Introducing the 'Top Dog', Geoff from FurKidz
Q&A With Geoff
Click here to visit the Furkidz web site
Name: Geoff Gower (FurKidz Top Dog)
Company Name: FurKidz Pampered Pet Care Services
Services Offered: Dog Minding (small and medium breeds minded in our own home), Pet Sitting (where we visit the pet in their home), Dog Walking, Pet Taxi, Dog Walking, Puppy Parties and coming soon: Grooming and Doggie Day Care. Almost anything that related to pampered pets!
Service Area: Inner West, Northern Suburbs (Ryde Eastwood, Gladesville etc)
If I could be any breed of dog, I would be (and why): It would have to be a Beagle, I would eat all day, sniff out food at 100 meters, sleep when I wasn’t eating, look very cute when there was any chance of getting some food and did I mention eat food at any opportunity?
My most memorable moment (or moments) of being a Pet Carer: There would be a couple, but I think the top of the list would be my little Muffy who I regularly walk. Her owner said to me that she never ‘poops’ on walks so there was no need to carry bags, but being a good responsible walker, I always do. Anyway on about walk number four Muffy ‘drops’ one and when I dropped her off to her owner and shared the news, you would have thought it was a puppy she ‘dropped’. Lots of celebrations and confirmation about how happy and comfortable Muffy must be to do a poo when I was walking her. So because, I can’t get an answer out of Muffy, I will take it as a compliment and will not think that Muffy just might be critiquing my walking style. Any way now she regularly poops on our walks, and thankfully I always carry bags. I may have created a pooping monster!!!
My not so memorable moment (or moments) of being a Pet Carer: Another walking moment but this would be when I was walking a pair of Griffons that were staying with us. While these guys were quite young (9 and 6 months) and small I was walking them just near my home and a large Ridgeback escaped from his back yard and decided he was being presented with ‘meals on leads’. I had to quickly pull the two Griffons up to me via their leads, and start to fend off this Ridgeback which I had to do with my feet and then eventually a spare hand. I got a hold of the collar of the Ridgeback and with two very scared Griffons under one arm and a very feisty Ridgeback on the other arm, I walked the Ridgeback to its front door and happily (using my foot) knocked on the door of the owner. While I am usually a very polite person, this time I told the owner exactly what I thought of his dog and where I might put it, if he ever attacked another one of my dogs. He was a very apologetic owner. I still see the dog on my local walks, but now I always ensure that he is behind his fence and I walk on the other side of the road. Thankfully, apart from being a little shell shocked, my customers were OK, and I had a very sore thumb for a while.
The biggest lesson I have learnt: See above, be prepared for any thing and any one
My approach to my business and clients: Coming from a sales back ground I am a big believer in ‘promise short – deliver long’. What I mean by that is going the extra yard. For example, I quite often SMS my clients just to let them know what is going on and how things are traveling . It costs me 12 cents but I know a little touch like this gives piece of mind to the owner (and repeat business for me).
How I begun in the Industry: I was looking for a place I could feel comfortable leaving my two FurKidz (Chester and Chelsie, my Beagles) when I was traveling. And I couldn’t find one. I discussed this with other friends and like us, could not feel comfortable with leaving their pampered pets in cages or with family who were not pet lovers. So who better too look after pampered pets than pampered pet owners. We know what a pampered pet owner wants and we are the best people to deliver such a service
What makes my service individual: We like to think that we sell ‘piece of mind’, so yes our customers book a service but what they get is piece of mind that a professional pet person will come when they are needed and look after / walk their pet while they are away. I think that my passion for my animals also comes through when I am at interview stage, so that my customers feel very comfortable with me, and the services I offer.
Quick Questions:
Is picking up dog poo really that bad? No, I see this is all part of the job as a responsible pet owner / professional. I do not love it, but then I do hate it when people don’t pick it up. It gives the rest of us a bad reputation.
Do you feel appreciated for your work?Yes, by my animal clients, the wags of tails, or purrs from cats makes it very worth while
It is really a ‘dogs life’? Yes I think it is a dogs life, I want to come back in my next life as a pampered pet.
Should dogs not be walked in a group or pack? I think it depends on what is best for the dogs, some can be awful walkers when they join a group, this upsets everyone else including the walker – financially it would be best to walk as a group, but best for the animal is to walk with like type pups, if only I could charge $60 per hour for an individual walk.
Should pets be sold in Pet Shops? This is a tricky one, Chester came from a Pet Shop and Chelsie came from a breeder, I wouldn’t change either of them. What I think is important is that Pet Shops have high ethical standards and follow guidelines set our by recommended professional bodies such as the PIAA (Pet Industry Association of Australia) The PIAA have approved members who follow a strict code of conduct and I would have no problems purchasing a puppy from one of their accredited retailers
Do you think Pure Breeds have more health problems that Cross Breeds? I do not think so, I really think it gets down to the animal, I have seen many poor examples of pure breads and maybe just as many from ‘multinationals’.
Do you care that your car is always filled with fur (and dog drool on the windows)? No I don’t, because again I see it as part of the job, what I hate is the smell of dog sick (travel sickness puppies).
Does the Pet Care Industry (in a whole) require more regulation? I am a big believer in self regulation, the only problem with this is that poor standard operators make it hard for the rest of us, it is always the bad news story you hear about, not the many great examples of pet care services we offer every day.
What do you think of the following statement: ‘Dogs have Masters, Cats have Slaves.’ Yes I certainly believe this
Has walking dogs made you fit? Yes Absolutely, and 9 kg's lighter
Do you believe in the use of check chains on dogs? I would prefer an owner to supply a Halti or Gentle leader for dogs that need direction, I use check chains in grooming but I would prefer to walk with out them unless the owner has always had them. At least we don’t call them choker chains any more.
Thanks Geoff!
Click here to meet Suzie from Pittwater Pet Minding Service
Click here to meet Helen from Belle's Pet Minding
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