What is a dog walking services agreement?
A dog walker holds a client's keys and their dog's safety at the same time. A dog walking agreement sets the ground rules for both: how and when the walker gets in, how long walks last, whether the dog walks alone or in a group, whether it ever goes off the lead, and how far the walker may go in authorising vet treatment when the owner can't be reached.
This template records each dog with its microchip and tag, its vet, and the health and behaviour history the owner has disclosed, including any bite or escape. It sets the schedule, walk length, solo or group walks with a maximum group size, the lead rule, the after-walk message, and weather changes. It covers keys or lockbox codes and how they are kept, contacting the owner and a backup, an emergency vet spending limit with decisions beyond it left to the owner, and what to do if the dog is lost. It also sets the price per walk, extra dogs, billing, cancellation notice, the walker's responsibility and insurance, and photos only with permission.
- Best for
- Independent dog walkers and dog walking companies
- Signed by
- The walker and the dog's owner
- Emergencies
- Vet authority up to a limit the owner sets
- Length
- About 2 pages, initialled on every page
When to use a dog walking services agreement
- Weekday lunchtime walks for a dog whose owners work in an office
- Small group walks for a sociable young labrador
- Solo walks for a reactive or elderly dog
- Walking two dogs from the same home at a discounted second-dog rate
- Short-term cover while an owner recovers from surgery
What you fill in
22 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: dog walker, owner.
1 The parties
- Walker (name or business)*
- Your phone*
- Owner's full name*
- Owner phone*
- Backup contact if the Owner can't be reached (optional)
- Pick-up address*
2 The dog
- Dog(s)*
- Health, behaviour and habits
- Dog's vet (practice and phone)*
3 The walks
- Walk schedule*
- Walk length* about 30 minutes · about 45 minutes · about 60 minutes · about 90 minutes
- Solo or group* on its own (solo walks) · in a small group
- Most dogs in a group
- Off-lead* The dog stays on the lead at all times · The dog may go off the lead in safe, enclosed areas where it is allowed
4 Access and fees
- How the Walker gets in* with a key the Owner gives the Walker · with a lockbox or door code the Owner shares privately · the Owner or someone else hands over the dog
- Currency*
- Price per walk*
- Each extra dog from the same home (optional)
- Billing* weekly in advance · monthly in advance · weekly in arrears · monthly in arrears
- Emergency vet spend allowed without reaching the Owner*
- Notice to cancel a walk (hours)*
- Governing law*
5 Who signs
- Dog walker signature and date, initials on every page · The dog walker or dog walking business.
- Owner signature and date, initials on every page · The dog's owner.
What the dog walking services agreement covers
- The dog
- The walks
- Keys and the home
- Emergencies and the vet
- Fees and cancelling walks
- Responsibility
- General
Using the dog walking services agreement, step by step
1 Enter the owner and dog
Add the owner's phone and an optional backup contact, the pick-up address, each dog's details and microchip, its vet, and any health or behaviour notes.
2 Describe the walks
Enter the schedule, choose the walk length, solo or group walks and the largest group, and whether the dog may go off the lead in safe areas.
3 Access and emergencies
Choose how you get in, and set the most you may approve at the vet without reaching the owner.
4 Fees and send
Enter the price per walk, any extra-dog price, billing and cancellation notice, then send it to the owner.
Tips before you send it
- Meet the dog with the owner before the first walk and test the key or lockbox code while they are there.
- Some parks and councils limit how many dogs one person may walk at a time, or where dogs may be off the lead. Check before you set group sizes.
- Ask the owner to tell their vet that you may bring the dog in. It makes an emergency visit much smoother.
- Never write the client's address on their key tag. The template commits you to keeping keys unlabelled and secure.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Dog walking services agreement: frequently asked questions
Can the walker take the dog to the vet?
Yes, if it's injured or ill during a walk and nobody can be reached. The walker may take it to the dog's own vet or the nearest one and approve treatment up to the limit the owner sets. Bigger decisions stay with the owner, except where a vet advises urgent action to end severe suffering and no one can be reached.
Will my dog be walked with other dogs?
Only if you choose group walks. Groups are capped at the size you set, dogs are grouped by temperament, and a dog that doesn't settle can move to solo walks at the solo price.
What if the walker can't make a walk?
The walker tells the owner as early as possible and either arranges a replacement walker the owner has agreed to, or doesn't charge for that walk.
What if my dog gets loose?
The walker searches immediately, tells the owner at once, and works with them to contact shelters, vets and the microchip database.
Can I sign the dog walking agreement online?
Yes. The owner signs from the email link without a FileIt account. E-signatures are generally valid for a services agreement like this in the US, UK, EU and Canada, and FileIt keeps an audit trail with the signed PDF.