All of our dog walks are private dog walks. We looked very early on at the pros and cons of group dog walks and decided that it was a very risky service to offer, where you could not 100% guarantee the safety of the dog.
It sounds like a great idea – throw half a dozen dogs in the back of the van, take them off to the woods and let them all run around.
But to us that sounded like a lot of risk
- Risk to your dog
- Risk for our dog walkers
- Risk to other dogs/people we might encounter.
We want your dog to really enjoy their walk, we want them to be happy, safe and returned to you with a wagging tail. We don’t want any incidents where 2 dogs might fall out, one might get lost or another one might jump on a jogger with their dirty paws.
Pros and Cons of Group Dog Walks
Pros of Group Dog Walks
- As a solo business owner it does make better use of your time – it’s more profitable certainly as you can walk more dogs at once.
- Your dog does get to interact with other dogs – assuming they all get on.
- There is more chance of them being off the lead in a wooded area (which you may prefer)
Cons of a Group Dog Walk
- Your dog is not getting the dog walkers full attention.
- There is a lot of time spent in ‘transportation’ mode while all the dogs area collected.
- Your dog has to spend time with dogs they may not like.
- Your dog could get lost, stolen, injured or even left behind.
Which Dog Walking Option Is Best For Your Dog?
How you decide to organise Dog Walks for your dog is a matter of personal choice. Some people wouldn’t even consider letting anyone but themselves walk their dog. Others would never consider a group walk environment. It’s all about choice – one that you make in the best interests of your beloved dog.
When you make that decision though don’t forget the safety of your dog. The thought of Coco bounding through the hills with 5 other dogs in tow stresses me out! I would worry that she might get lost, get picked on, be forgot about or worse.
