Take a walk on the Upper West Side on a nice day, and you are bound to run into one of the neighborhood’s ubiquitous dog walkers with a pack of parallel pooches. You may wonder: Who is that mysterious walker? Where is the pack headed? And how are the dogs so well-behaved, in near-lockstep with each other? Three of the neighborhood’s professional dog walkers open up about what it takes to work in one of NYC’s most dog-centric locations.
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Sam Gedymin started walking dogs in 2009. He had no idea his job would become a serious profession. “I thought it was one of those jobs on TV shows only,” he said. “Turned out to be my entire living.” Through word of mouth, he grew his business. He increased his skillset in 2014, when he became a dog trainer.
Eventually his job evolved into his own company, Far Fetched Pets. He staffs several walkers and offers Playgroup (a 2.5-hour dog park experience), Adventure Walks (walks for up to two hours for dogs that don’t love the park), and wholistic research-backed dog training. Originally offering dog walks exclusively, he changed his business model to focus on a mid-day group play shift after noticing how many training issues stem from a lack of intense exercise.
Caring for dogs during a play shift is hard work. Gedymin needs to make sure the park isn’t too crowded. He needs to watch the dogs to make sure there are no confrontations with other dogs, and he must thoroughly clean up the dog park after a session.
What happens when a confrontation does happen? “99 percent of dog fights are all bluster,” he said. “Most aggressive behaviors are displays that are engineered for animals to avoid physical confrontation because [it] is very costly for an animal.”
In this situation, Gedymin says the best solution is to break up the confrontation and calm the dogs down, but some dogs may have to skip the dog park entirely if they keep showing aggressive behavior. “Three strikes,” he said.
Creating a pleasant walking experience takes planning. “My limit is four dogs per person,” he said. And he is careful to put compatible dogs together.
What happens when a dog walker needs to use the restroom? They should take care of this before their three-hour shifts, but in case of emergencies, Gedymin’s staff are able to contact each other for a quick cover.
Who becomes a dog walker? The profession attracts a lot of actors, because of the flexibility of the job. The shifts are short. A dog walker can take several days off for a role and there will always be work upon returning. Gedymin seeks professional, reliable, and personable people for his staff.
“It’s the ability to be kind and pleasant to everyone I met in the neighborhood that enabled me to build a business.”
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“Walking dogs here is different from anywhere else in the country” – Brittany Timpson, Dog Walker, Wags West
A lover of both the arts and animals, Brittany Timpson wanted a job in one of those fields when she moved to the city several months ago. Seeking an established professional dog walking company to work for, she found Wags West and trained with them.
The job requires learning about the needs of different dogs and different clients. “I do feel a big responsibility,” she said. “It feels good that [the owners] trust me enough to take their baby and walk them…I’ve formed good bonds with several of my dog walking clients.”
Keeping an eye on the dog’s body language, watching out for other dogs, and speaking to the dogs in a calm tone help ensure a successful walk. Pairs of dogs will go on trial runs together to determine compatibility for future walks.
“The more you get to know a dog, you can sense what they’re going to do or what’s going to trigger them,” she said.
Timpson’s favorite place to take the dogs is Strawberry Fields in Central Park, because of the sunniness and the variety of sights. She takes care to make sure the dogs don’t get overstimulated in the park or eat things off the ground.
What happens when the dogs decide to lay down and stop walking? The trick is to be gentle, giving the dog some pets and belly rubs and then let the dog know it’s time to keep walking.
Hydration is essential in warm weather. A must-have accessory for summer walks is a water bottle that turns into a dog bowl.
Michael Moore and Marixa Gonzalez, the husband-and-wife team who own Wags West, work diligently to determine the fit between the walkers and the dogs. The dog walker will have a meet-and-greet with a new client, and if the fit is good then they will be assigned to their dog.
“I tell my workers it’s like child care,” Moore said, highlighting the importance of care around the animals. “When you’re a pet owner, you know how [the clients] feel.”
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“You become a bit of a dog-whisperer” – Alex Strzemilowski, Dog Walker with Wags West
Alex Strzemilowski began dog walking as a youth in Boston, volunteering to walk dogs from the local shelter.
When he moved to NYC to pursue acting, he needed side work and eventually found Wags West.
With Gonzalez’s careful guidance, Strzemilowski became an expert who could handle dogs of virtually any size and strength. He credits Gonzalez with constantly getting him out of his comfort zone and building his confidence.
“You’re in control,” Gonzalez told him, even with large dogs.
The biggest surprise to Strzemilowski was learning the personality traits of different breeds. Spending time with packs of Doodles or Australian Shepherds really highlighted the personality of the breed. Additionally, the owner’s lifestyle determines the level of energy the dog will display on the walks. Owners that keep their dogs extremely active will beget high-energy dogs.
Some of the sassier dogs enjoy hazing the trainer by defying commands and plopping on the ground during walks. With some breeds, “you have to do a little initiation” with them, Strzemilowski said.
What do owners have to do before dogs are clear to walk? Wags West has a database of the dogs, their vaccination records, their personality traits, and what dogs they mesh well with. This information helps the business determine when the dog is ready for a walk and which dogs they can partner with.
Strzemilowski often spends time with young puppies when they are not ready to go for outside walks, so the relationship with the dog develops very early and makes the walks easier. Puppy visits are also a good time for the dog to learn commands. Families often stay with Wags West for many generations of dogs.
Strzemilowski carries treats for the dogs but advises against relying on them as a tool. The dogs will learn to walk for the treat, then stop walking once they get it. So, treats are really optimal for puppies learning commands and old dogs who need encouragement to go outside.
The job keeps Strzemilowski in great shape. He often clocks in 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day.
The Upper West Side is “the dog hotspot” of NYC. Strzemilowski highly recommends the neighborhood due to the great community, making friends, and walking lots of dogs. “My community of friends is largely built off of seeing the same people and their dogs every day,” he says.
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