16/08/2024
Pinched from Penelope Petstop - Dog Walking, Pet & Horse Care Services.
🐶 Logistics of a dog walker:
'It's just dog walking, such an EASY job!!' Well maybe... Maybe not as easy as you might think! 🐶🐶
Weather:
☔: Enough towels in the van, wellies ready for walking, who needs to be on a lead as hates the rain, coats for the dogs. It takes ages to clean the van afterwards, wash and dry all the towels, make sure each dog arrives home in a good state.
☀ : Temperature? Is it too hot? Rearrange pick up order maybe so dogs are in car least amount of time. Enough water and bowls in the van, shade, change walk location or walk earlier. Park as close to each dogs home as possible and leave dogs as short a time as possible with all windows down and in shade. Air con, fans.
⛈️⚡: Which dogs may be too scared to go out, some on leads, should walk be cancelled? Shelter. Ensure safety at all times.
🌨❄️: Are roads safe/passable? Can you get to certain walk locations? Coats for dogs, sturdy footwear, proper clothing, gloves, salt and shovel just in case, de icer, hot water in flasks.
🚙 : Trixie loves everyone on a walk but hates them all in the van so needs to be away from them all in van. Timmy barks non stop in the back cages but OK in the front cages. Max is car sick but OK in the front footwell on a harness. Belle will only travel in one of the 6 crates as that's her spot and noone else's!! Sammy likes to be able to see where he's going!! Jim hates to see where he's going! Ben can't sit next to Max or Sammy as he hates them in the van but adores them once out.
🖥 📱: Emails, texts, whats apps, missed calls, voice mails, invoices end of each month, new customers to visit, key box to look after, mileage book to log every day, insurance, vet cover, booking forms, first aid, diary constantly changes every day etc...
🚘 : Pick up/drop off order (for groups this can take up to an hour before and after each hours walk) Location? Timing? Where are the livestock today? Roadworks? Road closures? Hazards etc.. Enough poo bags!!!!!!
🐾🐾 : Location, Timing? Order you let the dogs out the van, who has to be on a lead, watching out for livestock, joggers, cyclists, walkers, kids, horse riders, other dog walkers, stray dogs, things for dogs to roll in or eat they shouldn't... 🤢 Hazards...
🐶 : Age? Breed? Neutered? Seasons? Sociable? Size? Strength? Training? Needs? Medication? Health? Coat type? Speed? Energy level? Owner requirements? On lead? Harness? Fears? All needs to be considered for safe group walks.
😊: Fitness, experience, health, energy levels, strength, patience, kindness, safety, income, insurance
And the list goes on 😁 We love it and would rather do this than be stuck inside all day! Challenges make our day more exciting ♥️😍
