Expert Advice: Important Questions to Ask Your Potential Dog Walker

You may know that Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid was initially a mobile dog walking and pet sitting company. That's right, for 10+ years we zoomed around to our client's Vancouver homes collecting and walking our furry dog friends.

Securing new dog walking clients always went the same:
1. A phone call or email would come in requesting service for an animal.
2. We would determine whether the inquiry lived in our geographical service area and was agreeable to our fees
3. We'd arrange a complimentary meeting at their home to obtain care information and pickup house keys.

The troubling thing was, many of these clients didn't have a clue what they were looking for in a dog walker. We truly felt we were the "BEST" but they didn't really know what stood out between "us" and "them".

To delve into this deeper, I consulted colleague Vanessa Johne, owner of Vancouver's Best Friends Pet Care. Vanessa took over our pet care operations when we decided to focus solely on Pet First Aid. I figured that between the two of us we could help pet owners make an educated decision in who to trust with their furry family members.

Me: "What 3 pieces of information do clients usually NOT ask you that you wish they would?"
Vanessa:
1. "New client enquiries rarely seem to ask prior to meeting if we are licensed/insured/bonded. And if they do ask, they never ask me if we will provide them with proof of that at our initial meeting.
2. NEVER do I get asked for references, I keep some on hand just in case someone asks for them, however in the past three years I've not handed them to anyone.
3. I'm never asked about the training process for my employees nor how their dog specifically will be handled and transported."

Hard to believe isn't it? You are giving the keys out to your home and you don't know the background of the people entering? You don't know how these people are trained nor how your pet will be cared for all day? Sounds scary! People need to be more educated about what's going on with their pets!

I asked Vanessa: If you were hiring a dog walker, please share a list of other questions that a client should ask and why?
Vanessa replied with a lengthy list, clarifying "here are the essentials, though people should also have more specific questions relating to their personal situation".

- how long have you been in operation?
- how many staff do you have?
- how are they trained?
- is every one certified in pet first aid? Is the certification maintained throughout employment?
- are you insured and what are the particulars of your insurance, including liability and negligence coverage?
- how do you transport my dog?
- where do you walk the dogs?
- do you comply with municipal commercial dog walking permitting laws & other regulations?
- how long and what time will you be out of the home with my dog?
- what is your procedure in case if animal (or other) emergency?
- will my pet ever be left unattended?
- how do you ensure proper handling of my dog from staff member to staff member?
- where and how will my house keys be labelled/stored?

Great questions! The above should be information readily provided by your potential dog walker. And knowing this information will indicate whether you are dealing with a true professional. Speaking of professionals, I asked Vanessa: "Why are some dog walkers so much lower cost than others?"

Her reply: "As with most things in life, you usually get what you pay for. Most companies who cost a little more offer better trained (longer term) staff, insurance coverage, and more experience working with dogs professionally. Typically the lower cost walkers are new or start up companies who do not have the years of experience to draw from while out and about in the world with your dog."

So the experience of dog walkers can vary significantly. This is a good thing to ask your dog walker! Imagine someone inexperienced with dogs being responsible for keeping 6-8 of them safe! So, I ask, "What kinds of qualifications are required to be a commercial dog walker?"

You might be surprised by Vanessa's reply: "None! Seriously. Anyone can start a commercial dog walking company without any prior certification or training. That's why it is so important to ask any and every question you can think if prior to handing over your house keys to a dog walker. If you are even somewhat dissatisfied with the answers you're receiving do not be afraid to move on to another company, there are so many great ones to choose from!"

Hmmmm...so if this is the case, "What are some requirements that you think should be expected of all professional dog walkers?"

Vanessa's reply: "At absolute minimum: Insurance, Pet First Aid, and making safety of our furry charges our top priority. After all, people are entrusting us with a member of their family."

To learn more about Best Friends Pet Care please visit their WEBSITE
Learn more about Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid and safety program HERE

Instructor Profile: Ellis van Schuur of "Pet First Aid with Ellis" in Calgary, Alberta

We first met Ellis several years ago when traveling to Hinton, AB offer a custom Pet First Aid course to the Alberta Enforcement Officers Association. Here's her story:

"My name is Ellis van Schuur. I currently live just outside Calgary with 4 large dogs and 3 horses. I grew up in the Netherlands and moved to Canada 12 years ago. After moving here, I became addicted to watching "Pound Patrol" and "Animal Cops" on Animal Planet and decided I was going to become and Animal Cruelty Investigator.

