Services - Dog Walking
$25 for the first 20 minutes
$5 per additional 10 minutes
$5 peak period surcharge applies on Christmas day, New Years day, Easter Friday, and Easter Monday
Dog walking is a fantastic way to keep your dog happy and healthy, but not everybody has the time, energy, or strength to walk their dog as often or as far as the dog would like. We at Critters Pet Care are more than happy to help you out with walking your dog or dogs, either for regular weekly bookings, or during shorter periods if the main dog walker in your household is away, busy, or ill. If your dog will need looking after beyond a dog walk because you will be away, see our pet sitting page for details.
Can you walk my large, strong, or reactive dog?
Critters Pet Care staff are confident and experienced with handling and walking dogs of all shapes and sizes, and most temperaments. We frequently work with dogs who are overexcited, shy, or defensive around strangers, or who need to be kept well away from dogs or other animals, as well as many easy going pooches. If you think your own dog might pose us a challenge, feel free to get in touch to discuss our options; we may suggest a few trial walks with you so your dog can get to know us, or we might have two staff walk your dog together to ensure our staff and your dog's safety and wellbeing.
Do you do group dog walks?
We only walk up to two of your dogs at a time, and not with any other clients' dogs. We do not offer group dog walks as this is, as far as we can tell, uninsurable. That means the risk of something going wrong is extremely high and you would be unlikely to obtain financial compensation when it does. We suggest extreme caution if considering a company that offers group dog walks, and recommend you ask to see their insurance paperwork to ensure that they are covered to walk many dogs from multiple households off lead in public spaces.
Where will you take my dog for its walk?
Ordinarily we begin and end dog walks at your house, and try to take the most interesting and enjoyable route for your dog. We are happy to drive your dogs to a nicer location for their walk, such as to the beach, but additional charges may be involved depending on distance.
What equipment do I provide?
We ask that you provide a well fitting and appropriate collar or harness for your dog, and an appropriate lead that is in good condition and is not retractable. We prefer not to use aversive equipment such as check chains, choke chains, prong collars, or electronic collars - if your dog is difficult to control, we're happy to discuss training strategies. When necessary to maintain safety with stronger dogs, we may suggest front connect harnesses or head halter style collars, though these should be used with caution.