Active discussions

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

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour wants paid?

235 replies

kb16 · 10/07/2021 13:52

Looking for advice on wether this is cheeky or not
The boy across the road from us is 12 (or there abouts) year 7 in school.
We have a dog who has a dog Walker that we pay for when we are at work, the boy across the road has started in the evening in the last eeek when he's bored coming and asking if he can take our dog out for a walk. They are normally away about 15/20 mins. This has been going on for about a week now, however he has started saying we should be paying him and asking how much he's getting paid.
I've said in a jokey way that he's the one that Is asking if he can take the dog out as he's bored and not the other way around and that we already pay a dog Walker but it's becoming uncomfortable now,
Thing is I would have picked him up some sweets or something to say thanks but now I'm thinking should I be paying him? He's not really doing me a favour as I could do it myself. Again, last night he was at my door asking how much he's getting paid
It's becoming really awkward!

OP posts:
KatherineOfGaunt · 10/07/2021 13:55

Well, has he been walking the dog since he asked about payment? If he walked the dog a few times and then stopped but it's demanding payment, bung him a tenner and don't engage anymore. If he's been walking the dog still since he brought up the question of payment then you need to stop allowing him to walk the dog.

Scarby9 · 10/07/2021 13:55

Just laugh!
'I was thinking of charging you for borrowing the dog'
And sayno next time he asks to take it for a walk.

mynameisbrian · 10/07/2021 13:56

Its not awkward, you just say i dont need you to take my dog i pay a dog walker already. Redirect him to others with dogs who may be willing to pay him! cheeky little sod

SchrodingersImmigrant · 10/07/2021 13:56

Jsut stop letting him take the dog out then? Or be straightforward without joking and explain that he si not getting paid because he asked to take the dog out.
Also, I am bit concerned you are just letting a child which isn't yours to take your dog out

Thadhiya · 10/07/2021 13:57

Tell him you do not require a dog walker and he's not to come around any more.

You thought he was "a bored child" but he was trying to make money. However he also wasn't up front about wanting money, or wanting a job, and he sounds very rude now so I'd back off.

You'll have his parents round demanding money next, so you might want to nip this in the bud pronto.

Cheeserton · 10/07/2021 13:57

Tell him very clearly no,he's not getting paid. And if he won't accept it then he doesn't walk the dog, full stop.

Middlesboroughgirl · 10/07/2021 13:57

Tell him no next time he calls and asks if he can walk your dog. You want to walk him yourself so the dog is tired. He has tried to trick you into having to give him money. I wouldn't like it.
Unless you want another dog walker. Then give him a pound or 2 for every short walk.

30degreesandmeltinghere · 10/07/2021 13:58

How much is your dog walker? Imo pay the dc what he has earned (tho he is a cf) then tell him he isn't needed anymore... Keeps your neighbourly relations and gets rid of cf...
Stick with a professional..

toothpicklover · 10/07/2021 13:59

Just stop letting him take the dog out.

It’s not really that difficult

TheQueef · 10/07/2021 13:59

Stop letting him walk the dug.
Loads could go wrong.

Nohomemadecandles · 10/07/2021 13:59

Next time he knocks, say the dog's been walked already, thank you. He doesn't need another walk. Smile at him, wait a few seconds, then close the door.

ThinWomansBrain · 10/07/2021 13:59

presumably the paid dog walker has insurance, experience with dogs and you asked him/her to provide a service?

MrsTulipTattsyrup · 10/07/2021 14:03

Retitle your OP to ‘Child is attempting to extort money from me’, and you’ll have a more appropriate reaction. Tell the cheeky little sod to get lost. Due to his greed, he’s lost the chance to have contact with your dog, so it’s his loss. I wouldn’t have let him start it in the first place, to be honest.

Original poster
kb16 · 10/07/2021 14:06

Thanks everyone. Just to be clear this isn't just a random kid. We've known him for 5 years and we've never had issues like this before which is why it's threw me a bit. He's an only child and there's not much to do just now which is why I didn't mind him taking our dog out (on a lead of course) around the block.
I'll just start saying he's already had a walk to nip it in the bud.
Thanks

OP posts:
Rhinothunder · 10/07/2021 14:07

@Thadhiya

Tell him you do not require a dog walker and he's not to come around any more.

You thought he was "a bored child" but he was trying to make money. However he also wasn't up front about wanting money, or wanting a job, and he sounds very rude now so I'd back off.

You'll have his parents round demanding money next, so you might want to nip this in the bud pronto.

This
2bazookas · 10/07/2021 14:08

Explain "You volunteered to walk the dog and volunteers don't get paid. That's going to stop now because you asked for money. I will explain this to your parents when I see them".

He's demonstrated a lack of integrity that I would take as a warning, and not entrust the dog to him again.

Cabinfever10 · 10/07/2021 14:10

He's an enterprising young man who deserves 10/10 for effort

SchrodingersImmigrant · 10/07/2021 14:12

@Cabinfever10

He's an enterprising young man who deserves 10/10 for effort
If he keeps these tricks he might even end up being famous. Cownboy buildres series is still on, isn't it🙈
OhRene · 10/07/2021 14:17

Bung him a tenner and never let him walk your dog again. And the only reason I suggest any money at all is in case he or his parents go down the "neighbours had my boy walk their dog and then refused to pay!!!" Road.

It's not on but don't let the cheeky shite back near your dog. If he or his parents complain about the tenner then ask for his dog walking insurance details.

BarberQueue · 10/07/2021 14:21

Give him a tenner, thank him for walking the dog and tell him that you don't need his services anymore. Yes, you're £10 down but it keeps the peace and stops any possible awkwardness with his parents and rumours spreading.

TheAwfuITruth · 10/07/2021 14:22

I'm a bit precious I know, but I'd be worried about some scooter taking the dog off him so you could always say you've heard of a case locally if you want to let him down gently.

TheAwfuITruth · 10/07/2021 14:22

Scrote, not scooter Grin

PerveenMistry · 10/07/2021 14:25

Personally I wouldn't let some strange child go off alone with my dog.

Tell him the dog needs no further exercise.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 10/07/2021 14:26

I don't know if the boy is deliberately being cheeky or trying to pull a fast one.

It might be that he's old enough to understand the concept of being paid for work in providing your services to a customer, but not be mature enough to understand market forces, supply and demand and the fact that your client has to agree to the proposed arrangement and associated costs in advance, or otherwise decline.

Maybe he knows that dog-walkers are usually paid, he wants to earn some money, he has walked a (for him) non-family dog and so he is automatically entitled to the money. His parent could even have put him up to it and told him/given him the impression that the money is there and waiting for him to earn; or he could have misinterpreted their suggestion that 'Number 31 might want their dog walking again in the afternoons - they already pay a dog-walker in the daytime, so you could always ask'.

Of course, he could just be an enterprising CF trading on his age and banking on you feeling too awkward not to pay up because of that!

Flowerlane · 10/07/2021 14:28

Simple solution is to not let him walk the dog. If he knocks say dog doesn’t need walking thanks anyway. Repeat until he stops knocking.