5 Steps to Secure the Hottest Ticket in Town

NOPE, NAY, NADA, NO CAN DO..

Sorry but I can’t, or more I won’t, provide dog walking services to anyone who texts me the evening before asking, if they were to give me their address and leave a key under the mat, will I walk their dog the next day?!

I know my Good Karma clients will be like ‘what the woof’ reading that, ‘cos they’re all diligent and dedicated dog guardians – but this actually happens.  While I love welcoming new dogs on board the Good Karma Love Train – they need to have a ticket first.

I’m going to walk through the process (of getting hold of the hottest ticket in town) and explain why each step is important.

So, you’ve done your research into local dog walkers (you can read more about finding the right dog walker HERE) and you’re thinking of using my services, (you can find out more about them HERE).

STEP ONE

Get in touch – email, message or leave a voicemail with your location, the days and a rough time you require, the service you’re interested in (solo dog walks, group dog walks, puppy visits, mini puppy walks etc).  A bit of info about your dog, (age, breed, any relevant background details and the level of training your dog has had), is also useful. 

This allows me to look at my existing commitments, the logistics of getting from A to B and current group dynamics to determine a possible good fit (if looking for social walks). 

From here I can either recommend someone else, if I don’t have availability, or progress the enquiry.

STEP TWO

Phone Call – speaking directly on the phone allows me to better understand a potential client’s requirements, to learn about their dog and importantly, their expectation from a dog walking service.  At this point, I’ll ask questions to find out if our handling methods are aligned and explain how I work.

I guess this is kind of a two-way screening step.  Just as much as clients are working out whether they like the sound of me and how I do things – I’m doing the exact same thing!  It is much easier for me to say no at this stage than it is when I’m sat in someone’s home, having just heard ten red flags come out of the owner’s mouth and now they’re digging out a key for me and I’m thinking, I’m a dog walker – get me out of here!

STEP THREE

Home Visit – to meet you and your dog. There is no obligation at this stage, it is a chance for dog owners to ask questions and to see how I interact with their dog and see how their dog responds around me.  I’m always happy for clients to take their time to reflect on our conversation and meeting and think about whether they feel completely comfortable. If keys are being dug out and dates discussed I will go through some practical stuff like alarm codes, which door to use, whether areas of the house are to be shut off after a wet walk and the like.

STEP FOUR

Paperwork will be completed and we’ll book in a trial walk.  All dogs start on a trial basis.  This is to check I am happy the dog is ok, not stressed out or overwhelmed – this is to check I’m happy the dog’s behaviour is as has been described to me and this is for dog owners to check their dog seems happy, relaxed and content following their time with me.

Keep in mind though, with age, injury, a scary experience, over time our dogs change and sometimes with that, we need to reassess their fit with other dogs, change the length of the walk, switch to visits or look for another solution all together. 

A little side note here, because this sometimes comes up and it can cause some frustration with owners – some dogs are happy, calm and responsive while out with their owners but find group dog walks (not matter how big or small), over stimulating. The travel, the stop offs to collect other dogs, the entire hour spent alongside other dogs, not just passing by them on the path, it is a different experience for your dog, so please don’t be cross if our dog walker feeds this back to you.

Likewise, if you flat out lie about your two GSDs and their behaviour around other dogs and your dog walker is nearly taken clean off her feet by their barking and lunging as soon as another dog appears on the horizon, and you tell her “well we thought we’d just see if they were different with you”, the trust will be gone and you will be back to square one with your pet care search.

STEP FIVE

Choo Choo Choo!

Welcome Onboard – I always provide feedback following the first few walks but once we’re settled and in a routine, I tend to only update when there is something to report. Clients are welcome to check in and I’m always happy to have a catch up after my rounds are done. But after putting a bit of time in and not rushing the process, the idea is that clients can feel confident in their choice of dog walker and they can go about their day, knowing their dog is in safe hands.