What are the health benefits of daily dog walks?

dog walking in bristol

Can man’s best friend make you healthier? The answer is most definitely Yes. Not only that but taking your dog for a walk not only improves your health, but also the health of your dog.

Public Health guidelines say that we should all take as many opportunities as we can throughout the day to be active. The more we do, the better it is for both our mental and physical health. So, if you have a dog to walk you are at an advantage as you have a planned activity scheduled into your day from the outset.

So, how exactly does walking your dog effect your health?

Walking is therapeutic by helping reduce your stress giving a positive psychological effect. This can lower your blood pressure. Increasing relaxation, walking can provide good thinking time and after a walk a solution to a problem may become clearer. Being outside is good mental stimulation for your dog too, reducing boredom and bad behaviour. He will have much needed quality time with you which strengthens your bond with him, and the feeling of companionship is good for both of you.

Walking your dog becomes a habit needing discipline. Those early morning walks before work can be hard on waking, but once out with your dog you feel a lot more energetic, positive and have a sense of accomplishment. Seeing the look on your dog’s face when you are getting ready to go for a walk makes it all worthwhile! Having to be responsible for caring for a dog is a good motivator and can help reduce depression and improve sense of well-being.

Having a dog to walk encourages you to go outside, and to explore your surrounding area. You may find walks in areas that you normally wouldn’t find if you didn’t have a dog to take out. You will have more exercise in the fresh air promoting better sleep.

Walking your dog is a free way to get fit, with no need to pay to join a gym to get fit. The physical benefits of dog walking are plentiful. It is good for your heart, muscles, joints and waistline! This also applies to your dog!

Walking your dog inevitably allows you, and him, to meet new people and quite often make new, long lasting friendships with other like-minded people. It is sociable, even if you don’t want to talk to someone your dog may think differently and you will find that you find yourself stopping, commenting or having a chat with other dog owners and their beloved pets.

If you have a dog but need help to walk him on the days you find it difficult to then get in touch with Scamps and Champs Bristol. We provide a professional dog walking service. We love walking dogs and will provide stimulating walks to ensure your dog is happy. We never pack walk and offer a flexible dog walking service to meet your individual requirements.

Get in touch with Scamps and Champs Bristol on 0333 200 5827 or bristol@scampsandchamps.co.uk

How to keep your dog safe when Dog Walking in Bristol in Winter?

How To Keep Your Dog Safe In Winter

Here are some tips from Scamps and Champs Bristol to keep your dog safe when out walking during these winter months.

Ensure your dog wears a collar and ID tag when out and about, that he is microchipped and that the chip details are up to date. This is MOST important all year around. 

Keep your doggy friend safe by ensuring he can be seen in the dark by using a high visibility jacket and a flashing collar. Letting yourself be seen in the dark is equally important so wear clothing that is visible in the dark whenever possible. Also, think about your footwear to avoid slipping and falling whilst out walking your dog.

Keep your dog warm. Short haired, young or older dogs may benefit from a warm winter dog coat. Also, consider letting his hair grow longer over the cold winter months.

Regularly check your dog’s leads, collars and harnesses for wear and tear or damage. Check they are all working properly. Be aware that if it is very cold it can be difficult to do up lead clips and attach them to collars and harnesses. Check for rust as wet weather may make the metal clips rust.

Keep anti-freeze out of reach of your dog. Anti-freeze is tasty but is highly poisonous to a dog. Keep out of reach and mop up any spills immediately.

When you get back from your dog walk it is important to wipe your dog’s paws, legs and tummy. Grit and dampness can irritate his skin.

Ice can slice! Take care as stepping on ice when out walking can cause cuts and bleeding on your dog’s paws and legs.

Don’t let your dog walk on frozen ponds as he may fall through the ice into the water if the ice is not thick enough to take his weight. It is hard not to go in after him if he falls through, but you must never do this. Instead encourage him to swim back to you and call the emergency services.

When walking in snow be mindful that this new walking environment can be very exciting to your pup so consider keeping him on the lead.

NEVER leave you best friend alone in a car. Never. Not in cold or hot weather.

