As most of us know, unfortunately the dog industry is unregulated. Whether you're a trainer, walker or sitter there are no legal requirements to do any of these careers. This does mean that any Tom, Dick or Harry can claim to be one of the above without actually having any knowledge or experience in the matter.
So for me, as someone who has both the knowledge and experience i want to give to you a little nugget of information on what i would expect from a dog walker should i be choosing to hire one.
Firstly, while they are not legally needed i would want some sort of qualifications. Now for me as long as they've done some CPD or something then i know they've spent their time trying to learn about the career path they're going into. It would be great if they had an Animal Management Level 3 qualification, or Dog Behaviour qualifications, BUT as i've said they're not legally required to. But in my head it shows that a person cares about their career and is passionate in what they're doing if they have spent time doing qualifications around the subject.
Secondly, Insurance and DBS check. This is another thing in that if they have put the effort in to gain both then i know they're passionate. I would NEVER send my dogs off to someone who isn't insured, as owners you are allowed to ask for proof of these and if said dog walker refuses to show you or is hesitant then that would be a major red flag for me. With the insurance, if you are going for a dog walker i would be asking how many dogs they are insured to walk at one time. I would also be asking for proof. Unfortunately i see way too many dog walkers with way too many dogs to handle. While there are no restrictions most councils only recommend walking a maximum of 6 dogs at a time. Remember if a walker takes out more than what their insurance is covered then their insurance will become invalidated. This means should anything happen to your dog while in their care they are not able to claim on their insurance as they have invalidated their agreement.
DBS again while not legally necessary, it shows to me that this walker wants to prove they're trustworthy.
As a solo walker i do meet and greets and trial walks with every single dog we take on our books. This is to get an idea of what the dog is like and if we are the right match. Group walkers have a higher responsibility as they should be doing personality matches, ensuring that all the dogs that are put in a group have the same energy levels and are likely to get on. NO DOG should be thrown into a group and just see how they get on.
Forms - Every walker, sitter, trainer in my opinion should be getting you to sign forms. This means that you give them all the information they need in regards to your dog, behaviour quirks, allergies, fears etc. It also means that you should be signing their terms and conditions and agreeing to what they put in place. If a walker doesn't have one i wouldn't be using them.
Fields, there are a huge rise of walkers using secure fields for their group walks. While yes this can be more responsible, is this what you are expecting to pay for? Is this pre-agreed? If your dog walker has all of a sudden decided to take all of their walks to a secure field you have every single right as an owner to protest against this, if this isn't what you signed your dog on for. Alot of secure fields are just empty fields with no enrichment or entertainment. I also wouldn't class this as a walk, if you are paying for your walker to take your dog somewhere then i would expect a walk to be carried out.
Treats, there are a rise of dogs with not only behavioural issues nowadays but also allergies. This is hugely a personal preference but I'm not a fan of walkers who scatter feed while on walks, as a trainer this to me feels like a huge accident waiting to happen.
If i'm employing a solo walker i would personally be looking for someone with more knowledge, to me a solo walker is someone who understands a reactive dog. They know that not all dogs want to go out in a pack and socialise. Don't be afraid to ask of someones experience with a dog with behavioural issues. If they haven't are they willing to learn, and willing to do the things you say to keep your dog safe.
Your walker should be completely transparent, it doesn't matter what happens while your dog is in their care, they should be telling you everything. If the dog doesn't want to get in the car, you should be told. If the dog has had a disagreement with another dog, you should be told. If your dog has eaten something they shouldn't have, or if they have had a runny poop YOU SHOULD BE TOLD. By passing on any of these things there could be a story line into your dogs life evolving that we dont know about, behavioural issues could be mounting that you dont know. Then one day be asking why it came out of nowhere.
I want a dog walker who actually has knowledge on dogs -
Someone who knows that humping isn't always hormonal, and that it can mean a dog may be frustrated, anxious, over-excited or overwhelmed.
Someone who understands dog body language, and that a waggy tail doesn't always mean a happy dog.
Someone knows that a growl is part of a dogs communication.
Even something as simple as a dog walker who is committed about picking up dog poo and gets frustrated when other people dont, shows me how good this person will be.
Don't be afraid to question your walker, dont be afraid to discuss things with them. Someone who is committed and cares will be willing to talk to you and discuss your concerns. Someone who gets defensive isn't someone who cares about your dog. Dog walks shouldn't be a free for all where the dogs run riot, and you pay a walker to get them out of the house. Don't employ the walker who just wants to walk as many dogs as she can in the week and roll in the ££££££. A walker who cares about the £££
is a dog walker who doesn't care that much about the dog.
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