As our lives get busier, it can be more and more difficult to find the time to walk our dogs as often as they need, especially if they are a breed with high activity levels.  If this is the case for you, hiring the services of a dog walker means that you can be confident that your dog is getting the amount of exercise that they need.

What Does a Dog Walker Do?

As you may suspect, a dog walker is a professional that will come and collect your dog from your home and take it for a walk. This could be in the form of walking the dog around the neighbourhood, taking the dog to dog-friendly park for a play, or by taking them to the beach.  Dog walkers will walk your dog either on their own or in a small group of other dogs that have similar activity requirements.

The dog walker will take your dog on as many walks as is required but be aware that some dog walkers will have a minimum number of walks per week.  Some dog walkers will also provide other services which can be very useful such as topping up the dog’s water bowl, feeding the dog, giving the dog medication, playing with the dog in the backyard, grooming the dog, collecting mail, and watering plants.  Such additional services can be very valuable if you are particularly time poor.

What to Look for in a Dog Walker

If you think that engaging the services of a dog walker might be the perfect solution for you, there are some questions that you need to ask to make sure that the dog walker you choose is a good match for you and your pet. Such questions include:

• What experience do you have in dog walking?
• Will my dog be walked individually or in a small group?
• Will I have the same dog walker every time or is it a case of whoever is free will be doing the walking?
• How much do they charge?  Is it per walk, per day, or per week?  Will there be discounts if you have more than one dog that needs walking?
• Will they provide other services as part of their fee? (i.e. topping up water bowls, feeding the dog etc)
• Does the dog walker or company have the appropriate insurances to cover against accidents and the like?
• Does the dog walker have a preferred vet that they can take your dog to in case of emergencies?
• If the dog walker requires a key, how do they keep it secure?
• Are they willing to meet your dog to ensure that they get along with them?
  

Finding a Dog Walker

There are several avenues that you can explore in order to find a dog walker.  You can look in the yellow pages or look through your local paper in order to find advertisements.  Alternatively, you can ask your vet or dog-owning friends and family if they have any recommendations. This can often be the easiest and most reliable way of finding a good dog walker that is local to you.