Starting dog walking

[Sophie101]

Hello
I am a positive and ambition person. I love nature and animals.
My favorite pet is a dog.
After redundancy, I felt lost and I didn't know what I should do the next. I was wondered what I like and can do as a business so I found out that: maybe dog walking
I am totally new to this topic.
Definitely I would like to know about it and willing to any advice from who does dog walking

Thank you for attention and all the advice.
Sophie

 

[JoanneF]

I am not a dog walker but if I use a dog walker I would want the following (there will be more things, this isn't a complete list) -

• Criminal record disclosure check (not sure that's what it's currently called)
• Insurance
• Canine first aid certificate
• A force free, R+ approach
• Record keeping including my vet and emergency vet
• Good understanding of canine behaviour, manners and body language - i.e. lots of experience of dogs; just them being your favourite animal wouldn't be enough for me
• No more than five dogs at a time, three would be better - all dogs to be up to date with vaccinations, flea and worm treatments
• Good risk assessment - knowing my dog is safe
• The walk to last the full time I pay for - pick up and drop off not included
• Van to be suitably kitted out with separate section for each dog
• Walks when I want them, not when it suits the walker

 

[Catharina Hjorth]

Before I bought my own dog I used to dog-walk, so I know what I had to "offer" and what I look for now when looking for a dog-walker.

• Experience with dogs: I'm a veterinary medicine student. I don't expect my dog-walker to have professional knowledge of dogs, but at least having owned dogs themselves before and/or having completed a course in dogbehaviour/training etc.
• Reliable: Too many times have I experienced dog walkers cancelling last minute, not responding to messages or suddenly changing the plans etc. Do that and I'm finding another.
• If you don't have professional experience with dogs; no more than 2 dogs at the time. It can too quickly turn ugly if you're not experienced in the subtle signals.
• Keep me updated: I always send a picture of the dogs from the walk/stay and I expect the same in return, as I hate not knowing if he's okay.
• Not so relevant to you perhaps, but +18.
• Follow my rules: I always ask if there's anything the dog isn't allowed to do (chew sticks, eat strange things, go on the couch etc.) - I expect that if I say my dog is never allowed human food, he won't get anything on the walk (within reason, dogs can be lightening fast )
• Lastly, to quote JoanneF: Record keeping including my vet and emergency vet (which is the same place for me) - and knowing a way to get there. Often I will be there as I most often need dog-walking when I have very long shifts.

Maybe I'm naïve but I don't ask for criminal records, insurances and risk assessments as often the girls/women (it's somehow always women) I ask to dog-sit/walk are often students like myself and/or elderly people who does it for the company. Generally I tend to go with my gut feeling, if they seem nice and comfortable around my dog, I tend to believe it will go well - and so far I haven't been disappointed

 

[JoanneF]

I don't ask for criminal records, insurances and risk assessments

The CRB check is important for me because dog walkers are often given house keys and know the owner will be out all day, the insurance because I think they would be liable for my dog and anything he might damage while in their care, and by risk assessment I didn't necessarily mean something formal but I would want them to be sensible about keeping him on lead where appropriate. There are dog walkers around me who are too preoccupied with their chat to notice when one of their dogs hasn't stayed with them so I'd never trust them. On one occasion I had to return a dog to one of them as it was joining me and they hadn't noticed, and just a couple of weeks ago one came back to the park in her van to collect a dog she had accidentally left behind. She hadn't even noticed until she went to drop the dog back home.

 

[Josie]

I would also add if you’re looking into dog walking that when starting out it’s easy to say yes to everyone. Or go by fellow dog walkers who would say ‘oh are you interested in walking this dog’ and usually there’s always a reason why they aren’t walking said dog!

I also found in our area that more and more people have dogs and a lot of the owners have no clue about dog etiquette which made things difficult!

Sorry not trying to put you off. Just be prepared that a lot of dog walkers are well established and that it’s a learning curve at the beginning

 

[Catharina Hjorth]

The CRB check is important for me because dog walkers are often given house keys and know the owner will be out all day, the insurance because I think they would be liable for my dog and anything he might damage while in their care, and by risk assessment I didn't necessarily mean something formal but I would want them to be sensible about keeping him on lead where appropriate. There are dog walkers around me who are too preoccupied with their chat to notice when one of their dogs hasn't stayed with them so I'd never trust them. On one occasion I had to return a dog to one of them as it was joining me and they hadn't noticed, and just a couple of weeks ago one came back to the park in her van to collect a dog she had accidentally left behind. She hadn't even noticed until she went to drop the dog back home.

