22 June 2026 · 5 min read
How to Choose a Dog Walker in St Albans: 7 Things to Check
Insurance, DBS, group sizes, meet & greets — the seven non-negotiables every St Albans dog owner should check before handing over the lead.
Hiring someone to walk your dog is a bigger trust decision than most owners realise. Your walker has your house keys, your dog's safety in their hands, and a window into your home. Here's the checklist we wish every St Albans dog owner used.
1) Public liability insurance. Ask to see the certificate. £1m minimum, £2m preferred. No insurance, no walk — full stop.
2) Enhanced DBS check. Anyone holding your keys should have one. We renew ours every three years and will show it on request.
3) Maximum group size. UK best practice is 4 dogs per walker. Anything bigger and individual attention disappears the moment a squirrel runs past.
4) Meet & greet on neutral ground. A good walker insists on this. They're assessing your dog's behaviour as much as you're assessing them.
5) Pet first-aid training. Cuts, heat stroke and grass-seed accidents happen on every regular round. Ask when their certificate was last renewed.
6) GPS-tracked or photo-confirmed walks. You should always know roughly where your dog has been and see one happy photo afterwards.
7) A written contract and cancellation policy. Professional walkers have one; hobbyists usually don't.
Doing all seven? You're in safe hands. We tick every box and have done so across St Albans, Sandridge and Harpenden for 35+ years.
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