What questions should you be asking your dog walker or dog trainer?
5 questions everyone should be asking their pet care professional.
1) Are you insured? Every pet care professional should have insurance, dont just ask the question, ask to see it. If they are hesitant or refuse then they are best kept away from.
TTLS - We are insured with Petplan sanctuary and have public & employer liability insurance.
2) What training do you have? Just because your pet care professionals have "owned dogs their entire life" doesn't mean they are suitably trained or qualified to care for your dog. Many people have owned cars the majority of their lives too, it doesn't mean they understand them. Ask to see proof of your pet care professionals qualifications or continued professional development (CPD).
TTLS - All of our staff undertake CPD, whether this be in the dog training and behaviour world, or in other areas such as canine first aid. On our team we have qualified dog trainer's, who are experts in dog body language, dog socialisation and behaviour modification, as well as a qualified veterinary nurse and dog groomers. Check out our staff individual pages for more information.
3) Have you handled my dogs specific issue before? If your dog has any special needs, ask your pet care professional to speak about their experience dealing with the issue. If they don’t have direct experience, ask them how they would handle a theoretical scenario.
TTLS - With a fully qualified veterinary nurse on the team, as well as everyone being qualified in canine first aid we are in a very strong position to deal with even the most difficult of special requirements.
4) How many dogs do you walk at a time? This is an important question and one you must ask. The more dogs in the group, the less attention on your dog. This number should not be more than 5 at an absolute maximum.
TTLS - We have a policy in place that restricts our walkers to a maximum of 5 dogs at a time, providing at least one of those dogs remains on lead and the dogs being walked together have done so previously. This is a very unusual occurrence as we usually walk a maximum of 4 dogs per group as we find this is a better number, both for the dogs, and for safety.
5) Can I see your testimonials and recommendations ? Testimonials, recommendations and references are key when looking for the right pet care professional.
TTLS - All of our testimonials and reviews are readily available on our website and Facebook page, we can also supply references if required.
Please remember that no pet care professional worth trusting your dog with will mind any of these questions.
TTLS - We are insured with Petplan sanctuary and have public & employer liability insurance.
2) What training do you have? Just because your pet care professionals have "owned dogs their entire life" doesn't mean they are suitably trained or qualified to care for your dog. Many people have owned cars the majority of their lives too, it doesn't mean they understand them. Ask to see proof of your pet care professionals qualifications or continued professional development (CPD).
TTLS - All of our staff undertake CPD, whether this be in the dog training and behaviour world, or in other areas such as canine first aid. On our team we have qualified dog trainer's, who are experts in dog body language, dog socialisation and behaviour modification, as well as a qualified veterinary nurse and dog groomers. Check out our staff individual pages for more information.
3) Have you handled my dogs specific issue before? If your dog has any special needs, ask your pet care professional to speak about their experience dealing with the issue. If they don’t have direct experience, ask them how they would handle a theoretical scenario.
TTLS - With a fully qualified veterinary nurse on the team, as well as everyone being qualified in canine first aid we are in a very strong position to deal with even the most difficult of special requirements.
4) How many dogs do you walk at a time? This is an important question and one you must ask. The more dogs in the group, the less attention on your dog. This number should not be more than 5 at an absolute maximum.
TTLS - We have a policy in place that restricts our walkers to a maximum of 5 dogs at a time, providing at least one of those dogs remains on lead and the dogs being walked together have done so previously. This is a very unusual occurrence as we usually walk a maximum of 4 dogs per group as we find this is a better number, both for the dogs, and for safety.
5) Can I see your testimonials and recommendations ? Testimonials, recommendations and references are key when looking for the right pet care professional.
TTLS - All of our testimonials and reviews are readily available on our website and Facebook page, we can also supply references if required.
Please remember that no pet care professional worth trusting your dog with will mind any of these questions.
