The Sporty Dog
Austin, Texas
(35)
Austin, Texas
(35)
At The Sporty Dog, we are on a Mission to Revolutionize Professional Austin Pet Care by providing Exceptional In-Home Pet Care to our clients. All of our team members believe that pets are family members that deserve Individualized Attention and Care in a stress-free + familiar environment.
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35 customer reviews
Stacy Martin
The Sporty Dog ATX has been AMAZING to work with. They are timely, well organized and most importantly - treat our pup as if he were one of their own. We appreciate the daily photos and walk updates, and know he's in good hands. I highly recommend checking them out if you're looking for a RELIABLE dog walker. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
John Ellis
Lauren and the Sporty Dog company have been absolutely amazing to work with for my two dogs. She’s on time and takes dog pictures that you will want to frame later. Her service has been a life saver! Thanks so much. Our pups are so happy!! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Alan Houston
Lauren and her team are so wonderful! We had 2 visits/walks scheduled for our 15 year old senior man and they were great with him. He gets a little grumpy and/or protective with strangers and they handled it with grace and kept in communication with my me and my wife. They even sent photos which I always think is a nice touch. I highly recommend them! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Natalie Busath
Lauren is absolutely wonderful with our dogs. We get a daily message with cute photos during their midday walk and it always makes my day. Super professional and super friendly! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Poff P
Lauren rules! My dog is very wary of new people at first but has come to quickly love walks with Lauren
Reviewed on Google Maps
Taylor Gutierrez
Lauren and her team at The Sporty Dog are fantastic. If you're looking for someone to love on your pup as much as you do, look no further! Can't recommend her services enough. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Ali
The ladies at Sporty Dog take great care of my baby girls when I'm at work. I don't what I would do without them! Definitely give them a shout if you need someone to look after your furbaby!
Reviewed on Google Maps
shannon griffing
The Sporty Dog has been a life saver! I work 10 hour shifts, and knew that keeping my dog cooped up for that long wasn’t ideal. I‘m so glad I happened upon Lauren and her team. They are truly professionals who care for your pets as their own! Every day I get a detailed report about how my pup did on the walk with a checklist and photos. I have piece of mind, and know that my dog is in great hands while I’m at work. I highly recommend The Sporty Dog’s services- you won’t be disappointed! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Christina Fernandez
So glad I found Lauren and The Sporty Dog from my neighborhood forum. She’s very reliable, flexible, and our pups love her. Highly recommended!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Lauren Deis
Lauren and The Sporty Dog have been a TOTAL life saver on more than one occasion! She is incredibly flexible and always willing to jump in when I need help. I love seeing how happy my dog Lola looks when Lauren sends snaps from their walks! Highly recommended to anyone needing that peace of mind when they are away. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Melanie Patrick
You can trust Lauren with your furbabies. When we first moved to Austin two years ago, we had two senior dogs and she has always taken great care of them. When we added a third dog, a scaredy-cat dachshund, he immediately took to her. Lauren takes the pups for nice long walks, gives good advice when we are having issues with them, and has always been able to dog-sit when we need to be out of town. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Alyssa A.
Lauren came via a glowing recommendation from a friend and she truly lived up to it! She was able to visit the house before we scheduled anything so she could meet our dogs and we could talk to her about each dogs personality and special needs. Â Upon first visit the dogs really took to her and it was obvious she cared a lot about animals. Â I have really high expectations when it comes to communication and Lauren's communication is exceptional. She's so responsive to questions and requests, and when she visits the dogs I get a full report on who pottied, peed, drank, ate. She sends lots of pics and it makes me feel so good knowing my pups are getting some extra love while I'm out. She's truly a wonderful, professional dog sitter! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Kacey Brown Rich
We love Lauren! She is so responsive and sends updates and pictures. She takes wonderful care of our border collie, KD, and pays careful attention of her special needs. I can tell KD has had plenty of exercise and felt lots of love when we return home. I highly recommend Lauren and The Sporty Dog. � More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Suzann S.
I am so thrilled to have found Lauren to take care of my 2 doodles! Everyday she walks them and sends cute photos and texts recapping the visit. I highly recommend Lauren if you want professional and loving care for your pups!! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Melanie Patrick
Lauren has been a godsend and a lifesaver since we moved to Austin. She takes great care of our pups and has always been able to accommodate our last-minute travel requests. She is great with my old (13 yo) dog and with my dachshund who has stranger danger. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Sam Rudy
Lauren and the Sporty Dog have been amazing! She is incredibly reliable and even goes the extra mile when I'm in a pinch to help out. Plus, my pup, Lucy, loves her!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Chinois Docteur
Lauren was very responsive, and my dog Raja loves her! It gave me peace of mind knowing Lauren was looking after Raja while I was out of town. I can tell she has a special connection with animals and genuinely cares about their well being. I highly recommend The Sporty Dog for those who truly care about their pets. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Tony Gibson
I can't say enough good things about Lauren & The Sporty Dog. It gives me such peace of mind to know that whenever I'm out of town my 2 dogs are being well taken care of. I'm a bit of an over-protective pet parent, so the fact that I'm so at ease leaving them in Lauren's hands says alot! She's professional, prompt and the dogs LOVE her! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Sarah Zadow
The Sporty Dog works very well with rescues and can handle any issues. I was very impressed with Lauren's patience and kindness. Highly recommend this business.
