Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Are my DH DS wrong/unreasonable re dog walker

92 replies

2dogs2kids1cat · 17/02/2017 13:08

Hi first world problem I know but still a little annoying. I use a dog walker on an ad hoc basis. She is meant to walk my dogs for 1 hour a day. Last year I used to pay her in advance because it was easier say 5-6 walks and then txt her the night before I wanted them walked but for no particular reason I wondered if they were being walked; so on two occasions I left the leads in an odd arrangement and they obviously hadn't moved but when I casually mentioned this she said she always uses her own. So I now pay her on the day, I leave the money on the side so I know she definitely comes to the house. Yesterday she was meant to walk them, my DH and DS got home from work first the money had gone but both dogs were busting to do a pee and more importantly weren't muddy, and there was no mud on the kitchen floor, we live in the countryside and it's currently very muddy here. When I got home from work they both started saying the dog walker is just taking the money and not walking the dogs etc. I defended her saying maybe she walked them round the roads.
I have tried to find other dog walkers but I work shifts and I often have to change at very short notice and therefore need a walker who is happy about this. The only other one I could find who would even remotely consider it wanted £35 for 1/2 an hour she promised me she was very reliable I'd be reliable for that kind of money.
The dogs are monumentally lazy by nature don't seem fussed, she doesn't charge a fortune and when I meet her when I'm out they rush over to see her wagging their tails so maybe my DH/DS are unnecessarily suspicious

OP posts:
CorporalNobbyNobbs · 26/02/2017 00:26

That is awful.

KoalaDownUnder · 26/02/2017 00:35

Lemondrop Shock What did he say when you sacked him?!

MermaidsTears · 26/02/2017 09:11

blod
I told my cleaner that we couldn't keep her on financial situation has changed (I'm a coward haha)
The first time she done it she was really quick and mentioned in passing that my house is far tidier than usual houses and there's nothing in her way which is good (she literally wouldn't have to move a single thing, just cleaning)
That was great.
Then the week or so after that I went upstairs after and the inside of shower was dry and shampoo bottle laying on side, when she usually lines the up after cleaning.
Next week same again but this time she didn't hoover the sofa cushions (agreed part of job as they are velvet and get crummy, no point hoovering the floor then all the bits fall off sofa)
So that was two things she dropped.
But she always seemed to plod along slowly but still finish early.
Last week by accident I left the window/glass cleaner and bathroom spray in another cupboard.
I was home in my spare room working and she neevr said anything, despite popping in for a quick chat, so basically she just didn't clean the mirrors in bathroom etc or use cleaning product?
In the end I just felt it wasn't worth the money I can't afford to waste it.

MermaidsTears · 26/02/2017 09:15

Also I might sound petty but she has never had to move a thing as always impeccably tidy, but she still wouldn't move my dining chairs she's just sort of hoover n mop around so it was never properly clean
(Not sure if that's standard)
My DP accidentally left a hoodie last week on the floor, it fell off the banister.
She literally hoovered around the hoodie and didn't pick it up, I thought that was a bit rich seeing as she finishes early and doesn't have to pick anything up usually.
DP said he saw it fall on floor as he walked out door he'd flung I towards the banister, before she arrived, so I know it didn't fall after.

SnugglyBedSocks · 26/02/2017 09:22

OP any update?

littleducks · 26/02/2017 09:24

There was a dog walking company advertising GPS tracking of walkers recently round here (not sure how that worked exactly) so it must be a common problem that dogs aren't walked or not as far or for as long as agreed

Lemondrop09 · 26/02/2017 09:31

He was a deceitful arse right to the end. My DH rang him and told him exactly why we were sacking him. Dog walker just kept spluttering "but I did walk him, I did!". We did tell him we had video footage as we were going to send a legal style letter to put the wind up him and try and get some of our money back, but DH (stupidly) got carried away and described his exact movement that week. We told him to expect a letter and hung up. Dog walker knew he was rumbled, at least for that week. Unfortunately it was the first week in Jan, and is given him a Christmas present so dig walker was smart enough to know where had only conclusively caught him that week.

Dog walker turned up on our doorstep later that day, gave back our money for that one week, and some rubbish about how he hadn't walked him for that one week because my dog had "gone for him" and he was "scared".

I was even more livid! My rescue dog does have some fear aggression issues with strangers and unknown dogs. But our dog walker is also a professional dog trainer and has been involved with our dog since we rescued him SEVEN years ago. My dog adored that man.

The videos made me so very sad. My dog dashed up to him, wagging his tail in delight. The dog walker blanked him and pushed his face away! I'm a natural dog lover and who can ignore a dog running up to say hello? You'd naturally pat it. Dog walker looked so cold towards him Sad.

