Is a Group Dog Walk Right for Your Dog?

It's one of the most common questions I get from people who are new to using a dog walker. Their dog is fine at home, fine on a lead, but how will they get on with a group of dogs they don't know in an open field? It's a fair concern and worth thinking through properly.

The honest answer is that group walks suit the vast majority of dogs, but not every single one. Here's how to think about it.

Dogs that tend to thrive

Most sociable dogs take to group walks immediately. Within a couple of sessions they know the routine, they recognise the van, they know the other dogs and it becomes the highlight of their day. Energetic dogs especially benefit from having other dogs to run with rather than just a lead walk around the block.

Older dogs do brilliantly too. There's a common assumption that group walks are only for young bouncy dogs but in my experience older dogs love having company and somewhere to potter around at their own pace without being dragged around on a lead.

Dogs that need a bit more time

Some dogs take a walk or two to settle into the group dynamic. That's completely normal. New environments and new dogs can be a lot to take in at once and there's no rush. I keep a close eye on how every new dog settles in and adjust accordingly.

Dogs with recall issues aren't a barrier either. Because we use a fully enclosed private field every dog is off the lead regardless of where they're at with their training.

Dogs that group walks probably aren't right for

If your dog has significant aggression towards other dogs or serious anxiety around them then a group walk probably isn't the right fit, and I'd rather be upfront about that than take on a dog that isn't going to enjoy it. That's something we'd pick up on during the free meet and greet before anything is agreed.

The best way to find out

Genuinely the meet and greet answers most questions. I'll get to know your dog, you'll get to know how I operate and between us we can work out pretty quickly whether it's going to be a good fit.

If you're in Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Giffnock or anywhere across East Renfrewshire and want to have that conversation, get in touch through the website or give me a call.