First Dog Care Exchange Walk

This is the first Edinburgh Dog Care Exchange meetup: a relaxed walk for dog owners who would like to build a trusted local network of people who can occasionally help each other with dog care.

The idea is simple: many dog owners sometimes need help when travelling, working long hours, dealing with emergencies, or being away from home. At the same time, some of us are happy to look after another friendly dog occasionally. This meetup is a chance for people and dogs to get to know each other gradually, in a public and informal setting.

Please attend with your dog. The main purpose of the walk is to see which dogs get along well together, and to meet other owners who seem friendly, responsible, and compatible with the kind of dog care arrangement you might be comfortable with in the future.

For safety, all dogs should arrive on a lead. Once we are there, owners can judge whether it is appropriate and safe for their dog to be off lead, taking into account the dogs, the park, and other people around us.

There is no pressure to exchange contact details. In fact, the suggested approach is: do not ask others for their phone number or personal details. Instead, offer your own details to people you would be happy to hear from, and let them decide whether to contact you.

This is not a commercial dog-sitting service, and no dog care arrangement is being organised or guaranteed by the group or the host. Any future arrangements between members are private agreements between those individuals. Each participant remains fully responsible for themselves, their dog, and any decisions they make before, during, or after the meetup.

The aim is simply to start building trust, one walk at a time.