Doggy day care centre

Gingham_R

I'm looking for a dog walker at the moment - for once a week.

My main priorities are:

Kind

Does not shout or hit

Does not use Caesar Millan type methods - uses positive reinforcement

Does not believe in dominance theory

Is consistent and clear about boundaries (eg doesn't let him jump up at her/him or on the table.)

gettingready

Gingham_R wrote: »

I'm looking for a dog walker at the moment - for once a week.

My main priorities are:

Kind

Does not shout or hit

Does not use Caesar Millan type methods - uses positive reinforcement

Does not believe in dominance theory

Is consistent and clear about boundaries (eg doesn't let him jump up at her/him or on the table.)

Sorry but you describe above is not a dog walker - it is a dog trainer/behaviourist.

The dog walker I know only take dogs that they walk min 3 days per week. This is to ensure they get to know the dog better and the dog fits in with the oter dogs they are walking..

morgymoo

Have you looked into getting a license from the council someone I know had to have a license to do doggie boarding

Oldernotwiser

Gingham_R wrote: »

I'm looking for a dog walker at the moment - for once a week.

My main priorities are:

Kind

Does not shout or hit

Does not use Caesar Millan type methods - uses positive reinforcement

Does not believe in dominance theory

Is consistent and clear about boundaries (eg doesn't let him jump up at her/him or on the table.)

Sorry, I think that's completely unrealistic (and unnecessary)for someone who's just walking a dog for 30/60minutes once a week.

Caroline_a

morgymoo wrote: »

Have you looked into getting a license from the council someone I know had to have a license to do doggie boarding

Doggie daycare doesn't come under the Dog Boarding Act as they don't stay overnight. Some councils do try to enforce this, and a lot of the rules for the Act are sensible for Doggie Daycare, but a lot is about individual pens and their space for each dog, which in a daycare 'pack' environment is nonsensical.

ladymarmalade1970

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry, I think that's completely unrealistic (and unnecessary)for someone who's just walking a dog for 30/60minutes once a week.

I don't! Our dogs can't speak and there could be serious repercussions if someone were to be nasty to them.

Also, it would be really annoying if you were teaching your dog not to jump up and the walker ignored it or worse still, hit them for jumping up.

It's a bit like sending your child to playgroup or getting a baby sitter. You have to make sure you have ground rules and you need to trust that the person will follow them.

pawsies

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry, I think that's completely unrealistic (and unnecessary)for someone who's just walking a dog for 30/60minutes once a week.

It doesn't take that long to enforce rules and you need to have some sort of rules in order to walk dogs! You need them to come back, walk nicely and have a few basic commands.

Otherwise it would be a riot!

Contrary to popular belief, dogs don't need exercise as such, mental exercise is just as good to tire them out- so doing training on walks is good! Obviously they need physical exercise to a degree to stop them becoming overweight but it's not all about physical exercise.

Cyril

Caroline_a wrote: »

Doggie daycare doesn't come under the Dog Boarding Act as they don't stay overnight. Some councils do try to enforce this, and a lot of the rules for the Act are sensible for Doggie Daycare, but a lot is about individual pens and their space for each dog, which in a daycare 'pack' environment is nonsensical.

We are opening a day care centre and our local council insists on a license which we don't mind as it gives people peace of mind. I personally wouldn't send my dogs anywhere unlicensed as there are some really shocking places around.

I do agree though that the individual space is the biggest issue. All else is common sense.

The biggest problem we have is finding a contractor to take waste away, no-one seems to know who does it, if anyone and all the usual waste collectors don't take canine waste.

dizziblonde

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry, I think that's completely unrealistic (and unnecessary)for someone who's just walking a dog for 30/60minutes once a week.

The only way I'd be trusting my dogs to ANYONE to walk or care for them (includes family members in this) is if they follow my stipulations that the pointy one must be muzzled and kept on lead (because you ain't catching her if she goes off at 40mph and she's got the chase instinct you'd expect from a ex-racing sighthound), that she is not walked with small dogs (because she's got issues with them from being attacked twice by Jack Russells), and that the other dog isn't let off-lead in woodlandy squirrelly areas (because you'll be there for hours waiting for him to remember the plot as he loses it at the sight of a bushy tail)... and if I'm paying for the service - I'd definitely be expecting those conditions to be met.

The fact that the local dog walking business is infested with utter cowboys who transport the dogs around much less than safely - no crates, no tailgate guards - nothing more than a set of flimsy car bars blocking the boot from the main body of the car (while I trust and know I've trained my own dogs not to hurl themselves out when the boot's opened - lots of dogs won't have done this), who just hurl open the rear of the car and walk 6 or more dogs at once all off-lead while on their mobile phone and with a somewhat "flexible" approach to poo-picking means that I'm unlikely to ever go the dog-walker route at all unfortunately.

Gingham_R

gettingready wrote: »

Sorry but you describe above is not a dog walker - it is a dog trainer/behaviourist..

I am not looking for a dog trainer or behaviourist.

I'm looking for someone who won't hit my dog or shout at him or believe that he needs a Caesar Millan type 'pack walk' where he was to walk behind the person with the lead and will be kicked if he doesn't comply.

Just a walk, that's all, but without the heavy handed crap and without pandering to him if he jumps up. (Or on the table, should I need daycare.)

This is all basic stuff in my opinion. I do NOT want him going to someone who will, in my opinion, mistreat him by following these outdated and harmful methods.

Re the once a week thing - the walkers round here don't stipulate 3 days a week. Most of them take dogs ad hoc, with a regular client base as and when needed. Lots of shift work round here.