Experienced dog walker

[TamSL]

Hi there - I’m looking for a professional, experienced dog walker for my Belgian Shepherd. We’d like someone able to walk him a couple of hours every weekday afternoon. He is good, but high energy and needs an experienced person. I’d really appreciate recommendations.

Location?!!!

I live in Finsbury Park, North London.

Ok! I found my dog walker on Facebook local site.

Thanks - something like (location) dog walkers on FB?

I'm a dog walker but nowhere near you! My advice would to be to ask on local Facebook groups and arrange a free meet and greet with your potential walker (they should all offer this as standard).

Then make sure they're insured and first-aid trained at an absolute minimum. Dog walking isn't regulated so there's actually no requirement for them to have either of those things, but IMO they are a necessity.

I would also want to know whether they're positive reinforcers or not, how they transport the dogs, whether they know anything about body language, whether they walk solo/in groups, how many dogs they take out at once, what their protocol is if a dog is hurt or injured etc.

Thanks, that’s really good advice. Just to explain, he has a dog walker who is amazing, but she is starting a new business doing something else. She will ask some of the local walkers, and I will ask on the local groups too, but finding someone good in our area who is able to do two hours each week day is a challenge. So I’m trying to widen the net, if possible, by asking for recommendations here too.

I'm in North London and I can PM you with the great dog walker we use but since you're in Finsbury Park, are you not attending Alpha Dog classes in the park? Sue and her colleagues are great and will recommend you someone/one of them

Thank you so much! Yes, I know Alpha Dog and we went to classes, which were good, but they weren’t able to recommend any walkers when I asked. I will try your walker.

Ha ha ha.

Two hours each day is a lot to ask for most walkers I think - can your dog be walked in a group? That might be the key, and for you to be flexible with timings too.

Personally, I don't offer two hour walks and neither do many others I know, as it's just a bit restrictive and not much fun for your dog as it means they're sat in a van/car for quite a large chunk of time.

Does she need two hours all at once? Or could you split her day and have one walker take her in the morning for an hour, and an another take her in the afternoon?

He does kindof need the 2 hours in the afternoon, at least that’s what has worked well so far. I totally understand that it’s a stretch for most walkers. But I do pay well, which has helped!

For me, it's not the pay, it's the fact that it's actually quite inconvenient.

I can't think of any breeds that NEED two hours in the afternoon as opposed to two individual hour-long walks. I think if you adjusted your needs, it would make finding a walker much easier.

Having a dog for two hours means:

• they have to come on 2x group walks (as I'd never do it solo) which means they have to get on with every single dog I take out.
• they have to be a good traveller.
• I have to take my groups to two different locations each day so your dog doesn't get bored doing the same walk twice
• they end up spending a fair bit of time sat in the car and waiting for other dogs to collected and dropped off.

Of course, you know your dog best but I think you're limiting yourself. If they genuinely need that much exercise/company then a daycare service would probably suit you better.