What to include in your dog walking terms and conditions

Having clear terms and conditions (T&Cs) is one of the easiest ways to make your dog walking business look more professional, avoid misunderstandings, and protect yourself if something goes wrong.

They're also a great way to set expectations before the first walk. Your T&Cs can explain what services you offer, how bookings work, what happens if someone cancels, and what you'll do in an emergency.

If you're wondering why agreements like these matter in the first place, take a look at Why do I need a contract for my pet business?

Terms and conditions vs a contract: is there a difference?

In reality, most dog walkers use terms like "terms and conditions", "contract", "service agreement", and "client agreement" to mean pretty much the same thing: a written agreement that clients accept before you start providing your services.

For most dog walking businesses, your T&Cs are where you:

• Describe the services you provide and how much they cost
• Explain your payment and cancellation policies
• Set out your safety rules, including lead and group walk policies
• Get permission to act in an emergency
• Clarify what's your responsibility and what's the owner's

Before you start writing your T&Cs

Before you put anything on paper, think about exactly what your business offers. The clearer your services are, the easier it will be to write terms that clients understand.

Ask yourself:

• Do you offer solo walks, group walks, or both?
• Are dogs ever allowed off lead? If so, when?
• Do you provide pick-up and drop-off by vehicle?
• Do you offer extras like feeding, medication, puppy visits, pet taxi services, or basic training?
• What's the maximum number of dogs you'll handle at one time?

If you're also checking whether your business needs a licence or has to follow local rules, you might find Do I need to be licenced for my pet business? helpful.

What should you include in your dog walking terms and conditions?

Your T&Cs don't need to be full of legal jargon or dozens of pages long. They just need to clearly explain how your business operates.

Here are the key sections worth including.

Business and client details

Include your business name and contact information, along with your client's details and an emergency contact person who can make decisions if the owner can't be reached.

Your services

Be clear about what clients are paying for, including:

• Walk length (for example, 30 or 60 minutes)
• How often walks take place
• Pick-up and drop-off arrangements
• Where dogs will be walked
• Whether walks are solo or in groups

The more specific you are, the less room there is for misunderstandings.

Trial walks or assessments

Many dog walkers like to carry out an initial assessment before accepting a new client. This gives you a chance to see whether the dog is suitable for your service and allows you to decline bookings if safety is a concern.

Booking process

Explain how clients book with you, how much notice you need, how bookings are confirmed, and what happens if plans change at short notice.

Fees and payment

Set out your pricing and payment expectations clearly, including:

• Your rates
• How invoices are sent
• Accepted payment methods
• When payment is due
• What happens if payment is late

Clear payment terms can prevent awkward conversations later.

Cancellations and refunds

Let clients know:

• How much notice they need to give
• Whether late cancellations or no-shows are charged
• Whether refunds or credits are available
• What happens if you have to cancel a walk

Owner responsibilities

It's worth stating that owners are responsible for making sure their dog is healthy enough to exercise, isn't known to be dangerous, and meets any vaccination or parasite prevention requirements you have.

Health requirements

If you run group walks, consider requiring owners to keep their dogs up to date with flea, tick, and worm prevention and to tell you about any contagious illnesses.

Identification and equipment

Explain your expectations for collars, harnesses, leads, ID tags, and microchips so everyone knows what's required before a walk begins.

Lead and off-lead policies

Spell out when dogs must stay on lead, when off-lead walking may be allowed, and make it clear that even with owner permission, you can decide to keep a dog on lead if conditions aren't suitable.

If you offer group walks, explain how dogs are matched and what standards they need to meet.

Behaviour and safety

Your T&Cs should make it clear that you can refuse or suspend services if a dog's behaviour puts people or other animals at risk. You may also want to explain how incidents will be handled.

Access to the client's home

If you collect dogs from their homes, explain how keys are stored, labelled, and returned, along with any alarm procedures and your lock-up process.

Emergency veterinary treatment

Include permission to seek emergency veterinary care if needed, transport the dog to a vet, and contact the owner's preferred practice. It's also sensible to explain that veterinary costs remain the owner's responsibility unless agreed otherwise.

Photos and social media

If you like sharing photos of dogs on social media, let clients know and give them the option to opt in or opt out.

Data protection

A short statement explaining that you process personal information and have a privacy policy helps demonstrate that you take data protection seriously.

Insurance

Mention that you hold appropriate business insurance and explain, in simple terms, what it's there for.

Limitation of liability

It's helpful to explain what you're responsible for and what falls outside your control. Because this wording can have legal implications, it's worth getting professional advice.

Bad weather and unexpected events

Explain that you may shorten, change, or cancel walks during extreme weather or unsafe conditions and let clients know whether charges still apply.

Ending the agreement

Set out how either party can end the arrangement, how much notice is required, and the circumstances where services may be ended immediately.

Complaints

Tell clients how they can raise concerns and what they can expect from your complaints process.

Example cancellation wording

You could include something like:

Cancellations within 24 hours of the scheduled walk are charged at 100% of the booking fee. Cancellations made within 48 hours are charged at 50%. Clients on recurring weekly bookings may pause services by giving seven days' notice.

If you accept bookings online or over the phone, it's also worth checking whether consumer cancellation rights apply. If you're unsure, legal advice is recommended.

Supporting forms that make your T&Cs work

Your terms and conditions set the rules, but you'll usually need supporting forms to collect important information from clients.

These might include:

• A client and dog information form
• A veterinary authorisation form
• An off-lead consent form
• A group walk consent form
• A key handling record

Together, these documents make it much easier to deliver your service safely and consistently.

Common mistakes to avoid

Some of the biggest mistakes dog walkers make include:

• Writing terms that are too vague
• Automatically allowing off-lead walks without clear consent
• Not having emergency veterinary authorisation in place
• Leaving payment or cancellation policies open to interpretation
• Forgetting about data protection when storing client details, addresses, and keys

Where insurance fits in

Your terms and conditions explain how your business operates, but they won't pay legal costs or compensation if a serious incident happens.

If you want to help clients understand the role insurance plays, you can also point them towards information about professional dog walking insurance or wider pet business insurance.

Quick checklist

Before publishing your T&Cs, make sure you've covered:

• Your services and what's included
• Fees and payment terms
• Cancellations and refunds
• Lead, off-lead, and group walk policies
• Health and parasite requirements
• Identification and equipment expectations
• Home access and key handling
• Emergency veterinary authorisation
• Privacy and photo consent
• Your insurance statement

Note

This article is intended as general information only and isn't legal advice. If you need terms and conditions tailored to your specific business and circumstances, consider speaking to a qualified legal professional.

Find out about our pet insurance