Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Dog walker for $10 an hour?
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May 20, 2009 at 9:26 pm #590957
pbgirl423MemberOur rambunctious, under exercised Beagle needs at least an hour walk a night. I was quoted by some local dog walkers $25.00 for an hour which I find ridiculous. Does anyone know of a high school or college age kid looking for some extra money this summer that is responsible enough to walk a dog every night?
May 20, 2009 at 11:21 pm #667240
hopeyParticipantI hope your insurance is good enough to cover that teenager’s injuries when another unleashed and aggressive dog charges your “rambunctious” beagle and the teenager gets hurt trying to separate the dogs.
Professional Dog Walkers are bonded and insured, and many of them have specialized training in canine behavior and handling, which is why they cost more than a teenager.
I recommend Janice of Butler Pet Services if you decide it’s worth hiring a professional.
May 20, 2009 at 11:29 pm #667241
cakeitseasyMemberOh for godssakes.
May 20, 2009 at 11:34 pm #667242
chefMemberI highly recommend a professional pet sitter/dog walker that I use for my three little ones and she charges only $12.00 an hour for committed weekly clients. Please check your private messages or call her at 206-650-5748–her name is Melanie and she is wonderful!
May 21, 2009 at 1:19 am #667243
pbgirl423Memberhopey, are you serious? All you need to do is hold on a little tighter to the dog and cross the street if necessary. If a teenager can drive a car and babysit, they can surely handle a Beagle on a walk.
May 21, 2009 at 2:36 am #667244
hammerheadParticipantYes Hopey is serious. Are you going to give the teenager a key. what if she looses it, or get robbed. A pet sitter was just sentenced for robbing her pet sitting houses. Luckily it turned out ok in the end. WIth babysitting HUMANS now a days they get these certificate things for cpr and other life saving stuff. So yes take it seriously. Everybody is sue happy. will the teenager be willing to pick poop up?
May 21, 2009 at 3:25 am #667245
alki_2008Participantpbgirl – There are lawyers who base their entire practice on “animal law”. They’re more than happy to sue dog owners if their dog bites a person or animal. If the uninsured teenager you hire to walk your rambuctious beagle loses control of your dog during a walk – then you (not the teen) will be held liable if your beagle bites/nips another person or pet.
CYA! (cover your ass)
Aren’t lawyers great!
May 21, 2009 at 4:05 am #667246
beachdrivegirlParticipantI second the recommendation for Melanie! She stays with our dogs when we are out of town and takes them fir weekly dog park visits !! She is reliable, easy to work with, and affordable
May 21, 2009 at 4:21 am #667247
Lucile 2MemberI totally agree with Hopey. My dog walker is amazing, licensed and insured, and helps our adolescent with a little guiding hand as well. I would not leave my dog in the hands of anyone less qualified. I know people hate the comparison of dogs to humans sometimes, but I wouldn’t leave my (non-existent) kid with a sitter who has limited qualifications but is cheaper. But that’s just me.
May 21, 2009 at 4:25 am #667248
BonnieParticipantSo glad I don’t have a dog!
May 21, 2009 at 4:29 am #667249
Lucile 2Member@Bonnie. I know, it is amazing what they can cost. But it keeps me from having kids, which is working out well so far!
May 21, 2009 at 4:44 am #667250
TraciMemberHow disappointing for teenagers trying to get part time jobs. They’re already hosed for summer work due to the usual summer jobs having unusual competition and now they’re not even trusted to walk someone’s dog?
I was an average teenager that would have LOVED to be able to walk someone’s dogs. Maybe I’m being naive, but I wouldn’t have considered aggressive dogs lunging at me or suing if I got injured. Trust is a positive thing.
May 21, 2009 at 4:50 am #667251
hopeyParticipantTo answer the question directed at me, yes, I’m completely serious.
I went through a 12 week dog training apprentice program working with, in some cases, dogs who react very strongly to other dogs. I learned how to teach those dogs to be less reactive. I watched trainers attempt to teach those dogs’ owners how to handle the dogs appropriately, with varying levels of success. I also learned that most “normal” dog owners have no idea how to prevent an off-leash dog from approaching their on-leash dog.
If the teenager walking your beagle was rushed by an aggressive dog, what would happen? If that teenager was injured as a result of the work she or he was doing for you, what would happen? Do you really think the teenager’s parents would just accept that they had to foot the bill for medical care? I think it is FAR more likely that they would go back to their child’s “employer” and expect financial assistance.
