Prior to any services being agreed, you will be required to:
Complete a free of charge 'Meet and Greet' or 'Walkie Talkie'
'Meet & Greet' - If you require ONLY house visits, We will arrange to meet in your home, as this will be where the provided service will take place.
'Walkie Talkie' - Group walks, solo/private walks and dog sitting all require a 'Walkie Talkie'. This meeting will be arranged to take place on a walk with you and your dog. This allows for a better understanding of your dog's personality and needs outside of its home environment.
Read and agree to Hyltons Hairy Hikers Terms and Conditions
Fill out a 'New Client' form via a link
Once all 'Before Joining' steps are completed, you will be classed as an ad-hoc client.
Your first service can now be booked. Payment is required in advance. You will be invoiced weekly for all services scheduled in the upcoming week. Bookings requested for the week in progress will be invoiced immediately. Invoices must be settled prior to their 'billing period' start date.
If you require my services on a weekly basis, you will now enter into a trial period. If you require my services less often or as a one-off, a trial period will not apply and you will remain an ad-hoc client.
For clients requiring services on a weekly basis.
Your two-week trial period will begin on the day of your first service. During this time, both parties can assess compatibility, while allowing your dog time to adjust to it's new routine. Any initial issues can also be addressed, if practical.
You do not have to complete the trial period if you do not feel Hyltons Hairy Hikers is the right fit. If this is the case, you will be refunded for any future booked services, irrespective of the cancellation policy.
On conclusion of a successful trial period, you will automatically become a member of 'The Pack' and be eligible for exclusive benefits.
'The Pack' is a loyalty initiative that rewards clients who commit to at least one recurring weekly service.
Pack privileges include:
FREE walk/house visit on your dog's birthday (dependant on your selected service)
Guaranteed regular space, holidays permitted
Bi-annual prize giveaway on my birthday and Christmas
Terms and conditions apply.
Pets must be fully vaccinated and comfortable with being left on their own for a period of four hours.
A £20 deposit is required to reserve your selected date(s) upon acceptance of your request. The balance must be settled, in full, 48 hours before your pet sitting services commence.
If your pet does not have an established relationship with the sitter, you will be advised at the time of booking if compulsory pre-sit services are required.
Pre-sit services are solo/private walks or house visits that take place prior to your pet sitting service. They are used to evaluate your pets suitability and allow them to begin forming a bond with the appointed sitter. This reduces the likelihood of fear related aggression occurring. Pre-sit services will be invoiced separately and if refused or cancelled, will automatically void your pet sitting service.
Pet sitting is charged in 24-hour increments. The 24-hour charging period begins on day one from the time you require my services or 8AM, whichever is the later. On your return date, if your arrival home enters into a further 24-hour charging period, a surcharge of £5 per extra hour will apply.
Any Bank Holiday that occurs within the duration of your pet sit will be charged at 1.5 times the standard rate for that day.
Please note: Pet sitting takes place within YOUR home. Hyltons Hairy Hikers does not offer home boarding, which takes place in the service provider's home.
I accept the following payment methods:
Bank transfer
Cash
You are required to give 48 hours notice of cancellation of services for a full refund.
All cancellations made with 24-48 hours notice will receive a 50% refund. At my discretion, I may waive this requirement if I am able to fill the space.
Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will not receive a refund.
Q. How do I book a service?
A. Please go to the contact me page and select one of the options available. If you are not yet registered as a client, you will need to do this first. If your booking is accepted, you will be invoiced accordingly.
Q. Are you insured to walk dogs professionally?
A. Yes, Hyltons Hairy Hikers is insured by Protectivity Pet Business Insurance. Please contact me if you wish to see a copy of the insurance certificate.
Q. Are you DBS checked?
A. Yes, since 2008, due to the nature of my previous employment and voluntary positions.
Q. What qualifications do you have?
A. I hold qualifications in; Canine First Aid Level 2, Canine Body Language and have completed a CPD accredited course in Defensive Driving.
Q. Do I need to be home when you collect or drop off my dog?
A. During the meet and greet process, we will discuss and agree access arrangements and my security policy, should you wish for me to be a key holder.
Q. How do you handle emergencies?
A. Please click on the link to see my emergency procedures.
Q. What is your policy on aggressive dogs?
A. All dogs in the care of Hyltons Hairy Hikers must be non-aggressive towards humans. Dogs who show aggression towards other dogs will not be able to participate in group walks. However, pending risk assessment, solo/private walks may be available. If a muzzle is required, it is the owner's responsibility to muzzle train their dog. In the event of uncharacteristic aggression, an incident report and risk assessment will be conducted to determine the appropriate course of action.
Q. How do you ensure the safety of my dog whilst in your care?
A. I use my own harnesses and leads, which are inspected regularly for wear and tear. The dogs will be secured by harness in the safety zone (passenger zone) of my vehicle. The vehicle has a four star Euro NCAP safety rating. All harnesses have been sudden-impact-tested in the UK. All leads are made from genuine Biothane®, with a break strength of 450kg. Between walks, equipment will be changed and/or sanitised using pet-safe disinfectant to minimise the spread of viruses and bacteria. Risk assessments have been carried out on the areas I use to walk the dogs and will be reviewed periodically. Tags containing my contact details and pet trackers may also be used, where appropriate.
Q. What happens if the weather is bad?
A. Hyltons Hairy Hikers are all-weather walkers. I closely follow weather warnings issued by the Met Office. In most circumstances, for a yellow weather warning, walks will continue. Extra care will be taken or routes may be adjusted. Amber or red weather warnings will trigger the cancellation of all walks. Some other services may also be affected. This will be communicated to you via text message. In the event of hot weather, if possible, walks will be rearranged to an earlier time slot. Refunds will only be issued if I have made the decision to cancel your service.
Q. What if my dog doesn't want to walk?
A. There could be many reasons why your dog may not want to go for a walk. If your selected service is a solo/private walk, the allotted time will be tailored to your dog's needs. If you have booked a group walk, on the first occasion you will receive a 50% refund. If the same issue occurs again within a two month period, no refund will be given and you may be required to alter your service to a solo/private walk.
Q. What is your policy on off-leash walking?
A. Off-leash walking is available on group walks only. Long lines are offered as an alternative on 30-minute walks. Written consent is required before any off-leash walks take place. Your dog must have reliable recall and understanding of the basic commands: 'sit', 'stay', 'leave'. Dogs will remain on-lead until a safe environment is reached. Trackers and tags, containing my details, may be used as additional safety measures.
Q. Do you provide updates and reports of my dogs walk?
A. Photos will be taken on all walks throughout the week. A selection will be uploaded to my social media accounts on a Friday, should you wish to see what we've been up to. If you have a specific query regarding your dog's walk, please contact me. Rest assured, if I observe changes to your dog's behaviour or health, you will be informed.
Q. Why don't you offer a discount on group walks for dogs from the same household?
A. The price of a group walk is already discounted in comparison to a solo walk of the same duration. Each dog is designated its own personal space whilst travelling, to maximise comfort and safety, and reduce anxiety. I believe my prices are fair and realistic, allowing me to offer an alternative to crated travel.