Pilrig Paws

Pilrig Paws Growing up with dogs all of our lives, we currently own a rescue dog called George who is an odd mix of a Basset and a Labrador!

'Nae vans, nae cages, we'll walk your dog for ages'

We are Edinburgh based dog walkers comprising of a two-person team (Euan & Alana, Big E & Mullen) that make use of the great parks and walk routes that Leith has to offer! We offer years of experience with a wide variety of dogs - we walk Chihuahuas to Deerhounds - and when we come across a breed we have not walked before, we research and learn!

We pride ourselves on being different;

- We walk everywhere! We don't use vans or cages, and ensure that our dogs get a good, stimulating and exciting walk every day that they are in our care. We advertise our walks as an hour, but more often than not due to our walk routes, some dogs are out with us for over two hours as we walk and explore parks.

- We like to teach our dogs all about 'etiquette' and will use basic training (positive of course!) to ensure that wherever we go, our gang of hounds can be trusted to be friendly, confident and harmonious. We take on any training that your dog is currently receiving, and can help with problematic behaviours (pulling, jumping, poor recall, food scavenging etc)

- We like to be flexible! We know that with hectic work schedules, and rotational shift work, finding someone to look after your dog can be difficult. Whether your dog needs an hours walk to break up his day, or needs an extended walk because he is energetic, or he needs someone with him at all times because of separation anxiety, we offer a selection of walks and care options to fit exactly what he needs.

-We are all about the community! Whether it is uploading photos and videos of the dogs to our page, or purchasing our equipment and supplies from local business, we wish to be an interactive business that we can be proud of. We like to build up a good rapport with other dog owners and walkers in the park, and have quite the handful of dogs that we meet each day that we can call friends!

-We don't require you to sign contracts, or expect you to pay cancellation fees (all we ask for us is at least 24 hours notice so that we can adjust our walk routes) and we work bank holidays! We offer several payment options including weekly and monthly instalments, cash or bank transfer payments, and we offer discount packages for dogs from the same household. Whatever your dog needs, and however you wish to pay, it is completely up to you.

- We like to put an emphasis on dog socialisation, with puppies often accompanying older dogs out on their routes. We have a great group of dogs that all get along together, of all ages and breeds, and we believe that the more a puppy is socialised while they are young, the greater the chances that they will grow up to be a confident, calm, and good-tempered dog! If you would like to know more about us, please feel free to send us a message. As we both have access to the page, any queries can be answered quickly. We both carry insurance through Petplan Sanctuary, permits from Edinburgh council to use their parks, a police background search and recommendations if you require these documents :)

I've been waiting on a delivery that I do not think is going to arrive in time, but I have goody bags for the dogs 💃🏻I'l...
18/12/2025

I've been waiting on a delivery that I do not think is going to arrive in time, but I have goody bags for the dogs 💃🏻

I'll be delivering them tomorrow and Saturday, so just give me a WhatsApp to let me know which day is best 🤸🏻‍♂️

~e

Oooooh we finish up on Friday (19th) for walks, and my gifts for the dogs this year are gonna be lean, not going to lie ...
15/12/2025

Oooooh we finish up on Friday (19th) for walks, and my gifts for the dogs this year are gonna be lean, not going to lie 🥲

I'm still waiting on things arriving in the post, and while I intended to draw/paint an individual piece of art for all my dogs, I admittedly have to say that I am not very good at drawing dogs, even going as far as saying I'm embarrassingly bad at this point 😂

And as I say every year, I do not expect any gifts, I prefer you instead get something extra for the dogs, or to donate to a charity (I have a fondness for Cyrenians or Social Bite) but if you *must* get me something, then a SINGULAR can of Vault City or Campervan would be hugely appreciated 💅🏻

I'll be away from Edinburgh from the 22nd to the 27th, and "regular" walks will begin again on Monday 5th January, but if you do need emergency walks before then, I can step in ✌🏻

And, if I don't see you before Xmas, well, I hope you have a good one (& a good new year) 💃🏻

~e

🤍 New Guy in the Gang 🤍This is Milo! Although he looks like a puppy, he is in fact not! He's a happy, friendly, curious ...
05/12/2025

🤍 New Guy in the Gang 🤍

This is Milo! Although he looks like a puppy, he is in fact not! He's a happy, friendly, curious and affectionate little man who has already made friends within the gang, and can change looks overnight with a haircut: I like him both fluffy and clipped 💃🏻

~e

🚨New Guy in the Gang🚨This is Bug: aka Eclectic Bug-aloo, Bug's Life, Bugs FunnyHe's a smiley, happy, funny little rescue...
20/11/2025

🚨New Guy in the Gang🚨

This is Bug: aka Eclectic Bug-aloo, Bug's Life, Bugs Funny

He's a smiley, happy, funny little rescue from Cyprus who has settled in fantastically with the posse, and is quite the character and charmer 🥰

He loves human affection, so, if you see him about, he will jump up at you and give you his trademark grin and sticky-outy-tongue 😜

❄️Winter Update❄️1) Weather is 💩 - so, as usual, like every year, if you lay out towels, block off rooms/doors and give ...
14/11/2025

❄️Winter Update❄️

1) Weather is 💩 - so, as usual, like every year, if you lay out towels, block off rooms/doors and give permission to shower doggos, we'll try our best to keep your house clean(ish) on drop offs.

