02/10/2026
If you care about your dog do not trust anyone who has no insurance, no first aid. Sorry but cheap and inexperience is not suitable in this profession
🐾 😢😢😢😢😢 🐾
And yet another advert has cropped up, from a 14 & 17 year old couple of young girls who are advertising dog walking to “earn a bit of pocket money”……
Apparently they both have “experience” with dogs & would “love to meet your friendly pets”……
🐾 No canine first aid
🐾 No insurance
🐾 No qualifications
Now I’m all for kids making their way in life, earning their own money by getting jobs outside of school hours, learning the value of money.
BUT this is the reason that professional dog carers, who have all the necessary things in place to legally care for your pets (licences, insurance, DBS check, first aid qualifications, years of experience with all sizes shapes breeds & temperaments, NVQ’s, diplomas…..) are increasingly struggling to make their businesses viable.
We are constantly trying to cover our overheads whilst competing with ridiculous prices of £6 - £7.50 per hour by under qualified inexperienced people who think that dog care is just put a lead on & take them for a nice walk.
🐾 Would they know what to do in the case of a medical emergency…..
🐾 What if a dog got involved in an argument with another dog…..
🐾 Leads / harnesses can break and dogs escape or run off…..
🐾 What if they got injured on a walk - too young to drive to safety…..
🐾 Entering people’s houses without an adult to collect dogs / pet visit…..
🐾 Are they experienced in reading a dogs body language…..
🐾 Another person got injured but they have no insurance - who would cover costs…..
🐾 Dangers to look out for - toxic food dogs pick up, anti-freeze, sticks, weather protocols for both hot & cold days
🐾 Health issues that can deteriorate rapidly & be potentially fatal - could they get your dog to a vet in time…..
I’ve just done my monthly accounts and just for the hours I’ve had dogs, after I’ve taken off my expenses I’ve still earned LESS than the uk minimum wage. This doesn’t include all the extra hours that get put in behind the scenes (cleaning, maintenance, washing, admin, accounts, scheduling, responding to emails & messages etc which are all done out of the day care hours so usually in the evenings, weekends or “day off”). Plus there’s the tax & NI to deduct, cost of electric water & heating, car tax mot & insurance……
It really is time that our industry put more legislations in place, to protect dogs, dog owners, dog carers…..
