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How to Pick and Keep a Good Dog Walker

A dog walker is just what your dog needs to break up their day, giving them a much needed potty break and a respite from being home alone all day. Some dogs can go up to 12 hours without a potty break, but having a dog walker can provide more that just a quick trip outside for their business. You’ll be letting this person into your home and your dog in their hands, so it important you find the right person who you can trust with your dog at home and on the street.

Ask around at the dog park to see if there any individuals or companies that are recommended by your fellow dog owners in the area. Additionally, local dog stores or doggie spas tend to have a community board where dog walkers can advertise. Professional dog walkers should be licensed and you should be able to check references, if you’d like. Companies should be both bonded (meaning they’ve done background checks on employees) and insured (meaning that they carry some form of liability insurance.)

Communicate Up Front: Consider your dog walker like a nanny for your dog. They are your partner in training and training maintenance, your dog’s advocate and your pinch hitter when you can’t be home during the day. Communicating at the start is essential to getting your relationship off on the right foot. Make sure to share your dog’s commands, personality quirks and fears, as well as what they are and aren’t allowed to feed your dog. Also, it’s important they know who else should have access to your home, such as cleaning staff or lawn care professionals, and what to do if they see something abnormal. No one likes to think about emergencies, but they can happen. It’s vital you discuss what you want the dog walker to do in the event of an emergency, including which vet or animal hospital they should take your dog to and how much or what care they can authorize without your presence.

Keep Your Walker Happy: Keeping all the dog supplies, such as poop bags, a leash and collar, treats, and winter gear, close to the door shows that you value their time. Checking in on your dog’s behavior and progress shows you value their expertise. Small tokens of appreciation and a tip at holiday time are also great ways to express your gratitude. Showing them that you value their work and efforts in helping care for your dog is key to keeping your dog walker happy.

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Reasons To Board Your Dog While On Vacation

Going on vacation can be a huge ordeal, even if you aren’t going far away from home. Packing, planning, and getting out the door alone can be a chore, and you may not even have thought about what to do with your dogs while you’re away. Do you have a friend come over and check on them? Do you have a family member keep them for you? Or do you find another option? Boarding your dog while you’re on vacation is an excellent way to ensure that they are cared for properly and safe the entire time you are gone. Here are four reasons why you want to board your dog while you and your family are on vacation:

1. Safety – Aside from everything else, you want to know that your furry kiddo is safe while you’re gone. This means that they cannot get outside and stuck in the cold or heat, that they have someone looking after them constantly, and that you know for a fact they are kept away from things that can hurt them. Even at home, an unsupervised dog can become scared or worried that you won’t return, and end up getting hurt on something that normally wouldn’t have been a problem at all. Plus, with a family member or friend checking on your dog, they may not feel comfortable checking your entire house for any areas that your dog may have chewed, opened, or gotten into something while you are gone. And, they may only check on them once a day or less, which can mean a long time for your dog to be unsupervised and get hurt. With dog boarding services, above all, your furry friend will be kept safe from harm while you’re away.

2. Food and Water – Even if you have someone coming over to check on your dog while you’re gone, they can easily get upset and knock over their food or water and end up without anything for a long period of time. For some animals, this can mean serious health problems as their metabolism requires that they eat and have water constantly. If someone is only checking on them once a day, they can be going without food or water for too long a period for any animal. However, when your baby is being boarded, you never have to worry that they are out of food or water. You will always have someone there that will ensure that they constantly have food and water.

3. Health Problems – If your dog has any type of health problems, simply having someone come over once a day is not the proper care for them. Some dogs may need medication a couple of times a day, others may have special cremes or other items that they need more than once a day, and some dogs may require someone checking in on them to ensure that they are ok more than just one time a day. At a dog boarding house, you know that someone is there constantly to ensure they get their medications, they have any issues dealt with immediately and that they are never left for too long without anything they need to keep them healthy. You know that your dog will be well cared for.

4. Exercise – When you’re on vacation, your dogs aren’t getting their normal amount of exercise. No walks, no play time, no fetch, and so on means that your dog is going to get restless while it’s home alone. When they are at a dog boarding facility, they are sure to get in their necessary amount of exercise and play time each day. Dogs that can play and have exercise time while they are being boarded are happier and less likely to get hurt while you are gone.

No matter how long you are going on vacation, choosing to board your dogs is the right thing to do. Boarding provides quality oversight that will provide piece of mind for yourself, and ensures that your dogs are taken care of by professional and caring individuals.