Berkelhammer, a pet-care professional, advises pet owners how to assess caretaking services and pet professionals on how to achieve high levels of care. He explains the differences between services provided by individual petsitters and by pet-care companies including responsibilities that an owner or petsitter should consider. From professional experience, he describes the dynamics of dog behavior modification playgroups, which are recommended for pets with behavior issues. A chapter on dog walking includes counsel on leashes and harnesses accompanied by the author’s own 'pet vignettes,' focusing mostly on dogs.

Library Journal

Most pet owners want the best for their cherished animal friends and companions. Sometimes, however, the nature of those relationships can be upended and getting back on track can be confusing and difficult. In Pet Care Givers and Families: Getting the Most from Dog Playgroups, Walkers, and Pet Sitters, author and pet owner Robert Berkelhammer provides an overview of what constitutes healthy pet family relationships and how pet parents can access services that will help facilitate better communication, behavior, and all around care. He outlines the kinds of work pet care companies can offer, and guides readers to getting the best possible level of professional care taking to achieve behavioral changes in their pets. Dog playgroups, dog walking, pet sitting and other services are described in terms of how families can work with providers to accommodate their animal and family needs. Focused primarily on dogs, Pet Care Givers and Families does also address the needs of and services available to those whose animal companions are cats and/or birds. No pet owner will want to be without a copy of Pet Care Givers and Families when deciding on a pet care arrangement that suits the family's needs. Very highly recommended for community library Pets/Wildlife instructional reference collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of pet owners.

Midwest Book Review

Companion animals are totally dependent on us for their well-being and their very lives. We are their oxygen. We owe them the best lives possible and this book shows us how we can accomplish this so that it's a win-win situation for all parties.

Marc Bekoff, author of Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do and Dogs Demystified: An A-to-Z Guide to All Things Canine

Pet Care Givers and Families: Getting the Most from Dog Playgroups, Walkers and Pet Sitters is a must for anyone who has a dog or a cat, or is considering opening a pet company or simply being a pet sitter. The written contract for a sitter is reason enough for anyone to buy the book Each anecdote describing the dogs and cats who are part of Robert’s life as a dog sitter or organizer of doggy play groups has a message that warms the heart and teaches a lesson. It is obvious that the author is a man with great knowledge of animals and a special way of sharing that knowledge with his readers. If you love dogs or cats then you will love this sensible and charming book, written by a true animal lover.

Phyllis Karas, New York Times best selling author of Brutal: The Untold Story of my Life Inside Whitey Bulger's Irish Mob

Robert Berkelhammer's encyclopedic first-hand knowledge of his subject(s) is on display here in a well-organized look that should be able to answer any questions a pet owner might have.

Julian F. Thompson, author of The Grounding of Group 6 and 17 other acclaimed young adult novels