Dog Walkers, Pack Walks, and Internet Drama
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Boy, oh boy! I accidentally stirred up trouble a few days ago when I posted a dog trainer’s blog post to a local Facebook group for dog owners. The post was about problems with dogs in “pack walks” and I thought it would give people things to think about when hiring a dog walker for their pup. Honestly, because the author is someone I respect (even when we disagree as we sometimes do), I didn’t read the article carefully nor did I consider potential responses by dog walkers. Perhaps I should have given a little more consideration to that before posting though, to be honest, I have no problem posting things that might get people thinking and talking. Constructive debate can be healthy.
The conversation that ensued was sometimes even-keeled, sometimes grumpy. Some factual information was provided and then there were opinions stated as fact. Some people were offended. There was a lot of talking over one another instead of listening and examining the individual biases we all have.
Still, there was enough really good information amongst the noise that I’ve decided to pull apart the discussion and share the stuff I believe we should consider when hiring a dog walker.
Before I dive into that, a disclaimer: I’m not a dog walker. I’ve never tried to wrangle large numbers of dogs on leash. I think I’d probably be very bad at it based on the many times I’ve had my own two dogs and a third visiting dog on leash together. There’s a whole set of skills there that I don’t have - but which professional dog walkers have developed. So, in no way am I trying to tell dog walkers how to do their jobs. I’m not qualified to do that any more than I could tell a groomer how to do their job (and the few times I’ve taken scissors to a dog’s coat has proven to me that that’s another entire set of skills I don’t have). Still, I feel comfortable diving into this discussion because it was, in large part, about whether or not dogs are comfortable and having a good time. And that’s something I am qualified to discuss.
The author’s premise is that dogs hate pack walks. As she defined them, pack walks are on-leash walks with a lot of dogs. She pointed out that she’d recently seen a video of a dog walker walking eight dogs and the young dog who was pulling was punished with a leash jerk that caused the dog to fall to the ground. She encouraged people to take a look at large groups of dogs where we were sure to see the signs of stress that she listed (I encourage people to become knowledgeable about those and recommend I Speak Dog as a good source of information on that topic). She mentioned in the article that she’d seen as many as 14 dogs on such walks - and later said that she’d seen up to 17. Her main complaint is that dogs in large groups can’t enjoy their walk, sniff things, and look and move around as they’d like. And I don’t think anyone would disagree that there’s some number at which this becomes true. I feel comfortable saying that 17 dogs at one time sounds like far too many in my opinion (and it’s a strong opinion - but I’d be willing to listen if someone disagrees and can tell me why).
When asked how many dogs were enough, the author stated emphatically that nothing more than 4 dogs would be acceptable. She said, “How can one let 4 dogs be dogs, do what dogs do and why they're on a walk, when one smells something here, another, there and yet two more in different spots and then they all want to converge on one yummy smelly spot. Humans only have 2 arms. Managing 4 dogs, 2 on either side is tricky if we are letting them be dogs, but doable. More than that, how is it physically possible? I say, it's not.” Well, as I’ve already said, I think she’s right if I was the person on the other end of the leash. And she apparently feels that she couldn’t handle more than four. And if she and I can’t, we shouldn’t try. But nowhere in the conversation did she point to any reliable evidence that others couldn’t do so. I get that there’s some number of dogs above which no human being can provide enriching, fun, and safe walks. But maybe that number is six? Or nine? I honestly don’t know the number and I’m not sure that we actually know for sure since so much would rely on the skills of the walker. All we currently have on the acceptable maximum number of dogs on leash with a professional dog walker is opinion. There’s nothing wrong with someone stating an opinion as long as it’s clear that’s what it is and we’re willing to at least listen to other opinions which may be equally solid.
Now the author makes some obvious, valid, and important points: “more than 4 dogs stuffed in a car and taken on non-sniffing walks isn't responsible.” If dogs can’t be themselves comfortably - including sniffing - there’s little reason for a walk. Many dog behavior experts agree (see the list below for further reading on this topic). But who says that all dog walks of more than four dogs guarantees that dogs won’t get a chance to sniff? I’ve personally seen dogs in larger groups doing just that and looking comfortable. And yes, I’ve seen dogs looking uncomfortable in large groups, small groups, and even when walked alone. The issue, from my perspective, is far less about group size than it is about education, a commitment to the well-being of dogs, and skill of the dog walker.
