Ayla Johnson
DogsThe Struggles of Finding a Good Dog Walker
Finding a trustworthy dog walker is harder than I expected. Some cancel last minute, others don’t treat my dog the way I’d like. I finally found someone reliable, but it took weeks of trial and error. How did you find your dog walker? Any red flags to watch out for?
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Sign in to commentOkay, noted. Thank you
Hmmm, ok, thank you
'If they dont care during the first meeting, they wont care later' I totally agree with you. Thank you for sharing.
Okay. Thank you.
I actually found my dog walker by testing a few different apps that connect pet owners with verified walkers. Some worked better than others, but the key was reading reviews and setting clear expectations upfront. One mistake I made at first was not asking about their backup plan—one walker canceled on me last minute, and I had no one to cover. Now, I make sure whoever I hire has a backup plan in case of emergencies!
It took me a while to find a reliable dog walker too! One thing that helped was checking reviews and testimonials from other pet parents. I also looked for someone who had pet first aid training—that showed me they were serious about their job. A big red flag for me was if they didn’t ask questions about my dog’s routine, personality, or medical needs. The good ones always want to know the details because they care!
I went through a couple of bad experiences before I found the right person. One walker kept showing up late, and another took my dog on shorter walks than what I was paying for. What finally worked was setting up a trial period with clear expectations—I asked them to send me updates and even a quick video after each walk. If a walker isn’t willing to communicate or be transparent about their services, that’s a huge red flag!
I totally get it. Finding a good dog walker can feel like a full-time job! I went through a couple of unreliable ones before I found the right fit. What worked for me was asking for recommendations from other dog owners in my neighborhood. Personal referrals tend to be more trustworthy than random online listings. I also made sure to do a meet-and-greet first to see how they interacted with my dog. One red flag I noticed early on was when a walker seemed impatient or uninterested in my dog’s specific needs—if they don’t care during the first meeting, they won’t care later!