Now expected to walk my bosses dog at lunch.

[Rose785]

My boss started bringing her dog in maybe once a week. She works through lunch so she can leave work an hour early. I like to walk at lunch time. She asked if I could walk her dog and I genuinely didnt mind to begin with. But now she's bringing her dog in 3 or 4 times a week and now just expects me to walk her dog on my lunch break. I am a very busy mum so my only time to get my steps in is during my lunch and I find the dog annoys me by constantly stopping to sniff and slowing down my pace as well as picking up the poo which isnt my own dog is unpleasant!!! I finally said no when my boss asked me the other day and she was like oh please just a quick one! And it's now just irritating me that I have to walk her dog on my lunch when I just want to be on my own and decompress from being a busy working mum. it's getting to the point where I am thinking of possible ways and lies of getting out of it.
AIBU to feel this way. And if not any advise. It is my boss and I love my job but it's getting to me now.

Keep saying no.

Say no, I'm not willing to pick up dog poo, end of.

Tell her you have developed an allergy to dogs. You initially thought it was hayfever but the doctor has said it’s actually dog dander

She really is taking the piss.
I would politely say what you have explained in your post and reiterate that sorry your lunch break doesn’t work for you walking her dog.

She can’t come back on this as it’s way out of the remit of your job. She can’t walk the dog herself or not bring it in and pay a dog walking service from home. Stand your ground as she’s being totally unreasonable.

Tell her you'll happily walk her dog in work time. Your lunch break is for running errands.

bad Back/shoulder?

You don't have to walk her dog, she can't sack you for not walking her dog. Next time she asks you say exactly what you have said in your post

'I am a very busy mum so my only time to get my steps in is during my lunch and I find the dog annoys me by constantly stopping to sniff and slowing down my pace as well as picking up the poo which isnt my own dog is unpleasant!'
and add 'so I will not be walking the dog any more' Repeat as many times a necessary until he gets the message.

Her dog, her responsibility

Yeah keep saying no and don’t back down again!

Just be honest and explain to her you prefer to just have a solo walk and get some time to yourself. And say you’re not up for the job of walking her dog.

Emphasise that it’s a job, a chore, a favour etc that you’ve done for her, that you no longer wish to do going forward.

Don’t lie, no point just say ‘No, I don’t appreciate picking up other people’s shit’ or ‘okay but I’m going to start charging you dog walkers fees so flat rate of £10:00, plus £10:00 for picking up and disposing of poo plus VAT at 20% so that’s £22:00 per walk’…. I reckon she’d stop asking pronto!

She’s taking the mick, mick.

She’s taking the p*ss I can’t believe that!

i would say be honest, you need YOUR lunch break as your time. Offer to walk the dog during work time.

or work through lunch like she does and enjoy the early finish?

Yep, tell her you’ll gladly walk her dog - AFTER you get back from your lunch break as opposed to during it. She’s perfectly happy to use your lunch break for free dog walking so see if she’s as happy for you to use your paid working hours for the same task. Cheeky bugger boss! And if you don’t want to pick up poo, it’s an outright no to all of it.

I’d take a very very very long walk. Start taking ages, go for a coffee in cafe, use it to your advantage.

What kind of workplace do you work in Op? Is it an office? I really don’t get this trend of bringing dogs everywhere.

Honestly I'm pretty rubbish at saying no to people but even I would find it pretty easy to say an effective 'no' in this situation.

When she said 'please, just a quick one', why was it hard to say "I'm afraid not. I was happy to do it the first couple of times but now I need my free time back"?

At the very least, why was it hard to say "Ok but this is the last time"?

Tell her you have appointment/ meeting a friend for lunch/ etc in your lunch hour. However you can walk the dog sometime in the morning or afternoon during work hours.

Yeah I know she’s your boss and all but you’ll need to stand up for yourself more Op.

You could lose the dog on your next walk...problem solved.

Next time she collars you to ask you need to paws and have a conversation. Explain that it's driving you barking mad.

I would submit some kind of timesheet asking for additional annual leave as compensation for the dog walking work you’ve been doing during your lunch time.

When she queries this (which I’m sure she will) ask her if she was planning to pay you in cash for the dog walking instead of time off in lieu? You need to genuinely act surprised and claim that you would never have walked the dog in the first place if you didn’t think you would get compensation, either financial or in annual leave.

Then refuse to walk the dog again because she still owes you £X or Y hours of leave from the previous walks and you won’t walk the dog until that debt is paid.

She's taking the absolute piss. Also in this weather, dogs shouldn't be walked in the hottest part of the day anyway.

Just tell her no unless she's paying you the going rate for dog walkers. That'll stop it.

Ask her how she would feel if you asked her to clean your toilet. She is being unreasonable and she knows it.

I agree with pp tell her you will walk her dog during working hours not your lunchtime.
BUT only if you are ok with walking and picking after him / her.

The policy at my workplace is 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with 2 15 min breaks of uninterrupted time. Surely you are doing a task assigned to you during your lunch which you graciously did and then equally graciously tried to stop doing so you should be paid for your lunch or get an additional lunch or time off. She’s full of (dog) shit has no legal leg to stand on and can’t coerce you into walking her dog.