How much do you pay for a dog walker?

[Fran101]

Our service is done by buying "walk credits" and then using them are regularly/sporadically as you would like (you can schedule them online after you've signed up for the service/been interviewed)
If you buy more credits, each credit is less..that kind of thing.

The typical "pampered pup" credit includes a 30 minute walk around the big park, a tug/play session on a long leash at the park and a small grooming session (not really serious grooming, but just enough so my dog doesn't come home smelling gross)

the typical "Basic walk" credit includes a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood

and the "potty break" credit is just in/out for 15 minutes or so at the nearest spot of grass.

If you break it down, each pampered pup credit (which is what we get) is around $35 when you only get a few. But if you get a lump sum of credits like 10-15, it breaks down to about $30 per credit.

I really like my service the dogs love her! and she also dog-sits!

As well as the walk... she grooms them, sends them home with bandanas and leaves UPDATES WHICH I LOVE! Usually the update is a polaroid picture of them at the park, plus an update like
"Oh charlie was a very good boy today and walked very nicely! Romeo growled a bit at other dogs across the street though, but he was very good with walking by my side. Both dogs went #1 and #2 and drank water!"

 

[Teal]

Unfortunately, for those of us who work long hours and have dogs that need to be crated while we are away so as not to come home to Rover's idea of interior decorating, it may be a necessity...

I work long hours and have dogs that are crated. Is it cruel that my dogs wait 10-12 hours until I get home? They don't seem to mind...

That's just the same as saying "I'm amazed at how many people use baby sitters, nannies, or send their kids to school."

And really the prices are quite justified when you think about it. $15 for a half hour doesn't exactly translate to earnings of $30/hr for 8 hours a day - it takes time to travel between dogs, and the peak walking times for most dog walkers is between 11am and 4pm. You're only going to get a professional, reputable and reliable daily dog walker if you hire someone who's making a decent living out of it, and the price is reflected in that. $15 per day isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things, when you consider how much people spend on junk food, booze, cigarettes, movies etc, a $75 per week expense to make sure your dog is properly cared for while you're at work is reasonable to someone who actually prioritizes their dog's care.

I'm sorry, but I don't see how it at all resembles anything to do with a child. Legally, children cannot be left home alone until a certain age so they require outside care while their parent/s are working. The same cannot be said for a dog, legally.

I really think it's a different mentality. I am from the country, where money isn't abundant. $75 is part of a talk of fuel to get to work, or a few days' worth of groceries... Even still, my dogs eat one of the top kibbles when we can't get raw, have custom collars and all the best gear for competing. They get all my time when I am not working, and get to enjoy acres to work on and a giant in ground pool of their very own. But since I don't use a dog walker, I don't have the care of my dogs prioritized? Interesting.

 

[AliciaD]

I work long hours and have dogs that are crated. Is it cruel that my dogs wait 10-12 hours until I get home? They don't seem to mind...

Some do think it's cruel, I'm not sure how I feel about it, or if I care enough to argue either way, but I would neither penalize someone for using a dog walker, or not using a dog walker.

 

[Teal]

That's an interesting thought as well, being in the middle about it.

As I said, I live in the country. We don't even HAVE dog walkers. Though I'm sure if I looked, I could find a high schooler willing to come let my dogs into the yard to potty a few times a day. The problem with that is, of course, finding someone I trust with a) intact dogs of both sexes and b) APBTs. Really, the thought of trying to find someone never crossed my mind... I look at it as, so they have to hold their pee potentially for a little longer and don't run into the possibility of a fight or mating. Works for me! When I actually think about it and put it into terms like that... Whereas some see using a dog walker as part of their responsibility as a dog owner, I see NOT using one as part of mine. Maybe if I had one or two "easy" dogs it might be something to consider... but not with the crew I have.

 

[King Pup]

I work long hours and have dogs that are crated. Is it cruel that my dogs wait 10-12 hours until I get home? They don't seem to mind...

Well I hope you're not basing that on how happy they seem when they get home! If you put me in a small crate for 12 hours, I'm going to do my best not to pee all over the bed I have to sleep in, but it's going to feel real uncomfortable and I'm going to express much joy when someone comes to let me out!

I'm sorry, but I don't see how it at all resembles anything to do with a child. Legally, children cannot be left home alone until a certain age so they require outside care while their parent/s are working. The same cannot be said for a dog, legally.

I don't think the legality of the situation has anything to do with the analogy. If it was legal to leave your kids home alone, would you still leave a 3 year old at home alone all day? Of course you wouldn't. People don't get nannies or send their kids to school because it's "legally required," they do so for a good reason. And even though it's not legally required to have your dog walked while you're out for 12 hours, it's still a very good idea, especially from the dog's perspective!

 

[JennSLK]

Wow, Teal, your big tough Pit Bulls are not the be all end all of the dog world. Really.

