Being a dog walker is great! You get to set your own hours, exercise while you work, and spend your days hanging out with lovable pups. But the life of a dog walker is not always easy, and there are plenty of unexpected moments to keep you on your toes. In this post, we've collected a few of our favourite stories and anecdotes from dog walkers across the country. Keep reading to find out what they don't tell you about becoming a dog walker – and see if you can relate!
The Spaniel Sandwich Thief
We all want the dogs we walk to behave well in public, but unfortunately this isn't always the case! Check out this funny story about one dog walker's spaniel sandwich thief:
"The cocker I walked nicked someone's sandwich which was midway to their mouth! They were picnicking behind a bush and the cocker took a flying leap, nicking the sandwich in midair! I was mortified, but luckily the couple said they'd been arguing about who was going to eat the last sandwich, so she'd done them a favour! So relieved they were so nice about it." – Lisa Ricketts
Smelly Surprises
Dealing with poo is an occupational hazard for dog walkers everywhere. It's smelly and nasty for us humans, but the dogs we walk don't seem to care! Here are a couple of poo-related stories from long-suffering (and disgusted) dog walkers:
"I have several dogs with an uncanny ability to sniff out human excrement...and then eat or roll in it. Give me fox/badger and even dog poo any day!" – Lauren Teate
"Poo! So many poo stories! Most recent was a walk in the dark and the dog jumped up at me. I pushed her down and soon realised I stank of POO. There are a few human poo experiences too. Oh, and then there was the dog who ate poo from his sister's bum as she was pooping and got it all over his face." – Rach Malaney
A Day in the Life
There's never a dull moment in the life of a dog walker. From dealing with grumpy clients to getting plastered in mud, and everything else in between! Here's a story from one dog walker that perfectly illustrates the ups and downs of the job:
"Mud.
Six dogs, one won't walk, one buggers off. What do you do?
Owners at home want to talk to you and you can't be rude, so you talk and lose valuable time that you have to make up elsewhere.
3 hours walking in the rain, 3 hours driving.
Dog sick in the van.
Forgetting you've put full poo bags in the passenger footwell.
Trying to get the best combination of dogs without crisscrossing town 40 times.
Mascara in your eyes 'cos of the rain.
Cleaning cockapoos.
Having your shoulders pulled out of their sockets.
Falling over.
Forever looking like a muddy bag lady.
Clients' dogs dying when you love them like your own.
And yes, it IS the best job in the world, without a shadow of a doubt." – Bridget Clark
Do you have a funny dog walking story or anecdote to share? We'd love to hear from you! Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
