How to choose a dog walker you can trust: 12 questions for the meet-and-greet

How do you choose a trustworthy dog walker?

Always meet first and ask concrete questions: who will walk your dog, with how many other dogs, are they insured and registered with the KvK, and how will your key be kept? A trustworthy walker answers directly and precisely, and asks at least as many questions about your dog as you ask about them.

At the meet-and-greet, also watch what happens. Does the walker give your dog time, or loom over them straight away? Do they ask about health, medication and how your dog reacts to other dogs? That is exactly what Dogs Trust puts at the top of its tips for dog walkers: meet the dog first and get their health history.

What questions should you ask a dog walker at the meet-and-greet?

These twelve questions cover what actually goes wrong in practice: who turns up, group size, insurance, your key and off-leash time. Each one comes with what a good answer sounds like. Vague, evasive or 'we'll see' is an answer too.

1. 1Who will walk my dog, and is it the same person every time? A good answer is a name, not 'someone from our team'.
2. 2How many dogs do you walk at once, and how do you put a group together? The UK Professional Dog Walkers' Guidelines recommend no more than four dogs at a time, and no more than two off-lead. The group should suit the dog, not the schedule.
3. 3How long is the walk itself? Ask whether driving time counts, so you know how many minutes your dog actually spends walking.
4. 4Can we meet first, and what does that cost? A walker happy to take your dog without meeting them first is skipping a step.
5. 5Are you insured, and does it cover my dog while they're with you? Ask about business liability insurance and what it covers.
6. 6What's your KvK number? A registered business can be found in the Dutch business register (Handelsregister).
7. 7How long have you worked with dogs? Ask about dogs like yours: puppies, seniors, nervous dogs.
8. 8How will you keep my key? A good answer: no address tag, used only for your dog, and returned as soon as you stop.
9. 9When does my dog go off-leash? The right answer starts with 'we ask you first'. Dogs Trust tells walkers to always ask the owner, and only let dogs off-lead if they reliably come back.
10. 10How will I hear how the walk went? Photos and a short update show your dog really was out, and how it went.
11. 11What does it cost, what's included, and do I need a plan? Also ask about pick-up and cancellations.
12. 12Which days and hours do you work, and do you cover my area? Then you know whether the walker's rhythm fits yours.

Want more on the key question? Giving a dog walker your house key compares the options, with advice from the Dutch police.

How do we answer those twelve questions?

A list of questions is only fair if you answer it yourself. So here are ours, straight. Everything in this table you can ask us again at the meet-and-greet.

Not sure whether your dog should walk alone or in a group? Private vs group dog walks sets out which dogs suit which.

What are the red flags when hiring a dog walker?

The biggest red flags: no meet-and-greet, no clear answer on who will turn up, no insurance, large groups off-leash, and equipment that hurts. If you spot one, ask more. If you spot several, keep looking.

• No meet-and-greet. 'I'll just pick him up on Monday' means the walker meets your dog for the first time when you're not there.
• Unclear who turns up. Changing faces are hard on nervous dogs, and leave you unsure who has your key.
• No insurance, or a vague answer. The Professional Dog Walkers' Guidelines treat third-party liability insurance as the baseline, ideally with cover for the dog in the walker's care.
• Big groups, lots of dogs off-leash. The same guidelines recommend no more than four dogs and no more than two off-lead; in several Wassenaar off-leash areas, four off-leash dogs per person is the limit.
• Choke chains or other equipment that hurts. Dogs Trust advises against any equipment that could cause discomfort, pain or distress, such as choke collars.
• Letting your dog off-leash without asking. Off-leash time is your decision, and only sensible with reliable recall.
• No questions about your dog. A walker who doesn't ask about health, medication, allergies or vaccinations doesn't know what to watch for.
• An address tag on your key, or reluctance to return it when you stop.
• No KvK number and no invoice. Then there's no one to fall back on if something goes wrong.
• Your dog stays tense around the walker, even after a few visits. Trust what your dog is telling you.

Who is liable if something goes wrong during a walk?

In the Netherlands, the keeper of an animal is liable for damage the animal causes, even if they did nothing wrong (Article 6:179 of the Dutch Civil Code). When an animal is used in running a business, Article 6:181 places that liability on whoever runs the business. Whether that applies to a dog walking service has not been clearly settled.

Legal commentators call it an open question; in 2022 the Arnhem-Leeuwarden court of appeal did apply Article 6:181 to a clinic examining a horse. For you as an owner, the practical lesson is simple: make sure both sides are insured.

We carry business liability insurance with Centraal Beheer, including the dogs in our care, for both walking and boarding.

What should you tell a new dog walker before the first walk?

Give your walker everything they need if they can't reach you: your vet, medication and allergies, how your dog reacts to other dogs, and whether they may go off-leash. Also agree in writing what the walker may do if your dog becomes ill or injured on a walk and you don't pick up.

• Your vet: name, address and phone number.
• Health: medication, allergies, injuries, and anything to watch for.
• Behaviour: how your dog reacts to other dogs, cyclists and children, and which cues they know.
• Off-leash: allowed or not, and where not.
• Treats: may the walker reward with food, and if so, what?
• Emergencies: a second contact, and in writing what the walker may decide if they can't reach you. The Professional Dog Walkers' Guidelines recommend agreeing this in advance.

A walker who asks for all this without prompting has already shown they know what they're doing. Want to know what walks cost around here first? Read How much does a dog walker cost? or see our group walks.

Frequently asked questions about choosing a dog walker