 

[JessLough]

That's just the same as saying "I'm amazed at how many people use baby sitters, nannies, or send their kids to school."

And really the prices are quite justified when you think about it. $15 for a half hour doesn't exactly translate to earnings of $30/hr for 8 hours a day - it takes time to travel between dogs, and the peak walking times for most dog walkers is between 11am and 4pm. You're only going to get a professional, reputable and reliable daily dog walker if you hire someone who's making a decent living out of it, and the price is reflected in that. $15 per day isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things, when you consider how much people spend on junk food, booze, cigarettes, movies etc, a $75 per week expense to make sure your dog is properly cared for while you're at work is reasonable to someone who actually prioritizes their dog's care.

...cause, you know, that is not offensive or anything. I obviously do not care for my dog at all, because I do not trust somebody to go into my house, take my deaf and partially blind intact bitch who dislikes other dogs out for a walk.

 

[Laurelin]

Wow is this going to turn into a debate too? I'm just looking around at options right now. If all goes well hopefully I'll be able to come in during lunch. I'm not comfortable leaving my dogs kenneled for 10-11 hour shifts with no break.

 

[Taqroy]

...cause, you know, that is not offensive or anything. I obviously do not care for my dog at all, because I do not trust somebody to go into my house, take my deaf and partially blind intact bitch who dislikes other dogs out for a walk.

How is that offensive?? By not letting someone in your house that you don't trust with your dog you ARE prioritizing care for YOUR dog. Your priorities are obviously different from other people's priorities. I seriously do not get what there is to get ticked about unless you just like getting offended at random things.

 

[Laurelin]

I swear you can't post 'my dog is cute' around here anymore without someone finding fault in it...

 

[Taqroy]

I swear you can't post 'my dog is cute' around here anymore without someone finding fault in it...

This post is offensive.

I'm totally kidding, don't beat me with your stave.

 

[Laurelin]

This post is offensive.

I'm totally kidding, don't beat me with your stave.

I'll just borrow Nolu's stave then. I can beat you with that one, right?

 

[Taqroy]

I'll just borrow Nolu's stave then. I can beat you with that one, right?

Well.....I guess. But if you do it wrong I'm going to get offended again! :rofl1:

 

[King Pup]

...cause, you know, that is not offensive or anything. I obviously do not care for my dog at all, because I do not trust somebody to go into my house, take my deaf and partially blind intact bitch who dislikes other dogs out for a walk.

I don't know why you got so bent out of shape by what I said. The "priority" comment was made in the context of a wider point about dog walking prices - what I said was that $75 per week is no big deal for someone to whom their dog's care is a priority, meaning they are prepared to take on that expense instead of expenses for things which are less of a priority for them.

I've had people call me up and say "you know what, we're going to sack the dog walks, we can't afford them any more." And I think, this is a person who lives in a $3500/month apartment in Manhattan, who takes cabs everywhere, who has a zillion pairs of shoes in the hallway, who eats out most nights and who has the very latest and best electronic gadgetry distributed throughout their apartment. These are people to whom buying new shoes and taking cabs is a bigger priority than making sure their dogs get exercised and go to the bathroom while they're at work. Now you can protest until you're blue in the face, but the inescapable truth is that these people have their dog's care on a lower priority than people who make the appropriate sacrifices to pay for their dog. They might very well say they love that dog to pieces, but you can't hide from the fact that the dog is not as important to them than their lifestyle.

Now with regards crating your dog all day - it's your dog and your decision, obviously. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that an intelligent, conscious living creature is going to be happier with more freedom, more exercise, and the opportunity to empty their bladder half way through the day. How much happier is open to debate.

 

[Teal]

Well I hope you're not basing that on how happy they seem when they get home! If you put me in a small crate for 12 hours, I'm going to do my best not to pee all over the bed I have to sleep in, but it's going to feel real uncomfortable and I'm going to express much joy when someone comes to let me out!

I don't think the legality of the situation has anything to do with the analogy. If it was legal to leave your kids home alone, would you still leave a 3 year old at home alone all day? Of course you wouldn't. People don't get nannies or send their kids to school because it's "legally required," they do so for a good reason. And even though it's not legally required to have your dog walked while you're out for 12 hours, it's still a very good idea, especially from the dog's perspective!

Actually, my dogs don't do the "OHMYGODYOU'REHOME!" thing when I get home... they stretch out of their crates lazily, say hello to each other, maybe lap a little water then meander outside, sniff about and have a pee. There is no rushing to toilet, so that is where I am basing my opinion that they can't be too entirely uncomfortable while I'm gone. As for leaving children at home... that's an entirely other subject and really has no correlation to dogs. I understand dog walking is your business so you must promote it as being absolutely necessary... but, it's not.

