Better Business

Sometimes, despite all our love for dogs, things don’t work out. It may be a bad personality match. (Most of us have met a dog or two who just gets under our skin, though we feel badly admitting it.) More often it’s a behavior issue that becomes too challenging or risky to manage—stranger aggression or active resource guarding or a tendency to want to chase after joggers, for example.

It’s never easy to decide to fire a dog, even when you feel you have no other choice. And most of the time, the decision making process is difficult and fraught with emotion. But making the decision is just the first challenge. (If you’re struggling with this challenge, our article When To Fire a Dog can help.)

Once you know it’s time to let a dog go, how do you actually do it? What do you say to the client? How do you say it?

Here are some tips for communicating with dog walking clients when you’ve decided you can no longer walk their dogs:

What to say
Firing a dog is an inherently uncomfortable situation for both dog walker and client. We positive reinforcement-based dog professionals don’t tend to like conflict, and we care about how our actions and words impact others. Plus we love the dogs and care about our clients. On the client side, most dog owners feel their dogs’ behavior is a reflection on them, so in addition to feeling disappointed or stressed by your news, they may also experience embarrassment and feel defensive.

The trick to letting a dog go gently is helping your client see how your decision is in their and their dog’s interest, and that you’re acting from concern, not judgment. It’s a balancing act of gentle diplomacy and firm, clear language to avoid misunderstanding and discourage clients from pressing you to reconsider.

How to say it
Let’s look at some sample language. Say Barney the dog’s resource guarding has reached a point where you no longer feel it’s safe or responsible to manage it. You might share your decision this way:

Dear [Client’s name],

This has been a very difficult decision, as I so enjoy Barney’s infectious energy and truly love him. But it is my responsibility to provide Barney the very best care and experience, and I feel I can no longer provide him the walking environment he needs.

As you know, Barney’s resource guarding me from other dogs has presented a challenge. Of late Barney has becoming increasingly agitated about other dogs approaching or interacting with me. It’s not uncommon for guarding to escalate, and I believe the pressure of having to share with three other dogs is becoming too much for Barney. We’ve had several snarky incidents recently, and I’m noticing that both Barney and his group mates are showing increased signs of stress during our walks. I feel badly about this for Barney and for the other dogs I’m responsible for.

I have thought long and hard about this and, though it breaks my heart, I believe Barney would be happier with a walker who provides single walks, where he can enjoy the full and undivided attention of his walker all to himself.

[Here you can provide a reference if you have one, or some advice on what to look for in a new walker. If you feel it’s safe and appropriate, you can also give the client some time to find your replacement. Either way, be sure to include the last date you will be picking Barney up, or let the client know if you are ending services as of today for safety reasons, etc.]

I want you to know how honored and grateful I am to have been trusted with Barney’s care. I will miss him. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to talk by phone.

All my best,
[Your name]

Notice how this letter does several things:

• Clearly but gently communicate that the decision has made and is not open to argument.
• Explain the dog’s behavior without expressing judgment about it.
• Explain how the decision is best for the dog and/or the client.
• Provide specific details about how the decision will be carried out.
• Provide support resources to the client as possible and appropriate.
• Provide emotional padding to the client by opening and closely with positive statements about the dog and/or client, and by expressing true care for both.

This kind of careful, thoughtful language packages potentially distressing news in a way that is easier for clients to hear. Not only is this a kindness to the client, it also reduces the chances receiving a defensive or angry response.

Delivering the news
In most cases, sharing your decision with your client should be done via email. While telling your client face-to-face or via phone is more personal, it also puts everyone on the spot and increases the chances of an emotionally uncomfortable exchange, or even conflict. Texting is not ideal, as in most cases you’ll want to share more detailed context than messaging comfortably offers. Email provides for professional communication without the pressure of an immediate response, giving clients the time to digest your news.

Firing a dog is a hard decision for any professional dog walker, but getting your communication right can make it easier on both you and your client.

Getting the About page on your website right can make the difference between getting a phone call, text, or email from a potential client or having them move on without reaching out. Unfortunately, too many dog walking websites get the About page all wrong.

