Inglesider Geri Hunt Finds Joy In Dog Walking

Ingleside resident Geri Hunt has a playbook for the dog walking game.

The Sebastopol native is a well-known face throughout the neighborhood. From working at Java On Ocean to Expert Pet back when it was named Ocean Paws, to landing a spot as a server at her favorite bar and restaurant, Ocean Ale House, in 2023, Hunt has become a neighborhood working regular, and she has done so while walking Ingleside’s furry denizens.

“I'm waving at all of my neighbors who are going by who recognize me from this place and from dog stuff and things like that,” Hunt said. “I feel like I've slowly stepped into the spotlight of like my own life, but the stage is in fact Ocean Avenue and Ingleside.”

After moving to Potrero Hill with her boyfriend in 2019 and struggling with her mental health from her previous job in tech, Hunt needed a change. Seven months later, she moved to Ingleside and quickly became a regular at Ocean Ale House. From there, the place and community brought her back to life, Hunt said, and after befriending the bar and grill’s co-owner, Miles Escobedo, Hunt began walking his dog.

As she found herself and her place in Ingleside, she began to offer her dog-walking and sitting services more through word of mouth. She has since grown her client pool to eight dogs and is eager to bring on more.

“It's basically a meditation,” Hunt said about dog walking. “The dog makes the decision [on where to walk], and I'm still getting out of my house, and I'm still moving, so I'm not just curled up in bed.”

The Ingleside Light caught up with Hunt to learn more about her dog walking services.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What does a typical dog walking session look like?

I try not to stack dog walks on top of Ocean Ale House shifts because then I end up walking eight miles a day, and it hurts. A lot of the time, I will go to the client’s house and pick up the dog. I usually have a hip leash because I am 5'2 and I have a lower center of gravity. Usually, I let the dog dictate the walk. If they want to sniff around, I’m like, Hell yeah. You fucking binge your Netflix in your own way. Sniffing for dogs is very much like reading a little book, you know? And it's like, that's how they get mental stimulation, so we'll sniff around, we'll do stuff. I wear specific shoes that are kind of waterproof, so I can go through wet grass. I do this to prioritize the dog's experience because I want the dog to look forward to hanging out with me as much as I am.

Where do you walk your clients? 

Usually, I aim for the neighborhood because then I can still be a part of the neighborhood. The goal is, regardless of where they are, I typically walk around for an entire hour around their house, solely because in my head, like this is where it makes sense. If I walk them around the neighborhood, that means no matter, like if they get out, they roughly know more about their neighborhood, so they'll be able to find their way home.

Do you have a favorite memory thus far? 

At one point, it was a play date of three of the dogs. They started playing a little hard, and so then I did my one command that I do, and they all stopped, and they all immediately looked because it was like in their heads, I was like an authority figure. It was just that moment of just like, I could have an army! That's kind of what it felt like.

What is one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to get into dog walking or the food service industry?

I would say my piece of advice when it comes to any kind of career is to choose a place you want to be in and choose a place that you want to add to. Find a place that you believe in, and you genuinely want it to grow, and you feel like you're on a team, you feel like the people there also want that, and then just be persistent.