A Day In The Life Of A Dog Walker In Edmonton
Ever wonder what it is like to be a dog walker in Edmonton? Here is your chance as Shannon shares some of her, and the team’s, experiences being a Dog Walker in Edmonton with Dog Jogs!
Sometimes I feel like Mary Poppins as a dog walker in Edmonton. I carry a bag that has ALL of the things in it, and everyone I get to meet with is so excited to see me! (Of course, I use a car and not a magic umbrella to get around.)
Preparation is key to a successful day as a dog walker, as with most jobs, especially during a pandemic. (Not sure about our COVID protocols? Check out our protocols on how our team is keeping us and your family safe.)
The night before services, I go through my day’s schedule and see if there are any new clients to read up on or updates to established clients. We appreciate that our clients can upload important information about their furry loved ones so that we can serve them as best as we can!
Then I double-check my bag to make sure I have a full water bottle for the dogs and one for myself, Lysol wipes, poo bags, treats, and a leash. Then it’s early to bed so I can meet each client with energy!
The first thing I do in the morning is drink a bunch of water, feed myself and my own dog, exercise her, and then hop into my mobile closet, aka my car!
As ‘they’ say, if you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes! I make sure to have several changes of clothes, even in the summer, because a 5-minute downpour could be the difference between a great day and a miserable one if I am unprepared. So my car can be a bit of a closet!
Once I get to the first client, I clock into work and follow any specific instructions to complete the service.
Not often, but sometimes we find surprises in the house, such as poop, pee, vomit, or shredded belongings! That’s par for the course in owning pets, so we find cleaning supplies and do our best to clean up before we end the service.
It may be surprising, but one big challenge we face as dog walkers/joggers is the body temperature changes as we switch between jogging and walking services. In the colder weather, it can be absolutely crucial to bring fresh layers because we may go from a hot, sweaty dog jog and cool down quickly as we finish our day doing walking services.
In the winters, we also face the good ole skating pavement! Ice is a hazard that we battle with, but we will be taking it on using spikes to provide more stability and security. We also recommend leaving out any winter gear that you may have for your pets as we ensure to gear them out before we head out. It’s important that we keep your pets safe too, during the cold temperatures our winters have to offer.
Believe it or not, we can each walk/jog up to 20 Kilometers in a day, depending on the number of services we have. Sometimes (read as, often), I forget to stretch out at the end of a day, and injury is definitely another one of the realities of being a dog jogger.
One of my favourite aspects of the job is creating routes! I love exploring different areas and finding parks, trails, or ‘house shopping’ with the doggos.
There are challenges, but the vast majority of my experience as a dog jogger is blissful. I love moving my body, interacting with so many sweet and different souls, being outside, and exploring neighbourhoods and parks all over the Edmonton, Sherwood Park, and St. Albert area.
If you want to learn more about myself, and the rest of the Dog Jogs Team, check out their bios or this blog
-Shannon