What Being A Dog Walker Means To Me

One of the things I value most about being a professional dog walker is building positive, trusting relationships with both dogs and their owners. Clear expectations help ensure that every dog in my care is safe, happy and well looked after. With this in mind, I wanted to explain a few of the things I require from my clients, what my responsibilities are, and where those responsibilities begin and end.

What I Require From Owners

For the safety and wellbeing of every dog in my care, I ask that:

• Your dog wears a collar with an ID tag. This is a legal requirement and helps to keep your dog safe. An identichip, although also a legal requirement, is not an alternative to an ID tag.
• Your dog has a suitable lead, harness or head collar that is sized and fitted correctly for them and in good working order – no frays, rips or broken clips or buckles.
• I am informed if a female dog is in season. In these circumstances, I reserve the right to provide garden visits instead of walks to ensure the safety and comfort of your dog. I will walk a dog in season if period pants are provided.

These requirements aren't about making life difficult; they're simply about ensuring that I can do my job safely and responsibly.

What Is Not My Responsibility

As a dog walker, there are certain things that fall outside the scope of the service I provide unless specifically agreed in advance.

These include:

• Providing collars, leads, harnesses, head collars, or identification tags.
• Regularly cleaning up dog waste in the home, including in the dog’s crate/cage.
• Feeding your dog or administering medications, unless this has been discussed and agreed upon at the outset of our arrangement.

Having clear boundaries helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures that both owners and dogs receive the best possible service.

What I Do as a Responsible Dog Walker

When a dog is in my care, I take my responsibilities very seriously. This includes:

• Checking that collars, leads, harnesses and other equipment appear fit for purpose and are fitted correctly.
• Prioritising your dog's health and safety at all times, particularly during periods of extreme weather, spring/summer or autumn/winter.
• Informing owners of any concerns or observations I have about their dog's health, behaviour, equipment or environment*.

*I am always happy to share my years of experience and offer advice, suggestions or recommendations if an owner asks for them. However, responsibility for a dog's welfare outside of my visits ultimately remains with the owner. If, as far as I know, this falls below my own ethical standards for a reasonable period of time, I will withdraw my services without notice**.

**I don't believe it's my place to dictate how someone cares for their dog. Every owner and every dog is different. I don't like confrontations and I'm not very good at dealing with them. My role is to make observations, raise concerns where appropriate, and offer gentle recommendations that may benefit the dog's wellbeing. If, in my opinion, my concerns are not addressed and the dog’s welfare causes me distress, I will have no alternative but to walk away from the situation for my own mental wellbeing. However, if I thought a dog’s situation was completely untenable, I would contact the RSPCA.

Why I Do This Job

At the end of the day, I became a dog walker because I genuinely love dogs.

I chose to be self-employed because I enjoy the freedom and flexibility it gives me, allowing me to organise my days in a way that works for both me and the dogs I care for. It also gives me the ability to carefully choose the clients and dogs that are the right fit for my business and my approach to dog care.

I believe that good dog walking is built on mutual respect, clear non-judgemental communication and a shared commitment to doing what's best for your dog. Sometimes things won’t work out, but by working together with owners who share similar values to mine, I will continue doing a job that I truly love.