Choosing a dog walker is a big decision. You are trusting someone to care for your dog when you are not around. A dog walker will also need a key to your house so you are giving them access to your home when you are not available. Here are some things to ensure you pick the best dog walker for your situation.

First I would check a dog walkers reviews. They should have reviews from previous clients which will give you a good idea of how they are with animals. It can also be helpful to see if they are responsible. After all they will be coming to your home and you won't be around to be sure whether they showed up or not. If they don't show up your dog could go hungry, thirsty, or destroy your house if left alone too long.

Another thing is to make sure when choosing a dog walker is that your dog walker has insurance. This helps to verify that they are serious about their job. If something should go wrong like your dog bites someone when they are walking the dog you want to make sure your dog walker is covered.

A dog walker should ask for vet information incase of an emergency. Unfortuantely emergencies happen and if they come to check on your dog and find them vomiting or very ill you want to make sure your dog walker can take them to the vet. This is especailly important if you are going away on a trip to ensure your pets safety.

Choosing a dog walker should involve the potential dog walker coming to your house before you need them. This is for an initial consultation which can ensure many things. You want to make sure first that your dog is ok with the dog walker. If your dog is not ok with the dog walker you need a different dog walker. A good dog walker is going to want to know where to find everything they may need for your dog. This includes but is not limited to leashes, water (bottled or tap), cleaning supplies, collars, toys, etc.

You will also need to provide a house key to your dog walker so they can get in the house when you are not there. Some walkers require 2 keys or may make a copy of a key. This is because sometimes things happen, keys break, or they may not work for whatever reason on a door and your dog walker wants to ensure that they can access your house. It would be horrible if the key broke in your door lock and no one could get into your house and you were gone for a week.