Dog walking: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering dog walking
Pet owners hire dog walkers for reliable exercise and a safe, steady routine. Your insurance, your pet first aid training and your walk reports are what win clients and keep them.
What customers ask
- Are you insured and bonded?
- How do you handle a dog that pulls or reacts to other dogs?
- What happens if my dog gets hurt during a walk?
- Do you send a report after each walk?
- Can you walk my dog in the heat?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask about the dog's age, size, temperament, health and walk needs, and the home access details.
- Do a meet-and-greet and a trial walk before the first booked visit, and explain what you observe.
- Show the client your walk report with a sample, and send a report after each walk.
- Explain your emergency plan in plain words, including who you call and the vet the client has listed.
- Put the walk length, the group size, the insurance status and any holiday schedule in the quote.
- Ask the client about heat, rain and other weather limits for walks, and write them into the plan.
What to put on your profile
- Photos of walks with dogs of different sizes, shown with the owner's permission
- A list of your walk types, such as solo walks, small group walks and midday visits
- Your pet first aid training and the date it was completed
- Your insurance status and the coverage you carry, described in plain words
- Your service area and the hours you walk
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a monthly walk plan for a dog that needs regular exercise
- Suggest a short training session for a dog that pulls on the leash
- Offer a holiday or travel walk plan for a client who is away often
Licenses and permits
A license is often not required for dog walking, but rules differ by state and city. Keep your business registration, any local business license your city requires, and a current insurance policy, and list your training and insurance on your profile.
Questions
Do I need a license to walk dogs for pay?
A license is often not required for dog walking, but rules differ by state and city. Check your local city or county rules for business licensing and keep your insurance current.
What do I do if a dog is injured on a walk?
Stop the walk, give basic first aid as your training taught you, and call the owner right away. Advise the owner to contact their veterinarian, and call a vet clinic or emergency care if the dog needs it.
Should I walk dogs in groups?
Only if you have the training, the space and the insurance to do it safely. Set a maximum number of dogs and match dogs that get along, and say so in your client terms.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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