Why can’t I find a trustworthy dog walker

[Housebears]

I know that sounds ridiculous…

I am on an unavoidable trip in October for 7 days. I wont be in the country. My sister will be staying at home with my 3 dogs and cat but is unable to walk them due to medical issue.

I thought I could find someone to walk them for me but it’s proving impossible.

I have 3 giant/large dogs.

1 is terrified of strange men (wouldn’t show aggression but will cower and wee himself 🙁) due to severe abuse before I got him so that rules a lot of people out. I need someone who won’t let strangers approach him.

Dog 2 is very dog selective, she will tolerate dogs but prefers to ignore them. She’s very obedient but prefers her own space. Being forced to interact stresses her out and she will actively avoid and then snap if they won’t take the hint. Unfortunately due to her size and breed it’s often interpreted as her fault and so I tend to keep her distanced. She’s perfectly happy to walk past and ignore but this has ruled out loads more who walk multiple dogs, inexperienced people or those who do off lead walks and don’t recall fast enough and her warnings might not be picked up on.

Dog 3 is young, entire, boisterous and rude at the moment. Being allowed to play blows his tiny mind and he ends up crushing everything in his path and being a bit of a bully. He’s going through the tough teenage phase and isn’t allowed off lead unless in a secure area. He is also bloody massive and very strong. He is under a behaviourist, goes to training and is coming through the other side finally, learning to be polite and walk calmly past other dogs but I’m scared he will go back to square one.

They are all well behaved with me but I spend lots of time training them and know each ones quirks.

Why can I only find people who want to walk them in huge groups, people who have no clue or people who mainly walk nothing but poodles and chihuahuas and won’t be able to manage them. How do you trust they will do as you ask?

Am I better off not walking them for a week rather than risking an accident or something messing them up further?
It feels really mean but maybe a run in the garden would be less stressful all round.

I must have ‘interviewed’ about 10 and ruled them out now and I’m starting to think is it worth it for the sake of a week…

Most dog walkers have no qualifications. Look at qualified dog trainers as some offer a walking service. Alternatively do you have a dog field you can book near you.

My sisters dog went to a sort of training boot camp when she went on holiday. It was on a small holding and he had access to a secure field and then he had training sessions throughout the week.

I have two friends who are dog walkers. They would never agree to walk these dogs together.

@Jalisco and rightly so!

I wouldn't even want to walk any of them separately to be honest - maybe the oldest at a push, but walking a giant reactive dog is just asking trouble imo.

I mean, all it takes is for one of them to react and the walker gets pulled over and injured, and then they're off work with no income for weeks if not longer.

It's a huge risk to take unless you're strong, experienced and have excellent income protection!

I think the idea of a dog walker walking one person day is good, then they get out every 3 days and the walker only has to focus on 1 dog

Hahahaha. Dog walker here. I have my own pet care business which has been running for 5 years now and I worked with dogs prior to starting my business as well - all breeds big and small.

I am going to be very cut throat here. You are the worst type of client. Firstly, you’re massively entitled and picky. Let’s be clear, YOUR DOGS are the ones who are “untrustworthy” given their unpredictable, erratic nature. A close second for untrustworthiness is YOU for not training your damn dogs properly. Why are you even taking your dog out in public (which is prone to snapping) without muzzling it? Instead, you expect a dog walker to be able to control the general public and not let anyone or their dogs approach yours. Dog walkers aren’t responsible for the general publics actions; it is YOUR responsibility to provide the dog walker with a muzzle for your dog so that if another dog does approach, your dog can’t do any damage. You sizing up anyone on how you think they’re wrongly interacting with your untrained dogs is hilarious as well. Dog walkers are there to do a job - walk dogs. And believe me there’s plenty of easygoing ones to walk. Any dog walker that meets you and your dogs is not there to be experts at interactions with problematic mutts and pass your test on what you think someone should be like. YOU can’t even train your own dogs properly. You own dogs that 90% of people won’t like or want to be around because of their behaviour. That is all on you.

On that note… If you can’t train your dogs properly, particularly ones which show aggression, then you shouldn’t own them or ever expect a dog walker to take on such a liability. The ones who do are desperate for extra money - believe me now. DESPERATE.

Mark my words when I say this from my extensive experience with dogs: you are going to get into huge trouble one day with the way your dogs behave. Muzzle them and keep them on the lead and do the world a favour.

You couldn’t pay me enough money to take on a job like the one you described and not only that, with an entitled, defensive and deluded client to top it off! I’d rather s**t in my hands and clap…. Then lick them. Let’s just say I’m happy for you it wasn’t myself or any other dog walker who’s as switched on as I am you “interviewed” to walk your mutts. You’d of had a harsh reality check.

I would have thought it would be possible to find a dog walker willing to drive them to a secure field for half an hour each day, just the three of them, together.
Plenty of dog fields have secure enclosed parking, so no risk of escape or terror.
Which part of the country are you in?