05/08/2022
Everyone involved in our dog's care matters and has an impact on our dog and their behaviour.
With that in mind, hiring a dog walker or pet sitter takes a lot of trust. You are putting your home, your dog, and your dog’s welfare in someone else’s hands!
For those of us with dogs who display fearful or reactive behaviours on walks like barking and lunging, finding a trusted dog walker can be that much more challenging.
On top of that, the dog walking industry is unregulated and so we have to take extra care in looking for the right person. We hope that some of these questions can help you find a great dog walker for your team!
A dog walker should be transparent about the equipment and methods they use. And more importantly, a great dog walker that would work best with you and your dog will do what they can to look after your dog's needs and safety, as well as be open to your suggestions to better support your dog's needs.
For example, with dogs who are comfortable in the car, Amanda (Classical Canine) often drives them to open fields, parks, or new neighbourhoods where they are less likely to be overwhelmed - even if that's nearby. That way, they can avoid some of the dogs' triggers and have a more relaxed walk.
If it's not possible for a dog to be walked safely by the dog walker or for them to feel safe on the walk, enrichment visits (e.g. indoor/backyard play, snuffle games) with a short potty break are a great alternative.
At the end of the day, all dog walks should enhance the well being of our dogs and enrich their lives. Our dog walkers should be a part of that.
This is a collaborative post between Rachel Forday - Dog At Heart and Classical Canine.
ID (Slide 1): On a light beige background, the text in the middle says “5 Questions to ask your dog walker if you have a fearful or reactive dog.” Under the text is an arrow point to the right.
ID (Slide 2): On a light beige background, the handwritten style text on the top says "Do you let dogs sniff and p*e whenever safe to do so?" and the smaller text under this says "The goal of a walk is to meet the dog's needs and this applies with your dog walker too. Meeting needs include moving freely and exhibiting natural behaviours like sniffing, p*eing, rolling, digging, etc. when safe to do so."
ID (Slide 3): On a light beige background, the handwritten style text on the top says "Do you offer private walks?” and the smaller text under this says “It’s easier for your dog walker to safely manage a private walk with your dog, and ensure your dog’s needs are being met. If your dog is nervous or reactive around other dogs, this is even more crucial.”
ID (Slide 4): On a light beige background, the handwritten style text on the top says “What equipment do you use with dogs in your care?” and the smaller text under this says “Green Flags include: Harness, flat collar (for safety strap or ID tag), treats. Red Flags include: Prong collar, choke chain, shock/e-collar, slip lead*.” On the very bottom, a lighter and even smaller text says “Slip leads can be humanely used in limited instances including emergencies and for short distance transport (e.g. car to designated off leash field).”
ID (Slide 5): On a light beige background, the handwritten style text on the top says "Do you train dogs in your care? What does that look like?” and the smaller text under this says “Let your dog walker know if there are things you’d rather them not train like obedience (e.g. stay, heel, sit when they stop). Red flags include: Methods rooted in dominance theory, “corrections”, “boundaries”, “pack walks”, and structured walks”.
ID (Slide 6): On a light beige background, the handwritten style text on the top says “How do you accommodate dogs displaying stressed or fearful body language?” and the smaller text under this says “Are they open to choosing quieter walks where your dog will feel more comfy, and to avoid your dog’s triggers as best as possible? Do they use management strategies to minimize stress when passing triggers? If the walk is overwhelming and not enriching for your dog, consider asking for an enrichment visit instead.”
ID (Slide 7): On a light beige background, on the top there is a brown brush-style box. In it, the text says “Key things to note:”. Under this are 3 bullet points. The first point says “The dog walk should be doing more good than harm.”. The second point says “Are you seeing more relaxed behaviours after their walks?”. The third point says “Observe how the dog walker interacts with your dog. Do they listen to your dog's body language. Do they let your dog come to them first?”
ID (Slide 8): On a light beige background, on the top are two circles with a photo of Amanda in one and a photo of Rachel and Dave in the other. The text under this says “Was this helpful? Follow us: ” Under this is the text “Like, Comment, Save it for later.” with an arrow next to it pointing to a symbol of the Instagram save button.
