07/07/2026
Everyone sees the early starts. Here’s what’s less visible:
• Early alarms, every day - interrupted sleep patterns and our own routines.
• Squeezing all of the walks into the morning and then having enough hands to cover them.
• Managing client expectations - emails, WhatsApp’s & direct conversations to communicate last minute changes. Offering additional services (check-ins) and scheduling everything in whilst trying (our best) to be being mindful of both the dog’s safety and client’s work schedules.
• Carefully monitoring every dog for heat stress, and not having a one-size-fits-all temperature rule - breed, age, size and medication all affect heat tolerance differently, so every dog needs individual attention and a tailored approach.
• School run chaos — busy and loud pavements full of children and parents just as we’re heading out become a safety risk.
• Behavioural challenges — hot dogs have a lower threshold for triggers, so we see reactivity increase.
• Looking after ourselves in the heat — from early starts through to afternoon check-ins, staying fuelled, hydrated and heat-safe all day is a job in itself.
And finally…
• Lost revenue — shorter walk windows and cancelled slots (for the dogs’ safety) mean less revenue, even though the work is harder!
Be kind to your walkers, it’s ruff out there! ❤️