Wow, Teal, your big tough Pit Bulls are not the be all end all of the dog world. Really.

I really don't understand where this came from? First off, my Pit Bulls are REAL APBTs and are 40 lbs. Yup, real big. Second, they aren't "tough". However - my bitch WILL kill another dog, and my male will start **** if you let another dog in his face. Both of them will attempt to chase and kill small animals, and with some random person holding the leash aren't going to care about being told not to. Aside from that, my bitch is intact. No, I am NOT going to trust someone to take my dogs out without me there. I don't even let someone walk them WITH me there. And you know what? The EXACT same goes for my Saluki AND my mutts! Really though, it boils down to one thing - I trust my dogs, but I do NOT trust people.

 

[King Pup]

Actually, my dogs don't do the "OHMYGODYOU'REHOME!" thing when I get home... they stretch out of their crates lazily, say hello to each other, maybe lap a little water then meander outside, sniff about and have a pee. There is no rushing to toilet, so that is where I am basing my opinion that they can't be too entirely uncomfortable while I'm gone. As for leaving children at home... that's an entirely other subject and really has no correlation to dogs. I understand dog walking is your business so you must promote it as being absolutely necessary... but, it's not.

It has nothing to do with me promoting my business, honest! It's just a biological fact of life that bladders fill with urine and create a pressing sensation to encourage the owner to urinate. Both animals and people learn to cope with this feeling if they really have no chance to pee during a prolonged period. But that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be more comfortable for them if they did. As for them not peeing as soon as they come out of their crates, well that's very likely to be a result of them holding it in for so long, the relevant muscles are in a state of tension. I had this experience myself once on a long train journey with no bathroom available. When I finally got to a bathroom I was so tense I couldn't go for a long time.

 

[GipsyQueen]

I swear you can't post 'my dog is cute' around here anymore without someone finding fault in it...

That is because here on chaz, if you say my dog is cute, you are automatically offending someone elses dog, because you are saying your dog is cuter than their dog.

I think everyone has to do what they think is right for their dog. Not one dog is the same, or ticks the same way. If you feel your dogs don't mind being crated 10-12 hours a day without going out, fine. Personally I know that for one, my dog can't hold her bladder for 12 hours anymore, and that I don't feel like its right to keep her in a crate for 12 hours. She doesn't even stay home alone for 12 hours even though shes not crated. We're lucky that my grandparents take her out once a day. If we didn't have that choice. then yeah we'd let someone walk her.
I don't see what that has to do with living in the country though. I live in the middle of nowhere as well...

 

[Legend]

We don't need a dog walker. My dogs basically never even have leads on to begin.

As for keeping a dog in a crate for 12 hours, yikes! If I had someone looking into one of my puppies, and they were going to do that, I know they would not be getting a puppy. I think that's just cruel. That's half a day, yes? I'm not a crate person to begin with though. I think a dog being confined to those small of area for even a couple hours is terrible.

 

[Laurelin]

My dogs aren't going to be in a kennel 12 hours a day, they'll be in pens or a safe room (if Mia will behave) with enough room to get up and walk around and stretch their legs. And they will get a break in the middle of the day one way or another. Hopefully I'll be the one letting them out but it might end up being a dog walker depending on where I move.

I agree I could not leave my dogs in a kennel 10 -12 hours a day. It's just not something I am comfortable with. Period.

I really do have to work to sustain myself and my dogs, though (I don't have any dependents right now thankfully). I'm really just trying to figure out what would work best on the days I'm gone 10-11 hours a day. I know it's not ideal but I do believe my dogs are very happy. I would hope most people on chaz realize I put a lot into my dogs and that my dogs are very happy.

 

[Teal]

King Pup - I believe there are VERY few dogs who will actually hold their urine if the situation got incredibly uncomfortable. As for holding it so long that they can't go straight away... Now you're just suggesting that my dogs are victims of cruelty. They are in no rush to even TRY to urinate when I get home... it's not as though they are rushing out, attempting to urinate, and are unable to do so because of your reasoning. In addition - they don't urinate for an extended period, as though they've been holding urine all day. My dogs drink sparingly before I leave for work after they've pottied in the morning.

I'd also just like to point out my dogs are NOT crated for 12 hours EVERY SINGLE DAY. In fact, they are only crated for a solid 12 hours maybe once or twice a week. Aside from that, the usual crate time is 9 hours. My dogs are also all crated in the giant wire crates... they've plenty of room to stand, and can walk from one side to the other. They aren't squished into tiny boxes lol

Legend - I'd love to know what you'd suggest then, if crates are so inappropriate? Outdoor kennel runs? Chain spots? Sure, those work when the weather is nice and I do utilize them... but in 113F weather, I'm sure the dogs have NO problem with their crates in the nice air conditioned house.

But, this thread isn't about my dog ownership... So carry on!