After my 2 years in College and with experience in the Animal Control field, I was hired as a seasonal Animal Control Officer and later as a Bylaw Enforcement Officer in Grande Prairie. Although it wasn't exactly the field I had planned on getting into, I dealt with several animals whom I may have been able to provide with pet first aid, if I had had the knowledge.

Throughout our years in Canada my family also owned and lost several dogs, all due to unnatural causes such as: Distemper, Parvo virus, a serious motor vehicle collision, choking to death and high fever combined with old age. One of my own dogs also nearly lost his life thanks to a foreign blockage in his stomach. With each of these experiences I wished so hard for a program that would allow me to save the next one, should there ever be another one, and to have the knowledge and skills to be able to do something that may actually make a difference. However, I had never heard of such a program and was never able to find one.

My employer sent me off for some courses and one of them was the Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid course. I was psyched to finally have a good program to give me what I wanted and what felt I needed. When a year later I had the opportunity to become a Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid instructor I grabbed my chance. I wanted to teach others these amazing skills and knowledge and share my experiences so that people taking the course would never have to feel as helpless as I did watching out beloved pets die in front of our eyes knowing there was nothing we could do because we didn't have that knowledge nor those skills.

I love teaching the program because I know that every student of mine CHOOSES to be there and wants to learn everything I can teach them. It's the most wonderful experience knowing people care so much about their own animals, and those in their care that they seek out courses such as ours. Plus, having dogs to help me teach, learn and play with make the days lots of fun!

However, the utmost gratifying for me is to hear students' experiences after having taken the course where they had to utilize their new knowledge and skills. And to hear that thanks to that new knowledge and those skills they were able to help or treat the animal who got another chance at life, because without those students having taken the course, they wouldn't have known what to do."

Ellis has been teaching our program since 2011. There are so many amazing adjectives to describe her! To name a few: motivated, kind, dedicated, funny, loyal and enthusiastic. A class with Ellis will leave the participant passionate about pet first aid and pet safety.

Ellis currently teaches regularly in the Calgary, Alberta area and is open to accepting private courses in surrounding communities. You can reach her via her web site or her Facebook page.

A Career Unchosen: How I came to work in Pet First Aid

I'm often asked how I ended up owning a Pet First Aid training company. I'm also asked what kind of training I had to complete to do so. Am I a Veterinarian or Veterinary Technician? Did I write the curriculum? People have many questions, and understandably so.

Here's my story, from beginning until today:

After almost flunking out of Biology 11 & 12 in High School, it was evident that although I had a passion for animals, I didn't have a passion for science. My Veterinary dreams evaporated and no one suggested alternative careers to me (Veterinary Technician? SPCA? Guide Dogs? Groomer? Other careers with animals?). Unfortunately, at the young age of 18 I was not aware of the endless possibilities that were out there.

I signed up for college and took a smattering of courses: French, English, Psychology, Sociology... After several years of course work I decided to apply for the School of Social Work at UBC. It's a highly competitive program and I was waitlisted my first application and did not ultimately earn a space. I continued taking varied course work, now having transferred to University. After 4 years of courses, I decided to pursue a career as a Psychologist. I spent the next 2 years at UBC completing my BA with the intent of completing a Masters degree.

Towards the end of my degree I completed some additional training and started volunteering with our local 24/7 Crisis Line. I enjoyed being an ear to those in need and found it very rewarding. Soon I advanced to being a "Buddy", who was a mentor for new volunteers. Having said that, as time passed I discovered that I am too "soft". I would replay conversations in my head and worry about those I had spoken to. I was not able to separate my emotions from the task at hand. This left me at a stalemate regarding furthering my education.

Throughout those 6 years of schooling I had held various management positions: first at a bulk food store, then at an amusement park, and finally at a Lencrafters location. At Lenscrafters, I also trained as an "Associate Orientation Trainer" and provided all new recruits with their initial training. These positions gave me on the job training and experience outside of my formal schooling.

I knew I didn't want to stay at Lenscrafters but wasn't sure how to move ahead. The one thing I did know was that I'd promised myself that when I'd finished my BA I would seek out my first dog as a "grown up". I set out to several animal shelters and came home empty handed. On day 2, I found Buddy. See our story HERE if interested.

So, I had Buddy, I had a job, and I had a degree. But I wasn't fulfilled. My work experience led me to apply for an HR-related job as a Recruiter for a private Temp Agency. I was hired and spent my days interviewing, recruiting and placing temps into their positions. I hired a dog walker to take Buddy out midday while I was at work. I stared at the pictures of him on the wall, wishing I could be with him. One day I had a huge "AH HA!" moment. I could be a dog walker! I had customer service and business experience and I loved dogs. The perfect combination!