It's an out and out lie he was scared of my dog. It was obvious from the video that my dog was being friendly, it was clear the dog walker was not scared of him - I mean, if he was so scared why didn't he a) talk to us about this imaginary incident and b) so very bravely kept coming into our house to take our money!!!

No he was being smart. He knew we wouldn't want our dog reported for aggression, it was a threat. We take further action on him, he'll try and get our dog put down!

What a way to punish us for his failure dishonesty! He knows our dog is hard work, we've poured so much time and effort into helping a troubled dog and it's disgusting he used that against us.

I wanted to destroy him locally. I wanted to shout from the rooftops that this man was not only a liar and a thief but obviously doesn't even like dogs! But I couldn't risk my dogs safety over his lies, so much as it killed me, we dropped the whole thing for our dog's sake.

As you can see, I'm at still so so angry with him. I feel so betrayed. We never got another dog walker and DH won't have a cleaner as we struggle to trust people in our house now.

My only regret is that I didn't do something a year earlier when leafs stopped moving etc. My gut knew something was wrong but I ignored it. Trust your instinct.

Sorry, I'm ranting but I'm still livid.

Lemondrop09 · 26/02/2017 09:34

Sorry I meant to say we didn't specifically tell him we had video footage (not did tell him)

Cern · 26/02/2017 09:38

Some of these situations are horrific. My dog walker is amazing, and I couldn't cope without her. She always texts me after taking the dogs out and often sends pictures.

I have now had two cleaners do what others have described; start off well and then reduce what they do to the absolute minimum. I do my own cleaning now.

In these situations the biggest concern for me is that this dishonest person have access to your house. If they can turn up and just take the money ( which is, in effect, stealing) what else might they help themselves to?

TheMaddHugger · 26/02/2017 09:44

(((((((((((((Big Hugs))))))))))))) Lemon. Big (((((((((((((Hugs)))))))) and a Pat Pat Pat for puppy.

MadisonMontgomery · 26/02/2017 10:04

I got rid of my last dog walker because of this. I started noticing that some days the lead hadn't been moved, or my dog would be desperate for the loo, so I asked my elderly neighbours to keep an eye out and they all immediately said that they didn't think she was coming every day. I never got definitive proof but I just didn't trust her anymore.

KoalaDownUnder · 26/02/2017 10:32

Lemondrop I'm so sorry that happened! Shock What an arsehole he was.

Blodplod · 26/02/2017 13:59

Mermaid.. I said the same re financial situation to my cleaner. The really sad thing is we would have happily paid for the 4 hours even if it took her 3.. we had built up long standing trust and she used to do our house in 3 hours.. why we then had her back for 4 hours a week I'll never know.. it wouldn't take a really slow slow person 4 hours.. we had renovated so everything was brand new (easier to keep clean). I was pretty fastidious as it was all new and hoovered in between her visits etc. No kids and we are very tidy. I suppose I trusted that if we were paying for 4 hours now, she was doing more than she did before in the 3 hours..

But, like you, when I started to notice even basic things not being done which would easily be covered (and then some) in 3 hours I started to be suspicious. 3 bedrooms, (2 spare so not used). 2 bathrooms, lounge and kitchen.

I was (and still am) deeply upset when my suspicions were proved right. I gave her so much slack rather than piling on extra work. I'll never trust a cleaner ever again, which is sad for us and the honest ones! And despite walking dogs myself I'll never trust anyone to walk my own dog.. I've heard sooooo many stories about them not walking the dog it's untrue...

MermaidsTears · 26/02/2017 16:08

blod I do feel really bad too but I can't afford to waste the money, I tried to look at it from the other view point that I wouldn't expect someone to give me money for not doing my job, so I suppose it's just one of those things.
I don't use dog walker as the local lady who does doggy daycare is actually only 3 pound more per day and she had her at her house with other dogs, posts regular pics on Facebook etc so I know she's OK.
It's sad that we have to worry if we can trust people though.id hate to think of my employer doubting me.

LucieLucie · 26/02/2017 21:48

This thread is so upsetting to read. My sister is a dog walker and does a good honest job. She says the majority of her clients have doggy cams in the room the dog is kept in, she uses her own leads.
There's no point in hiding upstairs, you'd need video evidence as well to prove fraud. Fraud is what it is. How interesting that it's commonly male dog walkers that people on this thread have had issues with taking money but not delivering the service.
If I was to employ the services of a dog walker I'd want to see a dbs/disclosure certificate, proof of address/id and public liability insurance. Not having those to show weeds out the cowboys to begin with then I'd expect regular updates and daily photos on Facebook. If they can't do that then they're not worth employing because there are plenty good ones out there who do a good job.

Get cctv, it will 100% give you the answers you need to see.

RoganJosh · 13/03/2017 12:15

Did you find out what was happening, OP?

LucieLucie · 14/03/2017 19:20

2dogs? Grin I'm also interested in hearing how things are

New posts on this thread. Refresh page