Since setting up Let The Dogs Out in June 2009, it has always been my intention to pursue my studies in animal behaviour, an area which I find fascinating. Up until now, although I have read avidly on the subject & attended various dog behaviour seminars & training workshops, time & finances have not allowed me to do anything more formal.
However, at the end of last year I finally got the wheels in motion & am delighted to announce that I have now been accepted to study for the Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour Management. This is a distance learning course which, together with practical experience, will prepare me to work in the role as canine behaviour advisor.
My hope is that with time I will be able to add this service to my existing dog walking, day care & home boarding services. Wish me luck!
Let The Dogs Out has moved to East Lothian! I regret leaving our South Edinburgh clients behind, but am pleased to announce that my partner & I have bought a property in Cockenzie, & are now settled there with our 3 dogs, Molly, Sandy & Dennis. There are beaches & fields a plenty right on our doorstop & ready for your dogs to enjoy!
I am very sad to announce that we lost our old dog Max to cancer earlier this month. If it weren’t for Max’s inspiration I would never have set up Let The Dogs Out in the first place, & he has been a constant companion to all the dogs I have looked after over the years. He will be sorely missed.
However, Molly & her 2 new greyhound companions, Sandy & Dennis (adopted from Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary) are ready to welcome new doggy friends onto their walks & into their home. I am delighted to now be able to offer dog day care & home boarding services in addition to dog walking. Please check my revised rates & also my availability, & please bear with me while I update this website to reflect the changes in my service!
Lately I have received several enquiries from people who are in the process of setting up their own dog walking businesses, or perhaps just considering the idea of becoming a dog walker, asking for my advice on how to go about it. So I decided to write a blog post covering some of the basics. My ten top tips for starting your own dog walking business are based on what has worked for me.
Brrr… Let The Dogs Out has survived our first Winter! However, we have moved a little to the North. After moving house at the beginning of the year, I am no longer based in Pathhead but in Blackford in the South of Edinburgh. Sadly this has meant saying goodbye to some lovely clients who I am no longer able to reach, but on a positive note it has allowed me to welcome some great new dogs into my ‘pack’!
Let The Dogs Out has been up & running for 3 months now & I’m pleased to say that the service seems to be a success!
I am currently walking dogs of all shapes & sizes from Pathhead, Dalkeith & Roslin in Midlothian, Cockenzie, Wallyford, Pencaitland, Prestonpans & Haddington in East Lothian, & Colinton in Edinburgh. My feet are well travelled & glad to get a rest at the end of each day, but I’m loving every minute of it!
Clients should note that there are some small changes planned to the existing service. These are outlined below & available to view in a pdf document here.
the rate I charge for 30 minutes walking time will increase from £5 to £7.
the rate for 1 hour walking time will remain the same at £10.
the charges for any additional dogs being walked from the same household also remain the same, at £3 per dog for 30 minutes walking time & £5 per dog for 1 hour walking time.
These changes reflect my experience since starting business in June that petrol & travel time costs work out the same for both 30 minute & 1 hour walks.
In order to make most efficient use of my time & petrol, whilst striving to meet each client’s individual requirements,
dogs who are due to be walked for 30 minutes may occasionally be walked for the longer time of 1 hour. This will be at no additional charge to the client. Please indicate if you do not wish your dog to be walked for longer than you have requested for whatever reason.
dogs due to be walked around midday may be walked within a window of 11am – 2pm, as this is, naturally, my busiest time of day. Again, please indicate if there is a reason why your dog cannot be walked within this more flexible time frame.
Wet weather
Now that the summer (ha!) is coming to an end, walks are bound to become wetter & muddier. I would appreciate if clients could leave out a designated towel to use for drying their dog(s). Although I always carry some towels in the car, they are bound to become soggy pretty quickly on a wet day!
I will always try & give you at least 1 month notice of any dates on which I am unable to walk your dog(s). At present the only dates I am aware of between now & Christmas when this is the case are Friday 18th September & Saturday 31st October.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns regarding the above changes.
Pictured are my new Let The Dogs Out identity tags. All my clients will receive a complementary tag for each of their dogs. The tags are engraved with my mobile number & should be worn whenever dogs are in my care. They fasten easily onto any dog’s collar & can be removed in between times if you wish. Thank you to Angie of Remember Wynn for creating these custom tags for me.
Let The Dogs out will be present at the Dogs Allowed Show in Lauder this Saturday. Along with my partner & dogs, I’ll be handing out free homemade dog treats, & will be available to answer any questions you have about the service. The event is being held in the grounds of Thirlestane Castle, & is open from 10am till 4pm on both Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th June. It looks set to be a great day for all dogs & their owners!
Spot me out & about in my colourful collection of hand printed 