I gave 3 months notice and started a couple of business courses at BCIT. For the next 3 months I slaved away at my business plan, pulled together my web site, brochures, client forms, and all other items needed to get started. I took a Pet First Aid course with Oakland Educational Services Ltd. (OESL) to ensure my furry clients would be safe. On March 20, 2000 "Walks 'N' Wags Pet Care" was born. I provided dog walking and in-home cat sitting in the Vancouver area.

My business grew and I soon hired staff. We had a few animals become sick while in our care, a stick impalement, a self-inflicted wound from a dog smashing glass at home, and a dog bitten by another dog while walking in the forest. In my 10+ upcoming years in pet care the animal health and injury-related experiences and training I had were immeasurable. Everyday we cared for many cats and even more dogs - the risks were there and I wanted to keep the animals safe.

I decided to fly to Calgary, AB to become an OESL Pet First Aid Instructor and started teaching in 2003. I quickly discovered that a combination of a love of pets and pet health were my life's passion! Meeting pet owners and pet professionals in class - all of whom shared similar interests in keeping pets safe was incredibly rewarding. I eagerly looked forward to each Pet First Aid course that I taught.

In 2006 Ethne Dickinson, the owner of OESL contacted me. Ethne asked me to take over the administration of the Pet First Aid program as she was retiring. OESL soon became Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid.

Upon a short transition, I moved the dog walking and pet sitting business over to our long-time manager Vanessa and it is now Best Friends Pet Care.

Since taking over the Pet First Aid training company, I have completed Animal Disaster Response training with Rescue 3 International, joined my local Animal Disaster Response Committee, and completed 5 international volunteer spay and neuter programs with World Vets International. This Fall I will join another organization, Amazon CARES on a spay and neuter campaign in Peru's Amazon. I also donate my time with Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association and Best Friends For Life. I am also an avid supporter of BC SPCA and SAINTS Rescue. In fact, our staff dog Tuxie came to us from SAINTS back in 2012.

Today I am hugely fulfilled in my role as Operations Director of Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid. Our Instructor family, our clients, and our colleagues are all wonderful people who I am honoured to work with. I also collaborate with fantastic manufacturers, Veterinary advisors (for our curriculum), and other professionals and organizations whom I never would have encountered otherwise.

It was a long, windy path to get here...but the skills, education, and people I met along the way all led me to my passion: pet first aid and animal safety. Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid is my home, my heart, and my love. Thank you for being a part of it.

Sincerely,

Lisa Wagner
Operations Director
Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid

Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid: 2013 In Review

2013 was one of the most exciting years in Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid history.

In February, we announced our new partnership with RC Pet Products, and released the Canine Friendly Pet First Aid kit. The compact, durable kit was successful beyond our imagination and we are pleased to continue to work with RC Pet Products moving ahead.

In March we exhibited at the Vancouver Pet Expo. This was the first of many Pet Expos our Instructors attended, including Delta Community Pet Expo, Calgary Pet Expo, Ottawa Pet Expo, and many others. As you can see from these Vancouver Island Pet Expo pictures, we love chatting with new faces at these types of events!


We also worked remotely when we packed up the WNW dogs and headed south - driving all the way to San Diego, CA. It was an amazing journey and we stopped to visit a number of our friends made from World Vets International along the way.


In April we hosted a Pet First Aid Instructor course in Calgary AB. This was an incredible group, and the candidates have now moved on to become successful Instructors in 4 Canadian provinces.

In May (and throughout the year) we accepted a number of candidates into our Distance Learning Instructor program. The Distance Instructor program has been incredibly successful and has helped us add Instructors into regions that we might otherwise not have been able to touch. One example is new Instructor Sherri Bushee of Imprint Dog Training in Milton, Vermont USA.

In June we partnered with Modern Dog and Modern Cat magazines for a fun giveaway. In fact, we ran giveaways all year long! Some on our own but also with Trupanion Pet Insurance, Animal Wellness Magazine, Happy Pups Clothing, Sparky Snacks, and several others.

In July, Operations Director Lisa Wagner visited Granada Nicaragua to completed Animal Disaster Response Training with Rescue 3 International and World Vets. There Lisa learned the ropes (literally) of both land and water rescue. She also taught the course's CPR component. Lisa subsequently wrote an article about her experience in Black Cat White Dog News, along with other articles published in Canadian Dogs Annual and other international magazines.



