How to Choose the Right Dog Walking Service
for You and Your Dog

Summary: This guide will lead you through the steps of choosing the right dog walker for you and your family. Written by a former dog walker, this article includes both questions you should ask and questions the dog walking service should be asking you.

---

Articles Menu

Choosing the Right Dog Walker

Leaving your pets in the care of others requires a measure of trust. However, by researching dog walkers and their services thoroughly before hiring one, you can minimize the daily worry of leaving your pet at home. The following steps guide you through the process and help ensure that the dog walker you choose will be professional and reliable.

Consider your needs

First, ask yourself what you are looking for in a dog walker. Normally, dog owners want someone who will continue their dog’s routine while the owner is at work or away. What is your dog’s routine? You know your dog best, so it is your responsibility to tell the dog walker what your dog may need. Determine how many times your dog needs walks, how long those walks should be, and if the time of the walks is flexible or fixed. Think about what you do before and after your dog’s walks. What food or water might your dog need and when? Finally, consider your dog’s disposition. You may have a large, active dog who needs a strong hand to control him. Your dog may be well trained; you will want to communicate the appropriate signals to the dog walker. How does your dog act with other animals and people? Your dog may enjoy the local dog park or may be aggressive with other dogs or children. Considering these facets of your dog and the care you provide will form your idea of the type of care you expect from the dog walker. At the end of this step, you should be able to articulate your needs in a few short sentences. Once you know your expectations for a dog walking service, you are ready to start looking.

Create a list of potential dog walkers

Your next step is to make a list of potential dog walkers and dog walking services. You should plan to interview between two and five dog walkers. You can find names to go on this list in a variety of ways. You might contact friends and neighbors who have dogs and ask them if they have a dog walker. Next, check the yellow pages for a dog walking service who lists your neighborhood as one of its areas. A third option is to post an ad with a free classifieds website or paper. This last option can be beneficial because you can tell the dog walking service a little about your needs in advance, and those that apply should consider themselves able to meet those needs. However, you may also get responses from people unaffiliated with dog walking services, and you should consider how you feel about having a dog walker without insurance. As you collect names, you should note the name of a contact person, the name of the service or company (if applicable), a phone number or email address.

Make contact

Now is the time to start making calls and setting appointments with dog walkers. A reliable dog walker will be willing to set an appointment to meet you at your home to discuss their services. Dog owners should pay attention to first impressions when contacting a dog walking service to set up a meeting. If the dog walker seems rushed or unwilling to take time to converse with you, you might expect a rushed visit with your dog. The dog walking service needs a strong relationship with dog owners to properly care for the dogs. If the dog walker is not willing to take some time to get to know you, you shouldn’t expect that he’ll take the time to familiarize himself with your dog. If you get a bad feeling from any of the dog walking services, you should remove them from your list.

Conduct an interview and ask relevant questions

Having screened which dog walkers you’d like to meet, conduct interviews with the rest. They should be willing to come to your home to meet you and your dog. At this point, there are several questions you should ask and several questions the dog walking service should be asking you. Let the dog walker know what your dog’s needs are and ask the dog walker whether they can meet those needs. You should know whether the dog walking service is licensed, bonded, and insured. Ask exactly what protection this gives you, your dog, and the service. Dog owners should also ask dog walkers about their motivations. The simple question of why a person began to work as a dog walker will often betray whether they are true animal lovers. Many dog walking services leave notes after visits; ask if that is the case. Ensure that the dog walker will not combine your dog’s walk with a visit to another client. Another important question is whether the person you are meeting with will be walking your dog, or whether another employee of the service will be. If other employees will be walking your dog and will have access to your home, ask how the dog walking service screens their employees. Meanwhile, the dog walking service should ask you for pertinent details about your dog’s needs, including his routine, disposition, and health. The dog walking service should request emergency contact information and veterinary information.

Contact references

During your interview with the dog walking service, you should obtain several references of current or past customers. Call at least three references and ask how the dog walking service treated their family, dog, and home. One question a dog owner should ask is why the customer chose to use this particular dog walking service. A dog owner might also ask how the dog walking service catered to this specific customer’s needs (and to their dog’s particular needs).

Have a trial period

Once you have chosen the dog walking service you’d like to use, determine a trial period. Dog walking services cater to many different situations of dogs and dog owners, so it is customary for dog owners to pay by the visit. If you are thinking of using the dog walking service while you leave town, ask the dog walking service to schedule a single walk beforehand, perhaps during an evening when you won’t be home. (It is better that you not be home during a dog walker’s visit, if possible. Not only will the situation be different from a typical visit, but your dog may be protective of you if a stranger enters the house to walk him.) Assess your home and your dog’s behavior after the trial visit.

Following these steps will help you to find a dog walker who will meet all of your expectations for your dog’s care. At the end of the process, you will have a dog walker who can be as much a part of your family as your beloved pet.

Lauren Smith Janzen

Pet Net was last updated on .
Copyright © 2002 - 2007
Moore Designs Web Site Services
All rights reserved.

Pet Net Site Menu