2) Walks will be shorter. We really don't want the gang to build resentment, nor suffer from the cold/rain. Priorities are: pee/poo, exerting energy, socialising and not being left on their own for too long. We may hole up in a cafe. We may sit on the sofa with them for a bit. We may cancel walks but only when *severe* weather warnings come in.

3) My (~e) planned holidays are from Monday 22 December and returning Monday 5 January. I will be in Elgin from the 22nd until the 29th (so, will be unavailable) but will be open for weekend/emergency walks out with those dates, and also open to evening/overnights if you plan Xmas nights out for example.

4) I have had 2x new dogs join the gang, but still have some availability for afternoon walks. Wednesdays are always busy for me, so, the other days would be preferable. Again, I prefer referral-based enquiries rather than "blind" enquiries.

5) I am still offering weekend walks, and also 1-2-1 training/advisory sessions. I don't know what I should charge for this, but I'm of the belief it would be "pay as you feel" until I build a portfolio/experience and can gauge what a fair/affordable price would be.

6) It's pretty common knowledge now, but I am looking at moving back to Elgin next year. Once I have things in order, I think it would be late summer at the earliest, but realistically later than this. If/when I make the decision, I'll be giving plenty of notice so you can transition over to a new walker.

7) Which hopefully won't deter any new dogs joining my gang: one of the things I am (admittedly) good at is building confidence/socialising in nervous dogs, getting them used to group settings, and a "standard" way of walking.

8) And again, thank you for being my clients. One of the things that has been making me swither about going back home is the dogs, and how I consider you more my friends than clients, and that makes a big, big difference in job satisfaction 🫶🏻

Forever whimsically unhinged,
~e

I did say to a fair few of you last week that I need to send you my photos of the dogs, I've now had a storage warning t...
10/11/2025

I did say to a fair few of you last week that I need to send you my photos of the dogs, I've now had a storage warning that my camera has 10k photos, I supposed I better actually send you them 🫣😅

~e

I try to make our walks "structured."We walk, we train, we play, we rest, we socialise, we encourage 🤞🏻A walk shouldn't ...
28/10/2025

I try to make our walks "structured."

We walk, we train, we play, we rest, we socialise, we encourage 🤞🏻

A walk shouldn't just be a walk. It should entail several elements so that a dog (& owner/walker) is both physically and mentally enriched after the walk.

I enjoy taking "nervous" dogs, and exposing them slowly to new environments and faces so that they can grow, gain confidence and assuredness about the world they inhibit. A lot of my dogs are street rescues, and a lot of their "nervousness" comes from not knowing how to react in a situation 😬

By building positive connotations, say, something like getting a coffee from a cafe, and letting people and baristas speak to the dogs, give them treats and affection, and allowing myself to be the "fallback" if they do get overwhelmed, this is essentially "exposure therapy" - and when it works, it works very well 🧐

Victor for example was terrified of noisy, busy cafes, and strangers interacting with him. Over time, and giving him a prompt to interact (I give the cue "say hello" to him) he can decide if he wants a treat/interaction, and if he doesn't, then you are there to make him feel safe. Now, Victor, after giving the cue will raise his paws on the counter and happily receive a treat 💃🏻

Have to shout out & & for being patient and allowing me to work these things through with the dogs 🥰
the.whipador

Some recent photos 💃🏻💅🏻 .the.whipador
22/10/2025

Some recent photos 💃🏻💅🏻

.the.whipador

22/10/2025

When a Rescue Dog Gains Confidence (& Why Labs need "Training") 💃🏻

Victor is quite wary of strangers. Especially in unknown settings, but through positive interactions for being brave (ie putting his paws on the counter when asked, and receiving a reward afterwards) helps build confidence and turns negative stimuli into positive stimuli 🤗

has been great for him: he used to be terrified of going in, but the team there have done really well with helping create a positive environment for Victor to gain his confidence.

Uigie, however, is a Lab. And Labs have a feracious appetite and are often "snatchy" or "mouthy" - and Uigie is no exception. All Labs (at least in my experience) are very, very food motivated. So using calming cues like "gentle" and using a closed-palm-and-open technique means you *usually* get to save your fingers, and a good level of etiquette is *usually* attained.

In this video, and unintentionally, I sound like a condescending pr*ck. It was not my intention, I just always sound more sarcastic than I think I do and is something I need to work on if I continue to do more videos like this 🙃🙄

Thank you to .the.whipador & 🙏🏻

21/10/2025

This is an example of the kind of training I'll be doing 🙂

1) when we are in heavily congested areas, or on cycle paths, I have the dogs walking on my left hand-side, creating a barrier between the dogs, and any cyclists, joggers or other dogs on the right hand side. This also allows cyclists from behind us to overtake us safely.

