Daft about Dogs Dog Walking

26/09/2026

Can we talk about leads?

As a dog walker, honestly, there is nothing worse than multiple dogs on a lead 🤦 we only have two hands, not to mention many dogs nowadays are using flexi leads...... Another topic for another day! But I do believe they're good for the right dog and when used appropriately.

I usually have one or two on lead through the entire hour walk and this can be for a number of reasons; the most common for most dogs being recall issues. But there are other reasons including anxiety, eating things they shouldn't 🫣💩 over stimulation, reactivity etc.

I don't expect all my dogs to have perfect recall to go off-lead which is why we walk where we do. This allows them to have the freedom to explore, sniff and burn off some energy without the stress of others. But sometimes, dogs need to be on-lead regardless.

I always seek permission from owners in writing and it is often an insurance requirement, for their dog to be off the lead when under my care. But it's important to remember, that sometimes although owners give permission for their dogs to be off lead it may not always be in their best interests at all times.

The dogs I have on lead here all have different reasons for why they're on lead and I did not have all 4 on lead for the entire hour:
- The dog on lead the entire hour has hit and miss recall, comes back when he decides and unfortunately I don't have all day to wait for him😆
- One dog has very high anxiety to humans or anything 'out of the ordinary' and will bolt if he sees it before you do. He has run off once before and will keep running until there is a gate or fence to stop him. So, he gets half of the walk off lead and I am completely focused as to anything that is coming towards us. Sometimes the dogs will bark to alert of something and his tail will go down and ears back signalling him to go straight back on lead before he spooks and decides to run.
- the pair of dogs here are used to normally having a short walk so aren't great at regulating themselves. They often walk too far ahead (also reducing my ability to keep and eye on them) and are coming back and forth to me when walking this far. So for this reason, they have the first half of the walk off lead and the second half on lead.

I often have to park near a road so it's also important for the dogs safety to sometimes go onto a lead before getting back to the vehicle at the end of the walk. There is nothing worse than seeing a dog walker with multiple dogs running around out of control near a road and yes, it happens more than you think 🙈

A few of the dogs I walk on leads are also fairly strong and will pull, so you need a fair amount of strength and ability to keep them under control. So having a walker that is fit and capable to do this is also important.

As awkward as it can be, we have a responsibility to both the dogs and their owners to keep the dogs safe, and should the dogs need to be on lead, regardless of how awkward this can be, it is necessary and prevents a number of catastrophic issues that could occur.

Group walks can be extremely high energy and create a great deal of overstimulation with some dogs unable to regulate themselves. This can cause stress, fights, injuries and even exhaustion and heat stroke in warm weather. So sometimes I may have your dog on a lead regardless of whether you say 'they're fine off the lead' to help maintain a safe and healthy balance for your dog.

So a big shout out to all those walkers who have dog/s on the lead on a regular basis, it's always a dream walk when you have dogs without needing one, but the safety and well-being of your dog is crucial and a lead could be the best solution to this.

21/09/2026

“Dog walking sounds like the easiest job in the world.”

Until you actually do it.

It’s the loneliness when you spend hours working on your own.

The mud, the mess, the rain, the freezing mornings and scorching days.

The physical strain, the injuries, the exhaustion that builds up over time.

The unpredictability of dog behaviour and the huge responsibility that comes with caring for someone else’s beloved pet.

It’s traffic.
It’s transport.
It’s vans breaking down.
It’s fuel, insurance, repairs and everything else that comes with keeping yourself on the road.

It’s juggling schedules, cancellations, early starts, late finishes and trying to make the numbers work when your income isn’t guaranteed.

And then there’s all the work nobody sees.

The messages.
The bookings.
The paperwork.
The planning.
The admin.
The constant organising behind the scenes.

It can mean sacrificing weekends, evenings, holidays and time with the people you love.

There’s emotional pressure, too. The worry when a dog is unwell. The guilt when something goes wrong. The stress of trying to keep every dog safe, happy and cared for while keeping a business running at the same time.

And eventually, there’s burnout.