That makes perfect sense in those cases. Sounds like some awful dog walkers; I can completely understand you would want to check that they're doing it properly if that's your experience! I tend to only use dog-walkers who walk 1 dog at the time - and generally they're not allowed off-lead anywhere around here, so it's not something I worry much about.
I currently live in Copenhagen, so this probably differs on location, but my insurance covers anything my dog does/happens to him, whether I'm there or not - but I do inform them that if I deem that the dogwalker was at fault, they're covering the excess.
CRB is not a bad idea if you look at it that way, just never thought to ask for it if I'm honest.

 

[Mayblossom]

Been a few stories about on FB regarding dog walkers losing dogs ( and no proper explanation of how it happened) not sure if all are true but it would worry the life out of me if this happened to a dog I’d entrusted to a dog walker. Found a dog a couple of months back wandering about on a main road near me , turns out it was being walked by a “professional “ dog walker and he had no idea where it was! Luckily there are some decent ones out there I agree with a CRB check too.

 

[DixD]

@JoanneF - Genuine question, not trying to be difficult. What happens if your dog doesn’t have fleas. For some reason, mine don’t, and I keep a very close eye on them, not a speck of flea dirt or flea in sight. So, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to medicate them.

 

[DixD]

I met a dog walker with three little terriers running about dragging their leads behind them. As they appeared and started jumping all over my dog, who was a perfect gent and stood stock still, the chap came running up and asked if he was okay with dogs. And I had another dog walker allowing his charges to rush up to mine. I actually felt quite under threat because of the type of dog and behaviour, and the person was very abusive, until I said I would to take him to court under the DDA. Not sure how that would have gone down with the Dog’s owner.

So, there’s a few dogs being walked out there by some pretty unreliable walkers. A conscientious addition to the fraternity would be a real asset.

 

[JoanneF]

@JoanneF - Genuine question, not trying to be difficult. What happens if your dog doesn’t have fleas. For some reason, mine don’t, and I keep a very close eye on them, not a speck of flea dirt or flea in sight. So, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to medicate them.

It's a fair point, but my concern is that it just takes one dog with fleas to spread them to the van and to others. Maybe I'm a little paranoid but a friend had a cat with fleas some years ago and I never want to have to go through what she did to get rid of them. It took weeks of thorough daily vacuuming, all her soft furnishings had to be washed at 60⁰, and the life cycle of the flea apparently allows it to be immune to destruction at one stage (pupae maybe) so you have to keep repeating the treatments.

The products on the market for clearing the house are apparently not as potent as they used to be either.

So for me, I'd not want to take the risk.

That said, I'm lucky enough to need a dog walker only very occasionally such as for family weddings, and we are not expecting any more of these in the foreseeable future!

 

[DixD]

It’s a difficult one, isn’t it? I can see your point exactly. infestations can happen so quickly, and a good reputation could get destroyed in an instant. But, I couldn’t bring myself to use flea treatments, if none required. I’d have to not go to the family wedding!

 

[JoanneF]

It’s a difficult one, isn’t it? I can see your point exactly. infestations can happen so quickly, and a good reputation could get destroyed in an instant. But, I couldn’t bring myself to use flea treatments, if none required. I’d have to not go to the family wedding!

You may have just given me the perfect excuse!

 

[JudyN]

Continuing on the flea theme, if your dog is protected against fleas, how likely is he to catch them from an untreated one?

The same applies to worms and vaccinations, come to think of it. Jasper isn't wormed, but gets regular worm checks (and I would worm him if they came back positive). With vaccinations, of course, the consequences could be a whole lot worse, and I wouldn't dream of not vaccinating him.

 

[JoanneF]

Yes, thinking about it like that, maybe I am just being over cautious.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Dog walkers.. a minefield. As a kid we would take the neighbours dog for a walk and get an icecream for our effort. Now its big business but I wouldnt trust a dog walker as far as I could throw one.
I have yet to see one that has proper control of the dogs most walk with 4 5 or 6 dogs of all shapes and sizes. Most times the dogs are off lead, one guy drives round picks up all the dogs then drives to the little doggy island lets them out of his van in the car park to race over the bridge where they run until they poo and then he rounds them up and goes , no clean up no supervision... He takes photos alright and it looks as if the dogs are having fun because they are all running about but its proves nothing.

I guess those dogs get 10 mins if that..
Ive seen dogs loose in vans and cars, Ive seen them left in vans on summer days while the walker 'pops' to the shops and Ive seen them running miles from the walker while she chats on her phone. One of her dogs started a fight with Murphy and three others joined in,, Only when my OH shouted that he was going to kill the dog did she get off her backside and intervene...

Dog walkers to me mean a major pain in the behind, they are like dodgy car dealers...All promises but when it goes wrong youre on youre own.

 

[DixD]

I’ve taken to walking on the golf course, taking care not to interrupt any games. They don’t seem to have invaded there yet.