Have you ever wondered if it's worth having a back-up dog walker? Someone you can call on when your regular dog walker is on holiday or sick? I for one, am a big proponent of having more than one dog walker and in today's blog post, I'm going to tell you why.
Picture this, you're heading out of the door to work, saying goodbye to your furry friend for the day and ping! Your phone goes off and it's a message from your dog walker. She's really sorry but she's got food poisoning and there's no way she's going to be leaving the bathroom today, let alone walking your dog. Damn! What do you do?! You scramble around texting friends and family - can someone, anyone, please pop in on the dog at lunchtime? I have meetings all day, I can't get back in time! Finally your next door neighbour says she can pop in at lunchtime to let the dog out for a wee but that's all she has time for and so you rush to work, now late and worried that your dog isn't going to get a walk today.
Now picture this: same scenario but instead of rushing around texting friends and family, you send one text to your back-up dog walker, someone you already know and trust and who your dog loves and yes! She has space today even though it isn't your usual day! Phew! You carry on your day and the only thing you have to worry about is whether Denice from Accounts is stealing your yoghurt from the work fridge...
OK, this is all a bit American sitcom I'll admit but in all seriousness, having a back up dog walker is a really useful thing. But let's stop calling them a back-up dog walker for a minute and let's start calling them your second dog walker. You see, having more than one dog walker is hugely beneficial to all involved; you, your dog and the dog walkers, but let's start with you.
As described above, there will be days (hopefully few and far between) that your dog walker will get sick, they'll get a flat tire, or they'll have to deal with a family emergency. They don't want it to happen any more than you do (especially seeing as they don't get paid on those days) but it does happen. They hate letting you down but if you have a second dog walker that you can call on, then that relieves the pressure on both them and you. As inconvenient as sick days are, I'm sure you don't want them struggling through a day walking several dogs out in the cold and the rain when what they really need is a day in bed eating chicken noodle soup and watching Netflix. We all know that resting on that first day that you start to feel sick is what gets us feeling better quicker, and that pushing through when you should really be resting just makes that cold last even longer.
Surprise cover is probably the time when you'll appreciate your second walker most, but let's not take for granted holiday cover as well. Hopefully your dog walker is giving you plenty of notice for holidays they're taking but even with the best will in the world, you might forget to organise cover for it. If you already have a second dog walker, finding holiday cover is as easy as sending them a text asking them if they can do those extra dates.
Having a second dog walker is also a huge benefit to your dog as well. Meeting and trusting new people is an important part of your dogs education and the more people your dog learns to respect and listen to, the easier they are for all members of the family and your friends to handle. If your dog is anxious around new people, teaching them that they can make new human friends is one of the best gifts you can give them. For an anxious dog, having a small circle of trusted humans is one thing, but widening out that circle to other kind, calm and patient people, starts to show your dog that they don't need to be afraid of the world.
The other benefit to your dog having two dog walkers is that they'll also have two social groups that they walk with too. This means different dogs, different walks and lots more enrichment. Every dog walker does things in their own way and exposing your dog to different ways of doing things and different vehicles to travel in, helps prevent them from becoming reliant on their routine and worried when things change. It helps build resilience and create calm, confident dogs.
So what's the best way to go about having two or more dog walkers?
For me, the best thing to do is to tell your dog walkers about each other. If they're new to the concept of sharing a dog, explain to them the benefits of having more than one dog walker for you and them, namely: holiday cover, sick cover and added socialisation for your dog.
Split the walks between then evenly if you can and work with them both to find the best routine for your dog. Let them decide which days and groups are best suited to their schedules so that working together makes the job easier, not more challenging. Encourage them to talk to each other too. Sharing tips and letting each other know of any incidences on walks helps both dog walkers do their job to the best of their ability and discussing holiday plans in advance makes planning cover smooth and straightforward for everyone involved.
Choosing one dog walker was hard enough! Now you want me to find another?
I don't think my regular dog walker is going to like that!
When it comes to finding a second dog walker, the best thing you can do is to ask your current dog walker who they recommend. If they've been working with you for a while, they know your dog almost as well as you do by this point and will be able to recommend someone that is a good fit, not just for your dog but for you as well. Next month we'll discuss what to look for when choosing your dog walker and what makes them all so different but for now I will just say that your dog walker may know other dog walkers who are better suited to you in terms of your own level of organisation and how you like to do business with them. (Have a tendency to forget things or like book last minute walks? Your dog walker will be able to tell you which other local dog walkers do and do not have the patience for that!)
If you feel uncomfortable bringing it up, wait until your dog walker next gives you dates that they're going on holiday and ask them then. Your dog walker loves your dog and wants to know that they're not inconveniencing you by taking a well-earned holiday so make them feel even better about it by asking them who they know that might be able to step in while they are away.
If you're new to choosing a dog walker and don't have a regular one yet then this is the perfect opportunity to get set up with two dog walkers. Ask for recommendations in your local community and tell the ones you decide to meet that you plan on having more than one dog walker. Don't be surprised if they find the idea a bit odd at first, this is a new concept that not very many people think about but I assure you, the benefits are well worth the extra time and effort it takes to find them at first.
If this still feels like more effort than necessary then find one dog walker you love to begin with and ask them to recommend a second walker for you. Your dog walker should already know who else is out there and will be able to recommend someone like them who is a good match for you and your dog. They've already done the leg work creating a network of contacts so you don't have to and their little black book is a resource you can access too. That's just another benefit of having a dog walker!
So there you have it, my take on why having two dog walkers is better than one. Some people will think this is a lot of extra effort to go to but I know my clients would disagree. I have clients who use me for walks Monday to Thursday and another walker that I recommended for them on Fridays and I have clients who use me for walks and someone else for boarding. Knowing they have another trusted person they can call if I can't help them takes the pressure off me and gives the dogs an opportunity to make new friends too. This way, everyone's a winner and most importantly, the dogs are getting the best care from everybody that knows and loves them.
The more the merrier I say! Until next time,
Forever paws,
Aislinn 🐾
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