Hello everyone
Could any of you perhaps who are, or who use, dog walkers possibly let me know how many would be the maximum number of dogs they would take at one time (or like their dog to be taken with, if that makes sense!).  I am interested as we have a local dog walker who regularly walks 15 to 20 large dogs off lead (pointers, rotties, GSDs and others) and we have been having discussions with other dog owners whether this is too many to control - some of us put our dogs on lead or go the other way if we see them coming and a couple of dogs have been frightened enough to run away (actually they have been chased).  The walker seems ok himself and none of the dogs appears particularly nasty but they can be very intimidating to a nervous or young dog when they surround it particularly when the walker himself is not in sight (which is frequently).  If this seems alright to you do please say as I may be over anxious.  If not, is there anything we can do about it or should we just carry on being careful.  Ella was recently attacked and hurt by four greyhounds who were initially fine with her so we are very nervous at the moment.
Thanks

I think thats to way many to control,if one started the whole pack (which is what they are)
would all start how could the walker sort all those dogs out.

i use a dog walker several days a week for 4 years i trust her  completely she only walks a few  dogs at a time,they really enjoy , i have heard that some  dog walkers sit in there car and read the newspaper.this is true,one dog walker in our area has lost  peoples dogs and he puts about 20 in the back of a van .personally i think dog walkers need to be vetted out .i have 4 dogs i find it difficult walking 1 how people manage 20 .i think you are right to worry it sounds like the one in our area he has been reported to the rspca by some of the other dog walkers .not all dog walkers are like that there are some good ones

I don't use a dog walker but I would think 20 is miles to many to control on your own. I wonder if the poeple who use him know how many he walks at one time?

Karen

I used to do dog walking.

But, i have no transport, so the maximum amount of dogs i would take out was 3 or 4, and that was only when 2 of them where mine!

If i had transport, then i wouldnt take more than five or 6 dogs, depending of course on the dogs themselves and how well trained they were.

There was a lady in my local park used to walk 10 plus dogs at a time, all off lead, none of them particularly well behaved, quite scary to meet her round a corner!, they were all big dogs as well!

20 is a ridiculous amount of dogs to take out alone! Five is a handful ill admit, but the five i have walked together in the past are very well behaved dogs, 2 of them BC's with 100% recall the other 3 never had any interest in other dogs, just in what was in my pockets!

Only dog i walked that was trouble was Dennis an OES, ........because he w ould run away if he saw a little dog coming! lol

Em

I consider two dogs are quite enough to try to control on your own.  More are fine if everything is going okay but if a problem or emergency occurs then two is more than enough.

I used to walk three Dobes together when I was younger and more naive - would not do it now though.

Christine

I do a bit of dog walking as a way to earn extra money (and because i enjoy it) and the most o walk together is 4. Of those four one is my own, fairly well trained collie, who is on a halti so i can keep contol of her should she play up, an elderly daschund, an elderly JR and a youngish JR (all three belonging to the same person and i have known them for over 5 years.) All the other dogs i tend to take out alone or in pairs. I find two big dogs difficult to handle, i wouldn't be able to take any more out in one go. You can't possibly control 20 dogs on or off lead!!

I've walked two Staffords and that is enough for anyone one, on their own regardless of how well trained they are. In my opinion ;)

Karen

At one time the council was trying to bring in a ruling that professional dog walkers could take no more than 4 dogs at a time.

I walk my 4 dalmatians, but because they're mine and we understand each other they're not a problem, and I can control them. Also two of them are senior, and becoming somewhat more sedate! Another young, strong one and I'd be pulled over.

IMO 20, and all off the lead at the same time, is a disaster waiting to happen.

There is a local dog walker here who takes out 15 and this is too many. Most of the good ones only walk 4 at at a time , although one chap takes 7 but they all stick together and clump around him. First sign of trouble and they all snap leads on the offender. A large group of dogs is intimidating for shy dogs though however nic ethey are. Its scooping the poop they cant do with all these dogs, but this is not confined to the professionals as some private owners with 2 large dogs on leads never clean up either. The council is sending enforcers out to issue fines for not cleaning up, so the dog walkers are having to be circumspect.

Thanks for the replies, I have to say I really think it's too many.  Sometimes he loses one dog (the same one), takes the others home and comes back for it later! - not sure whether the owner knows.  He gives them a reasonable walk but must be making a good amount for just an hour's work with no individual interaction with any one dog.  Is there anything we can do about this or do we have to just carry on watching for his van or for him.  I have to say that nothing has happened yet (apart from dogs running away, all found safely) but I agree that it's a disaster waiting to happen and I'm not the only person who feels like this.
Best wishes
Alex

Hi Alex

Have a word with your local dog warden - it is a disaster waiting to happen and if something does go drastically wrong thing of the bad press for dogs!

If they were all off lead at once how long would it take to get them all back on - quite a long time I would think.

If the dog warden won't do anything it would make a lovely picture for your local press - wouldn't it?

Christine

Definitely contact your local council and ask to speak to the dog warden. I know there are restrictions in London, as to how many dogs a dog walker can take out at one time. Twenty is rediculous and it's not fair on other dogwalkers. They shouldn't have to feel intimidated like that when out walking their own dogs.

15 to 20 dogs is absolutely ridiculous and plain stupidity, if not to say dangerous. 

I have been training dogs for 30 years and believe me, you can NEVER absolutley guarantee 100% any dog's behaviour, let alone 15 or 20 of someone else's.

Personally, I have owned up to 6 (well-behaved!) dogs at the same time and have walked them all together and know the possible problems that can arise.  Therefore if I were employing someone else to walk my dog, I would insist that it was kept on a lead (maybe a flexi-lead in safe places) and not in the company of more than 2 or 3 other dogs at a time.  

when i street walk the dogs i take 3 then 2,but if we go up the rangers it all 5,a thats when there two of us.and that hard work with 5.

Thanks - I hadn't thought of the local dog warden, to be honest I didn't know if there was anything we could do.  I don't like to make trouble but it does spoil walks wondering if we're going to avoid the pack.  When I first met him Ella was only 12 weeks old, all these dogs came round a corner and surrounded us, quite frightening for me let alone a little puppy.  I picked her up and he came along said I should put her down as it would be good socialisation and I was storing up trouble for later!!  I just said I would carry on socialising her as I had been doing, how can you trust that many dogs all at once with a little pup.  I'll contact the warden - presumably this is through the local council - and see what they can do.
Best wishes
Alex

N.A.R.P. (National Association of Registered Petsitters - I think) will only allow their members to look after 4 dogs at any one time. As a dog minder myself I am licensed to take 6 dogs but I have to say that walking more than 4 dogs at a time is a nightmare.
D

I can't believe  the stupidity of these people,have thought about this for a business and 2 large and 4 small are the max i would attempt,for the dogs safety and mine,sandra.:(