The most common mistakes stem from a misunderstanding of the purpose of this page. On the surface this page is about you and your business, but in reality it’s all about your potential clients. Your About page should speak directly to your clients’ needs, worries, and problems—and why you’re the right dog walker or dog walking service to meet those needs, dissolve those worries, and solve those problems. This page, like all others on your dog walking website, is a marketing page.

So your professional bio should be just that—professional. Most dog walking bios tend to focus on personal life stories and the walker’s love of dogs. There’s room for these things (done well), but that room is not at the top of a professional About page.

Your Credentials, Not Your Story
Dog walkers often have an interesting origin story to tell about how they became dog walkers. Perhaps you left a previous career after adopting a challenging dog. Or maybe you just wanted to spend more time with your own dogs. Or create a healthier lifestyle for yourself after toiling in the stress and demanding hours of the corporate world. Or you grew up surrounded by animals, always knowing one day you’d work with them. These stories are great to tell at dinner parties and other social events.

But the people reading your website are not friends or new acquaintances. They’re potential clients deciding whether or not to call you. They haven’t come to your site to read your story. They’ve come because they have one of their own that needs a solution. They didn’t come to read about your Fido—they want to know if you can help them with theirs. Tempting as it may be to write about your own dogs and personal motivations for becoming a dog walker, your bio should be about what makes you the right dog walking professional to make clients’ lives easier.

Think about it this way—would you hire a therapist based solely on the fact that she came from a dysfunctional family? Or a lawyer because he’d been sued and knew what it felt like? Such experiences might add insight, but they’d be secondary considerations. What you really want to know is whether the person is qualified and, most importantly, whether he or she can get the job done for you.

Stories of life experience can play a role by making you seem human, approachable, and warm, but they shouldn’t be the meat of your bio. Instead, tell potential clients what qualifies you as a professional dog walker. This has to be more than growing up with animals—lots of people can say that, possibly even the potential client reading your bio. Your bio is a place to talk about certifications, schools and training, professional associations, a commitment to ongoing professional development and education. It’s not about what got you wanting to walk dogs—it’s about what you’ve done to qualify yourself for that work.

When & How To Tell Your Personal Story. Having said all this, if you feel your story is compelling, go ahead and tell it—but separate it from your professional bio. Your About page should start with your bio, but it’s perfectly fine to also include a section lower on the page about your story or your dogs for people who might want to know more about you personally or who just enjoy a good dog story.

Don’t go overboard, though. Tell the short version of your story, and always wrap with a marketing message. For example, a final sentence like “Having finally realized her dream of spending her days with her dog, Judy loves providing the same peace of mind to her clients by providing their dogs with daily companionship and exercise.”

Your Benefits, Not Your Love
There seems to be a common belief among dog walkers that a love of dogs is their best qualification. But it can’t be. We all love dogs. Your love of dogs, really, should be a given. Further, when your website shouts your adoration for them too often or too loudly you risk appearing as a hobbyist or enthusiast rather than a professional. You wouldn’t hire a tutor for your children because they “loved kids.” Their love of children doesn’t qualify them as a tutor or say anything about the results they can achieve.

Instead of focusing your bio on the way you feel about dogs, make it instead about the benefits you have to offer. Avoid the pitfall of talking only about benefits for the dog—it’s the human client you have to convince. What will you do for them? Alleviate their guilt about the long hours their dog spends alone? Provide them peace of mind? Take an item off their too-long to-do list? Give them an easier, calmer dog to come home to at the end of a busy day? Your bio should be about the needs of your clients.

A Marketing Message, Not a Novel
A short bio is a good bio. Anything over a paragraph is wasted. As an example of potential clients’ attention spans, consider that the average time spent on a website is 3.2 minutes. That’s 3.2 minutes for the whole site. So get right to the point—your marketing message, what sets you apart, what you can do for people, how you make their lives better. Your bio should instill confidence in you as the best professional choice. There really isn’t a lot of time for other material, and we don’t want the message to get lost.

