Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. But if you need more information feel free to call us any time.
I’ve never had a dog-walker before. How does it work?
Different dog-walking companies work in different ways. Here at Andy Walks, we offer a bespoke service tailored to suit you and your pet. When you contact us about dog walking we always advise you to book a free ‘pre-visit’. This is where our walker (usually Andy himself) will come out to meet you and your pet, usually at your home.
See our page all about what happens on a pre-visit here.
You can make a booking during the pre-visit or you can book later if you prefer either by calling us on 07837 306824 to arrange the dates and times of the walks, or by booking online at www.andywalks.com.
- FOR WALKS & HOME VISITS BOOKED BY TELEPHONE
You will be sent an invoice for your first week of walks, which should be paid as soon as possible to confirm your booking.
For on-going bookings, you will receive an invoice each week for walks and home visits. Each invoice should be paid at least a full 24 hours before the first booking on the invoice is due to commence.
Please note: Until an invoice is paid in full, the bookings on that invoice are not fully confirmed and slots may be allocated to other clients at busy times. Please pay as early as possible to reserve your booking. - FOR WALKS & HOME VISITS BOOKED ONLINE
You will be asked to pay for your walks at the time of booking. Book as many walks as you like at once (you can book up to 90 days in advance) then make one simple payment from either a Paypal account or using a credit or debit card. Once paid your bookings will be automatically confirmed and will show as approved in the online portal.
The online booking system is avaialble 24/7 and allows you to book any time in our normal opening hours of 9am-6pm Monday to Friday.
Out of hours bookings can not currently be made online. For enquiries about out of hours availability for early mornings, late nights or weekends, please call Andy on 07837 306824.
If there are any unforseen circumstances such as heavy snow stopping our service then you will not be charged for any walks where we fail to attend. This is very rare (it’s only happened twice in the last 6 years).
Any adjustments to payments will be shown on the next invoice.
REMEMBER: Pre-visits to meet new dogs before we start walking them are always free!
Do you do group walks?
We don’t currently offer group walks because, in our opinion, there is no way of doing them safely. Not all dogs get along together and one walker would find it very difficult to intervine if a fight was to occur. There have been high profile reports of walkers being injured and even killed while undertaking group walks. It’s not safe for either us, the general public or your pet. However we are happy to walk multiple dogs from the same household who all get along well together.
How much does it cost?
The cost of our services vary depending on the duration of a booking, the type of service, date and number of animals involved.As a rough guide, most private dog walks for one dog cost between £11.00 – £16.50 Monday to Friday, but may cost more on English Bank Holidays, at weekends or for what would normally be out of hours bookings (early mornings and late evenings).
Please call Andy on 07837 306824 for a free no-obligation quotation to meet your exact needs.
Do you work weekends?
Yes, but they have to be arranged with us by telephone on 07837 306824. There may be an extra charge for weekend and Bank Holiday bookings.
Do you do pet sitting in my own home?
Yes, we do evening pet sitting where we stay with your pets (sometimes called house sitting) or we can do multiple pop-in visits throughout the day to feed your pets while you’re away and generally check they are ok.
Please call 07837 306824 for more details.
What Happens if I need to cancel a walk?
You will be refunded for any walks you need to cancel, provided you give us at least 24 hours notice. For example if you have a booking due to start at 11am on Tuesday, you would need to cancel before 11am on Monday to be refunded. If you give less than 24 hours notice it will be at the discretion of your walker weather you are charged or not. You might be asked to pay a reduced fee to cover our travel if we have already set out to come and see your pet, but sometimes we may still require you to pay the full fee. It’s always best to cancel at least 24 hours in advance if you can to make sure you don’t get charged.
PLEASE NOTE: There are special cancellation arrangements for anyone who suspects they may have been in contact with a carrier of Covid 19. Please see below for more details.
Are there any types of dogs you don’t walk?
No, we walk all types of dogs, including those who may have been turned away by other walkers. Because we offer a one to one service we can usually walk dogs who don’t get along with other dogs without any problem. We make a decision during the pre-visit weather or not we would be able to walk your dog based on their behaviour and reactions towards us. 99.9% of dogs are ok though, including those who may be reactive to other dogs.
Do you look after other pets?
We can look after any kind of domestic pet, not just dogs. We can even take care of more exotic creatures and farm animals. Give Andy a call on 07837 306824 to discuss your requirements.
What happens if my pet is unwell?
There is no need to worry. In the unlikely event of a pet medical emergency while in our care we can take them straight to a vet. All animals in our care are insured at all times. Please ask for more details.
What happens if someone in my household contracts Covid 19?
We operate a strict zero Covid policy. If anyone in your household either suspects they may have Covid 19 or may have been in contact with anyone with the virus, YOU MUST INFORM US IMMEDIATELY by telephoning or texting 07837 306824 (line open 24/7) and confirm with us that your message has been received. All your bookings for the next 14 days will be cancelled and any payments made for these will be refunded.
IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO TELL US YOU MAY HAVE COVID WHEN WE ARRIVE AT YOUR HOME.
If you have not told us about any link to a Covid case and your walker suspects any household contact with an infected individual, we have the right not to carry out the booking and terminate any further bookings with immediate effect. In these circumstances you will still be charged in full for the bookings that do not take place.
It’s always best to be honest and be cautious. Tell us about any possible link to Covid infections, no matter how unsure you are and you will receive a full refund.