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.

Better make it an allergy to ALL animals if that's the approach you're advising.

Lest she brings her bastarding pony in next and expects OP to walk that round the block 6x.

Just say actually you didn't mind doing it once or twice but it's become a task now rather than a pleasure and that you really don't enjoy picking up dog poo or stop and starting, just be honest while also showing her it's actually an unreasonable expectation- and it is an expectation or she'd not have increased its time in the office and pushed when you said no to walking it.

She can stay half an hour later and walk her own dog!

Cheeky fucker!

“I can’t walk your dog anymore on my UNPAID lunch break but I’m sure you can find a professional dog walker who would be delighted about the frequency you require their services”.

"Boss, I was happy to do this for you as a one-off, Fido is a lovely dog, but I have things I need to do at lunchtime so I can't continue walking him for you. Let me get you a list of professional dog-walkers in the area so you can arrange something moving forward."

The legal aspect of not having a lunch break and condoning/being complicit in someone else not doing so should be enough.

Hopefully just saying no should work.

“Sorry, no.”

(boss protests/ pleads, asks for “just a quick one”, etc.)

Cheerfully - ”Sorry, no, it’s not how I want to spend my break!”

every time.

I don't know why people find it so hard to say no. I guess the menopause will put a stop to that problem but for now you will just have to practise saying no more.

Just say you need to pop to the shop

If she's walking her boss's dog in her 'lunch hour', she's already working through it. So she could walk the dog in the lunch hour and go home when the boss does!

More like dog sitting has been cancelled which is why she brings the dog in. Sounds like she can't be bothered to walk the dog before work either otherwise it could wait until after work

Take a packed lunch in for a few weeks and eat at your desk, so you too can leave early and do your steps then

Absolutely not. This is criminally cheeky of her.

Just say it's not working for you and you need to walk without a dog. If she insists, as PP have said you can offer to do it after your lunch break (IF you actually want to - personally I wouldn't, just to force her to deal with the issue properly).

Honestly, the number of people who get dogs and then act surprised when they have to look after them. Get a plushy - it's something to stroke on the sofa that doesn't do all that inconvenient 'being alive' stuff 😉

Day 1 - also work through lunch to leave early
Day 2 - tell her you’re going to the supermarket on your lunch break so can’t take the dog
Day 3 - you’re meeting a friend for lunch
Day 4 - going to browse the shops for a new outfit
Day 5 - work through lunch & leave early again

Obviously she’s a cf for pushing this & ‘No, I don’t want to’ should be enough of an answer. But it’s a difficult power balance if she’s your boss, so you might find it easier to give excuses until she gives up.

You won't even need to do it for a few weeks.
A few days of "sorry I'm not walking today, having a working lunch, want to get home sharp" or 'sorry need to go to the shop' and she'll very quickly get the message.

Could I just ask, how much are dog walkers, per hour, in your local area? Don’t forget that walkers are insured.

What I am wondering is how would you stand if, while walking your bosses dog, if something happened? Cutting a paw on a walk is not unheard of. Nor is someone else’s dog coming over and taking a chunk out of your bosses dog. What if it slipped it’s collar and got run over by a car?

Sorry to catastrophise, but we used to have a dog grooming business with a side business of walking and doggy day car, for years, when I was married. I was insured up to the eyeballs. Unexpected things can happen, and I wonder how your boss would be if Rover sliced their paw on a bit of glass that was randomly on the pavement.

I would be saying ‘no’ to your boss. I’d not make excuses but would go with what you have explained. Your lunch, your steps and that the hound slows you down as YOUR walk becomes a dog walk. I assume that your boss isn’t badly paid and cold cover a walker.

Sorry for long post.

Definitely this

Your break your time

I’d do it on the proviso I get the dog walking time added extra onto my lunch. Win win situation

You don't have to be a busy mum to not want to walk the dog.

I would have found it stressful even as a single person.
Say not today and keep saying it. If she says just a quick one, mention it's still in your lunch break and find it hard to decompress with having to care for the dog.

Dear Boss, I have walked your dog for an hour every day for eight days now so I’m letting you know that I will be taking those accrued hours on Friday next week so please make sure you make arrangements to have somebody else walk Rover that day as I won’t be in the office. Thanks.
or
Dear Boss, I have walked your dog for an hour every day for eight days now and wonder if you would mind settling up. That’s 8 x £25 = £200. Thanks
or
Dear Boss, I just need to inform you that as you now require me to work through my lunch I will, like you, be leaving an hour early on your dog days. I am already owed 8 hours, please let me know how you will reimburse me. My Rover rate per hour is £25. Thanks.
or
Dear Boss, Please don’t ask me to walk your lovely dog again. I did it as a one-off favour the first time but don’t appreciate you taking my kindness towards Rover, for granted. It feels a bit cheeky to me that you should continue to expect it rather than making proper arrangements for him. Thanks.

Deal with it the way a man would... "no not today", smile and walk away and out of the building and give it zero additional thought.

No explanation, no apology, just a polite no without further elaboration. It can be that simple 💪

This is good, but let her look for the dog walkers as it isn't your job OP.

This. Unless you work for a dog rescue or something, asking someone to walk a dog is not a reasonable management request, and even then it wouldn’t be expected on someone’s break.
When you are at work, where are your children? They are at school or nursery/childminder/other relative. That’s because it’s your responsibility to arrange care for those you’re responsible for so you can work. The same goes for her and her dog. If she can’t take a break and walk the dog herself, she needs to use doggy day care, have someone else at home or hire a dog walker etc. she could at the very least offer to pay you for your services because that’s exactly what these “favours” are- a service.

Just tell her no you need to have a lunch break to refresh yourself. She has clearly cancelled the dog walker at home.

Option 1: “I’m happy to walk your dog during work hours but my lunch break is my time to decompress”.

Option 2: “My rate for dog walking is £20 per hour”.

Option 3: “Sorry, no. It’s my only bit of me time from my busy working mum life”.