A Pro Dog Walker, Not an App
Consider adding a section on your About page helping to educate potential clients about the difference between hiring an educated, certified professional dog walker versus using an online dog walking app. Anyone willing to hire a dog walker clearly loves their dog and feels an obligation to provide their dog with a high quality of life. But many well-intentioned dog lovers do not understand the lack of regulation in the dog walking industry and the implications of that for choosing a dog walker. It’s imperative for each of us to shout this message from our individual rooftops—your rooftop is your website. So include a section on this on your About page.

If you want to go big, dedicate an entire page to this education effort. (And be sure to slip this messaging into the rest of your website pages, too, especially if you’ve invested in professional dog walking education and certification.)

DOG WALKER BIO SAMPLES

Here’s a typical dog walker’s bio:

“Jan grew up on a farm surrounded by animals, but she loved dogs the most. At five years old she declared her intention to become a veterinarian. As it turned out, she got her degree in Economics from the University of Ohio in 1994 and spent the first decade of her adult work life in corporate America. She adopted Ralph, a goofy mutt of unknown provenance, in 2002. Ralph was a super lovable guy who needed a lot of attention due to a rough start in life. Jan felt guilty leaving him at home every day, and coming home to a stressed out dog. So she hired a dog walker to take Ralph out daily. This definitely helped Ralph and improved his behavior, but Jan found herself jealous of her dog walker, and started dreaming about working with dogs again. Finally, in 2004, Jan took the plunge. She attended the dogbiz U Dog Walking Academy to become a professional dog walker, and started her dog walking business. She still loves what she does all these years later, and is grateful to work outdoors every day with the dogs.

It’s not terrible, and Jan comes off as a lovely person. But it’s not a professional bio. So let’s retool it:

“Jan Johnson is a dogbiz U Dog Walking Academy graduate and professional dog walker, and a professional member of the Pet Professional Guild. Committed to providing her clients with full peace of mind, Jan keeps her canine first aid certification up-to-date and regularly seeks ongoing continuing education and professional development opportunities. Jan prides herself on running a business that is committed to taking the best care of both human and canine clients. Her goal is to make clients’ days easier by making sure their dogs enjoy great days that include exercise and loving companionship. Jan is proud to be referred to by Best Dog Training and Town Veterinary Clinic. When not wearing out her clients’ dogs, Jan can be found taking agility classes with her hyper Lab Rondo, reading mystery novels, and practicing Tae Kwon Do.

Notice how the first bio is primarily about Jan and her story, whereas the second is about clients and their needs, and Jan’s qualifications to meet those needs. Her marketing message is in there, too. Jan’s target clientele are busy professionals and families who love their dogs but don’t necessarily have enough time for them, and thus the emphasis on assuaging guilt and reducing to-do lists. She also speaks to her dependability—something busy clients need—with her emphasis on human customer service. Jan then uses the mention of professionals who refer to her to elevate her own professionalism. Her own dog is mentioned only briefly at the end to add a personal touch (along with other hobbies), and also to ‘show off’ that she competes in agility—another indication she has dog skills. This is a bio that communicates competence, professionalism, and a focus on clients.

Start Writing!
If your bio resembles Jan’s first effort, it’s time to retool. If you’re not a star writer, don’t have time, or just feel squeamish about singing your own praises, bring in an outside perspective. Ask a friend with strong writing skills or a background in communications or marketing to help. Or hire a professional writer or business coach.

Retool your bio and About page to present yourself as the professional you are and, in so doing, to also help educate your local community about what it means to be—and to hire—a professional dog walker.

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Learn more about adding the Dog Walking Academy to your professional dog walking bio.

Client meet & greets can be challenging. You need to learn everything there is to know about a dog you’re considering walking, both to make a good choice and to keep her (and everyone else) safe if you take her on. But it can be hard to get solid, reliable information during an intake interview. Potential clients are motivated to get you to say yes to their dog, likely to have gaps in their understanding of dog behavior, and may also feel anxious about being judged based on their dog’s poor recall or occasional reactive outbursts.

