Whether you are juggling a busy work schedule or simply want your furry friend to enjoy more outdoor time, hiring a dog walker can be a game-changer. But entrusting someone with your beloved pet isn’t a decision to take lightly. Here is how to find a dog walker who is not just reliable, but a perfect match for your pup!
Figure out what you’re looking for
Before you start searching you will need to know what you need from your dog walker:
- Frequency and timings: how often will you want them to come, and will it be at certain times of day?
- Duration: do you just want a quick pop in for a toilet break and maybe some food, or an hour’s walk, or a day’s adventure?
- Special requirements: Does your dog need to be given medications, require solo walks or have any behavioural needs?
Understanding your needs helps narrow down which dog walker will be the correct fit for you and your pup.
Ask for recommendations
The next step is to ask for recommendations, so ask your friends and neighbours as well as other avenues. Posting on Facebook or pet parent forums can also help, just be careful to vet the recommendations fully before entrusting your pet to them. You can do this by checking reviews and references before contacting them. Don’t just rely on one review, make sure you ask for a few references to check things like:
- Reliability and punctuality
- Responsiveness
- Positive interactions with dogs and owners alike
Meet the dog walker
It is really important to interview/meet your potential dog walkers, so you can meet them and they can also meet your dog. When you meet them, you want to make sure you ask them the right questions, such as the following:
- How long have you been dog walking, and are you able to provide any references?
- Have you had experience with dogs that are like mine?
- Are you insured? If so, how many dogs are you insured to walk at one time.
- In general, how many dogs do you walk at once, or do you provide 1:1 care for each pup?
- What is your protocol for an emergency?
- If my pet needs veterinary care, will you be able to take them to my vet, or do you have your own you use in these circumstances? If you use your own vet, which practice do you take them to?
- Do you have any pet first aid training? Could you please provide me with a copy of your certification?
- Do you have a vehicle they will be transported in? If so, please can I see the vehicle? (this is a good chance to check it’s clean, secure, well-ventilated, has air conditioning and whether each dog has a separate section and can be properly secured during travel).
- Do you walk dogs off their lead? If so, is this in a secure field or in a public area?
- Do you have a contract for me to look through and sign?
- What contingencies have you got in place if you cannot attend the walk?
- What is your policy for providing the services I want in extreme weather conditions, for example if it is extremely hot or extremely cold.
- Do you have any technology such as an app which logs the walk you take my dog on?
- What insurances do you hold? Can I please see a copy of the policy documents? We have a broad overview of some insurances they may hold below, but it is worth conducting your own research into this.
There are many more questions you can ask, the above is just a jumping off point, but it is important to make sure you both are open and honest to make sure the dog walker is the best fit for you and your pup.
We would recommend arranging more than one meeting with your dog walker. One of these meetings could be a meet and greet with your pet, then the next could be a trial walk together. It is important for your dog walker to get to know your pet and the best way to do that is to see how you walk your pet and understand your needs and expectations.
Check they are insured to a level you are comfortable with (and that you understand what might not be covered)
Dog walkers are not legally required to hold any type of insurance (unless they employ staff, in which case employer’s liability insurance is necessary but provides no protection for your dog while under their care). This means that what insurance they hold can vary significantly from dog walker to dog walker. Please note that the below is not legal advice, but rather a jumping off point for further research as insurance for dog walkers is often a confusing topic and the lack of regulation makes this harder to navigate.
The insurances we recommend making sure they hold are:
- Public liability /third party liability insurance: this covers situations where a dog in their care causes injury to a member of the public or damages property, for example running in the road and causing an accident. Although these situations are unlikely to arise, professional dog walkers should carry public liability insurance. This is unlikely to affect you as a pet owner, as your dog is under the care and control of the dog walker, but it is a basic level of insurance we would expect the dog walker to have.
- Professional indemnity insurance: this covers the dog walker in the event you need to claim against them for loss or damage due to negligent advice or services. If they do not hold this type of insurance, even if your claim has merit, it can be very difficult to receive any monies owed as a result.
- Care, custody and control of animals: this covers situations like accidental injury to your pet or loss due to theft or straying while under the dog walker’s care, and is sometimes called ‘non-negligent’ cover. This can cover veterinary fees, advertising and reward money, etc., although it will vary depending on the terms of their policy. This is important for you as a pet owner because if an accident were to happen to your pet and negligence was not involved, you are more likely to be able to recoup some of these resulting costs if your dog walker holds this type of insurance, otherwise, in most cases, you will need to cover it yourself, whether that is paying it out of pocket or claiming on your pet insurance.
There are many other options for additional cover which we would recommend any dog walker investigate before launching their business as it will offer them additional protections and cover should anything happen.
Choosing a dog walker is about more than convenience, it’s about finding someone who treats your dog like family, and you trust completely. Take your time, do your homework, and don’t settle until you find the right match. Your pup deserves it – and so do you.
Call us on 01435 864422 if you have any questions about choosing a dog walker.
