Please be very careful who you use.
In the interests of hopefully not being outed I am not going to reveal the name but I used to use this dog walking company and trusted them wholeheartedly.
A few months ago they posted footage that made me very uncomfortable.
In it, they threw a handful of treats into the grass while a group of (unknown to each other) dogs belonging to different clients descended, pushing and shoving each other to find the coveted treats.
I thought about questioning them on this regarding the risk of dog fights and introducing resource guarding into dogs that previously have no issues but in the end let it slide.
Today, they posted horrifying footage of an enormous retriever repeatedly pinning down and humping a tiny dachshund who was repeatedly showing teeth, warning the other dog off.
When the retriever finally stopped it gave a big stress shake off.
I will never again trust anyone to look after my precious dog.
Their lack of knowledge on body language and behaviour is just shocking, when questioned by, i am assuming another client, their response was ‘that’s how the golden likes to play’.
😱
Anyone who reads my posts often will know that my dog can be reactive with other dogs.
I know for a fact she would 100% roared at, quite possibly bitten this golden had god forbid he had done it to her.
I am just shocked and gutted at what I saw and wonder how many potentially dangerous situations my dog was potentially put in staying with them..
So please be really careful to make sure the walker you are using is reputable, with good knowledge of dog behaviour and how to keep them safe.
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
Warning for those who use walkers
Doggydoggydoggy · 15/03/2019 15:51
I witnessed a local dog walking van really speeding on a country road,I passed him 10 mins later pulled over and getting several dogs out to walk 
I wouldn’t have been happy if my dog had been in the back of that van!
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Their lack of knowledge on body language and behaviour is just shocking, when questioned by, i am assuming another client, their response was ‘that’s how the golden likes to play’.
*
Bloody hell - even if it wasn't humping, rough play between differently sized dogs is a bad idea. 
We have a dachshund, and fortunately most other dog owners aren't idiots and understand why we don't tolerate their dogs playfully putting a paw on his back.
Our previous dachshund had his eye injured by a boisterous young boxer, and ever after was aggressive towards that breed. There's a fair probability that poor little dog will become dog-aggressive (assuming she's not actually been injured).
Unfortunately too many people see dog walking as a quick buck. You see it suggested on here all the time when someone asks how they can make extra cash. I personally wouldn't use anyone who hadn't worked with dogs in a professional capacity or anyone who walks more than 3 dogs. I work with dogs in a professional capacity and loads with clinical animal behaviourists who all say they would rather leave their dogs alone all day than use dog walkers. The majority of these walkers 'experience' seems to be that they once owned a dog 
.
I've been doing it professionally for sixteen years now, and I've seen so many other people start up, realise it's not money for old rope, and stop again. The whole dog business in the UK is an unregulated mess. The Kennel Club isn't curbing the breeders of dogs with health problems. I haven't heard of or seen a council dog warden, ever. The RSPCA will only prosecute if there is physical cruelty or gross neglect, so a dog whose emotional and physical exercise needs are not being met will continue to howl piteously as it paces around a tiny space, so long as there is food water and shelter available apparently that's okay 
.
Anyone can buy a pup and proceed to feed it rubbish food, fail to train it properly, then get bored when it reaches its 'teenage' phase, flog it on a selling site, making no effort to homecheck, so it could end up being a bait dog, or dump it on a rescue, then buy another super cute puppy and do the whole thing again.
I want to see owners having to have licences in the same way as drivers have to pass a test to drive.
I work very closely with a couple of dog behaviourists. We all agree, we've never had a dog with an intrinsic behaviour problem. Just an ongoing parade of dog owners who don't understand what they're doing, or who have adopted an adult dog who hasn't been brought up properly. Misguided kindness and anthropomorphism are very hard to deal with, you have to be very tactful!
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