Cannot justify dog walker's price increase

[Dogwalkissue]

Our dog walker currently charges £15 an hour walk. She has just sent a message to say her prices are going up to £20 an hour.

She said that she has researched other dog walker's prices and says they all charge a minimum of £20 and many £25. I do struggle to believe this as I did a quick local search and the most expensive I could find was £17. We are in a town in Suffolk.

Anyway, I honestly can't justify anything else going up in price. She currently walks my dog twice a week. I work full time and on the days I am in the office, she walks my dog, so twice a week meaning my weekly dog walking will go from £30 a week to £40 a week. With the cost of shopping, fuel, heating etc etc I just can't have something else going up - my own salary doesn't ever go up by £5 an hour.

I like the dog walker and feel really awkward to cancel the dog walks but I need to now as it has priced me out of the market. On the days I am in the office, I'll pop back at lunch time to walk the dog now.

What should I say to her? Be honest that I am nown prices out the market?!

Tell her you’ll be doing it yourself from now on you don’t have to go into any more detail I’m sure she’ll be able to work out it’s because the cost has gone up. She’s entitled to put her price up and you’re entitled to make other arrangements for your dog.

Do you struggle with your reading comprehension @KittyCorncrake? Read the original post again lovey, then maybe rethink what you commented.

It’s expensive to be self employed… unless you are expecting her to work black market. In which case fine.

But just as an fyi - £20 an hour is equal to minimum wage by the time you account for tax, holiday etc.

We’re in central London and don’t pay that much (dog walks generally = multiple dogs so I’m not sure the minimum wage point immediately above makes much sense here unless there is something about your dog that prevents her from adding dogs to that walk). I’d get some local data and play that back - or cut your losses and take a break at lunch times if your work is reliable in being able to take the break (mine sadly is not as I’d absolutely love to take the dog out in the middle of the day!).

I live in a relatively expensive part of Suffolk and our pet sitter charges £18/hour or £13 for half an hour for walking. She is a qualified vet nurse but no longer works as one and runs a dog training school also.

£25 is madness, £20 is high I would say and she should not be walking her dogs at the same time and charging you a single dog walk price.

I charged that in the 90s. You aren't getting paid enough.

Agree!!

Was just thinking the same……people in most ‘normal’ jobs get a raise once a year if they are lucky……and landlords are only allowed to raise rent once per calendar year.

Wonder what makes her think she can put it up when she fancies?! Plus a 33% increase is LOADS! Absolutely mad jump!!!

Really unprofessional to say the least. As it’s a group walk, it sounds like you are paying over the odds already! I would be out!
Don’t need to give loads of info, just ‘oh, this is a large increase having already upped your prices! We will have to make other arrangements now’

It’s weird how it’s justified by her ‘costs increasing’ what costs?? (Because the only real cost is the public liability insurance and that is super low still!).

Sounds like she is already taking her own dogs out, so there’s actually negligible costs really. Just because her electric has gone up, doesn’t mean she can take a chunk off each of her customers who are also paying the increase but who likely aren’t able to rip someone off with a 33% increase!!!
Sounds like she is talking the p*ss- especially given she is charging for a single dog rate and then taking her own out, flipping cheek!!!!!

Better to nip home in your lunch and save the money towards a break away or something nice!! If you don’t need it, you could donate it to the local dog charity!

Exactly this.

She’s entitled to charge what she wants but it’s okay for you not to want the service at the higher price, especially since you have another option. I would let her know why you are cancelling as it’s useful feedback for her. Enjoy your lunchtime greyhound walkies!

One of my DCs is an intensive care nurse.
They aren't making £20 an hour.

Sure. But s/he isn't far off that even when newly qualified and will be on way more in a couple of years, and the pension contributions equal around another tenner an hour, forever. Plus pretty much guaranteed employment, again forever.

Or your dc could jack it all in and become a dog walker, tomorrow, if it's so cushty.

But, they probably won't.

I agree
call her bluff here!

You sound thick

unlikely, if she was walking one dog an hour for £20 she’d need to be working 87 hours a week to make 7k a month.

Exactly! I pay £16 per hour for a babysitter for my children, so £20 per hour for a dog walker seems crazy!

Why does straight after the price rises seem mean?
why do people think the op might not want to tell the dog walker she can’t afford it? Why wouldn’t she tell her?

Maybe if they’re on foot yes. Most have cars or vans, with cooling systems and crates, that affects car insurance, petrol, time travelling from and to, cleaning the dog down, often some random request like can you feed the dog, can you put water down, would you mind feeding the cat. You need to take a few dogs out at a time to make it worthwhile. You need or should be keeping proper accounts.
I did it for a little while a few years back £16 an hour around my job - it was bloody hard work. I wouldn’t do it for a tenner either! Most of your customers can’t or don’t want to walk their dog, it’s a service at the end of the day. I had to pay for a dog first aid course, first aid kits and buy equipment too, leads, long lines, towels, a mud daddy, you have to wash and dry the towels, treats and decent poo bags, get your vehicle cleaned or do it yourself. So no, it’s not £6 a day lol

She's given herself a 70% wage increase in less than a year with no actual justification. I'd literally just reply, ok I'll have to cancel then, please drop the key off tomorrow.

I pay £20 a walk (south east). Pre covid it was £12 all day. I am moving soon and will come home earlier and log back on, ends up costing a small fortune.

Most dog walkers I see are walking 6 dogs at a time.

Give her honest feedback, then find another walker.

If you don't have time to walk the dog when you pop home, just throw a ball for them while you eat your lunch and get some energy out of them that way.

Ive not read the whole thread, so someone else may have beaten me to this suggestion, but what about canceling one day, and reducing your weekly bill to £20.
This gives you a chance to see how leaving the office regularly for an hour works. Or gives you chance to find a twice a week replacement or cancel the other day in a few months time.

Basically, baby steps!

In London, I have been paying £20 for the last 2 years.

My dog walker takes 4 dogs, maximum rule for where we are. Picks them all up in her insured van, drives to local common, and them walks them for one hour. Cleans them if necessary and drives them all home. This probably takes 2 hours on total so realistically is earning £40 per hour. My dog benefits hugely from the company of other dogs.

Obviously this is a brilliant wage but after tax, insurance and vehicle insurance, pension etc.. and clients dropping out as they are on holiday, I feel my dog walker deserves her money as she provides me with a service which I and my dog really need.

When we pay for other services, nails, hairdressers and such like we probably pay the same or more but only do it on an adhoc basis so it doesn't feel as bad.

Unfortunately I would just explain that you can't afford the price increase but will miss her services.

But that would be more than the dog walker! 😂. I get that it’s a better value per hour but it’s still significantly more money per day.

Think I pay £15 for 30 mins but that’s for both of my dogs. Not being walked with any other dog.

30 mins is enough for the day for my older dog but not my younger one so I do get up early and walk both of them for 30 mins before work and then walk the younger one after work as well.