Your ability to listen to a potential client—to hear what they say, what they don’t say, and what they’re actually communicating with both—is critical.

And good listening is all about asking the right questions in just the right way. Here are 5 tips for getting better information from your meet & greets:

Tip 1: Put the client at ease before you start firing
Start the interview by explaining why you’re going to be asking so many questions:

“Thank you for making the time to meet with me. As I explained on the phone, I have a lot of questions to ask you about Charley. Because it’s my job to keep Charley safe and make sure he has a great time with me, I want to know everything about him—the good, the bad, the quirky, what he loves, and what he hates, what makes him tick.” If you’re a group walker, you also want to know all about Charley so you can choose the best group mates for him.

This explanation takes a bit of the anxiety out of the equation for the client—you’re asking questions not to judge them or Charley, but so you can take good care of him. You’re also telegraphing that you don’t expect the dog to be perfect, and that it’s okay to share the less charming bits.

Tip 2: Use lay language
You need to know if the dog is a resource guarder. But the client may not know that term, and it sounds serious and negative. If you ask, “Does Charley resource guard from other dogs?” most clients will feel there’s a right answer (“No”) and a wrong one (“Yes”). This increases the chances of a less forthcoming answer. Instead, you might ask “What does Charley do when other dogs try to share one of his favorite toys?” Everyone understands what sharing means, and the language carries less potential judgment.

Tip 3: Avoid yes or no questions
As shown in the last example, yes/no questions too often imply a “right” answer, creating discomfort and encouraging hedging. Most behavior is not black or white, either, and yes/no questions don’t leave room for the maybe situations in between. You just don’t get nearly as much information from a simple yes or no answer as from a narrative one.

Tip 4: Ask description questions
The best narrative answers tell you what a dog does in specific situations. When you ask, “Does your dog like meeting other dogs?” not only do you stand to get less information, you get the client’s interpretation. The client’s interpretation of their dog’s behavior is interesting, but not reliable, as they may not have a professional’s understanding of dog behavior.

What you need to know is what the dog is likely to do when you encounter an unknown dog. So rather than asking questions such as, “Does your dog like meeting other dogs?” try “When you’re out walking on leash, what does your dog do when he meets a new dog?”

The “what does your dog do when…” construction encourages potential clients to describe what they’ve seen rather than to tell you their belief about what the dog’s behavior means. If a client gives you an interpretive answer, such as “He gets really happy,” follow up with a question that forces description: “What does he do that shows you he’s happy?” or “Describe what he does to show he’s happy about meeting the new dog.”

This approach to asking questions—one that allows you to really listen through your clients’ eyes—can make a huge difference in the quality and reliability of the information you gather during your intake interviews.

Tip 5: Ask exception questions
A dog may be happy to meet dogs in general, or he may love people, but if there’s an exception, you should know about it. Clients often fail to mention the exception, either out of embarrassment, worry, or sheer forgetfulness. So always follow up your “What does he do when…” questions with an exception question. For example, “Are there any dogs or types of dogs that Charley doesn’t feel as comfortable with or isn’t as happy to say hello to?” Or “Does he respond the same way to children, or does he prefer adults?”

Your exception questions will ferret out the situations you’ll need to be watchful for if you choose to take the dog.

Listening through asking
Getting detailed, accurate behavior information from potential clients is all about careful listening. But first you must have good information to listen to—and that requires skillful interviewing. Take time to craft your meet & greet questions to put clients at ease, encourage description, and draw out important exceptions. You’ll get much better information for your screening decisions. And you’ll learn what you need to know to keep everyone—yourself and your business, the dogs in your care, and everyone you encounter on your walks—safe and happy.

Looking for a shortcut for your client intake interviews? Get our fully scripted intake forms, plus client contracts and all your other business paperwork on the Business Toolkit for Walkers & Sitters.

We hope you got some useful tips from this article! For more free biz & walking tips for dog walkers, get Two Feet Forward delivered free to your inbox for bimonthly business and dog behavior tips, plus special offers.