As far as transport goes, my car isn’t equipped for more than four dogs to ride in it safely (and honestly, it’s safest when there are only two small dogs in it because of the way I’ve got it set up). But I’ve peered inside the vans of some dog walkers and been impressed by the (sometimes thousands of dollars worth of) equipment they’ve invested in to keep dogs safe and comfortable while being transported from home to the beach or hiking trail.
The author brings up another important topic related to transport: how long the dog is in the car compared with how long they are out walking. She describes dogs being “stuffed in a van” for an hour each way while out for a walk for 1-2 hours. While, again, some dog walkers have great setups for the safety and comfort of dogs in their vehicles, I completely understand the author’s concern with dogs spending long amounts of time in a vehicle while the driver picks up everyone on the route before getting out to walk. That could be stressful for dogs.
Someone posted a video of dogs being walked together in a group larger than four. The author saw panting, tense facial expressions, tails down, and a lip lick. I saw loose bodies and dogs who appear comfortable with one another. I watched the video three times and couldn’t spot the lip lick (which as a single event isn’t very telling - hang out with a group of dogs who get along great and you’ll still sometimes see an individual lip lick). Yes, the dogs were panting. I was out with a dog early this morning. It was 52 degrees, just him and me. After a very little bit of wrestling, he was panting (and I admit it - I was too). It took him several minutes for him to stop panting even after he drank a little water. I think there’s far too little information to determine whether the panting is stress-related (as it could be) or an artifact of the hike (the temperature, the distance, the pace, previous activity, etc.). It’s easy to see what we want to see in order to make a point that conforms with our biases. I think that’s especially true online. I try hard not to fall prey to that myself - but it’s very hard. I try to make sure dogs in my care are happy and safe, but let’s be honest - our dog’s are going to occasionally have a brief moment of mild stress or frustration here and there. I could write an entire separate blog post about risking mild moments of stress in favor of adventure, exercise, and enrichment. I generally think that risk is worth taking.
So, what did I ultimately conclude from the article and the online conversation? I was reminded that professionals can disagree, that we need to be mindful of our biases, and that our opinions may not be shared by others no matter how passionately we hold them. I also learned that there are questions I should ask if I decide to hire a dog walker. Those questions include:
Do you walk dogs on leash or off leash? Off leash hikes are VERY different than on leash because dogs are much more likely to disperse a little in order to explore and sniff. For the record, I believe that off leash walks are better than on leash walks. But those aren’t available to every dog, in every location and I’d take well-managed on leash walks over sitting at home every time.
How many dogs do you walk at a time?
How long is the walk and where do you go?
How long will my dog be in the car each way?
How will my dog be transported? Can I see the vehicle and the place my dog will be in it?
Of course, these are in addition to asking about the dog walker’s experience, their insurance, their business license, and checking references. I’m grateful to the author of the original blog post because her writing made me think about these things - and now you can too.
And here’s the thing, only you get to decide what the “right” answer is for each of those. You probably know your dog better than anyone on the planet. Will your dog be comfortable and happy walking with that number of dogs? Riding in a car with that many dogs for that amount of time? Every dog is different. And most dogs can be taught to like things they are mildly uncomfortable with. It’s not completely black and white no matter how much easier that would be for us. I think one of my dogs would be absolutely okay with group walks of around six dogs (perhaps more?) and she loves to ride in the car and usually falls asleep quickly even with lots of noise from other dogs. My other dog doesn’t like on-leash walks very much unless he’s on quite a long leash - and I try to honor that.
It’s our responsibility to make sure our dogs are safe AND having a good time. Sending them to daycare or out with dog walkers means you’re trying and I applaud that. But make sure your dog is comfortable with the enrichment opportunities you’ve chosen. Just as some dogs aren’t good candidates for dog parks, some aren’t going to be comfortable with on leash walks or daycare. And some dog walkers DO take too many dogs (after all, there’s a financial incentive for doing so). Some don’t have safe vehicles. Some treat animals in their care far too roughly (and their reputations are well-known to other dog walkers and often to trainers in the area - so ask around). But I personally know many dog walkers who are compassionate, prepared, professional, and skilled. And they can handle more than four happy dogs at a time.
For further information:
The author of the original post shared this great short Ted Talk by Alexandra Horowitz about the depth of information dogs get from sniffing. Also, check out her books.
Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy by Zazie Todd is a great book which covers the importance of walking and sniffing and many other important topics.
Doggie Language: A Dog Lover's Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend by Lili Chin is a great resource for visual learners and kids hoping to learn about dog body language.
A final note, I often recommend the same resources. I do that because I believe in them - I don’t make any money doing so.