Paseadores are "professional" dog walkers in Buenos Aires. We see them everyday, especially in the mornings in Belgrano and Palermo Chico. It is quite a site.
If the paseadore is walking a group of large dogs, it looks like he is being carried on their backs since he is completely surrounded and his legs are not visible. It always reminds me of stage divers being passed overhead by the crowd at a concert.
Paseadores walk to and from the parks where they tie their charges to a tree or fence or let them loose in enclosed dog runs. Sometimes the dogs are all one or similar breed(s), color, or the same size. I have seen groups of retrievers, labs, beagles/hounds, and Jack Russell terriers as well as groups of mostly white, brown, or blonde dogs.
Although they bark their head off in the park, the dogs seem happy and well behaved on the streets and sidewalks. They do not fight or attack each other.
The one thing that the dogs do do (pun intended) is their business anywhere. Paseadores do not clean up after them, which is completely disgusting. I have witnessed responsible individuals cleaning up after their own dogs.
Boy and Girl know to look for "land mines" as we walk around the city or try to find a place to picnic in the park. I spent the morning of my 40th birthday cleaning dog shit off of Girl's shoe -- it was a pretty shitty (again, pun intended) start to my fourth decade.
Having a breed appears to be a status symbol in Belgrano, Palermo, and Recoleta, as does having a dog walker. For some people it is a way to show their neighbors what they can afford.
I read somewhere that paseadores are supposed to have a license and not to walk more than 10 dogs at a time. I suppose their is a penalty for noncompliance, but I see guys with 15 or so dogs everyday.
I also read that paseadores are paid around $100 AR a month per dog. If they have enough dogs in their care, it can rival an Argentine teacher's salary.
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