just curious how far of a walk I should expect in a 30-min walk? Should I let the walker know what kind of pace I would like them to keep with my dog or a distance I would expect in that 30 minutes?
Beverly, I walk dogs full time for Rover and my typical walks are 1 to 1.2 miles. Part of the walk is a potty break and ample time to stop and sniff, some pups want to walk more, some less. Also factored in the 30 minute visit is time back at your home to give them a treat, some play time and making sure they have fresh water.
Hi Beverly: I do dog walks, which also includes trail walks. Most of the trails I use are in the forest which is on top of glacial deposits, so there are a lot of steep hills. I get less mileage from the trail walks, but both the dogs and I enjoy it so much more than walking in neighborhoods. To me, it's the quality of the walk, not the quantity or distance. Neighborhood walks are usually 1.2 miles, trail walks are mostly 3/4 of a mile. It's a 30 minute walk either way, but I'll add some time if I have the time to spare, and the weather is cooperating.
Hi Mary, For your trail walks, do you drive the dogs to the trail, or are you just lucky enough to live close by? Thanks!
Both! There is a Conservancy system of trails and people either live right by them (so do I), or I pick up their dog and drive them to the trails.
Thanks! Do you charge differently for driving the dogs to the trails?
Nope! It's included.....I benefit greatly from trail walking too!
Are you including the 30 minute walk in the time it takes you to drive?
No....as of right now, I only have 1 client that I need to drive to the trails and she is usually my last stop for the day. My other clients live near the trails, so no driving is needed.
I average about 1 mile per 30 minute walk as well. Though I do have some dogs that are super high-energy. I've taught these dogs how to run while I bike. Then I guide the dog to a comfortable pace for both of us, stopping 1-2 times for a water break. Bike-runs I average 3-4 miles in 30 minutes. Of course, if you're going to ask a walker to bike with your dog, it's a very good idea to make sure that they are experienced in doing so.
Really, C'mon now This person is asking a question that deserves an answer that pertains to the question. Biking was not part of this question. Geez!!
I walk a couple of dogs regularly on neighbourhood routes, both for half an hour each (excluding time at home for cuddles etc).
One of my walks is 1.2 miles, which is at a reasonably fast pace but with lots of sniffing stops, so it's not all constant walking! My other one is 0.75 miles, but we stop at a dog park for playing with her ball, so she's covering more miles than that.
Why not measure how many miles you usually cover with your dog in half an hour, then you'll have a reasonable estimate based on your dog's usual pace - then you can ask your walker what route they usually take and see how the distance compares?
As others have said, you could probably cover more if it was all fast walking, but for most dogs it's a balance between the exercise and the exploring / sniffing for them to have the most enjoyable walk, so it's more about the route than the pace.
I've walked around 130 dogs. I understand that the purpose of the walk is to get the dog exercise, and that this is somewhat limited due to their being off leash (i.e. they would get way more exercise if they were running and not limited by a leash). I aim for 1.5 miles in 30 minutes, which is easy to achieve with a dog who is a decent walker.
That being said, if a dog is good on a leash and/or seems like they could really use a good walk (puppies, large breed, etc), I'll either jog with them and get in 2 miles in 30 mins or I'll extend the walk by 10-15 mins or so.
In short: 30 minutes should equal 1-2 miles for 90% of dogs.
Simple ....
30min walk = .5 mile
1Hour walk = 1.0 mile
NOTE: One can always extend walk mileage , but Never Ever Reduce walk mileage
Exception: Pet becomes sick, or Injured during the walk.
.5 fir 30 min is pretty slow….
Hi there, I have a client that I only walk for every other weekend and our half hour walks are about 1 to 1.2 miles as well. This particular dog walks at a pretty slow pace and sometimes lays down on our walks haha, but I think 1 mile is pretty typical.
I do dog walks for Rover and my 30 minute walks are typically 1-2 miles depending on the pace. A high energy dog usually 1.8ish miles on average. moderate energy is about 1.3-1.6 miles and the senior dogs are about a mile. Your dog walker should be setting a pace that is appropriate for age and bree
I've walked around 130 dogs. With around 75% of the dogs I walk, we get in 1.5 miles in 30 minutes. About 20% are closer to a mile (older, slow walkers, etc.) and around 5% are close to 2 miles (large breeds, puppies, etc. that I take on jogs).
My new client is just like the OP who posted this, she demands I do 5 miles in 30 minutes, and was very irritated that I only did that once when I took the dog for a 30 minute run. She demands I do 3-5 miles :) So I am not sure how appropriate it is to ask your walker to be like the dog 15 miles/hr