Reviewed on Google Maps
Stephen Jones
Excellent service, professional and kind. We will always use Sport Dog.
Reviewed on Facebook
Mikenley Heller
LOVE Lauren and my dogs love her too! She is very flexible with my crazy schedule and always available when I need her. Absolutely would recommend!
Reviewed on Facebook
Katy B.
I'm so grateful for The Sporty Dog! I've had trouble finding someone to handle my spunky pitbulll, Bear. He's a handful sometimes, but these daily walks have saved me! Lauren is extremely kind & helpful with working around my work schedule. She's always on time, and she's even helped me with last minuet requests when I needed it the most. Definitely referring her to my other doggie-parents! Thank you Lauren!! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Brandi Price
Lauren is THE BEST... hands down, no question. My pets LOVE her. I can always tell how they were treated by how they act when I come home, and with Lauren taking care of them, they are always calm and happy when I return. She sends pictures and I know the genuine look of happy on their face. HIGHYL recommend her and The Sporty Dog... to anyone! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Tony F.
I can't say enough good things about Lauren & The Sporty Dog. It gives me such peace of mind to know that whenever I'm out of town my 2 dogs are being well taken care of. I'm a bit of an over-protective pet parent, so the fact that I'm so at ease leaving them in Lauren's hands says alot! She's professional, prompt and the dogs LOVE her ! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Lucas B.
I HIGHLY recommend Lauren, and The Sporty Dog. It was super easy to request using the website and Lauren was prompt in responding to my request. Â My dogs love Lauren and I can tell she has a special place in her heart for animals. Â It's important to me that I can trust the person looking after my dogs. Â Knowing Lauren was on the job left me free of any anxiety leaving them. Â Seriously, I cant recommend her enough. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
David Fox
Lauren is fantastic - my dog Lucy adores her. Lauren is very professional and accommodating, and I wouldn't hesitate for a second to recommend her services!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Jason Howland
Lauren is fantastic! She is always super professional, extremely caring with our golden retriever (since he was a puppy), accommodating with our crazy schedules and has been a saving grace to stay overnight to look after our dog on countless occassions. Highly recommend her to anyone in Austin! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Kelly Williams
Lauren has been great with helping me take care of my 6 year old golden retriever, Callie! She's always able to come walk her when I have long work days and she's extremely reliable. I would recommend her to anyone!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Lucas Brown
Lauren was very responsive, and my dog Raja loves her! It gave me peace of mind knowing Lauren was looking after Raja while I was out of town. I can tell she has a special connection with animals and genuinely cares about their well being. I highly recommend The Sporty Dog for those who truly care about their pets. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Shirley S.
My dogs love Ms. Lauren. I have a dog that doesn't trust a lot of people and when she sees Lauren she's all smiles. Lauren has been such a great help to us,very reliable, sweet, and caring, even at last minute she will be there for you. She's just awesome!!
Reviewed on Yelp
Lara Renee M.
Best. Dog. Walker. ever! Â Our dogs love Lauren! She has helped us on days when we can't make it home for lunch to take the pups out. Great service and you can tell she loves pets & they love her! One day, our pup ran out of the house, coincidentally Lauren shows up at the same time and our pup ran right to her arms! lol She's magic! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Theresa L.
My Dogs are my babies and didnt think that I would find anybody that would treat them as if they were there own. My eldest Dog Sampson is very shy and doesnt take to many people so when he let Lauren actually take him out on a walk I knew I found my person that Loves my boys. I have two rescues and my sammy that I have had for 12 years and they Love Lauren and look forward to her coming to walk them. I work 9 hours a day so I feel so much better knowing that they are getting outside time with Lauren.She gives them a treat and sends me a text letting me know how each of them did and that means so much to me. I t makes my day much easier to know they got some fun time out with somebody that cares for my kiddos. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Liz P.
Lauren is so sweet and took great care of my five dogs! I know that they are a lot of work, but Lauren doesn't seem to mind. She might just be Munchkin's favorite human- if he had a Yelp account, he would give her a million stars. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Michele G.
Sporty Dog is the best!! They love my dog, are reliable, and  always leave a sweet message stating how my dog was. I highly recommend them!
Reviewed on Yelp
Ben L.
Lori & Amy are the best! Â We've been relying on them to take care of our dog and cats for about a year and have always been happy with their care. Â Our furry family seems to agree! Â When one of our cats got very sick during a recent trip, they went above and beyond to make sure that he got immediate care. Â They treat our pets just like they were their own, and truly care about them. Â Highly recommended. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
What do you love most about your job?
