More bad news, sorry. 6 dogs were stolen from a dog walker's van at 2.30pm today, thursday 18th on Kemble Road SE23.
A man grabbed dogs as walker was loading and made off in a black transporter van, partial reg: LF13
http://www.doglost.co.uk/dog-blog.php?d ... 7XZISOANBd
Dog theft Kemble Road
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
I am very sorry for the doggies and their owners.
However 6 dogs far too many for one dog walker . Also surely they can walk to park nearby .
Why do people entrust their prized pets to this sort of service.
However 6 dogs far too many for one dog walker . Also surely they can walk to park nearby .
Why do people entrust their prized pets to this sort of service.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
This is now the second time this has happened locally, isn't it?
Eagle, I believe 6 is the maximum you are allowed to walk professionally at any one time. Can't remember where I read it.
Eagle, I believe 6 is the maximum you are allowed to walk professionally at any one time. Can't remember where I read it.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
As a dog owner I regularly encounter dog walkers. They usually have been four and six dogs and have great control over them, and are also clearly dog lovers. The reason for vans is logistics. They have to collect each dog from the owner's house. They can't take a bunch of other dogs into another dog's house. They have to be secured while each pick up takes place. Also, depending on how far apart each pick up is, some smaller or elderly dogs might be exhausted before they even get to the park. It is also preferable not to have someone walking that number of dogs along the pavement. They would all have to be on leads and create quite the hazard.Eagle wrote:I am very sorry for the doggies and their owners.
However 6 dogs far too many for one dog walker . Also surely they can walk to park nearby .
Why do people entrust their prized pets to this sort of service.
Why do people entrust their dogs to such services? Because a) circumstances for owners can change, b) the vast majority of walkers provide a very professional service. The tone of your post implies you think the dog walkers were at fault here, and are generally negligent. That is not my experience.
(I use a dog walker. Once a week. The walker drives to my house, takes my dog to the nearest park and spends an hour with him and him alone, playing and training. Dog walker then walks my dog back home, feeds him and settles him. All for the princely sum of £12. I call that great value. My dog loves his morning with the walker and other local dog owners have told me the walker is so loving with my dog, they thought he was a member of the family.)
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
Rachael
I accept what you say but six dogs at 12.00 an hour makes 72,00 an hour. Not bad money. I do hope their tax returns are prompt.
I accept there is a need for dog walkers for the elderly . I know one who does that but always has two or at most three dogs .
With 6 how many poo bags would they need ???
I accept what you say but six dogs at 12.00 an hour makes 72,00 an hour. Not bad money. I do hope their tax returns are prompt.
I accept there is a need for dog walkers for the elderly . I know one who does that but always has two or at most three dogs .
With 6 how many poo bags would they need ???
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
Can a dog walker really exercise six dogs while keeping them under control?
Please don't misunderstand me. This story in the OP is a really distressing thing to have happened. And I'm sure dog walkers offer a useful service for those whose who are no longer physically able to exercise their dogs.
But all dogs - especially working breeds or larger dogs - need physically tiring exercise. They need to run around! I don't have a dog now, simply because I don't live in the right environment or have the structured and predictable lifestyle in order to give a dog the quality of life it needs. I'd love to have a dog, but it would be entirely selfish for me to do so until my circumstances change.
But I grew up in the country and we had dogs and I know how much running around they need and that they need and want to know you're the boss. You can't be soppy, weak or distracted if you're in control of a dog.
How well trained are the dog walkers? Can a dog walker truly remain in control of six dogs that don't know him or her? A dog - of any breed - needs good regular running, off the leash, or it can be aggressive. (And off the leash doesn't mean out of control. If you're in control you've got control of an invisible leash. )
I think Rachael has it right. If you can' t be with your dog all the time, then one to one attention is best. But not everyone can afford it and I just worry how in control of the pack some dog walkers are.
I'd just like to add, I know of two households with dogs near where I an now (large dogs) who were used to being the centre of attention until their owners had babies. Now they're just toys with no outlet but to tear up the garden. I wish those owners were responsible enough to pay a dog walker to exercise them.
Please don't misunderstand me. This story in the OP is a really distressing thing to have happened. And I'm sure dog walkers offer a useful service for those whose who are no longer physically able to exercise their dogs.
But all dogs - especially working breeds or larger dogs - need physically tiring exercise. They need to run around! I don't have a dog now, simply because I don't live in the right environment or have the structured and predictable lifestyle in order to give a dog the quality of life it needs. I'd love to have a dog, but it would be entirely selfish for me to do so until my circumstances change.
