Do you need a license to walk a dog?

 

A friend of mine said to me the other day. How many people do you know that you would feel comfortable with them walking your dog?

I thought and could only come up with five people.  The list includes three friends and two neighbours, all of whom know my dog very well.

How about you?

Would you trust anyone to walk your dog?

After my friend asked me that I realized how restricted I was for help with my dog, and it reminded me again of one of the reasons I started this web site. Finding good reliable people to help me with my dog and to help other with theirs was one of the reasons. A Pet sitting and walking exchange.

If you join as a member, it is free, and you can be part of the exchange.

 click and join at bowwowwowmeow membership

 

For now let’s focus on the walking part.

 

I then looked for local dog walkers the usual way we do now, via the internet, and I found lots, well not many for my area, but lots in the general area.

Then I started contacting some to find out rates, experience with my dog, etc.

I found to my surprise that the rate varied from $10 to $30 for a half an hour walk.

The experience of the walker ranged from no time to many many years.

• Some walkers were bonded and insured.
• Some had pet first aid certificate.
• Some had a business where they had many walkers under their wings.
• Some were the only walker.
• Some walked only one dog at a time, but the majority of them walked the dogs in a group. I did not want my dog to be walked in a group.

 

I had thought about doing this myself years ago, when I got tired of my corporate life, yet at the time I just did not feel I could actually charge people money to do something I would love.  Though there is the saying and the book- "do something you love and the money will follow". Then I thought it might distract from the time I would take for my own dog. And I carried on with my corporate life.

Putting myself in the shoes of the dog walker (and likely they would be good walking shoes like mine) I thought again about it. How can you make any money walking a dog? Yes, walk them in a group as of course there is more chance to make money that way. I understood that, yet I still did not want that for my dog.

Some dog walkers do it for the love of the dog, and money is secondary.

Yet there are lots of people that have made this a living. Look back 15 years or even 5 it was not as much of business idea, yet now it is every man and his dog, so to speak. Or bark.

So, back to the search for someone who could help me, if I should need someone. I want to be ready.

I was aware of a few local companies that did day care and pet boarding, but not any that did walks in my area. You can look in the services section of this site and see ones I have already posted there, services include dog walking.

After several emails back and forth I found a lady I liked the sound of. I have not yet met her, but she has many years of experience, she is bonded, has insurance and a pet first aid certificate. All good things.she cares about each dog she walk. a personal touch.

you can find her at Fur their comfort pet care service. She is in Port Coquitlam.

I found several others that I will also check out and can tell you about then.

If you have a service you want to tell us about, you can join and post it free.

If you want to join and be a pet sitting exchange this you can also do free. Then, as the membership builds in your area you can connect to these people and have that list ready for when you need a walker, or pet sitter.

Paid services or free, the most important thing is to check out the person to determine their experience with dogs, and with your breed of dog.  Make sure you have a legal agreement. You don’t want someone walking off with your dog.   

No, you don’t need a license to walk a dog. Yet you do need to know more than how to walk.more on that later.

Back to what I said at the beginning, how many people would you trust your dog with?

There may be a time when you might need a walker (I mean for your dog). Maybe when you have a walker? Maybe if you fall and can’t walk the dog for a while. There are so many situations that having that comfort to know there is help.  

Well, this is what I think.

 

So, hope you can join today and build our network.

Post your service

or join the pet service exchange

and join pet watch in your area.

join  free at  bowwowwowmeow membership