For those with dog walkers

[hattie43]

Do you change schedule/ cancel in this heatwave . My dogs go out for a two hour walk and get taken to various places usually involving water for a swim .
My dilemma is that the frenchie comes back exhausted and they don't have the best breathing anyway . Walks are taken uber early think 7-9am and involve water , shade etc but I'm still worried .
I don't know whether to cancel in this heat but don't really want to because I don't want to be the cause of the walker losing money in this economic climate . She has already said others have reduced walks or cancelled because they can't afford it anymore .
I also don't want to send big dog on his own because I'd think it unfair on frenchie seeing his buddy go off without him .
What to do ?

My DH is a dog walker and he suggests an hour rather than two in the morning. Then maybe another walk later or a home visit to let them out - this 2nd walk/visit depends on whether the afternoon is cooler or not.

If you can afford it, I’d cancel and still pay. Especially if you have a long standing, reliable dog walker. However…. If it gets realllllly hot, I’d be surprised if they didn’t cancel anyway. If your not home they could always drop in and play with them/ let them out instead.

Keep the walk and ask the walker to concentrate on sniffy games, water play etc rather than ball games or anything too physical

that Said, it’s really not too warm between 7-9 for a walk

The dog walkers I use cancel their brachycephalic dogs on very hot days for safety reasons, and the others get a walk that more 'hanging out together in the shade and sniffing something interesting' sort of walk, rather than an active romp. Having built-in dog friends is an advantage of group walkies

I think it would be a good thing if your dogs did do things separately - it might have to happen for other health reasons in future. this is a health reason now

Thanks all , yes she has cancelled before last year on heatwave days but seems to now emphasise shady walks , lots of water , keeping on lead for longer to not increase heat rushing around . I'm thinking the change of stance this year is because she has mentioned loosing customers because of cost of living crisis .
I appreciate she needs to earn a living but my need to keep frenchie boy alive trumps everything .

Thankyou for your thoughts everyone it's so difficult .

That's a very good point actually about future separating because frenchie is a lot younger than big dog and will have to manage without him at some time in the future , might aswell get used to it now I guess

I am a dog walker ☺️ my hot weather policy is as follows:

• in really hot weather we start walks as early as 6am. I prioritise puppies, old dogs and brachycephalic dogs first.

• I will walk up until I feel it's unsafe - my cut off is normally around 20 degrees for a healthy adults. If I feel it's too hot, then walks are cut short and I bring dogs home early and we play or cuddle inside if needed. The longest I ever walk dogs for is an hour, though - I personally think two hours is way too long, especially in the summer months.

• if dogs are home alone, I will walk them early doors and then come back and let them out for a wee at lunchtime or mid afternoon. I don't charge extra for these pop ins as it only happens a few times a year.

• if owners are home and wish to cancel that's absolutely fine, but they do have to follow my policy which is to give 24h notice. If they don't give enough notice I have to rearrange my day and often can't fill slots.

I hope that helps a little ☺️ I'm personally busier than ever at the moment and am constantly turning people away, but I do sympathise with your walker as it's tough when people chop and change and cancel last minute, even if it's unavoidable.

@coffeecupsandfairylights

Thankyou that's all very sensible . I think I will also go back to an hours walk , when I started with her it was an hour then crept up to two hours but in this heat I think an hour would be fine . I can always go back to two hours in the winter months so it's only really July and August we can have extreme heat .

Decision made , some very sensible options thankyou all

An hour for a Frenchie should be plenty - especially in the summer! I walk dogs of all breeds and they're all suitably tired after an hour so you may not even notice the difference 🤣

My dog walker cancels if it’s too hot, and offers to do a garden check instead.

How about trying a cooling coat as well? She can pop it on whilst she is walking to the water and again if/when he drys off.

He has had one in the past but it dried out and became like cardboard so quickly

I don't really have a normal garden it's 7 acres so dogs could get lost or into next doors field or down to the river .

I don't really have a normal garden it's 7 acres so dogs could get lost or into next doors field or down to the river

But she could still come and take them out on leads and let them have a sniff and a wee, then play indoors?

My dog walked does similar to what others have described when it’s hot. She comes and lets the dog in the garden for a bit or a very short walk depending on how hot it is. She then plays/cuddles him indoors for the rest of the hour