Finding the right
Dog Walker

For local dog walkers in Brighton, Sussex, click here.

I remember clearly the first time I met a dog walker. I didn't know such people existed. When I first heard of the concept, I assumed it must be someone local who simply walks your dog round the streets for a bit.

I had no idea they had special vans, and special cages in the vans to keep the dogs safe, and that the dogs went to lovely places in the countryside where some dogs only go at the weekend. And frankly that so many of them were such lovely, caring people.

So the first time I saw one from a distance I thought, 'Wow, she's got a lot of dogs. And all different breeds, and sizes and ages. How on earth does she cope at home?' Bear in mind Georgie was still a pup and was running us ragged.

Anyway, I naively asked whether they were all hers and of course she laughed and explained that she walked dogs professionally.

It was one more step into my new world of being a dog owner. There was so much to learn!

Finding them
So how do you find this 'chosen person' who is to take your beloved canine companion away with them for an hour or two?

Well the absolutely best place to start is by asking around. When you're on your next dog walk, ask a friendly doggie person if they use a dog walker. And if they don't, do they know someone who does?

You might even see someone with a group of dogs coming towards you and if the person look friendly ask if you can walk with them cause your dog needs 'socialising'. No-one can object to that.

Watch how they are with their charges. Do they keep an eye on where their dogs are. Do they break off the conversation to call a dog back or give a whistle? Or do they seem in a world of their own, just getting from A to B.

Dog walkers need to be assertive with their dogs too. If a fight breaks out over a toy or one of their dogs starts getting a bit frisky, they need to be able to step in and take control. Firmness is important otherwise the pack cohesion is challenged.

Questions to ask
If you don't know any professional dog walkers you might need to look in the Yellow Pages and call somebody up. The kind of questions to ask could be:

1. How much do you charge? (Current rates in the UK tend to be around £7 to £8 an hour with some companies offering discounts for more than one dog from the same address or for a two hour walk)

2. How do the dogs travel? (in our area the dogs tend to travel in secure cages in vans. This gives each dog its own space as well as being safer in the event of a bump.)

3. How many dogs do you take out at any one time? (six seems to be about average)

4. Do you have insurance? (Liability Insurance is essential)

5. Would it be possible to meet you on one of your walks and go round with you? (Most walkers have routines and places they favour. This shouldn't be too difficult to organise and may put your mind at rest if you have any doubts.)

Out in all weathers
The dog walkers I meet are a hardy bunch. They need to be. Out in all weathers, sometimes doing two or three walks a day in order to keep the numbers on each walk to a manageable amount. Six dogs seems about the average.

They're sensitive too. Occasionally some people are quite rude to them, insisting that they really shouldn't be out with so many dogs. And yet these dogs belong to a whole range of people who are dedicated dog owners (otherwise they probably wouldn't use the service in the first place. They'd just leave their dog at home all day while they went out to work).

One of the dog walkers I chat with has clients that are unable to walk anymore due to ill health; and dog owners that just use her for one or two days a week due to work commitments; and families where there's now a baby at home and circumstances have temporarily changed.

There is a real need for good dog walkers and we should treasure them.



For three days a week we use Christine, a professional dog walker. I asked her what qualities she thought were important. This is what she said.

'It is not enough just to love dogs. It is also essential to have a good understanding of dog behaviour and a natural rapport with them – just as one would not have one's pet operated on by a person who was not a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons – one would not seek out a walker who has not had some relevant experience.

Most will have taken a dog behavioural course. It is necessary to have an understanding of how a dog will react in the pack. It is so important that the dog should feel happy and secure.

The maximum I would walk would be six, although five is the normal number. The person should always be in complete control of all the dogs that are walked together.

I take the dogs into the countryside well away from main roads and recreational parks where children might be playing. Fortunately we are lucky in the area where we live to have the lovely Downs to enjoy our walks. But this can also be a problem, as you have to be alert to Livestock grazing.

I have a small van, which has individual cages. I think this is very important as the dogs can be very territorial when getting in and they do not always like to share their space even when they play quite happily with all the dogs on the walk.

Funnily enough I have found that when I pick up my dogs most of them are not keen on sharing a cage. But at the end of the walk they are normally so relaxed and happy that they jump in with each other quite eagerly.

Every dog walker should have Liability Insurance.

Points you should look for if you are looking for a dog walker and you have not had a recommendation.

You will soon know if your dog is happy. I find that although sometimes the dog can be very nervous to begin with, by the 3rd walk he should be waiting for me and eager to get in the van.

If you are worried about a dog walker, do ask around. There are a lot of very committed dog walkers who love and care for the dogs in their charge as if they were their own.'

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