When you need someone to walk your dog, a neighbor or the kid down the hall can seem like the easy answer. Sometimes it is. But you’re handing over your keys and your dog’s safety, so it’s worth knowing what you get with each option.
Insurance and accountability
If something goes wrong, like a dog fight, an injury or a lost key, a professional dog walking business should be insured and bonded. A neighbor almost never is. FitPals Los Angeles is fully insured and bonded.
Reliability
Neighbors get sick, travel, change jobs and move. A professional service has a set schedule and a plan when someone is out. Your dog’s routine doesn’t fall apart because someone else’s plans changed.
Dog handling skills
Walking a calm dog on a quiet street is easy. Handling a dog that lunges at a scooter, slips a collar or gets spooked by a siren is a different skill. Professional handlers deal with this every day and know how to prevent it.
Training versus just walking
A neighbor walk is usually a potty break. A trainer-led walk reinforces loose-leash walking, calm greetings and good manners every time. Over weeks, that adds up to a better-behaved dog.
Health and safety standards
Professionals check vaccinations, use proper equipment and screen which dogs walk together. A neighbor may let your dog greet any dog on the street.
Updates and transparency
With FitPals you get a GPS route, photos and a check-in after every walk. You know exactly when your dog went out, where they went and how they did.
Quick comparison
When a neighbor is fine
For an occasional potty break for an easygoing adult dog, a trusted neighbor can work. For daily exercise, a young or high-energy dog, or a dog with behavior challenges, a professional is worth it.