How to find the right dog walker

Finding the right person to trust with your dog isn’t an easy task. Nowadays there are plenty of people who will happily walk your dog for you, whether they’re a student looking for some extra cash or a semi-retired neighbour up the road who fancies the exercise. But are they necessarily going to take the best care of your beloved pooch? Do they have the dogs’ best interests at heart?

To follow are a few tips to make sure you’re hiring the right dog walker for your dog.

1.      Are they insured? A responsible dog walker will have public liability insurance in place. This will cover them should the dog stray whilst in their care. bite or cause damage or an accident or if they become ill or injured, or get stolen. It also covers against key loss. Any reputable dog walker will be insured and while some insurance companies don't specify a dog must be kept on a lead, it must be under control at all times.It isn't always possible to ensure this so you may be asked to sign a disclaimer if you specifically wish for your dog to be walked off lead.

2.      Does your dog like the walker? A dog and its’ walker may not hit it off instantly but there needs to be warmth and compassion towards the animal. During their first meeting the dog needs to at least warm to the walker a little and essentially, affection must be shown towards your dog. If there is no sign of a genuine care for the dog, don’t hire them.

3.      A dog walker isn’t necessarily a trainer. Being a dog walker brings you into contact with many different breeds of dogs, many with quirky personalities but sometimes behavioural problems too. Experiencing and observing these behaviours can give a small insight into the psychology of a dog but certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to class themselves an expert. If your dog walker says they are a trainer, ask to see their certificates and qualifications.

4.      Find a walker who listens to you. You know your dog better than anyone so if they are prone to eating stones, or gets scared around other dogs or people, the dog walker must take this on board and walk the dog in appropriate areas. No dog walker should replace your judgement with theirs. Thinking they know best and walking your dog near a group of noisy children when you have specifically pointed out that your dog doesn’t like being around kids is not on.

5.      Is pack walking right for your dog? Some dogs thrive around other dogs when they’re on their walk. They need this social part of the day. Some dogs however, simply find pack walking stressful. You can tell the ones who are unhappy as they try and keep as far away as possible from the other dogs, tail down and avoiding eye contact at all times. Also, if you have booked an hours’ dog walk, how much of that time is spent collecting and dropping off other dogs’ enroute?

Check whether your dog walker does individual walks. You may pay a little more, but your dog will be far happier and enjoy their walks.

6.      What happens in an emergency? Does your walker have an animal first aid qualification? Have they asked for your vet’s details? Have they asked for more than one contact phone number for you or a friend should they need to contact you in a hurry?

7.      Have a trial walk. If you find someone you like, ask them for a test walk. You would pay them for this but go along as well to see how they behave with your dog. A person who yanks at the lead and snaps commands at your dog is a definite no-no but someone who lets your dog explore the outdoors, lets them sniff around and actively engages with your dog is ideal.