Dog Walking

Cancelling a scheduled walking appointment can be done until 5 PM the previous day. In case of cancellations after that the walking assignment is to be regarded as completed. We are kindly asking for your understanding at this point: our walker colleagues make a living out of the regular walks, their days are scheduled ahead and cancellations cause unwanted idle time during the day. It goes without saying that in case of force major, or other, unforeseeable events we strive to be flexible.

Payment is done to the walker colleagues directly, in cash or by credit card, either weekly or monthly ahead. If you require a corporate invoice, kindly contact our company directly.

The walking prices indicated on our webpage are walking base prices, which, with some minor exceptions, are applicable to the area within the virtual circle drawn by Hungária-Róbert Károly-Könyves Kálmán krt and its continuation on the Buda side. In the case of areas outside this circle we usually account a HUF 100 travel surcharge / km / occasion.

Before and after the walks (based on their schedule), our colleagues are happy to be of service for smaller errands while the owner is absent during the day – whatever might be needed in a household. This could be walking, sitting or caring for other animals, game or play, as well as other things to be done around the house.

Of course we do, as they also need their regular exercise, sniffs and other stimuli. An encounter with a strange dog in a public space can always be challenging, which, in most cases, means a friendly sniffing, welcoming, thus not posing an otherwise different “threat” to dogs on heat.

Accidents are extremely rare, as in 99.9% of the cases the usual colleague follows the usual route with the usual dog. Accidents, thus, are really rare, which are hardly more serious that a not-so-friendly encounter with another dog – but these are handled very professionally and self-confidently by the colleagues.

The walks, in themselves, can already be a challenge under normal circumstances, as they are done in public areas where anyone, anything can come across. We do walk dogs who are aggressive towards other dogs, but in the case of dogs who are aggressive towards humans we have to be very selective based on dog weight and temperament). We always recommend a trial walk in these cases, even together with the owner, to see if we can accept the assignment on the long run – for the walker’s, the dog’s and the pedestrians’ safety.

In most cases, due to the nature of the service, the owner is not at home when our walker arrives to pick up the dog. The client provides a copy of the key in these situations. We store all keys safely, they are not made available to any other person except the walker. We have, of course, a comprehensive documentation for the handover of keys, and we also fix the instructions for getting into the apartment/house (alarm system, safety locks, as well as other safety measures).

In each and every case we strive to have the same walker assigned for a client. It might happen, though, either due to scheduling, due to illness or other, regularity-related issues that a dog is walked by two colleagues. In such cases you’ll get to know both walkers prior to starting the assignments and you’ll not notice any difference otherwise.

The dog walks are done by colleagues with many years of canine experience. They are true dog aficionados, have been dog keepers themselves for years or decades and are real dog enthusiasts. Most of them regularly take part in trainings, dog programs, many of them have volunteered in shelters, have done a lot of dog-related social work, too. Many of them do regularly dog sports, i.e. Canicross or Dogtrailing. They often organize dog excursions, participate in competitions, organize presentations and seminars.

Before, during and after the walks our dog walker colleagues are happy to be in direct contact with you, as well as is our dog walking coordinator colleague. In addition to that you can reach us any time on our central phone number: +36 1 246 23 06.

It is uncommon that a walker colleague can combine two addresses for a walk, but it can happen. In general, however, only the dog(s) of a given owner is/are present during the walks. It might occur that we have to split the walks into two, if, for instance, two or more dogs from one owner are not socialized with each other, or simply require different lengths or routes for the walks. This is absolutely possible on our side, of course.

The times per walk can vary strongly according to dog breed, age, temperament and individual need for exercise – this typically ranges between 30 minutes and 120 minutes per walk. During the assignments, however, the duration of the walks can be changed down- or upwards based on experience.

As discussed in the previous, vaccinations-related question, the youngest age for walks is typically 4 months – after this, provided that the puppy has been administered all necessary vaccinations, there are no reasons not to start outdoor walks. It goes without saying that starting the walks as soon as possible is very important for the healthy development of the dog (please see Dog Walking menu, or F.A.Q. question for details):

We can start the outdoor walks as soon as the dog has all the puppy protection vaccinations provided. Regarding timing, this might vary slightly from vet to vet, but most typically this means two combined and one anti-rabies treatment, usually until the age of 4 months (at the latest). As soon as the protection is effective and the dog can become part of a community based on the vet’s opinion, we are more than happy to welcome him/her for the walks.

It is important (and mandatory, as a matter of fact) to have the vaccination pass / passport (or a least a photo of it) with us during the walks, as the service is done in public spaces. In addition, we’d appreciate the collar and the leash, of course, as these are also mandatory in public spaces. If we have to take public transportation during the walks (that might also happen), then we’ll also need the muzzle (we do, unfortunately, although we know that the dog does not bite).

Dogs need physical and intellectual stimulation, since a lot of the behavioural problems such as barking, chewing, digging and so forth originate from isolation, boredom and insufficient physical activity. It is a proven fact that physical activity and the inherent intellectual challenge have a very positive effect on these problems. The British NOAH (National Office of Animal Health) and a number of world-renown professional institutions have proven that daily activity is essential for preserving your dog's health and the intellectual and physical balance. Physical stimulation is not just extremely important for the comfort of your dog, but it builds muscles, prevents depression and overweight, eliminates joint-related health problems and improves the heart function and behavioural habits.

Our dog walking colleagues are mostly “set” for regular walks – simply because of the nature of the service – and also because they make a living doing regular assignments. It would be very hard to sit and wait until one-off walks come through the door, on five days a week, all weeks of the month. It is for this reason that we, whenever we can, sign contracts for regular walking services.

We provide mostly walking services during the day, as this is the time period when the owners are not at home and the dogs need the walks most. We typically provide this service between 7 AM and 8-9 PM, however, most of the assignments are between 11 AM and 3 PM, and mostly on weekdays – but we are available on weekends, too, of course.

The itinerary for the walks is usually set be the owner, being usually the route the dog walks otherwise too – naturally there might be slight changes to that (either because of force major or simply upon request). As far as the geography concerned that we serve: we usually offer dog walking services in areas which our colleagues can reach by public transport – meaning practically entire Budapest and the parts of suburbs closer to the capital.

Our company uses the same client documents in the case of services rendered at the client or on field. These consist of: Order Form, Dog Form and Client Consent Form. We register all data of the owner and all details of the service on the Order Form. The dog’s general data, health-related data, background information, behaviour-related information and service goals are registered in the Dog Form. In the Client Consent Form the client consents to our General Terms and Conditions and acknowledges the service provided and the details contained in the document.

If you choose to use our dog walking services, then we are primarily at your disposal via telephone (+36 1 246 23 06) or e-mail (info@dogmopolite.hu). In addition, you can also register for this service on our homepage through our online form. The most important questions we are asking in case of dog walking are: For what kind of dog? Under which address? On which days? At what times on the given days? For how long per occasion? After starting the service you’ll be in direct contact with our dog walker colleague, as well as the dog walker coordinator colleague for possible changes or other requests.