Choosing a Dog Walker

Over the weekend there has been an awful case in the UK where a dog walker has been killed by the dogs she was walking. Although this happened on the other side of the world, it’s been weighing on my mind the past few days and I really feel for the family and friends of the victim. I can’t imagine anything much worse. We don’t have concrete information on why this happened or the skill level of the handler, nor do I find it ethical to speculate after such a horrific incident. Any number of things could have contributed to this outcome, likely multiple compounding things, and many of those may well have been outside of her control.

However, it has sparked a lot of conversation online around dog walking practices in general, and that’s what I’d like to discuss here.

Here in New Zealand, dog walking is an unregulated industry. 😬

There is one council in NZ (that I’m aware of) that requires walkers to be licensed, otherwise it’s fair game. And in recent months I’ve seen or at least been aware of more and more of that, with new people jumping in, chucking a bunch of dogs in their van and letting them run wild with little or no training. It’s bloody scary, and puts the dogs, the public and the walker at risk, puts dog access privileges in jeopardy and sets a really poor standard for the wider industry.

I am friends with and admire a number of walkers throughout the country, many of whom walk larger groups of dogs and do a terrific job training the dogs up and handling them appropriately. These are people that have taken the time to learn the craft, and are consistently investing in education & networking to develop their skills as a trainer and handler, and it shows in the dogs behaviour and the control they have.

However not everyone is like this, and being unregulated it is very much a case of owners - please do your homework. It is incredibly rare that I have an enquiry actually question how I do things, what my background is and why they should trust me with their four legged family member. People just have blind trust that someone posting from a business page knows what they’re doing and will keep their dog safe, when unfortunately that won’t always be the case.

So here’s a bit about how I *personally* run my dog walks. This isn’t the only “right way”, and being a newer business it will likely evolve over time. But it does give you some ideas about what you could be asking your prospective dog walker, daycare or other service provider before trusting that they will be a good choice to care for your dog. Our dogs rely on us to make good choices that keep them safe, and we can only do that with information.

1️⃣ EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Walking multiple dogs belonging to other people is quite different to walking a single pet dog you’ve owned their whole life, or even training dogs 1-1 as a trainer. It’s another skill set that takes time to develop, and isn’t something that can be rushed into.

Before beginning Wolfe Dogs, I had already developed a strong understanding of canine behaviour and body language through personally owning and handling large groups of working dogs my entire life, working in a dog daycare managing large groups of pet dogs professionally, as well as investing in education in dog training & behaviour from a wide range of sources both in person and online. I am currently working towards through both a level 3 cert in dog training and behaviour, and a level 6 equivalent in canine behaviour among other CPD.

2️⃣ NUMBER OF DOGS

Every handler has their own limit on what they are comfortable and reasonably able to handle. This comes with experience, training and knowing your personal boundaries as well as the dogs you are dealing with.

Out of personal preference, my current maximum is 4 client dogs at any one time though the number fluctuates depending on the dogs needs and the day.

3️⃣ WHAT ARE THE DOGS NEEDS?

No responsible handler is just grabbing a bunch of random dogs and chucking them together all at once. It takes time to train each dog up, and then to combine them with other dogs.

I require every walking dog to complete a minimum of 2 walk and train sessions with me, before they are considered for group walking. This allows us to establish a bit of a relationship and get some understanding about leash skills, travelling in the van etc and get a good idea about what the dog is like before adding in the distractions of other dogs. Some dogs will complete more walk and trains before joining groups, some dogs are not considered appropriate for *my* group walks for a range of reasons and will remain on walk and trains longer term, and sometimes dogs will be demoted from group walks back to 1-1 sessions if needed. It’s all about what’s going to set that dog up for the greatest success and keep everyone safe and enjoying themselves. They’re all individuals with their own needs, and one size doesn’t fit all.

4️⃣ THE ADVENTURES

It’s not a free for all. We want to work the brain as well as the body, and send dogs home better than they started.

Our walks are really training focused, reinforcing that polite walking and the behaviours we want to see (eg around other members of the public sharing the space). Dogs are rewarded for good choices using a combination of food, praise and freedom to sniff/other environmental rewards, and guided out of poor choices. Freedom is earned only as they show they can handle it safely, keeping in mind the environment that we are operating in. And we choose walking locations wisely based on the dogs we have with us on the day, knowing where the quieter spots are, where we have the space to move without causing issues for others, and being aware of the environment at all times. It goes without saying, but we also clean up after the dogs we walk.

5️⃣ SAFE TRAVEL

Because the best walking spots are usually outside of town, travel is a big part of a walking dogs day.

All dogs I walk travel in individual crates in my van. This keeps stress to a minimum with their own space, prevents fights from even being possible, and would help keep them contained in case of an accident.

6️⃣ IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

No matter how good a walker is, something will go wrong at some point - it’s a case of when not if. That’s the nature of working with living animals.

I am canine first aid certified, and carry a phone with me at all times. I also carry a spare slip lead which can be used to control approaching dogs, make a makeshift muzzle or break up a fight if one were to ever break out, as well as a pet corrector (compressed air in a can) in my pocket as another option. All leashes are either held securely in my hand or attached to a proper climbing carabiner attached to a strong biothane strap - all easily and quickly removable if needed. But the biggest thing really is having the experience and situational awareness to spot the signs of a potential issue in advance, and taking action early vs waiting for it to escalate into a huge problem - so far we’ve yet to actually need any of this emergency planning, but it’s good to have it in place just in case.

So hopefully that shows you that there is (or rather should be) a lot more that goes into professional dog handling than just grabbing a bunch of dogs and letting them run wild. If you are currently looking for a dog walker, please take the time to ask these sorts of questions. A great walker can do a world of good for your dogs behaviour & life in general, but the wrong match could be disastrous for everyone involved.