How to Choose a Dog Walker: Questions to Ask Before You Hand Over a Key

A dog walker will have a key to your home and will be alone with your dog for an hour a day, several days a week. That is a significant amount of trust to hand over, and most owners do it after a single phone call. A short, structured process before you commit takes very little time and gives you a far better outcome.

Start With the Basics

• Insurance: public liability and care, custody and control cover. Ask to see the certificate, not just a claim that they have it.
• Licensing: many local councils require a licence for commercial dog walking or home boarding. Check what applies in your area.
• References: two current clients you can actually contact.
• First aid: canine first aid training is common among professionals and a reasonable expectation.

Questions to Ask

1. How many dogs do you walk at once, and how are groups matched?
2. Where do you walk, and are dogs let off lead? Under what conditions?
3. How are dogs transported, and how are they secured in the vehicle?
4. What happens if my dog is injured or unwell during a walk?
5. What is your policy if my dog does not get on with another dog in the group?
6. Do you send updates or photos after each walk?
7. What happens if you are ill — do you have cover?

The answers matter less than whether they have thought about the questions at all. A professional will have clear policies. Someone who has not considered what happens in an emergency is telling you something useful.

The Trial Walk

Always do a paid trial walk before committing to a regular slot — and ideally join the first one. Watch how they greet your dog, how they handle the lead, and whether your dog seems comfortable. Dogs are usually a better judge of this than we are.

What to Hand Over in Writing

• Whether your dog can be let off lead, and how reliable recall is
• Reactivity notes — other dogs, cyclists, children, livestock
• Harness or collar preference and how it fits
• Medical conditions and medication
• Your vet and out-of-hours emergency vet
• Authorisation to seek vet treatment if you cannot be reached
• Key handling and alarm instructions

Red Flags

• No written contract or terms
• Reluctance to show insurance documents
• Very large group walks with no explanation of how dogs are matched
• No plan for illness, injury or their own absence
• Pressure to hand over a key before a trial walk

Frequently Asked Questions

How many dogs should a walker take at once?

Many councils cap group sizes, commonly at four to six. What matters as much as the number is how the group is matched by size, age and play style.

Should I let my walker take my dog off lead?

Only if recall is genuinely reliable and you have agreed it in writing. If in doubt, on-lead walks with a long line are a reasonable middle ground.

What if my dog does not settle with the walker?

Give it two or three walks, then reassess. Persistent stress signals — refusing to go, coming home agitated — are worth taking seriously rather than pushing through.