Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject: DOG WALKERS CURIOSTY...
HI, I have a dog walker here in Spain and I just wanted to know what the going rate for UK is on a monthly or hourly basis?
Im depressed at how much we pay, but would feel better if I knew thats what everyone pays!!
Also, im a bit irked to know that the sitter comes at different times...we agreed that he would come between 12.00-12.30 but he come at all sorts of hours and today he came at 1pm.
Am I being over the top or am I right to be concerned?
( we are newbies to dog walkers you see).
And before anyone says, no we dont have any friends, neighbours or family that can come in and check on her.
I think prices vary here, anything from 5 to 10 pounds an hour, (6 to 12 Euro`s) if I had a walker and had arranged a certain time I`d expect them to stick to that time unless there was a good reason not to.
If your not happy with your walker I`d look for another one personally, don`t know how many there are where you live of course.
When I lived Ooop Norf, I had the Best Dog Walker In The World!!!
She charged £7 for an hour's walk, and it meant an hour's walk... she'd collect him, then another dog, and they would drive somewhere fun to play and swim and things, they would be on their actual walk for an entire hour, and then driven home, towelled dry, given a carrot or kong or whatever I had left out for him, and she'd leave a note to say she'd been, and what time she had left him.
I could call her last-minute to book a walk, and when we agreed a time for a walk it was generally stuck to (e.g. I don't mind if 11am becomes 12 noon, but I would not be happy if it became 3pm...), and she always came around the agreed time (I know, because a couple of times I was off work sick but it was too short notice to cancel her, and I was home when she collected him).
She even did out-of-hours stuff, when I was away and Charlie was working late or night shifts she'd come in the evenings or on weekends (for an extra £2).
Now that I live Dahn Sarf, I am really unhappy with my walker
She charges £15 for an hour's walk, and that hour is more like 55 minutes, from when she pulls into the drive to when she leaves, she is completely unreliable with her timeslots, she has even forgotten to come on 2 occassions!!! She *never* towels Ozzie dry when he's wet, so the kitchen floor is always dirty, and his lovely leather bed is now covered in mud & dirt She will not do late-notice walks, she will not do anything out of 10am-3pm. I wanted to book a walk for a Sunday with loads of notice, and was prepared to pay extra, but she wouldn't entertain the thought.
My dog walker is great... and really flexible. She charges £6 for an hours walk and £8 for two half hour "visits" These are for group walks.
I'm pretty laid back about when and what they do with the boys and generally I think they are out of the house a lot longer than the alloted hour! She is a lovely girl. as are the others who work with her and I'm aware that I am very lucky!
Our monthly dog care budget at the moment is £280 It will come down a chunk when Pasco can go out for longer - although he is at work with me for a few weeks saving me £40 a week!
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Ok..rewading some of your stories I guess we are not too badly off...the dog walkers we have now are nice people, but not really dog savvy I dont think...They charge 150 euros a month (weekends not included) and another couple who ARE dog savvy/trainers charge 170 euros a month (no weekends) so maybe we are not so badly off...15 pounds seems so much money!
I think you can tell alot by their dogs too...long story short, first couple have a pretty problematic dog, second couple have a lovely jack russell who is very obedient and just adores them!
Ok so the second couple is a winner!!
Thanks guys....by the way...im sooooo sorry some of you have such problems...and I would be soooo peed off if they didnt come and pick her up one day with no notice...but then I probably wouldnt know as Im not here!!
Now that I live Dahn Sarf, I am really unhappy with my walker
Ness
If you live anywhere near Henley/Wallingford/Watlington, Oxon, you could try Chiltern Pet Partners. Sam walks/organises walks for, my sisters 2 GR's and sis sings her praises. She is utterly reliable and very flexible.
Thanks Rebecca, but those places are about 30-45 mins from me so I don't think they'd cover my area... I can't even get people who cover Wantage or Newbury (both ~15 mins from me) to come here!!! I think they are all just really busy and don't need extra work. I keep threatening to open my own dog walking business, but the money just wouldn't be as good as what I'm on now!
Amber gets taken for a 40min group walk (10 mins longer than she should at her age but it's not forced and there is only 1 dog walker in the whole area!) and i get charged £8.20 per walk. She also comes in, lets her out for the toilet both before and after, refills her water bowl and gives her a pre filled kong, i leave in the fridge. All in all she's out prob an hour-hour and a half as she has to drop the other doggies off and pick up etc.
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and there is only 1 dog walker in the whole area!) and i get charged £8.20 per walk. She also comes in, lets her out for the toilet both before and after, refills her water bowl and gives her a pre filled kong, i leave in the fridge. All in all she's out prob an hour-hour and a half as she has to drop the other doggies off and pick up etc.