It's not only beneficial to a pet's health to Hire an Austin Dog Walking Professional, who is Trained, Certified, Insured and Experienced with a variety of Dog breeds and Animal Behavior but also prepared for ALL Emergencies. As an Austin Pet Care Professional, we make it our goal to encourage each pet to reach their highest potential while under our care and become happier, less anxious, healthier dogs, as a result of positive interactions, consistency, and one-on-one care. Loving pets is what we do and nothing makes us happier than spending time giving your pets the TLC they need!
What inspired you to start your own business?
Lauren Spears, Owner + Austin Pet Care Specialist has over 30 years of expertise caring for animals, while bringing her experiences to create a positive bond with each pet according to their specific needs. Lauren is also an advocate for Forgotten Friends, a Mixed Breed Rescue in Austin, where she rescued two dogs of her own, Emmitt Brown and Birdie Bleu.
Lauren graduated from Texas Tech University, is a Certified Elementary Special Education Teacher, and started working Professionally in the Dog Walking Industry in June 2006, training under Top Five Star Professional Pet Companies in Dallas and Los Angeles, while starting her first business, Let's GO For a Walk. Lauren specializes in Positive Training Reinforcement by using a gentle approach to help calm and relax each pet.
Why should our clients choose you?
The Sporty Dog, Inc. is a 5-Star Premiere Austin Pet Sitting Company established in Austin, Texas in 2008. The Sporty Dog specializes in Professional In-Home Pet Services + Positive Reinforcement Dog Walking + Dog Fitness Adventures + Pet Taxi Services that are tailored to meet the needs of you and your pet(s). Our Local + Established Pet Services provide unsurpassed One-on-One Attention in familiar surroundings and are Personalized to meet your Pet's Individual Needs.
We are celebrating 12 YEARS of providing Exceptional Austin Dog Walking + Austin Pet Sitting Partnerships.
Trusted in Austin, Texas as a Local Business since June 2008.
The Sporty Dog is Highly Qualified + Experienced + Certified + Licensed + Bonded + Insured Pet Service through State Farm as well as well as a member of (APSO) Austin Pet Sitters Organization and Professional United Pet Sitters (PUPS) and won the award of Best Dog Walkers in Austin by Expertise 2019-2020.
Mid Day Sporty Dog Walk
* The Most Popular M-F Walk* with consistent one-on-one positive reinforcement for all pups who get bored, lonely, or have separation anxiety or need a Mid Day potty break to stretch their legs + practice good leash manners while interacting socially and gaining lots of mental stimulation during all walks. Perfect for Medium-Large Dogs.
Lil’ Sport Walk/Visit
Quick Potty Break Outside, Play Ball or Walk around the Block then back inside for fresh water + treat. Austin Dog Walking is Perfect for small-medium Dogs less than 20 lbs.
$20/walk
A great choice for puppies, shy dogs and backyard potty breaks for small pets.
Puppy Breaks
Are you potty training a new puppy? Let a Sporty Dog Pet Specialist assist with the more frequent visits required during the potty training process. All puppy breaks are private visits/one family at a time, are non-exercise focused, and are designed for young puppies needing multiple short potty breaks per day.
Puppy Break service includes two 20 minute Quick Austin Dog Walking Visits per day, water refresh, a paw wipe, a meal and/or treats served (if requested), and daily GPS update + Pet Report.
Sporty Dog Hike N Sniff
Let's Hike! All of our austin dog walking services can be customized to meet your pet(s) needs whether your goal is to master basic obedience, combat separation anxiety, change problematic tendencies with consistent one-on-one positive reinforcement walks. Perfect for Active pups, or those who need a little extra outside time walking in their own neighborhood or a trail nearby to sniff + explore plus encourage any positive leash behavior.
Vacation AM/PM Visits
Are you going away on vacation or business and can't take your furry family member along? We can help! Every pet(s) individual needs will be met, from their diet to exercise routine, as well as any meds. Austin Pet Sitters personalize care for each and every home with our highest priority focused on the well-being and happiness of your pet(s). Each visit includes Austin Pet Sitting along with a walk around the block, or play time in the yard, fresh water, meals, and treats are served and a Pet Report Card and adorable picture of your pet(s) having fun and for your peace of mind. Home care services are included such as taking out trash, mail check, water plants, adjust lights, etc.
Vacation AM/PM Sporty Visit:
30 Minute Austin Pet Sitting Visit AM/PM for 2x/visits (typically scheduled to accommodate AM breakfast, (an optional afternoon walk/yard play), and a PM late dinner/potty break.
Sporty Cat Visits
Cats are creatures of habit and thrive in their own routine and being secure in their own home environment. A Sporty Cat Visit is tailored to meet the needs of each cat in the home. Vacation cat sitting services can be mixed and matched to tailor austin pet care solutions for ALL of your pets. Austin pet sitting visits include meals and treats served, fresh water, exercise, litter scoop, waste removal, cleanups, medication (if needed) and the TLC your cat deserves while you are away along with daily GPS updates for our pet parents.
Home care services are included such as taking out trash, mail check, water plants, adjust lights, etc
