What would you want from a dog walker?

[bkwb]

Hi!!
You can probably guess I’m trying to start up a new business..! What would you want/look for in a dog walker? Id like to further understand the needs and wants of people

Insurance - i'd want it to be completely comprehensive.

Experience with dogs - how many dogs have you had, what breeds, what ages, any behavioural issues you have experience in managing.

Details. How many dogs would you walk at any one time? How long would any dog be in a crate in the back of your van for? How, if you are walking multiple dogs, from multiple households, would you manage possibly personality clashes? Would you walk on lead or off-lead? Where would you walk? How long would you walk for if I paid for an hour? How would you decide which dogs you took on to walk? How would you build that relationship with the dogs before the first walk?

I'd want to see the vehicle my dogs would be transported it. Be confident my dogs wouldn't be shoved in a crate with other dogs. I would want to know my dog would never be left unattended in your vehicle etc.

Any relevant qualifications (which honestly, I think are garbage but many people do care about that).

Policy for last minute cancellations due to extenuating personal circumstances. Policy for cancellations because you are unable to make it (full refund, alternative slot etc).

Honestly though, experience and how many dogs at any one time is key. Personally, even though I don't use a dog walker, I would never ever use someone who walked dogs from multiple households together and who had never owned a dog and had no experience in dog ownership/handling - it's just a recipe for disaster.

Personally I would want a maximum of two dogs walked together with only one off lead at a time. Walking our dog on a local beach we've seen some accidents waiting to happen where there's been about 5 dogs walked together and all off lead at the same time. Not a situation I would ever want my previous pet to be placed in. 😱

Precious not previous ...she's still very much with us. 🦮🐕

Agree with landsharksanon (fantastic name btw) but would absolutely want my dog walked on his own. I expect your phone to be switched off while you're in charge of my dog, I have seen too many dog walkers/owners not paying any attention and being unaware of their environment. I would expect you to walk at his pace.
I would expect you to accept that he has a GPS tracker and that I will know where he's been, possibly seems unreasonable but he's a runner!

Hi OP - I’m a dog walker and find people IRL are far less particular than the posts on here would have you believe.

I walk a maximum of three dogs, often from different households, and let them off their leads if they have good enough recall. I’ve never had an issue in almost six years.

You do need to make sure you’re insured, have a suitable cancellation policy and have first aid training too. Also make sure you know what you’d do if the weather is too hot, or dangerous.

Everything @LandSharksAnonymous mentions.

Then for me specifically, it would be whether you are willing to walk giant breeds/guarding breeds, because not all dog walkers do. Also whether you will take dogs that aren't necessarily reactive, but can never be allowed off lead for their own safety. Again, some dog walkers will only take dogs that can be off lead and walked as part of a group.

I don't use a dog walker, but I have looked at a few, just in case of emergency, and none of the ones local to me would be able to cater for my dog.

I would like to believe that you wouldn't be so bloody oblivious that you're dragging 6 dogs along at top speed while half of them are desperately trying to stop for a pee. ( looking at you, local dog walker who you couldn't pay me to give her my dog to walk). Plus everything mentioned upthread.

We use a dog walker.
Things that are important to us are reliability - thinking about it I don’t think our dog walker has been off sick ever, good communication- so remind us a couple of weeks before you go on holiday even if you’ve already told us and if we ever see her out walking dogs, that she appears to have them all under control and they are getting a decent walk with time to snuffle around and enjoy themselves.

Also good if the walker is able to do boarding.

I use dog walkers on an ad hoc basis and I only choose those who have insurance and dog first aid training.
I agree with a PP about seeing the van they will be in.
The ones I tend to use again are the ones who have a form to fill out first that includes my dog's likes and dislikes, call commands etc. That shows they really care.
I've recently struggled to find someone who does solo walks or at least small groups, as my dog is too old for large boisterous groups these days. I often see other people asking on Facebook for dogwalkers to do solo walks too, so maybe you could market that as a niche selling point?
Good luck with your venture.

Also, clear policies, paperwork, insurance all important too.

Gosh. I wouldn’t ask half of these questions 😂

Our beloved dog walker is ridiculously reliable and books her holidays well in advance, so giving plenty of notice. I can text her in the morning and she will always fit them in for a last minute walk if she can.

She adores my two (we were one of her first clients) and they stay over when we go on holiday. They are always walked off lead and between us both, they have developed brilliant recall. I would be bereft if she stopped. She also sometimes offers to walk them on the weekend for free ❤️

Insurance, reliable and sends some pictures of my dog on his walk occasionally not even everytime.
a bonus for me would be an app or website, my favourite one had that for bookings and it made it a lot simpler for ad hoc bookings vs texting back and forth but it’s not something that would stop me if they didn’t.

I'm a trainer but also provide walking, daycare and boarding. I am insured, licensed, and my vehicle is insured for business use.

I have been gobsmacked by how few people are interested in anything the previous posters have mentioned. I have been asked for my insurance details once, and only one person has ever been to have a look at where their dogs will be staying in advance. Nobody has ever specified isolated walking.

My experience is the same as yours @HappiestSleeping- in six years only one person has ever asked to see proof of insurance. Nobody has ever asked to see my car, my first aid certificate or any of my qualifications.

It's amazing isn't it? The only people who appear to be interested in qualifications are other dog trainers.

Yep - I even have people wanting me to come into their homes and take their dogs without even meeting me first 🤣

This is so shocking!

I’ve had two separate walkers, both did a meet and greet with paperwork before we agreed any walks - I thought this was normal 😬

I do insist on those things but it doesn’t stop people asking. I have loads of clients who don’t even lock their doors, I just go in! 🤣

The man who occasionally walks my dog is also a trainer so every walk ends up being a training session. It tires my dog out more and he is better behaved for a few days 😆

I find that quite worrying.
But maybe they're the easy ones to deal with, whereas I'm pretty sure I'd be a nightmare client 😬

A local dog walker near me has good reviews but i wont use them as they take their primary school age child out on walks and let them hold dogs leads as evidenced in multiple photos on their social media

If i am paying someone to walk my dogs then they are the priority not a child, and the photos aren't cute it shows they are nit paying any attention to the dogs.

Having an option of walks would be nice sniff walk, off lead run about, beach walk although it would depend on the area you work in, mine love the beach but too often and they get bored

I'd want my 2 dogs walked on their own. 1 is reactive to other dogs. I'd want you to wipe their paws with moist wipes in the hall before they come back into sitting room.

And giving the codes to key safes etc. I know I'm fine, but they don't. Amazing.

I think part of it is that we live in a really small, rural town where everyone knows everyone - so they know who I am and how I run my business. I always insist on meeting the dogs first though!