In August, we received an email from a previous course participant named Anna. Anna told us simply "I wanted to let you know that your course saved my dog Dougal's life."

Dougal survived a case of bloat thanks to Anna's quick recognition of the symptoms and taking timely action. This email wasn't the only one we received, you can see more testimonials HERE.











In September, our own Chief Dog Officer Tux graced the pages of Modern Dog Magazine in an article focussing on why black dogs are often overlooked and shouldn't be.

We also rolled out our new Walks 'N' Wags "Certified" stickers. We had lots of participants send us photos proudly displaying their stickers, like this one from Bow Wow Haus Broadway in Vancouver, BC.

And of course, Tux and team Walks 'N' Wags participated in BC SPCA's Paws for a Cause event, and were 2nd highest fundraiser for our event. BC SPCA is one of the many charities that Walks 'N' Wags supported in 2014.

Later that month and in early October Instructor Louise Yates of K-Lane Kennels in Kronau, SK and Operations Director Lisa Wagner headed to Cusco, Peru with World Vets. There, they worked alongside a team of 14 to provide free spay/neuter and Veterinary care.

In November, staff dog Buddy retired after 13 years of hard work. He is currently lying on a couch enjoying his newfound life of leisure.

Also in November, we hosted the Vancouver Instructor Course. The candidates travelled from several Canadian provinces and are well on their way to becoming Instructors.

December was a busy month with 12 Walks 'N' Wags Instructors collecting charitable donations for charities in their communities. Our 2nd annual Holiday Charity Drive was a great success, with an estimate of about 1800 items collected.


December was also an exciting month for Walks 'N' Wags Instructors in particular. This month we provided our Instructors with a new "Instructor logo", and also negotiated a great new business insurance plan on their behalf. Then, at the tail end of the year, we launched an exciting new partnership with Trupanion Pet Insurance. Trupanion will now waive the full $35 enrollment fee to current graduates of Walks 'N' Wags program (contact us for details). Before heading off for the holidays, Tux and Buddy sent some holiday cheer to our friends at Walks 'N' Wags.

As we bring in the New Year, we are working on a number of new projects. We'll be hosting an Instructor course in Hamilton Ontario in May, rolling out another exciting new product with RC Pet Products next month, and have a new program in the works. As in previous years, in 2014 we will continue to donate to, and participate in programs that assist animals in need. We've always got something up our sleeve and can't wait to share it with you.

Thank you for being an important part of Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid! We couldn't do it without you.

Sincerely,

Lisa Wagner and team
Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid

A Letter to SAINTS Rescue From Our Chief Dog Officer "Tux"

Dear SAINTS,

Monday December 23rd marks one year since I moved out of my home at SAINTS and into my forever family. For Christmas, I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been up to these last 12 months…

It all started when Lisa and her family came by SAINTS to visit with some donations they’d collected in December 2012.

Well to make a long story short, we fell in love that day (see how much she loves me!).

On December 23, 2012 I danced a “goodbye” for Carol and a little scared but optimistic I set off for my new life.

Wow! I had no idea what I was in for! First, the kids showed me around the house, it was almost Christmas so everything was decorated.

On Christmas I got my very own stocking! I was so honored!

Then we packed up and drove to the mountains for the most amazing holiday ever. It was there that I first learned that I liked to snowshoe! I even tried ice fishing!

Then we came back to the city and I started my new job. That’s right, I have a real full-fledged job! I am “Chief Dog Officer” at Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid. I get to teach pet owners the ropes of Pet First Aid!

And in my spare time, I volunteer at BC SPCA children’s camps teaching them the same thing.

I also did my first road trip in March! Me, my 2 adults, 2 kids, and dog pal Buddy drove all the way to San Diego, California. Boy was it fun! Check out some of the cool stuff I did.


In the summer I did some more trips to the mountains. We had lots of fun and as you can see, by then I’d shed a few pounds. Oh, and I became a model, check it out!

I also dropped by for a visit at Saints Open House!


I forgot to mention that I have 2 cats in my house. At first I was kind of scared of them, but over the last few months we have become friends.


Oh, and I still like to burrow in the bed like a frozen mole. Fortunately my family doesn’t mind.

So, as I prepare to spend another Christmas vacationing in the mountains I wanted to say “Thank you” again. For all the years you loved me and for knowing when the right family came to take me home. I couldn't be a happier dog and I wouldn't be here without you.

Love forever your SAINTly friend,

Tux Wagner (aka Joey)