phoenix21 Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Ok well i move on sunday and will be working p/t 3 days a week. As i will no longer be living with parents, there wont be anyone around when i am at work (9-5) so i am getting a dog walker for phoenix. I have contacted several people who have had no space but one guy i have emailed can take her. I am going to phone him tomorrow but just need to have my mind put at rest!!! He is registered with NARPS etc but how does it work with keys etc do they need to prove police check? Also I am worried (v.silly & irrational) that a dog walker may loose her or something - shes good off the lead but can i specify just on lead walks? He takes them in his specially adapted van for 2hrs walk in countryside 4 dogs at a time and it costs £8/walk. Phoenix however is not great with all dogs and i dont know what to do about this. Most dogs she will accept fine but others she will snap at - do I A) Get a muzzle for her (not really an option as i wont have time to get her used to it) B) hope she will be ok and he will have the experience not to put her in a confronational situ with another dog C) request individual walk (dont really want to do as am strapped for cash and she does enjoy other dogs company once she knows them) - or comprimise with an hours individual walk for 8 quid? D) request she is walked with extra dog friendly other dogs eeekkkk am not particularly happy about leaving her with a stranger and hopefully once i am settled in job i can do flexi time which they dont mind you doing but for the time being i want her to be happy and get the exercise she needs. any advice much appreciated!!!!! vicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Vicky have you thought about putting her in day creche? at a local kennels? I do this with Henry and it costs me a fiver a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 (edited) I wouldnt be happy about my dogs being walked with strange dogs either, especially if, as you say, she can be a bit snappy with some dogs. When I use a dog walking service, I pay them to come and let the dogs out, play with them, cuddle them etc instead and walk them myself. If it puts your mind at rest, maybe you could get someone you trust to do that instead? I use www.petpals.com - they operate all over the place so might have someone in your area They have a key to my house which they keep to let themselves in as and when required and I do trust them. The ones I use are all Police checked Failing that, would your parents be amenable to dropping her at their house before work and picking her up afterwards? If you do use this guy I would at the very least be requesting a couple of referees so you could ring and speak to people whose dogs he walks. Edited June 28, 2007 by madmerle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix21 Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I'll look into petpals and creches - unfortunately am moving about 2hrs away from parents and dont know any one up in glasgow....i might just look into an individual walk and get references - or failing that i'll just come home at lunch times and let her out for a quick wee and then come back again just depends on bus speeds as the office is in the centre of glasgow and knowhere (without paying) to park car. thanks for advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Perhaps talk to the dogwalker about your concerns? Mollydog and Az go to board with someone who also does dogwalking: the first time they stayed, Az was on-lead when he was outside the whole weekend, and she basically cancelled everything else so she could be there with them full-time and monitor them really carefully. Now they have been with her a number of times and she has seen how they interact with other dogs, has seen how they react on-lead to cats and squirrels, and other dogs, and they have got to know her well, she walks them offlead most of the time and during the day takes them out with her other day-dogwalking clients dogs. As mine are dog-friendly and you won't lose them once they know you, I am quite happy with that (means they get more walks and attention), but I definitely wouldn't have been at all happy about it if she had started out with that approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Some time ago i answered an ad in our local pet shop for someone to look after a young OES during the day, i looked after him for a few years, he was dropped of by his owners in the morning and picked up at night, he and Louie became very good friends and perhaps this would be an option for Phoenix, obviously you have to be very sure you like and trust the person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffymad Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I had exactly the same worries about my dogwalker at first and I can say she is a absolute star and has proven me wrong with my fears. Your dog walker should have a police reference which he should be happy to share and he also should be insured. Any good dog walker will take Phoenix out alone first to get to know her (on and off lead) and then should introduce her one by one to the dog(s) he would want to walk with her to judge how they would get on until he finds a right combination, however you should be able to ask him for her to go out alone without other dogs or just 1 dog she gets on with. After all, your are th paying customer and as such should have a say. I would give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how she feels, you feel and how the dog walker gets on with her. Cindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Could you arrange to take Phoenix on a couple of walks with this guy and some of the other dogs he walks (that might be most suited to walking with Phoenix) to see how she is with the other dogs, how the guy is with the other dogs etc? Must admit I'd not want to hand over my dogs to a complete stranger, with other unknown dogs, for them to be walked offlead but I am a worrier. I don't mean you shouldn't use a dog walker, just that maybe if you got to take Phoenix on a few walks and saw how she interacts with the dogs, how he is with them etc. it might help reassure you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix21 Posted June 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 thats a good idea - i have found another lady as well who has a dog walking company - just waiting for her to get back to me....for some reason i would feel more comfortable if a woman was taking her out - i think its because the only man phoenix knows is my dad and i think she would be more settled with a female. I might request she gets individual walks to begin with so they can get to know each other and then i will see how it goes with introductions to other dogs. Once she knows other dogs she is fine - for example she likes running round with all the other dogs at my old work place but then she has known them for 3yrs or more. thanks for all your advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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