What to look for when hiring a dog walker in San Francisco, CA?

What to look for when hiring a dog walker in San Francisco, CA? If you spend time in any of San Francisco’s spectacular public parks, it’s readily apparent that a large proportion of our city’s residents are happy dog owners.  In fact, San Francisco has the 7th highest per capita dog ownership in the country!  Simply stated, seeing our beloved canine companions walking up and down our hilly streets and romping in our parks is a ubiquitous sight in the “City by the Bay”!

Nevertheless, as much as we love our dogs, we don’t always have the time to give our pets the long walks and attention they deserve.  All of us have busy lives, juggling our careers, families, and homes.  Given our hectic lives, many of us make the wise decision to “offload” some of our daily tasks to skilled professionals, including dog walkers.  Similarly to identifying a skilled painter for home maintenance, or a skilled piano teacher for our child, it’s definitely well worth your time to choose your dog walker carefully.  It’s my experience that choosing a competent and reliable dog walker can make a huge difference both in your dog’s life, but also in your own life.  For my dog, I’ve learned that he is his “best self” after he’s had lots of exercise, quality play time with his “pack”, and clear, calm direction from his walker.  However, for me, I look for competence, reliability, trustworthiness, and most of all, peace of mind!

So, here’s my guidance to other proud dog owners in this city, who want “best in class” care of their dog.  First of all, in my opinion, it’s extremely important to learn and ask relevant questions about the company’s credentials.  Make sure the company or individual you choose has had significant experience handling and/or training dogs, and always ask to speak with at least 3 existing clients of that company.  San Francisco offers a plethora of dog walking services, and as is true for any service or product category, a wide range of quality standards exist in our city.  Ideally, the founder or owners of your dog walking company should possess training experience, as every dog needs clear direction that he/she can really understand.  In addition, since most city dogs are walked in groups, it’s critical that the founder/owner have ample experience directing dogs within a group dynamic.