Professional dog walkers - AIBU?

[Goddessoftheearth]

Every fortnight on three mornings when I need to be office based, I have a professional dog walker come to take my dog out on a group walk - he is a very energetic breed, and there simply isn’t the time (or daylight) to get him walked before school runs and getting to work for 9am.

My issue is this. I know it is horrendously muddy everywhere - on days when I’m not office based and have time to walk, we are in our local woods wading through mud. My dog gets dirty - thats what happens and I know it’s impossible for them not to get muddy. When I get home, he’s hosed off, towelled dry and is in his bed on a towel in the utility room for an hour drying off.

When he has been going out with the dog walker recently, I think he is going to an enclosed field each time with the group of dogs she has. Don’t have an issue with that really - would prefer it not to be every time, but understand it is safer when she has lots of dogs. However, this field is obviously well used and REALLY muddy - the sort of clayey mud that sticks. Whilst when I walk my dog - and it is often with friends and their dogs so he is running about lots - he gets covered on his legs, under his belly and a bit on his chest, when he comes back from being out with her, he is caked in mud up to half way up his sides.

Because I am work, he is dropped off into the utility room, but is left as he is. By the time I get home a couple of hours later (I only do 4 hours and then am back), he is still covered what is now partially dried/ parts tacky thick clay. It is all over his bed, the floor and everywhere else. I then have to take him back outside, hose him off - which is harder as some of the mud has dried on - bring him back in, towel him off and then leave him to dry again. His bed needs washing - as otherwise next time he comes in having been hosed off, he’s getting into a bed covered in mud = defeats the washing off prior to this - and he is shut away for another hour on his own drying again.

I know that dog walkers have a busy day in terms of a lot of time is spent driving about picking up and dropping dogs back home again, but AIBU to ask that the dog is given a quick wash and towel off before she leaves? Also waiting to be roasted by MN about first world problems and why am I not walking my own dog/ have a dog etc!

It’s fine to ask, and be prepared to either pay extra if she says that it will mean extending the time slot; or to say that she can’t accommodate it because she can’t leave her several other dogs alone in the car / tied up outside whilst she washes yours.

I think that seems reasonable (aside from anything else, it's unkind to leave a dog caked in mud like that), however I'd suggest that you need to be willing to compromise on either a shorter walk or paying for extra time to wash your dog down.

She probably doesn't have time she will have dogs unattended in the van you might need to get a one to one if she offers it, till the better weather.

You are paying, so it's up to you to raise the issue.
For the money, she can decide if it's worth it to her.

I think it's fine to ask, but I would expect to pay for the additional service and also be prepared for her to say that it's not a service she can offer because of her commitment to the other dogs she cares for (i.e. unless yours is dropped off last, then she might well not have time/capacity to give your dog a wash in the middle of the day).

I do understand the problem, but to use my dog walker as an example, when she's dropping my dog off she has to leave her van parked on the street with 3 other dogs inside while she brings mine up the path and let's him into the house. I imagine it's just not practical to leave the other dogs while she hoses/towels a dog. However mine does wipe the dog down with a towel at the end of the walk before he gets back in the van, so he's never totally caked.

On his walk days you might need to cover his bed with a giant towel or somerhing.

Our dog walker towels all dogs off before putting them in the car and then once again in the clients house (we are asked to leave a pile of old towels out in the house for this one) so I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask. Washing them down may be a bit more difficult as presumably she may have other dogs in the car.

Also - and I know this isn't the point of the thread, but: he is shut away for another hour on his own drying again.

Have you considered buying a pet hairdryer? Tesco do them: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/325089621?sc_cmp=ppcGHS+-+Grocery+-+NewMPX_PMAX_All_OT_Marketplace+Top+Performers_Marketplace+Budget_1012757**325089621*&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22422832551&gbraid=0AAAAADiyNaueHeduOF6QVt_uE67JLhSX5&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7rDMBhCjARIsAGDBuECg5WEg9AN_v4OJqC8xzfhd7qRsNSYrkKRx-rSCUANRl0D7RUeVIb0aAnRYEALw_wcB

Just seems a bit sad to leave him to his own devices to dry off when he's a social pack animal and has already spent time on his own during the week.

