14/02/2026
What does a dog walker actually do?
They just walk dogs. Easy peasy. Actually no, they do a lot more than that.
Walking the dogs is the main part of the job, yes. But it’s not just walking. Every walk is planned taking into account the personalities, likes and wellbeing of the dog or dogs going on the walk. We play games, provide enrichment, build relationships and make the walks as fun as possible while also being as safe as possible.
Safety is a huge part of the job too. Risk is assessed constantly, considering weather conditions, the dog’s wellbeing and fitness level, other dogs and members of the public we encounter on walks, traffic, roads to cross, litter and fly tipping, the equipment we use, the locations we go to, and the routes we take. Many other things too.
We’re also administrators. We charge you for the time spent with the dogs but need to charge enough to cover the many hours we spend every week on admin, record keeping, contact with clients, invoices, managing data, collecting data from potential new clients, supporting clients who need it, and sending feedback to clients when needed. That’s before I even start on all this social media stuff, which unfortunately is essential for small businesses now.
We have to think about waste disposal on a higher level from the average dog owner. Sometimes we’ve picked up more poo than we can comfortably carry, but carry it we must until we come to a suitable place to dispose of it. Cleanliness and preventing the spread of disease is important us.
We’re first aiders! We regularly attend Canine First Aid courses and make sure we keep that knowledge fresh in our minds so we’re confident in our ability to use it in an emergency. We also plan for emergency situations, and know what to do in those situations even if we’re deep in the forestry. We also have to make sure our first aid kit is well equipped, topped up regularly and accessible when we need it.
We have to consider our own safety constantly. Especially those of us who work alone, and particularly those of us who happen to also be women unfortunately.
We’re carers too. We don’t just walk your dogs, we look after them. We monitor them for behaviour changes or changes in their wellness and physical fitness and make sure we inform you of any changes. We fill up water bowls, clean paws, provide reassurance to nervous dogs, and protect your dogs from injury.
We keep your homes safe. You give us the keys to your house, and we look after those and make sure your home is secure when we come and go.
We know the government regulations that apply to dogs and we keep our knowledge and understanding up to date when changes happen. We’re well versed in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and the Control of Dogs Order 1992 along with many others!
CPD (continued professional development) is important to us. You’ll often find us spending our weekends attending courses on canine body language or puppy socialisation or learning theory or canine anxiety or many other things.
We have to have good communication skills, not just to build relationships with clients but to talk to members of the public too. Dog walkers often get talked about negatively online and in the press, but most of us are actually doing an awesome job and we want to get that across to the people we meet so that they talk positively about us. We sometimes have to avoid conflict with members of the public, usually the ones with off lead dogs they’ve got no control of, and we need to be able to handle that in a responsible way.
On top of all of that, we’re available when you need us. Often responding to your messages in the middle of the supermarket or on the school run or when we’re spending time with our families and friends.
Being self employed and a sole trader means it’s just us. Doing everything that has to happen in every type of business.