2) I like my dogs to walk in front of me so I can see any potential interactions where the dogs are approached face-on or from behind, again creating a barrier of protection.

3) I use a singular click for "wait" and a double-click for "let's go" along with hand signals. By giving 3x indicators (a click, a spoken word, a hand signal) you are clearly expressing to your dog what you would like them to do, and this makes it far, far easier for them to understand rather than something like, "wait Fido, wait, wait there Fido, I said wait there." - short, sharp, clear instructions, and your dog will understand new instructions you are trying to teach them far quicker if they are already familiar with the process in which you teach.

4) We always wait at crossroads or kerbs. And I *usually* only give the cue for "let's go" after "wait" when the dog has made eye contact with me, and their attention is on me. Once that is established, the cue for "let's go" or "let's cross" is given along with a confirmation cue afterwards.

5) When a dog successfully completes a cue, confirmation is given in "good boy/girl" or the (sarcastic-sounding) cue of "thank you" a couple seconds after it has been completed. A dog usually has a memory-retention span of around 2-4x seconds after a cue/interaction, and they need clarity in understanding when they have successfully or unsuccessfully completed a cue.

So, a lot of these techniques are second nature to me. I've walked dogs since I was a young teenager taking my parents dog on my morning paper rounds, and I have difficulty breaking these down into terms that are easy to digest and understand, but I am trying.

If there are any particular techniques or issues that you are personally struggling with, please feel free to reach out.

I think, the next "training" post I'll put up is in relation to what "cues" ac

21/10/2025

This is an example of the kind of training I'll be doing 🙂

1) when we are in heavily congested areas, or on cycle paths, I have the dogs walking on my left hand-side, creating a barrier between the dogs, and any cyclists, joggers or other dogs on the right hand side. This also allows cyclists from behind us to overtake us safely.

2) I like my dogs to walk in front of me so I can see any potential interactions where the dogs are approached face-on or from behind, again creating a barrier of protection.

3) I use a singular click for "wait" and a double-click for "let's go" along with hand signals. By giving 3x indicators (a click, a spoken word, a hand signal) you are clearly expressing to your dog what you would like them to do, and this makes it far, far easier for them to understand rather than something like, "wait Fido, wait, wait there Fido, I said wait there." - short, sharp, clear instructions, and your dog will understand new instructions you are trying to teach them far quicker if they are already familiar with the process in which you teach.

4) We always wait at crossroads or kerbs. And I *usually* only give the cue for "let's go" after "wait" when the dog has made eye contact with me, and their attention is on me. Once that is established, the cue for "let's go" or "let's cross" is given along with a confirmation cue afterwards.

5) When a dog successfully completes a cue, confirmation is given in "good boy/girl" or the (sarcastic-sounding) cue of "thank you" a couple seconds after it has been completed. A dog usually has a memory-retention span of around 2-4x seconds after a cue/interaction, and they need clarity in understanding when they have successfully or unsuccessfully completed a cue.

So, a lot of these techniques are second nature to me. I've walked dogs since I was a young teenager taking my parents dog on my morning paper rounds, and I have difficulty breaking these down into terms that are easy to digest and understand, but I am trying.

If there are any particular techniques or issues that you are personally struggling with, please feel free to reach out.

I think, the next "training" post I'll put up is in relation to what "cues" actually mean, and why it's important to stick to one word/phrase for one expected behaviour ("wait" means "wait until further instruction" while "stay" means "stay here until I am back" etc)

~e

It's been a long time since we've updated - well, since George went, and those that see us regularly in person, understa...
21/10/2025

It's been a long time since we've updated - well, since George went, and those that see us regularly in person, understand how much of an impact of no longer having him around has had on us.

Both of us during that period have independently thought of stepping away from dog-walking: it's a strange heartache walking someone else's dog when all you want is to walk your own dog again 🙇🏻‍♂️

We've became complacent, and now it has come back to bite us (which, y'know, was Georg's job 🌚😂)

We have availability for walks. We have availability for sitting/weekend-work. I (~e) have availability for training.

We are going to change how we do social media too: stories will be snippets of walks, and posts will be of training videos or lengthy monologues like this 😌

So, yeah, sorry for the long post. We'd like more dogs to join groups (we still prefer referral based enquiries from current owners ie you can "vouch" for your friends dog) and many of you have asked me (~e) to do some training work, so now, I am offering it 🙂

Thank you,

~e & ~a

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Pilrig
Edinburgh
EH65

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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Our Story

'Nae vans, nae cages, we'll walk your dog for ages'

We are Leith based dog walkers (and puppy nannys’) comprising of Euan aka Big E, Alana aka Master of Puppers and Handsome Mike aka Handsome Mike who pride ourselves on being different!


  • We are a green/carbon-zero company who puts an emphasis on looking after our planet! We walk everywhere on foot, we use bio-degradable poopy bags, buy our treats from local suppliers and try to use as little plastic/waste as possible.

  • As we walk everywhere, we take long treks through Leith with pups, visiting parks, dog-friendly establishments and have a reputation for giving the dogs tiring, stimulating walks.