Frequently Asked Questions

Solo Dog Walking

  • I am living in Debenham, Suffolk on a Monday and Rayleigh, Essex Tuesday to Friday. This is due to family commitments.

    I spend my weekends between Debenham and Rayleigh.

  • Yes! I started ‘Welfare First Pet Care’ in July 2023 and rebranded to Higgs & Hound in March 2026.

    The reason was predominantly because I wanted to integrate more owner led services to my brand identity. I do hope you like the rebrand.

  • I absolutely welcome new enquires for walkies in Rayleigh however my books are pretty full at the moment. This may mean I put you on a waiting list for if and when slots become available.

    I do know other trusted walkers in the area I am more than happy to signpost you to if you are after slots that are not currently available.

  • I have been in Debenham, Suffolk on Mondays since January 2026 and I am so far loving the community spirit of the village.

  • The short answer; it depends.

    I am currently giving all clients that have at least one regular walk with me a two weeks to notify me of a cancellation. This ensures smooth business operation.

    In addition I give all regular clients six cancelations per year if having one walk per week.

    If any more cancelations are required in order to reserve your slot 50% of the walk price is required.

    Of course exceptional circumstances do happen and I will always be fair to you and myself.

  • Potentially yes. If two criteria are met;

    1. The dogs will benefit from being walked together.

    2. It is safe for me to walk multiple dogs on lead.

    Please note I do charge £5 per additional dog.

  • Invoices are emailed to clients at the end of the walking week, on a Friday, via my accounting software.

    On the invoice will be the services completed and the final price as well as my bank account details.

    Cash payments do incur an additional processing fee.

  • 30 mins- £17

    60 mins- £24

    Please note these times are not the length of the walk but the time I open the door to time I lock the door. This is to allow for time to put on your dogs harness and dry your dog at the end etc.

  • The short answer is it depends.

    Firstly I will only be walking puppies if they have had all their vaccinations and have been given the go ahead from the vet to start walkies.

    For owners who are out of the house for a large portion of the day I would highly recommend reaching out to house sitters/professionals who have large portions of daytime availability, so they can spend prolonged periods of time with your pup.

    The reason for this is I would like to support puppies with their toilet training and provide companionship. At the current time I do not have large gaps in my diary to provide this support.

    For owners who are in the home, I do stick to the 5 mins of exercise per month ‘guideline’. The reason for this is to help protect joints. 

    If you are at home and would like a welfare-led walkie for your puppy, from a dog trainer, please schedule a call with me.

  • I do not offer weekend services.

  • Overnight house sitting is not a service I offer.

Puppy Training

  • Because I just love working with young dogs. I enjoy teaching skills from the start.

  • Of course we can! I enjoy open conversation about training methods and personal ethics.

  • Training sessions will usually be scheduled to work around you in the weekday evenings.

    Alternatively if I have gaps during the day these slots can be offered for dog training too.

    I do occasionally offer weekend training sessions if that suits your schedule best.

  • Invoices are emailed to clients prior to any training session with payment expected before also.

    I take bank transfer only.

  • Some professionals split training and behaviour. However I believe they come hand in hand. Everything is behaviour.

    For instance, when teaching a puppy loose lead walking, I need to look at why the pulling is happening in the first place, pulling is a behaviour, and then work out a plan from there.

    However I do not work with dogs showing signs of certain behaviours such as separation related anxieties, dog to dog reactivity or aggression because I am not experienced enough for this.

    I have signed an ethical code of conduct and agreed to the sorts of cases I will and will not take on. This is good because I am held accountable and encouraged to do the right thing (which I would do regardless of being part of an organisation).

    Of course you can reach out to me if you have a dog experiencing behaviours that I do not work with. What I will do in this instance is signpost you to a behaviourist or a clinical animal behaviourist.

    One word of wisdom, the training and behaviour industry for dogs is unregulated and words such as ‘dog trainer’ or ‘dog behaviourist’ are not protected terms, and anyone can claim to be one.

    When searching for a professional to deal with behaviours such as separation related anxiety for instance, I highly recommend working with a professional that works alongside a vet. Working alongside a vet will give the behaviour professional more information to go on to help you and your pooch.

    I hope this helps answer this question. I am incredibly passionate about behaviour but know where my current skillset lies.

  • I charge £60 for an hour of my time for clients in Rayleigh and Debenham.

    Please message me if you live outside this location for a quote.