There is a lady in Crawley who only walks dogs from the same household at the same time. She said she likes to enjoy dog walking and can't if she has more than a household of dogs with her. Its all about quality time with the ones she walks. Just wish she lived a bit nearer me otherwise i'd think about employing her. She is also the hydrotherapist I use up there too, wonderful nature with the dogs..

The ones in Brighton and Hove i'd steer well clear of. I know where they walk and the number of dogs they have and the congregation of dog walkers all together is trouble in the making..

I have found a friend who does dog walking and home boarding occasionally, she normally only takes 1-2 dogs on at a time and will walk them with her lot too. She knows what dogs get on with whom in her pack and never takes more than 4 out at a time, again brilliant nature with the dogs.

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/wirral/countycourtindex.htm#letter

I think this is a brilliant link and I would use the Stage 1 letter which tells her of you intent to take her to Court and claim all costs including the Court costs if she doesn't pay up in 7 days. Then if no response I would go to court. It is an absolute disgrace that she hasn't answered your first letter and sent you the monies owed to you for Veterinary treatment. Don't let up on her or she will never learn. Don't forget, next time it could be a fatality if a smaller dog, and I would say there will be a next time unfortunately.

Some of these dog walkers are getting the same bad reputation as wheel clampers. Last summer there was a dog walkers van parked outside an Internet cafe for a while. I don't know if there were any dogs inside the van but there was one sat on the drivers seat. I passed the same van yesterday and the driver had a mobile phone wedged between ear and shoulder. Not someone I would entrust my dogs to.

There used to be a lady dog walker who used Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, she would draw up in her van, open the side door and let 8-10 dogs stamped out and up the hill, no leads at all, they used to cause havoc with other dog's and family's out on a picnic, I think the park authorities eventually brought in legislation so that there was a limit to the number of dogs walked by one person as there were so many complaint's about her ( this was before anyone bothered about dog control laws) she then switched operations to Costorphine Hill, where for all I know she's still causing havoc where ever she goes.

I have just got back home after a walk and met a dog walker while out, she had two big loose dogs who ran up to mine, so I told mine to 'go play'. My dog does'nt like other dogs coming near if hes on lead so if its safe I let him off. He can't cope with two on lead and nither can I!

She also had another dog on the lead who my dog ran up to, they had a bit of a set to, my dog came back as soon as I called him, dont know who started it, but while they were sniffing the lady pulled the dog up onto his hind legs so that might of set it off.

The point I am trying to make is what do you do if there are two off lead and one on? I normaly put mine on if the other dog is on. But didnt this time because two were off and allowed to run at mine who I was keeping by my side.

I think dog walkers such be restricted to one per handler, it could be infouced by thier insurance.

Its an apsolute nightmare I dread meeting them!

Just another thought, how is it dog walkers can use public facilities ie parks and footpaths for their bussiness, yet imagine the reaction from the local council if someone set up a dog training class on the park without asking and haveing to pay for it.

I don't think you should let dogs off lead that are not your own.

> I don't think you should let dogs off lead that are not your own.

Totaly agree with you, even family can be thoughtless. Over Christmas sister & BIL took one of ours out (not again) they know he likes his space to move away from other dogs - let him off on the sea wall with 9' drop!

I would have died!

Totaly agree, I do'nt know how people dare, I wound'nt let anyone take mine and let him off. The trouble is you do'nt know what is going on if your not there.
I would perver to leave mine in kennels for a week, he would hate it but he would be safe behind several locked gates.

I would perver to leave mine in kennels for a week, he would hate it but he would be safe behind several locked gates
Always my preference too, much as I don't like it.  I could never trust a home sitter - it's not just them but any visitors they may have! :(

it's not just them but any visitors they might have

That's a good point, they could feed them chocolate or something else as bad, or leave the gate open, or tease the dog untill it snaped.

One local dog sitter was ill last summer so her brother took all the dogs out.

One local dog sitter was ill last summer so her brother took all the dogs out.
Understandable - helpful - but not acceptable to me. :(

>I could never trust a home sitter - it's not just them but any visitors they may have!

I haven't yet found a kennel within a 75 mile radius that I'd trust with mine. I'd rather have home sitters every time.

You are very lucky then. House sitters can be better than letting the dog go to someone elses house, but-

I once had a very good friend to stay in my house with my dog and cat while I was on hoilday.
She let my dog swim to the middle of a very deep quarry, and tied him up outside McDonelds while she went in and got him a burger and chips!

Am I just an overprotective mother?
If i had known I would of come straight back.

I have house sat many times for people it is a hugh responability.

>I have house sat many times for people it is a hugh responability.

If you're a house-sitter, how can you say that house-sitters shouldn't be trusted? They're just as likely to be as reliable as you are than not.

If your a house-sitter, how can you say that house-sitters shouldn't be trusted?

I did'nt say that I am a house-sitter I am not, I said I have house sat for people many times.

I did'nt say they can't be trusted, I only said what happened in my experience.

There will be some very trust worthy house-sitters, dog walkers, home boarders, and boarding kennels, as well as some that are not.

The point is you dont know what is going on while you are away, and you have to dicide what is best for you. I dicided the best thing for me is to hoilday in Britain and take my dog with me.

> did'nt say that I am a house-sitter I am not, I said I have house sat for people many times.

Surely if you've house-sat, you're a house-sitter, even if that's not your usual profession?

Surely if you've house-sat you're a house-sitter

No I'm not, it was many years ago, I do'nt it now. I never did it as a profession, only for friends, unpaid.

So you used to be a house-sitter, albeit amateur. Why would professionals be worse than you were? If they considered you competent and reliable (and I'm assuming they were right), why shouldn't anyone else feel the same about having someone care for their dogs in the same way?

why such anyone else feel the same way about haveing someone care for thier dogs in the same way?

I dont know you tell me.

I was only comenting on one experience that happened to me.

Please reread my posts and you will see I am not saying professionals are not competent and reliable, I expetct some are and some are very good.

>Please reread my posts and you will see I am not saying professionals are not competent and reliable, I expetct some are and some are very good.

It was your post saying "I do'nt know how people dare, I wound'nt let anyone take mine and let him off. The trouble is you do'nt know what is going on if your not there. I would perver to leave mine in kennels for a week, he would hate it but he would be safe behind several locked gates." that implied that kennels are always better than house-sitters and dog-walkers.

Jeangenie. At the point you mentioned we were only talking about dog-walkers. I was saying what I perver to do.

I not going to waste time going over this so this is the last time I will replie to you.

Good day.

I apologise if I misunderstood; your meaning wasn't very clear. I also apologise to the OP for taking the thread off-topic!