Consider changing your dog’s routine. If you are finding it difficult to exercise your dog in the dark evenings after work, then get in touch with Scamps and Champs Bristol who provide a professional dog walking service. We can walk your dog at a time that you think is best for him. We can vary the route, so your dog is entertained by experiencing new sights, sounds and smells.

Dog Walking Services in Bristol – Why Bother?

Using dog walking services over the past 5 years has been become increasingly popular by dog owners in the Bristol area. No more are loving dog owners finding it acceptable to leave their dogs unattended for the whole day while they go to work.

With the use of professional dog walkers in Bristol our Bristol dogs are getting to go out, stretching their legs and have stimulation during the day, despite their owners being at work. Having this type of dog walking service available has also opened up the possibility of having a dog as part of the family to families who are out all day at work or school and had otherwise discounted owning a dog.

There are the obvious reasons our dogs really need to have the day broken up for them, number 1 being the need to pee! No one wants to come home after a day at work or school to a find a puddle or worse, greeting them as the walk through the door. But there are other reasons, including the dogs mental health.

It’s known that a lack of exercise and mental stimulation can lead to attention-seeking and destructive behaviors. With sufficient daily exercise and stimulation, dog owners are far less likely to come home to a house that’s been torn apart by anxious or neglected feeling dogs.

There are also many physical health benefits to ensuring your dogs are exercised regularly and have plenty of enrichment throughout the day such as maintaining a healthy weight and joints.

Being the owner of younger dogs or puppies brings increased demands on your time but this is also the key phase where unwanted behaviours can develop. Ensuring your puppy has sufficient stimulation, exercise and training while it is young will help create the well-behaved, happy family dog you no doubt want. Using an experienced dog walker for your younger dogs and puppies is definitely worth considering, if you are struggling for time yourself.

There are many great places to go dog walking in Bristol and finding a safe route suitable for your dog will make the walk even better. Allowing your dog to sniff and search provides them with good mental stimulation and using their senses in this way will also tire them out…bonus for you when you return home for a nice cup of tea.

Reputable dog walkers in Bristol will have some form of GPS tracking, where you are able to monitor the service provided and check where your dog has been and how long for.

It’s tempting to use the “girl or boy next door” to walk our dogs as sometimes it can seem easier to arrange or possibly less costly. However what happens if something goes wrong; your dog lost, injured or injures someone else? Or what if the person you are relying on has something of their own crop up last minute, where does that leave your dogs walk.

Just in the same way you wouldn’t have the bloke next door service your car (unless they so happened to be in that trade), why then do we risk our four-legged family member with someone un-qualified or at the very least uninsured?

Protect your dog and your friendships; use a professional dog walker for your dog walking in Bristol.

Contact your local Scamps and Champs branch for more information or to discuss your dogs pet care needs.

Hiring a Cat Sitter in Bristol

It can be a difficult decision to leave your cats when you take a holiday or go away with work. It may not be possible, or you may not want to keep asking a friend, neighbour or relative to cat sit for you. Your cat may not enjoy going to a cattery.

Another option is to hire use our Cat Sitting Service and hire a professional Bristol cat sitter.

What does a Bristol Cat Sitter Do?

A Bristol cat sitter will take care of your cat in your own home allowing your cat to stay in their own familiar surroundings. At Scamps & Champs Bristol a cat sitter will listen to you and provide a bespoke service according to your requirements. A Bristol cat sitter will visit your cat as many times as you would like during the day to feed your cat, change litter trays, give fresh water, and medications if required, with all the fuss and attention that your cat deserves.

Your cat sitter can also draw the curtains, turn your lights on and off, bring in any post and put the bins out giving your home that lived in look when you are not at home.

Using pet sitter software your cat sitter will send you updates at least daily. Photographs will be sent allowing you the comfort of knowing that your cats are being well looked after and are happy and relaxed at home.

How Many Times Will You Visit?

Your cat will be visited as many times during the day as you would like. If your cat is an inside cat, then you may feel once a day is enough. If your cat likes to go outside and hasn’t got access to a cat flap, we can visit in the morning and let your cat outside after feeding and then visit at teatime to let them back in again. If your cat is elderly or likes a lot of company more frequent visits may be preferable to check on your cat and give your cat companionship.

