Tips in Choosing a Care Giver for Your Pet

Choosing a Dog Walker and/or Sitter for your beloved pooch is a hard decision. There are so many variables to consider and ALL of the people seemed nice. So, do you choose the rigid professional who didn't interact with your dog or who did in a robotic way? The earth child college student who gushes about how much she loves dogs as she rolls around on the ground with your pooch? The neighbors daughter? None of these decisions are necessarily right or wrong. Ask good questions and follow your gut. While it isn't important that you find a new best friend in your care giver you do want to make sure that your dog seems to enjoy him/her and trust them. This will reduce the chances of accidents and injuries later. Dogs listen to those they trust. Get a reference from a vet he/she has brought her own pets to. The standard of care they provide their own will be a good benchmark for you. Get a reference from a current sitting client if this will be a sitting job or a current walking client if it will be walking. Keep in mind that references can be made by friends and family and rarely does one provide contact numbers for bad references. Ask them if they have ever been fired from a care giving position and why. Pay attention to their reactions in addition to their answers. Do you feel like there is something they aren't telling you? If you have asked the question and you still feel there is more...trust your instinct. Find someone else. You are trusting your home and your pet to this person. If you cannot trust them that is a deal breaker.

Below are some questions you should ask all of your care givers. Should anyone reading this want my own answers to this questionnaire, please send me an email and I will forward it along.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR DOG WALKERS
1. Where will you take my dog?
Does the location make you comfortable? Will the person be driving your pets anywhere? Do they have a comprehensive insurance package that protects you in case something happens to your pet? How is their driving record? Have they been in any accidents in the last 12 months?How many tickets have they received in the last 6 months(parking excluded)? In Boston dogs are allowed on all public transit, regardless of whether they are "working" dogs. If you are comfortable with your dog riding the subway, city bus, or commuter rail to get to a location then let your potential caregiver know. Public transportation can open up a wide range of activities for your dog... if the handler is experienced with working with dogs on the MBTA system.

2. In what types of activities do the dogs engage? Do you walk the dogs off or on leash, or is the outing a supervised playgroup in a designated location?
Some dogs are other dog aggressive or just leash aggressive. Some would rather walk for an hour than spend half an hour in a fenced in dog park. Do you want your dog to socialize or not to? Be specific about what you wish for your dog and if the care giver doesn't provide it in their literature or on their site...ask. They might do it for you. Want hiking in the city at the arboretum... just ask.

3. For how long will you exercise my dog (excluding car time)?
This is very important!!! Read the fine print! Does your hour include pick up or drop off? Some care givers offer an hour and include the arrival outside your home and writing of the note at the end as part of this hour. Others provide a specific amount of actual active play/walking/running as their guideline and provide anything over as a courtesy. Make sure this is clearly defined early on.

4. Do you include obedience during the walk? If so, how?
Does your dog require training to walk well on lease? How does the caregiver work with dogs who are in need of training?

5. What sort of punishments and/or rewards do you use?
Do they use clickers? Treats? Verbal commands? Physical discipline? While their style may not be the same as yours, just make sure you and your pet are comfortable with their technique.

6. What will you do if my dog . . .
Does not come when called?
Does not sit when requested?
Jumps on you?
Jumps on somebody else?
Growls at another dog?
Growls at a person?
Attacks someone or another dog?
Is attacked by another dog?

8. What is the maximum number of dogs you will walk on an outing? Do you separate dogs according to size? Age? Activity level?
This is important because some walkers can handle 5 dogs but some can only handle 3 effectively. If the number sounds high to you, request to shadow them during one of their playgroups and witness them with their dogs. Are they able to effectively handle all of them? Do you have any concerns? They should be able to react quickly and effectively. Are they able to maintain constant supervision over all of the dogs? Accidents can happen quickly. Be comfortable with the number of dogs they handle. Also, fewer dogs means more interaction for the dog. Some dogs are people focused...if your dog loves people and is more focused on the quality human time...choose a care giver with smaller numbers or who is willing to do solo or two dog walks with yours. At the end of the day... is your dog happy, healthy and exhausted?

9. What is the protocol for introducing my dog into the group? For letting my dog off leash? How do you screen dogs for dog friendliness?
This is important. More fights and injuries happen in these initial moments than any other time.

10. Will you provide any reports/updates on my dogs’ behavior either weekly or monthly?
Some owners want daily reports, some weekly, some none. If you are away but have Internet access you could ask for daily emails? Maybe set up a blog for the caregiver to fill out so you can log on and read all about your dog's adventures back home or out on his daily walk.

11. In an emergency, what plan of action do you have in place? Are you trained in pet first aid or CPR?
This is vital! Find out what the plan is if they are at your home, out at the park or on a walk, or an hour away hiking. Minutes are precious in an emergency.

12. Has a dog ever been lost or injured on your walks? What happened?

13. Will walks be delegated to anyone other than yourself (an assistant or associate)? If so, how far in advance of the actual outing with my dog?
If so, ask to meet the assistant so that you are comfortable with who will be in your home and with your dog.

14. How long have you been walking dogs professionally? What is your experience managing multiple dogs? Are you a pet owner yourself?
While this may not be as important to you as the rest of their background it is important to find out what their intentions are. If you require a long term relationship with a care giver you may want to seek someone who has made this their profession as to avoid the problem of school holidays, other jobs, etc. Some professionals have never owned a dog so their 5 years of professional experience is limited to their work experience. Some non professionals have grown up on farms, raised dogs, had at least one, if not two their entire life and are experienced with the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs and know how to handle all types of situations. Mostly, you will find a mix of two. What are you as a pet owner comfortable with?

15. Can you provide references from current and former clients as well as your personal vet? May I contact them?
Keep in mind that no one will offer up a poor reference. Pay most attention to the vet reference. Find out how they care for their own dogs.

16. May I observe/accompany you on a walk?
A professional will not be offended by this request. If you desire it, request it.

17. Will you provide a written service contract spelling out services and fees?
Some do and some don't. Some pet owners want one and some don't. If you want one, ask. This eliminates questions later.

18. If you provide live-in services, what are the specific times you agree to be with my pet(s)? Is this detailed in the contract?

19. Can you provide written proof that you have commercial liability insurance (to cover accidents and negligence)?
Insurance is a deal breaker for many pet owners. Insurance coverages the pet owner. A comprehensive plan will cover many things, including house damages, pet injuries, and even death. Bonding is an optional coverage that some care givers get to cover themselves in case of excused theft. Bonding protects the care giver not the pet owner.

20.What kinds of additional services do you offer in regard to general duties such as bringing in mail, newspaper, watering plants, etc.? Is this detailed in the contract?
Don't assume! Ask and have it written down!

21. Do you provide require a veterinary release form so that you may seek emergency medical care if I cannot be reached? Do you have a back-up veterinarian in case my vet is unavailable?
No one knows when an emergency might arise. Therefore, your dog walker should have an emergency plan for getting medical attention even if your veterinarian is unavailable. Be sure to provide a release form and notify your veterinarian of your arrangement with your dog walker.