So yes, from the outside, dog walking might look like getting paid to walk dogs all day.

But behind every happy, muddy, tired dog going home is a person carrying far more than a lead.

It’s physically demanding. It’s emotionally exhausting. It’s unpredictable. And sometimes, it’s really bloody hard.

But despite all of that… I genuinely wouldn’t have it any other way.

Because the muddy paws, wagging tails, ridiculous characters, little moments of trust and the bond you build with these dogs make every difficult day worth it.

I love this job.
I love the dogs.
And even on the days when it pushes me to my absolute limit, I wouldn’t swap it for anything. ❤️🐾

Treat anyone??? 😋

19/09/2026

A car always suited both me and the business, but nearly ten years later and it was finally time. A lot of hard work, late nights and 💰later 😬 and it's finally ready to go! If you want your business to succeed, it's always worth investing both your time and money to keep it at its best 🙌🐾

19/09/2026

Another wet but wonderful week for the D.A.D gang on some of our favourite tracks. Rain or shine the doggos had a blast playing with their pals 🐾🌲

17/09/2026

🙌🙌😆🐾🐾

The Secret Dog Walker

12/09/2026

We've entered Autumn with a bang with a very mixed bag of weather this week 🌞🌧️ but that didn't stop the fun! Whether it's playing with their pals or just sniffing and plodding along, the dogs are free to just be themselves. And we welcomed back some more old faces 🥰🐾

06/09/2026

After the terrible loss of one of my original gang members this week, I felt it only appropriate we take a few minutes to remember all those amazing doggos we've lost over the years. I've only been a small part of these dogs'journeys, but I hope it was a happy time for them all.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all of their parents who trusted me with their dogs through the years. Every dog I take under the D.A.D wing is like family and they will all be missed dearly. RIP to them all and big hugs and love to their families 💔🌈🐾

05/09/2026

Love your dog regardless, no one is perfect so why should we expect our dogs to be?

Life with dogs shouldn't be complicated.

There is nothing better than having a good relationship with our dogs, that might mean that they aren't the most obedient, they might have some behavioural challenges or they might even be anxious or worried.
None of the above means that you can't enjoy a close relationship but you might have to accept that it's not what you pictured.

The dogs that are the most challenging also teach us something that we didn't expect to learn or maybe even that we needed to learn.

I have lived with dogs that just seemingly slotted into our lives without much trouble, while others took much more work, patience and understanding - those dogs weren't lesser, they were just different from the others. It also meant that I had to learn more and think more deeply and that's a good thing!

I tell my dogs that they are perfect every day, not perfectly behaved, not always deferring to me but that they are more than good enough as they are.

I always remember a saying that someone was missing the flat caps because they were searching for the bowler hats. If you search for the perfect dog, you might miss that they are in front of you.

04/09/2026

Nearly 10 years 🙌🐾🥰

The Secret Dog Walker

30/08/2026

Puppy classes - not all are the same.

We are told that we need to 'train' our dogs so that we don't have issues further down the line and that we get on top of those pesky behaviours early. That's the narrative that has been around for years and the implication is that if you don't take your dog to classes, you can't be a responsible owner.

To be honest, not all classes are of equal benefit and some might be doing more harm than good.

It's really crucial to attend a class that is well run, isn't too busy and each dog is catered for. It's also boring as heck for puppies to sit and wait for their turn to do one exercise and then sit back down again. We absolutely don't want puppies to become hyperaroused or frustrated around other dogs - we want them to find this setting interesting, fun and can work on a variety of different skills.

So, choose carefully.

Many puppies can become easily overwhelmed and then their humans become frustrated and sometimes embarassed - that isn't enjoyable for anyone. The aim is not obedience, it should be to develop skills and build good experiences.

I must be in the minority though as I really enjoy the puppy stage and also the adolescent stage, these aren't something to get through and endure so that you have a 'good dog' at the end of it - we are in a very unique position and each stage is fascinating.

Puppies are soaking up information about their world at probably the fastest rate of their lives - make sure that what they experience is good for them :)