What if my cat doesn’t like new people?

A visit once a day may be enough if your cat is shy and timid. A cat sitter will always take the time to get to know your cat but only give affection if it is welcomed. If they don’t want affection or us to play with them, we will give them the space they need. We usually find that once they realise we are coming to feed them, they start to relax more and get used to us.

How Much Does A Bristol Cat Sitter Cost?

The price for cat sitting depends on how many visits and how many cats you have but visits start at £8.00 for 1-2 cats.

For a detailed quotation, please contact us for further information.

Scamps & Champs Bristol provide cat sitting services in Bristol and the surrounding areas.

All of our pet sitters are vetted, insured and DBS checked. Scamps & Champs Bristol are members of the National Association of Registered Pet Sitters and the Pet Industry Federation. Contact Scamps & Champs via our online form, to check availability and make a booking. Learn more about our Cat Sitting Service by visiting the Scamps & Champs Website.

Overnight Pet and House Sitting in Bristol

It is natural to feel apprehensive about leaving your pet behind but sometimes it cannot be avoided. If you take holidays abroad or travel with work, or have a night out or social event you may need to leave your best friend behind.

When you can’t take your pets with you, you can now leave them at home with our Bristol overnight pet sitting service. A professional overnight pet sitting service, like Scamps & Champs Bristol take the worry out of leaving your pets.

We offer daily pet sitting visits or overnight pet sitting where we will have a sleepover with your pets.

Maintain Your Pets Usual Routines

One of our professional Bristol pet sitters will stay at your home overnight and take care of your pets and home according to your exact requirements. This maintains your pet’s usual routines. We will feed them at their usual times, give medication at exact times and walk your dogs at their usual times.

Security

Our overnight Bristol pet sitting service helps ensure your home is protected from security risks. We can bring in your post, put out recycle bins and close the curtains in the evening all giving that lived-in look whether you book daily pet visits or an overnight stay. Scamps & Champs Bristol pet sitters provide their own food and drink and only use appliances in your home with prior permission.

Your Pets Remain at Home

Getting used to a new environment, whether it be dog home boarding, or a kennels/cattery can be very stressful for our pets. With pet sitting, your pets can stay in the comfort of their own homes

Lots of Love and Cuddles

Your pet sitter will give lots of love, cuddles, and attention to your pets, they can even sleep on the bed at night with their pet sitter if that is what they are used to. With overnight pet sitting in Bristol, you can go away and not having the worry and stress about your pets knowing they are being looked after by a professional pet sitter in the comfort of their own home. Your pet sitter will send daily updates with photographs. All of the Scamps & Champs Bristol pet sitting team are passionate animal lovers with experience of all different pets. All of our pet sitters are vetted, DBS checked and fully insured. We offer a free initial meeting where we come to meet you and your pets. This allows us to fully understand the pet and your requirements to ensure we offer a fully bespoke service. Scamps & Champs Bristol offer overnight pet sitting in Bristol and the surrounding areas.

How Much Does Overnight Pet Sitting in Bristol Cost?

Prices start from £34.00 for an overnight stay between 5.30pm and 7.30pm and finish 12 hours later. We can tailor the service to your exact requirements and add in a midday walk or several daily visits. Contact us for more information and a detailed quotation. To learn more about Overnight Pet Sitting visit our main Scamps and Champs Website.

To ask us a question, check service availability or to make a booking with us, complete our simple online form.

Pet Sitting in Bristol

Pet sitting in Bristol is becoming an increasingly popular service where a pet sitter cares for your pet/pets in the comfort of their own home. This is different to home boarding or using a kennels where the pet is cared for away from home. Pet sitting in Bristol can be for just 1 day or for longer periods such as 1,2 or more weeks when you are away from home.

Using a pet sitter in Bristol instead of more traditional pet care can reduce stress (for you and your pet/pets) and avoids having to transport your pet/pets. If you have more than 1 pet in your family, pet sitting in Bristol an be a more suitable option and allows regular routines to be maintained. If your pet has a health problem or a mobility issue then pet sitting in Bristol can be a favourable option. Other advantages are increased security to your property when you are away, someone to bring the post in, put the bins out and water the garden!

