5 Surprising Signs That You Need a Dog Walker

Charlie & Sadie on their walk

You might wonder why anyone would need a ‘sign’ to need a dog walker. If your pup needs exercise during the day: hire a walker. If you don’t; you don’t. Seems simple right? Well, we at Jenn’s Pet TLC have seen a thing or two in almost two decades of business, and we’ve observed some surprising things among our clients that we’d like to share:

~They’re already getting regular walks: Let’s say your puppy is getting a fifteen or twenty minute patrol before and after you leave for work. They love it. Heck, they’re over the moon for it! What would I need a walker for, you wonder. The answer is simply that extended walks offer your pooch something that quick twice-daily ‘sniffaries’ don’t.

First; there’s the reduced anxiety benefits. Now some of you might think ‘my dog doesn’t misbehave in the house during the day, therefore there’s no anxiety problem’; but that might not be correct. Just because Fido isn’t chewing furniture or howling up a storm doesn’t mean he’s not coping with your absence. In all likelihood, his only hope for stimulation until that front door opens is -literally- in his dreams. 

A midday walker, on the other hand, provides copious upsides for mental and physical health. Yes, the physical exercise and mental stimulation benefits during the walk itself almost go without saying, but the introduction of a walker to a daily routine also provides a predictable event before your return. While they will be excited no matter who walks through that door, the long-term results will be a far more relaxed mental state now that naps aren’t their only escape from the midday doldrums. 

~You’ve been meaning to get out to the trails: How does my walker taking my dog to local hiking trails help me get to the trails? You wonder. That’s easy! Every day you’ll get an update when your walk is finished that’ll be chock full of pictures and videos of your puppy having the time of their life! Guess what’ll be top of your mind for your weekend plans when you put the phone down to go back to work?

And don’t discount the added benefits! They’ll already know their favorite pee spots when you make it out. They’ll already know the way to go. And they’ll already know the spot they usually turn around (no promises if they’ll actually tell you, though).

The great thing is that they can sample multiple locations per week. Not every trail is for every dog, after all; but your walker will happily let you know which parks they love the best! Oh, and did we forget that all the terrain and environmental variety is fantastic for exercise and mental stimulation?

~You need a pet sitter: Huh?? I just need someone to stay with my dog while I’m away. Why do I need a regular walker? Some might wonder. Well, imagine how you’d feel if someone you met exactly once came to stay with you for a week. This goes double if you need your sitter to perform somewhat invasive at-home medical care. Administration of insulin or subcutaneous fluids is stressful enough for all parties concerned. There’s no downside at all for the caregiver to be familiar and trusted.

Let us tell you; we’ve seen plenty of instances of awkward acclimation periods in those cases (even bites in some instances). But if your sitter is no stranger, and is a trusted friend instead, the chances of that sort of awkwardness (and liability) go way down! 

Fluffy would never! You protest. She loves everyone! Fantastic! We love that! Say, but where was her leash again? Is her food under the sink or in the garage? Sure, you could do a refresher greet a few days before your trip (if you can find the time), or you can post helpful post-its with the locations of everything your sitter would need to find. Those are valid alternatives and no professional would ever complain about it.

But nothing beats just knowing where everything is because your sitter is there on a regular basis anyway –even just once or twice a month does wonders!

You need someone who knows what to do if something goes wrong: Carl began sneezing blood. Precious got bit. Bernard had a stroke. We cannot begin to describe the gut-wrenching shock when these very scenarios happened to us. But the most important issue isn’t what happened –it’s what happens next.

When everything goes right, dog walking is far from complicated. This is why high-schoolers and young adults across the country take up dog walking for some extra cash. Heck, it’s how a lot of us got started in the first place. But when things don’t go right, who do you want at your dogs side?

A professional will have a car, an aid kit, will know where the nearest emergency vet is, will have your contact and an alternate besides. They will have bonding and insurance.

The neighbor kid might not. 

More importantly: a professional will have a safety practice standard to keep your dog as safe as possible before there’s a problem in the first place. 

In our experience; true peace of mind doesn’t come from the confidence of thinking nothing will go wrong; it’s the trust in knowing that your professional will be a capable and ardent agent on your behalf if something does. 

~You need ‘a guy who knows a guy’: It might sound a bit silly to say; but every dog your walker services has at least one owner. Chances are good those owners have professions, which means that the chances are good that one of those professions does ‘that thing you need doing’.

Seriously: our company alone refers dozens of local small businesses to our neighbors every year because, as it happens, a lot of proprietors happen to be our customers as well.

We’ve met everyone from landscapers, chiropractors, architects, graphic designers, voice actors, and junk removers; it seems that meeting folk from all walks of life has its advantages. Moreover, if you’re a specialist or proprietor who’s interested in referrals; what better ear to the ground that someone who regularly meets with everyone all over the neighborhood?

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Do YOU need a dog walker? Find the PSI professional that’s best for you on petsit.com.
Of course, if you’re in the San Jose, Los Gatos, or Campbell areas of California; we invite you to
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