Let’s look at why you would need a good dog walker.
Do you have a dog, but no one to walk it.
Or you’re not home enough for your pet and need someone who can do the job right.
If this is you, you’ve come to the right place!
We’ll talk about what makes a good dog walker from how they should interact with your pup to how to prepare for a walk.
There’s also tips on how to find a good dog walking service if you don’t know where to start looking.
In this article you will learn:
- The qualities needed for potential dog walkers
- Tips to find a good dog walker online or locally
- The legal age for dog walking in America
What Makes A Good Dog Walker?
A good dog walker should understand your dog, their unique traits and schedule. They should be physically fit and have enough relevant experience with dogs to be able to care for your dog when you’re not around. A good dog walker will provide excellent customer service, have a strong sense of responsibility and communicate with you easily.
Another important quality is their stamina as different breeds have different energy levels. A professional dog walker or even a responsible teenager should be able to keep up with your dog’s energy levels and have dog handling skills. Read on to learn more about why these qualities are so important.
What Are The Qualities Needed For A Good Dog Walker?
1. Responsible
Pet owners must feel safe and comfortable handing over their dogs to a dog walker, especially with elderly dogs.
It’s an important task!
Dog walkers have a responsibility to watch your animal when they have them so they are safe.
They must not leave your dog unattended and take care walking them in different locations.
As your dog will need to take potty breaks, they must be a responsible person and pick up after them.
Good dog walkers are responsible enough to give senior dogs and small dogs frequent drinks of water so they do not dehydrate or get overheat.
2. Experience with animals
Dog walkers will often walk many dogs on a multiple dog leash. They must have enough animal care experience to understand leash training.
Dog walkers should know how to handle dog behavior problems.
If they are only walking your dog, it is highly likely they will see other dogs on the walk.
Your dog walker must have enough experience with other animals they might come in contact with to control your dog and keep them out of harm’s way.
Further reading: over friendly dogs on a leash
3. Physically fit
Walking dogs can be a tiresome effort, especially if you are walking multiple dogs.
A good dog walker should be able to go for a long walk for at least three miles at a time.
They should also be able to go on regular, recurring walks.
Having strong, capable hands for dog handling is also important.
If your dog sees something they want to chase, the dog walker needs to have good hands to hold on to the leash.
This is especially important with larger, stronger breeds.
A good dog walk must be physically fit and have the strength to hold the leash so your dog won’t get away.
4. Stamina
A good dog walker should know each breeds individual energy needs.
Farm dogs, such as border collies or blue heelers, could chase a ball for hours!
These breeds need much more exercise and energy exhaustion than a Maltese for example.
A professional dog walker should be able to keep up with the stamina of different breeds, whilst ensuring your dog has fun on their walk!
5. Customer service
Choosing a good dog walking company can come down to something like customer service.
Do they reply quickly when you contact them?
Are they friendly?
Are they dependable?
Do they know your dog’s individual requirements?
Do you feel listened to when handing your dog over? These are questions you should consider when engaging a potential dog walker.
6. Organized yet flexible
A dog walker must be organized and on time.
A good dog walker must be organised to provide poop bags, dog treats and any other medications needed.
If you have something pop up, like a family emergency, your dog walker must also be flexible.
If you need them to take your dog so you can tend to an emergency, they should have a flexible attitude.
Alternatively, if you need to cancel because your dog is sick, you need to feel comfortable doing so.
Where Can I Find A Good Dog Walker?
Responsible Teenager
A responsible teenager can be an easy way to have your dog walked.
You could ask friends or people in your neighborhood if they know any responsible teenagers looking for work.
You could then pay a small fee and have your dog walked for you.
Somewhere between $5 – $15 per walk is fair, depending on experience.
There may also be notices on community boards for responsible teenagers looking to walk dogs!
Your Local Vet
Your local vet will know dog owners who have their pets walked.
If you ask them, they can point you in the right direction of a professional dog walker or dog walking business.
The great thing about asking a vet is you can trust they will provide you with someone offering a fantastic service as they care about the wellbeing of animals.
Online
These days, there are many online options for a professional dog walking service!
We personally love Rover.com.
This website has dog walking profiles with ratings of potential dog walkers.
Pet owners can make a profile with their dog and then easily choose someone who stands out to them.
You can even find professional pet sitters if you are going away or require a pet sitter while you are at work.
People Also Ask:
What is the legal age to walk a dog?
The legal age in America to be part of a professional dog walking agency is 18 years or older. If you are under 18, agencies can’t do background checks and they need these for safety reasons.
When engaging a teenager to be a dog walker or provide pet sitting duties, there is no legal age requirement in America. We recommend you only hire someone over the age of 15 so they are physically able to hold onto a leash if dogs are pulling. This website outlines some important liability insurance and dog walking insurance information which might be helpful for you.