What steps do you need to take when looking for a pet sitter in Bristol? Who can you trust to pet sit in Bristol? Knowing that your pet sitter in Bristol is reliable and trustworthy is number 1 priority.

When you are looking for pet sitter in Bristol be sure to look for someone who is insured and DBS checked. A professional pet sitting company in Bristol may use a pet sitter app which enables the pet sitter in Bristol to be GPS tracked and for the pet sitter to interact with you and send photos within the app whilst pet sitting. This is as a premier service enabling you to know the whereabouts if you have a dog and to be reassured that your pet is receiving the very best care as you receive a photo and an update at least daily during the pet sit in Bristol. You can also ask for references from other clients who use the pet sitting services.

You can request an initial visit in order to meet the person. During this visit it’s important to see how they react around your pet/pets and also importantly, how your pet/pets react around them. Asking interview style questions to find out about them and their background is also important, after all you need to know as much as you can about the pet sitting company, especially considering you will be leaving the keys to your house with them and that they will be staying in your house to pet sit whilst you are away from home. It’s also a good idea to listen to the type of questions they ask you, as this will give you a good indication as to how experienced they are in doing this type of thing.

There are many pet sitters in Bristol, some independent others part of a larger company. The benefits of using a larger company for your pet sitting are that it’s more likely they will be adhering to all the Animal Welfare Legislations and as they will have the concern with brand protection, more-so than an independent, meaning that they will be wanting to provide you with the high quality pet care.

The other consideration of using a professional pet sitting company in Bristol is that should the pet sitter be taken ill or unable to pet sit at the last minute, the company should be able to provide you with a back-up pet sitter.

That being said, if you are looking to become a pet sitter in Bristol, contacting a professional pet sitting company will be a good place to start as they will probably have clients ready and waiting for you.

To contact us, check availability or to ask us a question complete our online form.

Dog Walking in and Around Bristol

Pet owners in Bristol are increasingly relying on dog walkers to walk their dogs while they go to out to work. There are many dog walkers in Bristol who can be seen if you go out into one of the many parks and open areas. Some “professional” dog walkers are benefiting from “pack walking” dogs which is not necessarily benefiting the dog.

As a pet owner who can you truly trust to care for your pet and what should you consider? Having your dog walked by someone who is reliable and trustworthy is of course a number one priority, but how can you be certain of this? How can you gain the peace of mind knowing that your dog is having the best care and is of course happy and relaxed?

Firstly, when you are looking for dog walking in Bristol be sure to look for someone who is insured and DBS checked. A professional dog walking company in Bristol may use a pet sitter app which enable the dog walker in Bristol to be GPS tracked and for the pet carer to interact with you and send photos within the app whilst dog walking in Bristol. This is as a premier service enabling you to know the whereabouts of your dog and to be reassured that your pet is receiving the very best care as you receive a photo and an update after each dog walk in Bristol. You can also ask for references from other clients who use the pet care services.

You can request an initial visit in order to meet the person. During this visit it’s important to see how they react around your dog and also importantly, how your dog reacts around them. Asking interview style questions to find out about them and their background is also important, after all you need to know as much as you can about the dog walking company, especially considering you may even be leaving the keys to your house with them. It’s also a good idea to listen to the type of questions they ask you, as this will give you a good indication as to how experienced they are in doing this type of thing.

There are many dog walkers in Bristol, some independent others part of a larger company. The benefits of using a larger company for your dog walking are that it’s more likely they will be adhering to all the Animal Welfare Legislation and as they will have the concern with brand protection, more-so than an independent, meaning that they will be wanting to provide you with the high quality pet care.

The other consideration of using a professional dog walking company in Bristol is that should the dog walker be taken ill or unable to walk your dog at the last minute, the company should be able to provide you with a backup dog walker.

That being said, if you are looking to become a dog walker in Bristol, contacting a professional dog walking company will be a good place to start as they will probably have clients ready and waiting for you. Contact us via our online form to check availability and make a booking.