But I grew up in the country and we had dogs and I know how much running around they need and that they need and want to know you're the boss. You can't be soppy, weak or distracted if you're in control of a dog.
How well trained are the dog walkers? Can a dog walker truly remain in control of six dogs that don't know him or her? A dog - of any breed - needs good regular running, off the leash, or it can be aggressive. (And off the leash doesn't mean out of control. If you're in control you've got control of an invisible leash. )
I think Rachael has it right. If you can' t be with your dog all the time, then one to one attention is best. But not everyone can afford it and I just worry how in control of the pack some dog walkers are.
I'd just like to add, I know of two households with dogs near where I an now (large dogs) who were used to being the centre of attention until their owners had babies. Now they're just toys with no outlet but to tear up the garden. I wish those owners were responsible enough to pay a dog walker to exercise them.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
It must be heartrending when one's dog is deliberately stolen 
*hugs*
A good thing about dogwalkers is that it means that the dogs have the welcome company of other dogs as there's little doubt that dogs get lonely if having to be left on their own for hours on end. That tends to happen when people's circumstances change rather than it being an intention at the outset.
*hugs*A good thing about dogwalkers is that it means that the dogs have the welcome company of other dogs as there's little doubt that dogs get lonely if having to be left on their own for hours on end. That tends to happen when people's circumstances change rather than it being an intention at the outset.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
As a cyclist on cycle paths thro parks etc I cant say my experience of dogwalkers with 6 dogs is terribly positive!
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
The dog walkers I know walk the dogs off leash once they know them well enough - my dog stayed on the leash for several
months with my walker but now he is free to run. The good thing about having a large number of dogs who are walked together every day is they usually adopt a pack mentality. I'm often impressed to see how closely 4-6 dogs will stay with an experienced walker. The ones that can run off leash do.
It's not entirely true that all dogs need off leash excercise, as long as they get a challenging alternative. During a recent phase of adolescent selective deafness mine went on a long training line for about two months while I whistle trained him. I made sure to play lots of mental games with him to make up for the lack of freedom and they tired him out much more! I know people who never let their dogs off leash and they are neither unhealthy or aggressive. In fact leash-reactivity, when dogs are aggressive ON the leash us more common.
Of course, having said that, not all dog walkers are great at keeping control of the dogs, but then again, neither are some owners in my experience.
months with my walker but now he is free to run. The good thing about having a large number of dogs who are walked together every day is they usually adopt a pack mentality. I'm often impressed to see how closely 4-6 dogs will stay with an experienced walker. The ones that can run off leash do.
It's not entirely true that all dogs need off leash excercise, as long as they get a challenging alternative. During a recent phase of adolescent selective deafness mine went on a long training line for about two months while I whistle trained him. I made sure to play lots of mental games with him to make up for the lack of freedom and they tired him out much more! I know people who never let their dogs off leash and they are neither unhealthy or aggressive. In fact leash-reactivity, when dogs are aggressive ON the leash us more common.
Of course, having said that, not all dog walkers are great at keeping control of the dogs, but then again, neither are some owners in my experience.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
Agree about some owners!
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
I believe three should be max number for doggie walkers. That is 36.00 pounds an hour. 5 to 6 times minimum wage for very unskilled job.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
How did you arrive at the figure of three? Because you don't think they should be earning more than £36 an hour for a very part-time job (2-3 hours work a day, max)? Seems a bit mean-spirited to me.Eagle wrote:I believe three should be max number for doggie walkers. That is 36.00 pounds an hour. 5 to 6 times minimum wage for very unskilled job.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
Someone said they pay 12.00 an hour.
Re: Dog theft Kemble Road
I said my dog walker chargers £12 an hour for one-on-one walking. I imagine group walking costs less per dog. In any case, that wasn't my question. My question was: how did you arrive at the figure of three dogs? Purely on the basis that should be enough to pay the bills? Most dogs only need to be walked for one or two hours a day, spread over two walks, and most owners who employ walkers want their dogs walked first thing in the morning and will do the evening walk themselves. These dog walkers are not working 8 hours days, if they are walking groups of dogs. Plus they have overheads: specialist vehicles (most are not suitable to also be used as family cars once fitted out with cages), petrol, travel time, insurance.Eagle wrote:Someone said they pay 12.00 an hour.
Gone are the days when walkers took vast numbers of dogs out on a bunch of leads, causing mayhem and danger. Things have moved on.