Dog Walkers!

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starry94

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Are you one/ do you use one?
I've been working at a boarding kennels for 2 years, mixture of part time & full time depending on time of year, am am starting to think of setting up a small dog walking business. Anyone got any tips/ advice on getting started etc?
I've had experience with lots of different dogs thanks to working at the kennels, had everything from chiuaua's to great danes, mixture of well behaved ones & some not so well behaved :rolleyes:
I drive so can get around easily without having to rely on other people :)

Thanks in advance!!
 
I use one whenever the OH can't work from home so about 2/3 times a week. She's amazing Nanook loves her. She does a half hour for £8
 
That's something i forgot to add, how much do you charge/ get charged? Does it vary depending on size of dog or how far they have to travel to get to you?
 
Hi


I use a dog walker on days when I'm out for most of the day. She picks them up, takes them for hour walk, washes them off then drops them back home and charges £15 for the 2 of them (would be £10 for 1). I think she usually has them for a good couple of hours so peace of mind for me that they're not at home alone all day
 
I board dogs (in my home) over night and have now by request started (day boarding) Im not sure how I was coersed into it :rolleyes: (one of the dogs is a husky and none else could manage her):D this is how she came to board with us and now day boards with her sister a humungus ridgeback.
I also had another lady (who bumped into a lady walking in the woods who gave my number out) call me today to day board her difficult dog both for holidays and possible day boarding (I figure I have started so may aswell carry on).......so it looks like even though I said no to ever (day boarding) I am now day boarding.:rolleyes::D
OH walks dogs during the day and has a pack of 9 now. We charge similar to the above prices and half for the second dog.

You need a license for boarding and insurance for both walking and boarding (I would advise (cliverton), contact your local council and they will call out to your home and talk through the boarding license.
Obs you need a van and suficcient containment/seperation for the dogs, your insurance covers you for 6 dogs to be walked at once any more and you will need an assistance and you need signed permission for (off lead exercise) PM me if you can think of anything else I can help you with.:)
 
TeamChaser said:
Hi


I use a dog walker on days when I'm out for most of the day. She picks them up, takes them for hour walk, washes them off then drops them back home and charges £15 for the 2 of them (would be £10 for 1). I think she usually has them for a good couple of hours so peace of mind for me that they're not at home alone all day
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Most of our clients would struggle without their dogs being walked as some are (very high energy) and need their afternoon energy exhauster:D some people are shocked when we tell them people actually pay for such a service (but imo) it's a must for some people and shows a responsible owner, if you want to work long hours and have a high energy breed you don't want to rehome it's the best compromise:)
One dog has joined to get socialised and mix with other dogs as she is a single household dog and lacks confidence with people and dogs, so although they can walk her they pay for her to get walked.
 
I have very guarded views of dog walkers in that I have personally had a bad experience and having heard a couple of horror stories would be wary.

I paid a DW in London for an hour a day to walk my boy only to find out that she opened the back door for him and ate her sandwiches in the lounge. She left after 20 mins.

Another friend thought her DW was walking in the middle of the day to break the day up only to have another friend see the DW with her dog in the park at 8.30am, so he was essentially still on his own all day. When she confronted the DW she was told ' the dog walking has to fit around my day' ie children, errands etc etc.

I see DW at my local woods struggling with 6 leads and its a big bun fight.

The other thing for me is why pay £10 - 15 an hour when you can pay for a whole days dog creche for £15 - £20. Much more stimulating and company for the dog.

Having said all that I now have a wonderful lady who I use who will walk them although I use her more when I go away.
 
I too would be sceptical of the a walker doing their walk, someone round here collects about 20 dogs in one large van and drives then around for 4 hours (the time it takes for her to collect them and and then drop them off again:eek: we wont offer half days for walks, I will explain if a dog is walked as it should be it should be returned tired and relax and sleep and it breaks the day, a dog creche does not really help with (seperation issues) as the dog is still in all day company and I think I would want my dog out in the fresh air and swimming in rivers than in a building all day if im to be honest, the dogs OH walks are featured on his FB page actually hooning around daily so their owners can see where they have been, and some of our clients came approached us when seeing us walking on our rounds (so they are very sure there dogs are walked) ;) and they are returned paggered (I get txt's) from the clients saying "wow, where did you go today, he/she is paggered:D
We also share our walking routes with owners so they can do the same hikes.

We do have a client whos dogs used a creche and she said they where wild and whenever they saw dogs after they just though it was time to hoon, the walks are more structured (in her words) (obs constant play association was maybe the issue with them particular dogs and the creche) and one was really badly injured in a fight which took along time to break up. I don't neccesarily think it's more stimulating than walking, ball chasing and swimming in open fields, rivers and a person interacting with them than a creche where they mainly hoon around a room and play/play fight esp for dogs who have little interest in playing with dogs, most of ours are obsessed with us and I actually would not see any of them being happy in a creche set up to be honest than out in the countryside.
I have thought about the creche option (and have been asked) would I consider it, but im not sure indoor play with a few hours locked in a glazed kennel for time out is my thing) I may re think at some stage, but would ideally want an outdoor area too as most round here are indoor.
I can see how they maybe handy for last minute drop offs or half day puppy minding (we did do half day puppy minding when some of our clients dogs where pups) we would walk them (socialising them, teaching them lead manners and recall and used to travelling, then took them to our home before returning them to their home and then we gradually decreased to get it down to hour walks/swims/runs when they where 1 year old. (they are very well behaved adult dogs now) ;)
 
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I am opening a creche in the summer so am very interested to hear people's views. I don't think its possible to cater for every individual taste and some will want things that others don't.

My own creche will be set in 7 acres, 3 of which is for ' quiet time' in the copse and garden or for those who are elderly, timid, etc etc and for hooling around there is a separate four acre play space which includes a river bank and natural pond. Indoor space will be provided by way of a mobile home and an oak framed barn. We don't have a large indoor warehouse type structure but there will be plenty of opportunity for games and activities outside.

For those who want individual walks we have woodland directly off the property and we have the beach 5 mins away.

If anyone has any other suggestions for what would be good I'd love to hear.
 
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