Neighbour wants paid?

[kb16]

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!

Blimey. I remember offering to walk an old lady's dog when I was about 10 but it wasn't for monetary reasons it was because I was trying to get the Brownies Animal Lovers badge and this seemed to meet one of the criteria .

It is a con really. Unfortunately, he is a neighbours kid and personalities are involved.
In life, if you want to do something for money, you should ask up front about it. It is a con on tourists, for example, to invite them to see your crafts, offer them a cup of tea and then expect them to pay for the tea, pay for looking at their rubbish, and also expect the tourist to buy something as well. (I would not 'bung him a tenner' !!!!!)
Possibly the child was bored, a parent suggested they may offer to walk your dog, and then the kid was told to ask for payment for it by their parent[s]. This is a similar embarrassing con. Do not fall for it; as suggested, you should explain that you thought they liked dogs and wished to walk yours, and that you already pay for a dog walker, and then suggest they offer their services for payment elsewhere.
Do it kindly, of course. It may be awkward for the boy and you don't wish to cause offense.

Can I get a tenner off your parents since my dogs been walking you?......they must be so grateful that the dogs encouraged you out the house and off electronics for a bit........

When I told DP about this he said 'little shit. But maybe his parents don't have much money'
Well I'm sorry, but that doesn't mean that your neighbours are bullied into giving him money instead. He should have been upfront about it.
I laugh at pp's saying it's an enterprise. If he was that business minded I'd have expected him to have made you a flyer with a complimentary offer or something. Not blatantly lie to you and claim it was to pass some time since he's bored then request payment. Little sod.

I wouldn't give him money, and explain: 'You said you were bored and wanted to take the dog for a walk - you didn't ask to be paid for it. That's not how you ask for a job, you need to be clear and honest from the start. We don't need another dog walker, we already pay one and we thought you just wanted to play with him as you told us you were bored.'

He will understand all this and it's clear he tried to be a bit sneaky in a childish way, so explaining and putting it right in a kind way without rewarding the behaviour is the best approach imo.

Kid asked to walk the dog, the reward was being allowed to walk it. That is the answer, if he wanted paying then tell him he should have mentioned that at the start and you would have said no. End of conversation!

@Bard6817

Nip it in the bud as you say. But, buy a packet of sweets to say thanks. Decline future offers.

I don't get that though. Thanks for being given what he asked for?

He volunteered to walk the dog, he shouldn't be expecting payment. I think just make it clear to him.

I used to walk a neighbours dog at around that age...for fun! Wouldn't have dreamed of asking for money...in retrospect I probably could have, their dog got taken out pretty much every weekday before they got home from work which must have been great for them.

I don't think I even got a bag of sweets and this went on for at least 2 years. Never really thought anything of it, I just wanted to play with their dog as I liked dogs.

What did you decide to do, OP? How did it go?

I agree with you OP - to stop letting him take the dog out. I also think £10-20 for 2x 15 minute walks where the dog doesn't even come off the lead is a bit ridic! The minimum wage for people under the age of 18 is around £4.64 (for a whole hour as well not 2x 15 minutes). I'd probably give him a fiver to shut him up and then never ever let him take the dog again. My neighbors kids often ask me if they can do animal favors for me and I always offer to pay but they say that they shouldn't be paid because they're doing it for fun and not a job. (They really nice kids though, very mature and kind.)

I would be honest with him and tell him that you already pay a dog walker so his services are no longer required! If he wants to treat it like a job then you can fire him!