Staying home alone all day can be difficult for your furry friend. However, when you have responsibilities that take you away during the day, it’s important to find a solution that allows your pooch to get some exercise and fresh air. Hiring a dog walker in Chicago is the perfect solution. When considering services that offer dog walking, Chicago pet parents need to take a few factors into consideration.
Narrowing Down Local Options
In a city as large as Chicago, it’s imperative that you find a dog walking service that is near your location. The best way to approach this is by exploring Chicago dog walker services by zip code to discover which dog walker services are covered in your specific neighborhood. So, for instance, if you live on the North Side, you can easily narrow down available options for neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park, Edgewater, or Lakeview. Likewise, you can also search for neighborhoods on the South Side, such as the South Loop, Printers Row, or Museum Campus.
Considering All Features Offered by Dog Walking Services in Chicago
Along with finding a Chicago dog walker located in your neighborhood, it’s also important to consider the types of services offered and what steps the company puts in place to protect you and your pet that can aid in making your life a little easier. When hiring a dog walker in Chicago, you should make sure to ask the following questions:
- Is the company W-2 based vs. subcontracting gig-workers?
- Are they locally owned and operated?
- What types of insurance do they have and from which carriers?
- Do they have a physical office or are they run from someone’s home or apartment?
- Do they have full-time administrative staff to help with any questions or concerns?
- Do they have 24/7/365 monitoring by their admin staff of every visit?
Asking these important questions helps you get a better understanding of the company and helps you make the right choice for you and your dog.
Scheduling Dog Walker Services
Once you have found a Chicago dog walker that is a good fit for your needs and location, the next step is to schedule the duration of the walk and how many days a week your dog will be walked. Daily walks are important for dogs’ emotional wellbeing as they crave consistency — walks should be scheduled with the same dog walker and that person should have a trained back-up who’s been trained via shadow visits so that your dog is familiar with them when a sick day or vacation day arises. You should also schedule the time that the dog walker will arrive to take your pup for a walk.
How Much Should Your Dog Be Walked?
The length of the walk and frequency of walks will usually vary based on your dog’s breed, age, physical conditions, and other factors. For example, a 15-minute walk may be fine for a puppy or a small breed dog; but usually will not suffice for a larger breed dog. On average, you should try to schedule a walk that is between half an hour to an hour.
Final Thoughts
Exploring which dog walking services in Chicago are available by zip code is a great option for both pet owners who are local to Chicago as well as those who have recently moved to the area. Whether you live closer to The Loop or Mag Mile in Streeterville, River North, the Gold Coast or Old Town or farther west of the lake in the West Loop, Logan Square, West Town or Humboldt Park, finding a local dog walking service can provide you with peace of mind and keep your furry friend relaxed and happy.
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