Dog walking on-demand: using an app like Wag.com

Is the dog walker here yet?

Recently I saw an article in the New York Times entitled "How to Use Technology to Outsource Pet Care."  In the article, the author mentioned how convenient it was to have an app like Wag.com for hiring a dog walker.  He was thrilled with the ease of service, how quickly he was automatically matched with a dog walker (without having to wade through walker profiles like on Rover.com), and the satisfaction of seeing a map of where his dog walked and a visit report card at the end.

As a professional dog walker and dog trainer, I wish he had done a little more research about alternatives to the Wag app. Wag caters to people who need a dog walker in a hurry-- as he pointed out, he had someone show up at his front door within 30 minutes.  But who, exactly, are these people who are waiting around for the chance to walk your dog?  

Generally speaking, an owner who needs a dog walk isn't going to be home when the walker arrives. You are providing access to your home, and your pet, with a literal stranger. Maybe you don't mind a stranger peeking through your belongings while you aren't home. Maybe you even have a camera so you can catch any criminals after your trust has been violated.  Wag says it screens its employees, but with a company that size, there are bound to be some flakes. That's what their insurance is for, right? To protect you...after you've been violated. 

If issues of privacy and theft aren't enough to give you pause, I'd like to mention some dog-related situations that happen to professional dog walkers:

* You dog is perfectly well-behaved, but another dog gets loose in the neighborhood and
comes after the walker and/or dog.  Does the walker have experience preventing and breaking up dog fights?  Does she know where your preferred vet is, have your authorization to treat the dog, and have a car available to transport the dog to the vet? 

* A barking dog behind an Invisible Fence frightens your dog, who backs out of his harness or collar and is now running naked through the city.  Does the walker have experience catching loose dogs, or does he chase him out into traffic in a panic?  Does he practice 'emergency recalls' on leash just in case this ever happens?  Does he carry treats on walks, and have enough of a connection to be able to call your dog back if the leash breaks?

Anita is practicing an Emergency
Recall with an enthusiastic dog.

* The walker shows up to your house and your dog has thrown up multiple times, and is acting lethargic and not his usual self.  Would the walker even recognize if your dog is out of sorts? Would she know what to do?

* You know your dog can sometimes be a jerk, lunging and barking at the end of the leash, when he sees a certain dog in the neighborhood. How is your walker going to handle it? Will he smack your dog?  If your dog enthusiastically tries to jump on the dog walker, will he knee the dog in the chest or step on the dog's toes?  Are you okay with someone handling your dog that way?

Here's why you'd be better off with a professional:

1) Professional pet sitters and dog walkers have experience handling these situations and many more that you may have never considered.  Professionals working in the field, day in and day out, learn how to gently manage skittish or difficult dogs.  We practice the art of door-blocking so a pet doesn't escape, and know how long your dog should be walked-- or shouldn't-- when it's 100 degrees or 10 below. We get to know each and every pet, every owner, and most importantly, you as the owner get to know us. 

2) Professionals, as a general rule, do not walk dogs without a Meet and Greet first.  What if the dog is too nervous and won't let them put on the leash?  What if the dog is ferocious and won't let them in the house? What if the owner lives in a bad neighborhood and the dog walker is afraid to even go around the block?

3) The cost for a professional is roughly the same as what you pay your through a dog-walking app, but instead of supporting a national company, you are supporting a small local business.  

This is a visit report card when I was out of town for the day.
This pic is only a partial report-- it doesn't show all the photos,
notes, the name of the dog walker, or the date and time--
all of which was included in the email following the visit.

4) Professionals have the same "perks" mentioned with on-demand dog walkers.  Many of us have pet sitting software that allows scheduling and paying online, receiving notification when your dog walker starts or leaves a visit, and receiving email or text pictures of the visits.   My company provides everything he listed, except for GPS tracking of dog walks.  In all honesty-- we have the capability to track dog walks, but as an owner I think it's too much like 'Big Brother' for my business. If GPS is a perk you need, you might still find a local pet sitting business that would provides that service.

I would highly recommend taking the time to get to know a local dog walking professional for the next time your dog needs a dog walk.  Sure, we don't usually schedule dog walks on 30 minutes notice-- but if you are a customer who calls because you are stuck in a snowstorm in the city, or God forbid a family member ends up in the hospital, you can be damn sure your pets will be taken care of until you return.

Can a dog-walking app make the same promise?