Looking for a dog walker?

a professional pet walker if you need one.

One of the easiest ways to find one is to look online or in the phone book for dog walking services, which may also be found listed under pet sitters.

A couple of good good websites to search for people to walk your dog in your area are Sittercity.com. or "www.care.com".

Asking friends or family for references of pet walkers that they have used in the past can also be very helpful.

Once you find a few possible dog walker candidates, you need to figure out which one of them is the best for what you actually need because not every service will offer you the same exact things. Now is the time to find out - not after you get back.

Here are a few questions to ask them:

• What are their experience and qualifications for performing their duties.

• Have they been working with and training dogs for years or are they someone with little experience who is just looking to make some extra money?

• Ask for references to verify that they are reliable and trustworthy - you definitely don't want to hire someone who is going to forget about your dog or take things from your house!

• Also ask about what they would do in an emergency in case your dog or the walker got injured.

• Last but not least, do they have insurance.

If you have the chance, watch them take your dog for a test walk to make sure they get along together well and that the dog walker does not use any training methods that you don't agree with. Make sure you clarify your needs to the pet walker as well - remember, the clearer your instructions are now, the better off you will all be.

• Does your older dog just need a quick trip outside to go to the bathroom or is your dog a lot younger and needs a longer, more strenuous walk to burn off some excess energy?

• Will they need to feed or water your dog after the walk is over?

• Some pet walkers will take multiple dogs out in a group, so you will need to decide if that is appropriate for your dog or if you prefer that your dog has a solo walk.

Once you choose a pet walker, make sure you leave your dog's collar, leash, and anything else the walker might need in an obvious, previously discussed place. Leave emergency contact information as well in an easy to find spot.

If you are not happy with the services being provided, do not hesitate to discuss them with the pet walker service or choose another one right away. Hopefully this will lead to a good relationship between your dog and the dog walker, keeping your dog happy and healthy - even when you’re not at home!

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