail, Schuylkill River Trail, and Canal Towpath. Sometimes we'll go to the Pretzel Park Dog Park, and if we have a lot of time, we'll go to Valley Forge or Wissahickon and go hiking."

Where's your favorite place in Manayunk to walk the dogs?

Out of all the places that Danny mentioned, he said Manayunk Bridge trail is his favorite. "It's right by our house so it's very convenient to get to. And I love the sights and scenery there."

Wally the Bernese Mountain Dog, who Danny mentioned is a frequent client, especially loves the trail.

If you could bring any cartoon dog to life, which would you choose?

"Brian from Family Guy," he laughed. "I talk to the dogs on a daily basis anyway, so I'd love to hear a response back."

How do you hope to expand this business in the future?

"I really hope to hire more people to expand the business further, since there is obviously a need for pet sitters and dog walkers in the area." City of Paws is looking to hire more dog walkers, so if you are experienced with animals and live in Manayunk, fill out the application on their website.

Danny added that his long term goal is to open up a doggy day care as well. "We would still have the dog walking and pet sitting service, but also add on a day care facility for those dogs that have a lot of energy who need to run it off."

What do you recommend to people who are looking to hire a pet sitter for the first time?

Danny mentioned that checking with friends and family to see who they use is always helpful.

"If you're totally new to the area, search online specifically for reviews and testimonials." On the City of Paws website, Danny has everything out in the open, including his credentials and testimonials. He added, "Definitely check to see that they are professional, licensed, and insured, or you could run into issues."

What has been the funniest experience you've had while working with animals?

"Over the years, I'd have to say the funniest thing is when a dog jumped over my head out of excitement." Danny added that he's actually had more than one dog who has, as he describes it, "literally bazooka'd into the air." After laughing about imagining a 100 pound dog jump that high, Danny added, "He just really wanted to take a walk!"

Why should residents in the area choose City of Paws Pet Care for their furry friends?

"We love animals and we care a lot about our business and our clients," which Danny also added is what allows them to provide a loving and caring environment for your animal.

Being familiar with the neighborhood and knowing the area also allows City of Paws to make recommendations if you're also in need of trainers as well as assisting with reinforcing training that puppies are starting to learn.

The Doggy B&B offers different lengths of stay depending on the need of the client. The most popular is weekend stays, but they have also had dogs stay for two and half to three weeks. If your pet experiences separation anxiety, City of Paws is very careful in making sure that they are comfortable when it comes to the Doggy B&B.

Do you have any St. Patrick's Day plans?

"We'll definitely be going downtown to experience the bars and restaurants," Danny said. "That's another thing I love about Manayunk—being able to take the dogs to the restaurants and getting to sit outside is great."

Visit the City of Paws Pet Care website for more information about the services that they offer. Danny will be doing the Manayunk.com Instagram Takeover next week, so make sure to follow @manayunkdotcom to see even more of the business!