You just walked in the front door after a long day. The sofa is calling for you to curl up and take a much-needed rest. Your best friend, however, is running circles around you, barking and wagging his/her tail furiously. Imagine the benefits of hiring a dog walker at times like this when your dog has been home alone all day and is ready to release some of that pent-up energy.
The couch looks so inviting. What do you do? Relax or take your buddy for a walk first?
How about hiring a professional dog walker so you don’t have to face that dilemma every day?
Consider some of the benefits of hiring a dog walker:
You can relax.
Focus on what you need to do while you’re away from home – whether it’s work or spending time with your family – without having to worry whether your dog is happy. A professional dog walker will come to your home – as many times as you schedule each day – to take your dog for a walk, to give him/her the opportunity to go potty, exercise, and to give him/her lots of love and attention. Then, when your dog returns, his/her energy will be drained and he/she will greet you happy and relaxed when you come home.
Break up your dog’s day.
You’ve probably relished a day alone once in a while. You talk to no one. You do nothing but watch television, read, or just sleep the day away. Everyone needs and deserves those days to unwind and recharge. But, imagine you had no choice but to do that every day. You would probably go a bit stir crazy, right? That’s exactly how your dog feels every day. A professional dog walker will break up his/her day. He/she will get the much-needed opportunity to expend excess energy and to enjoy just being a dog.
Help your dog stay in shape.
Anyone – animal or human – who spends considerable time lounging around the house is bound to gain weight, which may ultimately lead to health problems. Health problems equal high veterinary costs and, much worse, the potential of a shorter lifespan for your best friend. Your dog’s walks with a dog walker – whether he/she takes one or several each day – will help your dog stay in shape.
Avoid behavioral problems.
Dogs may develop behavioral problems, such as aggression and loss of bathroom habits, if they don’t get enough attention and stimulation each day. If your dog has become angry, growling and snapping, or he or she has begun tearing up furniture or other belongings, consider whether your dog is getting enough exercise. If not, your dogs behavioral problems may be his/her way of telling you he/she needs more stimulation. A professional dog walker will come to your home, as many times as you schedule each day. But, your dog walker will do more than provide a walk: the sitter will give your dog attention, affection and will take your outside, where your dog can go potty, exercise, socialize, and explore the neighborhood.
For more information on the dog walking services we offer at Rufus and Delilah, check out this link to our dog walking page. If you’ve never hired a dog walker, you may also like this article, 7 Simple Steps Preparing Your Dog For A Dog Walker.
What do you consider the biggest benefits of hiring a dog walker?
I AM a dog walker but you know what they say – a carpenter’s house is never finished. When I get home from my long walking days I want to rest, not take my own dogs out for a walk. Luckily, they are small so they tolerate a day or two in between walks but I know it’s not good for them mentally or physically. I took them out for a walk the other day and it had been a couple of days. Gretel was so overstimulated! She kept pulling at the leash and chirping loudly at every moving thing she saw (she’s a hound). I think a relaxed demeanor, and not being so stressed on infrequent walks, is the best benefit of hiring a dog walker.
Before my dad lived with me full time I had a dog walker coming several times a week. Especially when I first adopted my dogs, it gave me peace of mind that they were getting a mid-day potty break as well as being sure they were doing okay in their new home.
How funny that there are days you don’t walk your own dogs after walking client’s dogs. You then see first-hand the negative impact of not taking them for walks when days pass by without walking them.
It’s great that both you and your dogs were able to enjoy the benefits of having a dog walker before your dad lived with you full time.
Mom LOVES taking me for a walk, that’s why she wanted a dog so bad, so that she had company when she took her walks. I think if you don’t want to walk your dog then maybe get a cat. She tried to get me a dog walker when I was younger because she was gone during the day, I did NOT cooperate. But, when mom was recuperating from back surgery I let our friend’s dog walker take me for walks. It’s important to know your dog and not assume that they will like a dog walker. Love Dolly
Hi Dolly. We don’t think it would be fair to say a person can’t have a dog if they are not home to walk their dog. What if a person has a job and can’t take out their dog out when they are at work? Or what if they have a bad back or bad knee making it so they can’t walk their dog? In these situations, hiring a dog walker makes it so all people can have a dog even if they can’t do all the walks every day or some of the walks. Sometimes it is also important to find a dog walker with the right energy for the dog. Not every walker is the right fit for every dog. Yet if if you find the right match then the dog walker often becomes the dogs best friend when their parents or family are not home.