What Dog Walkers Wished You Knew
In a perfect world, you don’t have to leave your dog go to work every day. You can stay home, go on walks and live the life of a dog. If that sounds nice, your dream is probably similar to mine, in which we can become a stay-at-home dog mom (or parent). Sigh. Unfortunately, our dream of lounging with our furry friend will have to be put on hold because we need money! I need that paycheck to be able to afford my girl, Mia's food, toys, and vet visits. How can I treat my fur-baby without the dough?! Along with leaving your dog alone, having a stranger come into your home, and walk your dog may seem unappealing as well. There have been horror stories of things going wrong during a dog walk that may deter you, but I am here today to talk about the team here at Sparky Steps, and what they wished you knew. I interviewed Michael Benson and Magali Soto, who have been with Sparky Steps for over a year now, to get the walkers point of view on the dog-walking process. Here is what I found:
Believe it or not, Sparky Steps walkers love your dog almost as much as you do!
All walkers here are animal lovers, and they want nothing but safety and happiness for your dog. Magali shared that one of her favorite things about her job is giving your pets love and affection and seeing their happy tails. It's all about expressing love and affection with safety as the top priority. Always treat your pet with humane practices through love and professionalism. 
Walkers are experienced and trained
Some of the training Magali went through to prepare to handle your dog was attending animal shelters with Michael Jaurigue, founder of Sparky Steps, to volunteer and walk dogs. The founder has taken many courses and has been walking dogs for over 15 years, he looks for only the best walkers. All the Sparky Steps walkers have had experience handling all types of dogs and have experience in how to handle leashes during the walk. Sparky Steps walkers use a two handed technique with one end of the leash tied to one hand and the other used to make sure the walk is steady and focused. We make sure to focus on the dog the whole time while always taking a precautions for just about everything! 
We get to know you first
Now, how does the dog walking begin? Don’t worry, you don't just hand over your house keys to someone you’ve never met. There is a meet and greet day where the Sparky Steps founder, Michael Jaurigue, and your two main walkers both come to meet the family! We take a 3 walker approach so just in case something happens with one walker another one can make it that everyone knows already. This is to ensure everyone is happy and comfortable with the match. That way Fido is familiar with their new walker friends before they visit them alone. 
We care for your dog's safety, and your home
One of the precautions our walkers use is ensuring they have a handle and comfortable hold on your pet. Another nice bonus is, one of the walkers, Michael, noted that walkers even consider the well-being of your home. If the weather is crummy, he is sure to take off his boots to avoid trekking mud. Sparky Steps takes a leave no trace or make it better approach to entering and leaving your home. We always make sure to clean up after ourselves and the doggy or kitty as well. Now that the weather is turning around, let's make sure your dog has the essential items to complete the walk. Here are some leashes or collars in case your dog is due for some new accessories. Both you and your dog may be nervous for this first step, but in the end Sparky Steps ensures to go through all of the steps to ensure a safe and happy play date. If you are currently working with Sparky Steps, we would love to hear how your dog enjoys their dog walker! Check out our Instagram @SparkySteps to see happy dogs on a walk. Have a few questions or comments about Dog Walking with Sparky Steps? Send us a message on Facebook!
Written by Kathryn Minniti