Just search the forums here and you’ll find numerous stories about frightening off-leash dogs, and even on-leash dogs getting injured by offleash dogs. Here’s an example: https://westseattleblog.com/blog/forum/topic.php?id=1873
I work with dogs for a living. I wish you all the best, but I have far too much professional experience with “normal people’s dogs” to believe that accidents never happen.
May 21, 2009 at 4:52 am #667252
hammerheadParticipantTraci,
It is not about you it is about your parents who would possibly sue. In past threads about dogs running loose it is real threat. IF not experienced as to what to do with dogs, dog or human could get injured.
Just like home owners insurance, you never think your wood deck will fall thru if it does and some one gets hurts some one is going to get sued.
May 21, 2009 at 4:58 am #667253
TraciMemberI understand your point Hammerhead, and I respect it.
My parents have been in positions where they could sue, and they chose not to. My dad’s philosophy has always been to work things out personally (he’s kind of a “damn the man” ultra-right type). Maybe I get my outlook from them.
Anyway, sorry to hijack your thread pbgirl, hope you find someone great :)
May 21, 2009 at 5:50 am #667254
ellenaterMemberI have to agree with Traci. And I think you guys are overreacting. Not everyone sues, either. My hubbie is a lawyer, btw. He agrees.
Also, I think you guys hijacked pbgirl’s thread looking for a cheap dog walker. If you disagree, why do you have to post on her thread? What’s wrong with just ignoring the thread, shaking your head, and NOT posting your opinion on a thread looking for a service? To me, that is really disrespectful and presumptuous. It’s not trusting someone to make a good decision. It’s her life. If she wanted to know your thoughts on whether or not she should hire a teenager to walk her dog for the $10 wage, she would have asked!
Just sayin’!
May 21, 2009 at 6:42 am #667255
alki_2008ParticipantEllenator, some folks here raised the liability issue – and maybe pbgirl didn’t know that there were liability issues. No one told pbgirl NOT TO hire a teenager, just pointed out the risks of doing so and the options for a ‘less liable’ option (insured/bonded professional dog walkers). The disagreements seem to be more on the side of folks saying that people won’t sue and that there isn’t any risk in hiring a teenager.
If pbgirl wants to hire a teenager and assume the risks, then that’s her perogative. Most of us just seemed to be informing her of the risks and the lower-exposure options.
May 21, 2009 at 6:46 am #667256
ellenaterMemberI know. And I know you mean well. It’s just, how come you assume she doesn’t already know those risks? Wouldn’t most people kinda know that? Maybe not but it seems like they should…
May 21, 2009 at 2:11 pm #667257
hopeyParticipantIf she did know the liabilities, why didn’t she just reply with “Yeah thanks, I know, and I’m okay with that.” From her response, it sounded to me like she was unaware of the potential for liability.
I work with dogs (and their owners) and have seen what can happen when a person walking a dog is unprepared for a less than positive encounter. I felt a personal, ethical obligation to speak up about it. If she had already considered the risk, she could have responded by saying so.
Had she described her dog as an elderly and obedient labrador, rather than a “rambunctious, under-exercised” beagle, I don’t think I’d have said anything.
May 21, 2009 at 2:46 pm #667258
beachdrivegirlParticipantMelanie’s email address is sitstaynplay08@yahoo.com. Good luck finding a reliable and affordable dog walker/sitter! I know my dogs are like my “babies” so i understand how imoportant it is to find someone you trust.
May 21, 2009 at 2:50 pm #667259
hopeyParticipantbtw, here is another example — freshly posted — about a dog that is reactive to other dogs while on leash. The owner says they ran into 4 off-leash dogs in a 20 minute period.
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/forum/topic.php?id=5060#post-59938
May 21, 2009 at 2:59 pm #667260
GenHillOneParticipantNot $10, but Lady Di is a WSB sponsor (ad is in right margin) and is LICENSED and BONDED.
May 21, 2009 at 3:58 pm #667261
sam-cParticipantgetting rushed by aggressive off leash dogs who don’t have responsible owners? what part of WS is that ? sounds like a scary neighborhood.
May 21, 2009 at 7:22 pm #667262
LTownMemberPM sent to Op :)
May 22, 2009 at 1:26 am #667263
bird87MemberIf your willing to trust a UW grad student I can walk a beagle. I live in the north end. Shoot me an email if you want a cheap, reliable, “scary” college kid. lol
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