Why It's OK To Interview More Than 1 Dog Walker

Hi everyone, hope you are all staying cool during this spicy summer weather. 

Today I wanted to talk about picking a dog walker. More specifically, on the interview process when selecting one. In the past little bit, I had 2 meet and greet interviews where the people informed me "just so you know, we are meeting with another dog walker too... sorry..". I was like, "good!" which seemed to surprise them. Here's why it didn't (and doesn't) bother me:

Ummm, I would do the same thing. 

My dogs are my literal babies, it is important to me that I would find someone who I clicked with and got a good vibe with. 
​
Not all dog walkers offer the same services!

For example, we focus primarily on group walks and puppy visits. We do offer solo walks for a select few, and are always willing to work with shy dogs to help slowly bring them into the appropriate group. So if you were looking for more of a long term solo walk solution, it likely isn't us! Also, our after hours walks are subject to availability. We are a small team and only 2 of us live in the service area. On top of that, I truly value living a balanced work/play lifestyle - and want the same for my team. While I can accommodate most evening and weekend walks - sometimes, I can't. I am always very upfront about this, and if you are someone who would often rely on after hours walks - then once again, we probably aren't the right fit.

Are you comfortable with a team of walkers? I COMPLETELY love my team, it allows for a ton of flexibility. We are a very small team, and because of this we all know all the dogs pretty well & day to day we tend to walk the same dogs/groups. But it is great because we can swap around dogs if any of us need time off, or we have some extra dogs added on some days. But maybe you just want ONE person walking your dog (I would urge you to consider not letting this be a single determining factor, as you could be missing out on some amazing companies).. 

​Some dog walkers specialize in reactive dogs (ME!!!!!!), and some specialize in small dogs, and some do on leash walks while others do off leash walks. You need to find the company that would match the best with your needs! 

We are interviewing YOU as well! 

The meet and greet is always 2 parts - we need to make sure we are a good fit for each other. This isn't just any type of service, we are taking care of your family. We are entering your home. It is a huge deal. We need to make sure there is a bond and trust between us. On top of that, I know the dogs and the groups that we walk extremely well. I will get a very good sense of if your dog will be a good fit with us or not. If not, I will do my best to help you out and find a more appropriate dog walker. For example, last month I referred an ADORABLE tiny chihuahua to Sparky's Comrade because I determined we wouldn't be able to give this dog everything she deserved. I also suggested someone I had a meet and greet with to use Kerr Dogs instead of us, because the vibe I got told me they would be happier with a smaller solo run company. At the end of the day, what matters most is that your dog THRIVES with us & that we have a good working relationship between us humans. I also need to make sure you follow the same methodologies as we do (living our best force free life hehe).

Tips when searching for a walker:

• Do your research first. Read more than reviews, read the website and try to see if you can get a sense of the services offered. Check out their social media as well! You can really get a good sense of how teams operate through these sites. 
• Determine what YOU are looking for. Do you want on leash group walks? A solo walk? A trip to a doggy beach? A romp around a park? How often would you be needing night or weekend walks? 
• Look into what safety procedures walkers have in place. For example, we use safety straps to keep the doggos extra safe. Not everyone does this. Ask what the emergency procedures are for extreme weather, or dog fights, or unexpected injuries. 
• What kind of methodology does your dog walker use? Do they know about canine behaviour? Not every dog walker needs to be a trainer, but every walker should be aware of how dogs think/learn in order to give them what they need. Obviously, I recommend you find a walker who uses a compassionate and reward based methodology. No punishment or harsh tools like prongs/spray bottles/slip leads/etc. If you ask a dog walker about behaviour and training, they should be able to give you some info. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but if you ask "how would you handle a dog who pulls?" and they reply with "by giving a leash correction" you got your answer! If you ask and they have opposing views, red flag, You NEED to be on the same page. 
• What time do you want your dog walked? We have a limit on the dogs we can walk at once (max 6, but on average we do 4 I would say) which means space is limited. Everyone wants that coveted 11-1 pick up window, but that isn't always feasible. I give my customers a clear window of 1030-230 pick up time for group walks, and explain that while I will try my best to accommodate their requests - I can't guarantee an exact time. If people want an afternoon walk, I make sure not to put them in the 1030 group - but I won't ever say "hey I will be there at EXACTLY 1 pm". It isn't how it works. We allow for flexible booking, and so day to day things change slightly. I don't want to give up that flexibility because I think it is part of what makes Dog's World Walking so fabulous, so in turn I ask my customers be flexible with pick up time. We still work together to make it work for your dog and you!
• Understand cancellation policies/last minute booking policies/etc 

When Hound Fly wrote a good article about this as well, you can check it out here. Is there anything I am missing? Let me know!