Things You Must Consider Before Hiring A Dog Walker

Regular dog walking, exercise, re-enforcement training and socialisation have many benefits – it promotes a healthy social temperament, decreases separation anxiety, lowers stress and can even prevent behaviour problems.

If you are considering employing a professional dog walker to care for your animals during the long hours you are away from home, consider then that their responsibility is not an easy one. Firstly, a dog walker must understand the various kinds of dog training techniques available and be able to provide re-enforcement training as specified by the pet owner. This ensures that the dog walking session or backyard playtime is stimulating, fun, rewarding and challenging for the animal.

Secondly, a dog walker will have to consider the care and treatment of those pets with diabetes, epilepsy and other special care cases that may involve providing an injection or support throughout an episode. Furthermore, they will be insured and aware of council dog laws in your area. Lastly, they are dog lovers and will provide the reliability and integrity that comes with running their own business. They may charge, but the long-term benefits of a well-exercised and healthy animal should outweigh this concern.

A professional dog walker may ask to see proof of registration and request that your pet is properly tagged. They may also ask for proof of vaccinations and if your dog is spayed or neutered.

There are some very important issues to address when searching for local dog walking services. Some of these are actually things a non-professional may not be equipped to handle. Getting all of your questions answered to your liking will ensure that you’ll find the right dog walker for you and your dog.

Here are three things you absolutely MUST ask before hiring a prospective pet sitter:

1. “What if” my dog eats something poisonous or toxic or injures his or her body. How will you handle a pet emergency like that?

Their answer will either give you assurance and peace of mind or send you screaming for the hills. When answering this correctly, they should confidently address these matters:

• Find out your pet’s general veterinary information or preferred animal hospital in surrounding areas
• Show proof that they are pet first aid certified
• Go through a pet first aid kit with you so you can see what they’re equipped with
• Ask questions about your dog’s allergies, medication, etc. if any

Their tone of voice should be confident and direct and you should sense that your pet will be under proficient care. This IS the life of your close friend we’re talking about and you do not want to cut corners here.

2. “What if” my dog got sick? How would you care him?

Your dog’s health may currently be at optimum levels but every living thing is at risk for some kind of illness in their lifetime. When a dog (or animal in general) is suffering from an illness, he or she is inactive, unsociable, and has little or no appetite at all. A professional pet sitter knows that your dog STILL needs to consume water and move their bodies in some form or fashion to build their strength during the recovery period. Below are some ideas of what the dog sitter should do in this “what if” situation:

Make sure your dog drinks water so he or she does not dehydrate and become too weak (TOP PRIORITY!)

If your dog is not ready to move just yet and there is no apparent injury, the pet sitter should comfort your dog during the visits.

3. “What if” I leave my home for a long time? How can you make my house look like I haven’t left?

Many pet sitters are happy to house sit for you while caring for your pets. Ask how they can make your home look occupied throughout the day. They should cover these points:

• Park in the driveway (not on the curb) so they look more like resident and less like a visitor
• Take a walk around your property for a casual safety inspection
• Pick up any toys or objects in the yard left out from previous use
• Switch out the lights around the house including leaving a porch light on for you
• Check the mail and bring in any packages or local newspapers
• Bring in or take out garbage cans and recycling bins

Helping out with these light duty chores will make your home look as occupied as it usually is while you’re home. A home that is active is rarely watched by potential intruders.

These are some critical questions you should ask every local dog walker while looking for dog walking services. They understand that you NEED to know how a dog walker will handle all of these issues before you EVER consider hiring them.