As has been said, you made the right decision Best to lose one customer who doesn't care about the health of the other dogs, than lose all the rest because you put their dogs at risk.

you did the right thing,,but you didnt do the right thing, if you know what I mean,,, when my lot got KC {a bad bout} a few years ago,,, when I talked to the vet,,,about how long after symptoms stop would it be before they could go back in the show ring,,,he told me 14 days of being cough free,,,,not sure that seven days really protects your clients, poss other vets would say diff, I would play them at there own game,,,saying fine sorry its not what you want,,,,should any dogs however become ill, you will point there owners in her direction, {that will put the wind up her,, } xx

You know Shona, I was quite tempted to do just that.

The 2 vets I spoke to said 3 days after antibiotic course and coughing has ended. Thats when it stops being contagious. Some dogs spring right back after a couple days but others take up to a month to recover.
I think its just like in people.

It just annoys me that they are acting all high and might (like I am at fault), when they are quite happy to infect loads of other dogs wthout a second thought, and try and make me feel guilty for protecting other dogs.

I am actually quite glad this has happened as they really were taking the piss out of the service I provided, and it saves me half an hour in traffic twice a week.

I think if someone does not listen to my opinion about their and my other dogs safety (dont have to take my advice, but at least listen), they are not right for me as a client and I will not be relaxed walking their dog.

I do hope their dog recovers soon and they find the right dog walker for them

sorry to hear you have gone through this hun, but i now how you feel only diffrent is i help at training classes andwe have had to ask upto 5 peolpe to leave as there dogs are showing the signs the said thig is we had already told them there was a an out brake and to keep an eye on there dogs have to say 3 of these was puppys frompup class an if they was not sure to see the vet as it can go to all dogs. we had a lady get really nasty and rude and the mouth well what can i say, she had the whole family with her and she was saying we just did not want to help with her dog and this was our way of getting her to go

The good thing that came out of it was the whole class told her to shut up as we was tryin to help her and2 of the class turned round and said you dont even listen to them any way as your dog not learnt any thing as you dont and is still as bad as day 1. so of course she did leave he OH took the dog to vet and he bad KC he said he was so sorry etc and that they want to do the class.

so the boss is dealing with this as all of us dont want her on our class after what she said and the otherstudents who have done great don't want her back either.

so yes you did the correct thing if they dont want to listen thats up to them but have others to think of hun so stick with it.

I think you did the right thing. I wouldn't want to hire someone to take care of my dogs only to find out that they allowed my dog to come in contact with infected dogs. I think that they were ungrateful people.

You definatly did the right thing. It shows you are a responcible/knowledgable dog person who cares for the animals in your care.

A lot of dog owners are inexperienced and do not know what Kennal cough is or how infectious it is.

One of my dogs is currently suffering and I informed all my dog clubs that I attend and other dog owners that I see regularly. My dogs were also due to go into kennels in a couple of weeks and spoke to the kennel owner to inform her that unfortunately will not be able to take up my reservation. I think she was a little surprised that I was upfront and surgested more dog owners should be more up front.

At the end of the day the welfare of all the other dogs out there is paramount after the welfare of your own.

Hi there

I absolutely think you did the right thing. I used to have a professional dog walking business and as part of my contract the owners had to sign that they woud make alternative arrangements for their dogs if they showed any signs of infection. This was due to the fact that I was walking many dogs and the germs dont just get passed by sneezing and coughing but can also be caught from clothes, the car etc.,

I think the owners were very insensitive to your situation and TBH were probably a bit hacked off that they couldnt get you to walk their dog. Puppies can get KC very badly and take a long time to get over it because their immune system is not fully developed.

Best to be rid of this client. You will find there are a lot more like that. However, the nice ones far outnumber the bad. I realise how you feel though. You want to do the best for your business but some people think of you as a slave to do their bidding.

I wish you every success in your venture. I wish all dog walkers were like you. I certainly wouldnt want my dog going out with somebody who accepts dogs with kennel cough.

Kind regards
Annie

Thanks so much guys.
I feel so much better now I know for sure I did the right thing.
I received a box of chocolates on Friday from a client whos dog also had kennel cough which I recognised in the puppy, and took straight to the vet. They just said how much they appreciated the care and concern for their dog, and how greatful they are that even though they were inconvenienced, they know I am putting all the dogs welfare before profits.

I think I may write some info on kennel cough for my clients as my vet does not have any leaflets. Anyone know of a good source online?

you sound more possitive about the situation now,,,well done,,,this thread has got me curious about the time diffrent people say the dog should be free from symptoms before allowing the dog to have contact with other dogs,,,im gona have a peek around the web,,,if I find a good site I will pm you x

Hi again

As far as I am aware when the dog is free of coughing it is fine as the germs are carried through coughing. I would play it safe though if I was dog walking still and make sure they had about 5 days cough free before taking them on again.

TBH kennel cough is just a common cold in a dog and its very very easy to spread. However, it can be dangerous in the very old and the very young or dogs that are generally poorly. I suppose just like it is with humans!!!!

I'm glad you feel more positive. I know what its like when somebody treats you badly. You do think its your fault. But, at the end of the day, its your business and you are the one who calls the shots. Its my experience that good dog walkers are hard to come by and people often realise just how good you are when they try to get somebody else.

I often see people walking 10 or more dogs and think that I would never let my dogs go with somebody who took that many. My Bracs would have a field day. You have to be on the ball with them or they are off hunting!

Kind regards
Annie