When Waggy Tails Darlington came to us, they had a growing dog walking business but everything was managed through text messages, Facebook, and bits of paper. Client details, dog information, vaccination records, walk schedules. It was getting hard to keep on top of. They needed something better.
We built them a full business website with a two-sided client portal. Here's how it works and why it matters for pet service businesses.
The problem
Running a dog walking business means juggling a lot of information. Every dog has different needs, dietary requirements, behavioural notes, and vet details. Every owner has different schedules and preferences. When you're managing all of that through text messages and memory, things get missed. And in a business where you're responsible for someone's pet, missing details isn't an option.
On top of that, customers expect a professional experience. They want to feel like their dog walker has their act together. A proper system builds that confidence.
What we built
The solution has three parts: a public-facing business website, an admin dashboard for the business owner, and a customer portal for clients.
The business website
A clean, mobile-friendly website that shows up in local Google searches. It covers services, pricing, the service area, and makes it easy for potential customers to get in touch. First impressions matter, and this gives the business a professional front door.
The admin dashboard
This is where the business owner manages everything. They can:
- Add and manage customer accounts
- Store detailed profiles for every dog, including breed, age, weight, vet info, and behavioural notes
- Upload and organise documents like vaccination certificates and insurance forms
- Send secure invite links to new customers so they can set up their own portal access
Everything is in one place. No more scrolling through old messages to find a dog's dietary requirements or an owner's address.
The customer portal
Each customer gets their own secure login where they can:
- View their dog's profile and all the information on file
- Access uploaded documents
- See their account details
It's simple and clean. Customers don't need to be tech-savvy to use it. They log in, see their info, and that's it.
How the invite system works
One of the trickiest parts was getting the customer onboarding right. The business owner creates a customer in the admin panel, and the system generates a secure invite link. They send that link to the customer via WhatsApp or text. The customer clicks it, sets a password, and they're in. No complicated sign-up forms or email verification headaches.
We built an intermediate landing page so that when the link is shared through messaging apps, the preview bots don't accidentally consume the one-time security token. Small detail, but it makes the difference between a system that works reliably and one that frustrates people.
Security
When you're storing personal information and pet records, security matters. The system uses row-level security on the database, so customers can only see their own data. Admin routes are locked behind authentication that checks against an admin users table. Session tokens are stored in secure HTTP-only cookies. All data is encrypted in transit.
It's the same level of security you'd expect from a banking app, applied to a small local business. Because their customers' data deserves the same respect.
Why this matters for pet businesses
Dog walkers, groomers, pet sitters, and catteries all deal with the same challenge: managing detailed information about animals and their owners while running a service business. A spreadsheet works when you've got five clients. It falls apart at twenty.
A client portal scales with your business. It makes you look professional, keeps everything organised, and gives your customers confidence that their pet is in good hands.
See it in action
You can see the live site at waggy-tails-darlington.vercel.app. If you run a pet service business and want something similar, get in touch. Every build is tailored to how your business actually works.