I agree it's very annoying to come home to a muddy mess and I have the same issue with my dog walker.

However, I wouldn't want my dog left alone in a van while they were inside hosing and drying dogs. It would take around 15 minutes, so unless you pay for a single dog walk, it's probably not going to happen.

Dogs are fine on their own for a few hours i don't think we need to feel "sad" for him.

If I think it's a bit sad to shut him away for an hour for the sake of air drying then it's fine for me to think that. You feel how you want to and so will I.

Thanks for the feedback. Yes she will have other dogs in the van as she drops off so appreciate that to leave them for the 5 minutes to wash/ towel off is not ideal. I usually do leave a towel in his bed when I leave, but it’s often tucked up (therefore not doing any good!) by the time I get home,

As I compromise I might get some VetBeds to leave on the side and ask that when he’s dropped back she puts one in to his bed before leaving. Thanks again.

Our dog walker takes out 3xdogs so has one of those portable hose things in the back of her van so they get a quick undercarriage wash and into a towel wrap whilst they drive back they are drying off. Then she drops dog home.

It is so muddy at the moment. Every walk is a bath after for me at the moment! I saw one dog walking van yesterday and they were showering the dogs after their walk in the carpark at my local woods. They had a great set up from what I could see. The dogs weren’t enjoying it though. It made me wonder if this is common place with most dog walkers?

I have dogs that I walk. If there is a hose at the owner's house, I hose them off and towel dry as best I can on the basis that wet is marginally better than mud. Quality of towel drying is variable depending on how wet it is and how many dry towels I have left. If the owner doesn't have a hose, I have a mud daddy that I rinse them off with, then towel them off. All included in the price, although this weather is very tedious and eats into profits.

I would rather differentiate myself from the competition this way though.

Get him a full-coverage coat like this:
https://funnyfuzzy.co.uk/products/large-dog-outdoor-jacket-waterproof-adjustable-dog-rain-coat

Is he easy to handle and would he wear a coat? When it’s vile out, mine wear an equafleece. It takes seconds to put on and take off, then you could just put that in the washer when you get home?

Could he wear one of the fleecy coats that covers most of his body? Then you'd only really be washing that.

Our labrador goes to a dog walker once a week too and he loves a mud bath!
She has a special type of hose (he hates it) to get the worst off him, and always towels him off before shoving him back through the door. Otherwise it would all dry to him and his fur would be all matted, making him very uncomfortable.

My dog walker rinses my dog off with my mud buddy and gives her scrub with a towel. If it’s been raining and she’s wet, she will put her dog robe on.

Meantime, if I know I won’t be home, I put a large bath sheet over her bed, and she’s left in the utility until I get home.

There will generally be 3 other dogs as we are last pick up and first drop off, but it’s never been an issue. She has a fan/ ventilation thing on the roof, and she’s good at matching dogs so they are chilled with each other,,plus we have easy parking

No additional charge. Seems like she’s unusual, but she is really good, both my dogs have loved her, and she’s flexible with my needs.

Depending on size, get a Equafleece coat. Doesn’t hinder running and the dog walker can just take it off as she returns him.

https://www.equafleece.co.uk/home?srsltid=AfmBOoobTuHI15azBbpHa44Tlsut37MZIwRr9OXD7uSzOIhyeoiHafUe

As above on the equafleece or similar waterproof all-over dog coat.

Easy solution.

Coat for dog best option
And pray for rain to stop one day

Thanks for the additional replies - @HappiestSleeping i would use you for definite!!! Re the coats I kind of feel that if there isn’t the time to wash/ towel off (and I know that it’s 5 minutes for me - definitely not a full bath at all) then will she have time to put on/ take off an all in one fleece before and after… I’ll get the VetBeds on order as I know they are easier to throw in the wash than the whole bed.