Hopefully, you will have a long and happy time with your canine best friend, with lots of adventures and exploring the world together one lamppost at a time. 

While your love of your pooch will never change, sometimes situations do. 

Maybe you have changed jobs or got the promotion you have deserved for years; perhaps you are merely getting a bit old to take your dog on the walks it deserves. Or there might be some short term changes that need short term solutions, maybe you are off on holiday, or you got injured playing football, so you need to rest for a week or two. 

Simply put, sometimes, life happens. And in some cases, Dog Walkers could be just what you and your pet need. 

What do dog walkers do?

Well, just what the name says really, they will walk your dog or dogs for you. 

If you are at work all day, they may come and pick up your dog for a lunchtime walk during the workweek, or if you are whisking your partner away for a romantic weekend, they may walk your dogs three times a day while you are away.

Pros

• Allows you to be out of the house for more extended periods
• More exercise for your dog than you can give it
• A good option for short and long term
• Flexible contracts and hours can be agreed upon.
• Could help prevent house accidents and destructive behavior
• Different socialization and stimulus
• Saves you time
• Brings you added peace of mind
• Some walkers may be certified and professional dog trainers, so you may be able to negotiate a dog training schedule with them too.

Cons

• Added cost in your life, which you may struggle to afford
• Trust, you may need to give them keys and access to your home.
• Stress, there are many things you need to arrange, and it may take time to find someone suitable.
• You may do everything right in finding the right walker, but your beloved doggie may not like them.
• They may let you down with little notice.

How to find the right dog walker for you

Here are some tips on finding the right walker for your circumstances:

• What are the local and national rules and regulations, and do they have the required documents? 
• Do they have training certificates or the experience needed in dog handling and behavior?
• Are they insured, and what does the insurance cover.
• Do they have the required transport to get to you and take the dog places if needed?
• How long will they walk them, how often will they walk them, where will they walk them?
• How you want them walked, for example, on a leash or off the lead, what commands and training style do you use, and you want to be used.
• Are treats allowed? If so, do you supply them, are they required to feed your dog one or more of their main meals. 
• Are things like toys and agility equipment allowed or preferred.
• Make sure they have the required emergency numbers for you, the vet, etc. 
• Finally, agree on an hourly rate, contract period, cancellation notice, terms and conditions, and if you can check as many references as possible for added peace of mind. 

Once you have done all your checks and everything is agreed upon. It is advisable to do a walk through with them as a final check. For example, follow them on a walk to see if they have the right skills and personality you want from your walker. Plus, you also need to check that your doggie likes them and isn’t reactive with them. As let’s be honest, dogs seem to tell if people are right or not a lot better than humans can!

Other options

There are no hard and fast rules on how long you should leave a dog in the house alone when you are at work, for example. These times greatly vary depending on the size, breed, and personality of your dog. 

You need to make educated decisions on things like this yourself, and always monitor the dog when you make any changes to see if it seems happy or stressed. 

You can consider other things, like leaving your fur baby with family members, friends, or sending it to pet daycare or putting them into kennels for longer-term stays.