In these days of techie tracking devices on our phones watches etc…. I tend to think in terms of steps/miles when walking dogs rather than time in minutes, especially when walking Border Collies/crosses etc as my 10 miles/15,000 steps equals maybe 30 miles for them running circles….and yes many dogs need lots of mental stimulation rather than the exercise per se.
Thoughts?
The devices that I’ve used to measure and record steps have been unreliable and tend to over estimate the distance. I know now through using hiking apps and maps that 1400 steps on level(ish) ground is about 1 kilometer. Ten miles for me would be about 22400 steps. I’m 1.88 metres tall and my stride length is slightly greater than average. So, having said all that for me time spent walking a dog is preferable than distance. I might make adjustments for those dogs for whom a walk is more of a sniffari than others, stopping every few metres to check weemail and leave their own.
Not wanting this thread to be a debate on miles= steps though… btw I’m 5ft 3” and it was a rough guess metric to get the discussion going.
I often see dog walkers sitting on Park benches with x4 dogs, they’re ‘out’ for an hour but barely walk a half mile from/to the dog walking van. My point is it’s the experience for the dog, especially if the dog walker is on their phone the whole time and there is minimal interaction or play…so when I see 60 mins walk for a dog I interpret this with broad parameters depending on breed/age/experience/route/character and the video chat and/or handover with HOs. Dogs requiring 2 hour walks, I have a detailed discussion with HOs about what this actually means, sometimes it includes a cafe stop in the middle! So 120 minutes is not always what it seems…
It’s great you put so much thought into this. Honestly that’s not normal nor do I expect it. I say 60 minutes walking per day (all at once or twice) with time to let her sniff and read the neighborhood ‘pee mail’. I specify no dog parks and expect that adhered to. But otherwise, for 2-3 weeks we’re away, my dog is good with that, doesn’t need to be any more or less.
I would say that it’s pretty normal for sitters to put a lot of thought into the quality of the dog walking experience from their side of things, as it’s not a paid service so needs to meet sitters’ needs too. I research in detail what the dog walking will involve as it’s not something I want to commit to if it’s going to be an unpleasant daily occurrence.
Does your dog have to remain leashed while walking? I know some countries and cities where that is the case. A one hour city walk on a leash might be equivalent to 30 minutes off leash in a wood. I share with HOs a record of walks from an app I use. They can see the time of day, the route, the duration and more. That is if the HO is interested in seeing where and when their dogs have been walked. Sometimes they aren’t, but that’s rare.
I use ‘relive’ as my walking/tracking app (it includes photos integrated into the route) and I often will send route images of longer more interesting walks to HOs. This one was 3 hours plus, and great fun with a very fit dog. There was a cafe stop partway….only 6.2 miles total but lots of elevations.
We’ve had experience of hosts that both underestimate and others that over estimate how much exercise the dog needs / enjoys .
For example when we did a repeat sit for an elderly dog we were told he can only do short walks now - well when we took him out he was bounding around like a spring lamb which was both unexpected and lovely to see.
Another listing described how they enjoyed long walks with their dog . This is exactly what we enjoy doing when on a sit and the location was especially suited to that . However we found that the dog tired after 20 mins or so and couldn’t keep up so we did much shorter walks with her after that - which did mean we had to adapt our plans which originally were to take the dog out for long hikes with us during our stay .
Turns out that the long walks that the hosts usually did on a weekend included several pub stops along the way !
Yes, on leash, our ‘woods’ have rattlesnakes, coyotes, mountain lions, and bears.
Honestly really we just like our dog exercised as we specify, no more, no less. Of course everyone is welcome to walk/hike more if they want to for themselves.
Likewise have had hosts over estimate, as well as walk their dog too little, given age, health and appetite for walking. Nothing extreme, and I have adapted as needed for the dogs’ sakes.
If the hosts say it’s OK, I love taking dogs on adventures. That’s included extensive city walks, ride shares to various sights, tour buses, ferries and other boats, even a Ferris wheel.
Dogs can vary a lot, of course. Our own dog is now middle aged and how much he enjoys walking depends on weather, mood and such. Like he loves new experiences, so happily walks a lot whenever we road trip or otherwise take him to new places.
Our dog is bored by routines, maybe because he was rescued as a stray.
At home, he sometimes refuses walks or suddenly stops and decides no more, so my husband will carry him home or otherwise adapt. He’s a spoiled dog — my husband and I telecommuted or then retired during our dog’s entire life with us, so he gets opportunities for three daily walks, including visiting various parks, neighborhoods and such at least a few times a week.
It’s funny, because he has no interest in deer, ducks, geese or other birds in our neighborhood (or when we road trip — like we saw deer two days ago at a national park), but he’s triggered by squirrels. And we have rabbits living on our property at times (we’re next to woods and across from a lake that attract wildlife), so we keep him on leash in case he decides to chase them. If he’s triggered, he’s suddenly not middle-aged sedate. 
My sit dogs often are triggered by squirrels, too. Sometimes birds.
We have coyotes in our area, so we never leave our dog alone.
I just follow the owners’ indications whenever possible. Usually the reference is the time but sometimes they show me the walk they usually do. So it’s a combination of time and distance. Occasionally, there’s a dog that wants to return early, for whatever reason. If after trying to persuade him or trick him into continuing, he still insists on going back I just let him get his way and try again later or exercise him in the property.
I don’t use a device to count steps.
Yep @Silversitters, we find this surprisingly common - both ways. We guess reasons vary significantly - from stating pet exercise in past peak years; to ‘want dog to get a holiday too’ mindset; to perhaps spouse wanting partner to think that they walk dog longer than reality 
On other threads, we’ve commented about an unavoidable consequence - net calorie deficit - hungry dog. Suspect pet parents don’t even think of this when misstate exercise.
When we started housesitting, we followed pet parent instructions exactly. Now we combine pet parent instructions; our own experience; and evolving observations. In video calls, and likely in-person, we also ask both about walk duration and walk distance - helps give perspective and spot aspirational claims.
I use the latest Tractive GPS AI based Dog Tracker on my dog, and it provides extremely detailed data.
It shows my dog’s live location at all times, even pinpointing where he is inside my home.
The app tracks the distance he has walked and keeps a history of everywhere he has been.
I get instant notifications whenever he leaves my house or returns home.
The device can also detect when he’s traveling in a vehicle and shows how fast the vehicle is moving in MPH. I tested this myself and found it to be very accurate.
It monitors heart rate, respiratory rate, barking activity, anxiety levels, and sleep. This data from Tractive is accurate according to my vet who also tested it.
There’s also a flashlight on the device that can be turned on or off through the app.
Audio controls that can also be toggled remotely.
I LOVE this device as it tells me everything happening. I think every dog owner should have one.
I enjoy lots of walks and with dogs I usually share with the Home Owner photos of the event and steps taken. Of course often a dog is off lead and does more.
If I come back more tired out than the dog I feel I’ve failed!
My last sit was two indoor cats so nothing to report! Here I’m with a lovely young lab - not a year yet. As she’s on heat she’s on an Extendable lead but basically does my total.
Like others have mentioned I want the Home Owner to know I’m out with the dog a good deal.
I know we are trusted but some indisputable evidence shows I take my responsibilities seriously.
I’m proud of what I do. It’s a great deal for the Home Owners in exchange for what they provide for me. Win win.
Some trackers show route and time so the owners know I’m putting in the effort at the best time for the dog. French Bulldogs can overheat quite easily and so early walks in the cool are the best approach.
I’m disappointed if we don’t get a lot of mileage done as that’s a payback for me as well as the dog in health terms.