15 Red Flags When Hiring a Dog Walker

Most dog walking problems are predictable — and most owners miss the signs because they happen before the first walk, not during it. The warning signals are in how a walker communicates, what they can't answer, and what their setup actually looks like when you look closely. Here are 15 of them.

1. They can't describe their verification process

"The app checked me out" is not a verification process description. A walker who completed a real verification process knows exactly what they did: which police check they submitted, whether references were called (and by whom), whether there was an in-person step.

If the walker is vague about what they went through to get approved, treat that as a signal that the bar was low — because walkers who cleared a real process remember it and mention it readily.

2. No public liability insurance

Ask directly: "Is there public liability insurance covering my dog during walks — and who holds the policy?" A walker who says "yes" should be able to name the insurer or confirm the platform holds the policy. "I think so" or "the app should cover it" is not a yes.

Uninsured walks mean that if your dog is injured, escapes and causes an accident, or damages property, there is no financial coverage. In Australia, a dog that causes a car accident while unrestrained on a walk can expose the owner and walker to significant liability. Insurance isn't a formality — it's the thing that determines whether a bad day becomes a financially ruinous one.

3. They walk more than 6 dogs at a time

A single walker with 8 or more dogs is not supervising any of them meaningfully. Dogs can escalate conflict faster than any human can intervene when individual supervision is diluted that far. Any walker who quotes group walk capacity over 6 — or who won't give you a clear number — is telling you the walk is primarily a revenue calculation, not a care arrangement.

4. They don't have a specific emergency protocol

Ask: "What do you do if my dog escapes or needs emergency vet care during a walk?" A prepared walker has a specific answer. An unprepared walker has generalities.

The specific answer should include: the last-known GPS position, a immediate call to the owner, knowledge of the nearest emergency vet to their regular routes, and whether they have a procedure for managing other dogs in the group if one needs immediate attention.

"I'd figure it out" is a red flag. Emergencies require pre-thought protocols, not improvisation under pressure.

5. They won't do a meet-and-greet before the first walk

A responsible walker meets your dog before they take them out. Full stop. A walker who wants to skip the meet-and-greet — or who treats it as an optional extra — is prioritising booking speed over appropriate preparation.

The meet-and-greet also serves the walker's interests: they're committing to taking out a dog they haven't met, which is a risk to them and the dog. Any experienced walker understands why this step matters.

6. Your dog's reaction at the meet-and-greet is consistently negative

Watch your dog during the first 3–5 minutes of meeting the walker. A dog that approaches, sniffs, relaxes, and takes a treat is comfortable. A dog that stays tense, actively avoids, or shows calming signals (yawning, looking away, flat ears) after several minutes of a calm introduction is telling you something.

This isn't a guaranteed red flag — some dogs are generally slow to warm up to anyone. But a dog that's relaxed with most humans and tense specifically with this walker is worth taking seriously. Don't override that signal for convenience.

7. They have no GPS tracking and no plan to document the walk

GPS tracking serves multiple purposes: it confirms the walk happened, shows the route and duration, and creates a record if something goes wrong. A walker who doesn't have any tracking — and no plan to communicate during or after the walk — is asking for a significant amount of trust with no accountability structure.

At minimum: photo during the walk, message or report after, and ideally GPS route data. Any platform walk on TruePath includes all three automatically.

8. They're defensive when asked direct questions

A well-run walker welcomes questions about their process. They expect them. A walker who gets irritated, deflects, or gives monosyllabic answers to specific questions about verification, insurance, or cancellation policy is almost always defensive because the honest answer wouldn't sound good.

"I've been doing this for years, I don't need to prove myself" is not a response to a reasonable question about insurance. It's a red flag.

9. Their cancellation policy is vague or verbal only

Find out what happens if your walker cancels — and get it in some form of writing or at least a clear verbal commitment. "I'd let you know" is not a policy. "If I can't make it, I'll arrange coverage or you'll be refunded same day" is a policy.

Cancellation without notice, or with short notice and no coverage arranged, is the single most common dog walking complaint on every platform in Australia. Knowing the protocol before you need it is the entire point.

10. They describe their approach to reactive dogs as "being firm"

"Firmness" is not a training methodology. For reactive dogs, the evidence-based approaches involve management (distance, desensitisation, BAT protocols) — not physical correction or pushing through triggers. A walker who responds to a question about reactive dog handling with references to "dominance" or "who's in charge" is describing a framework that causes fear-based behaviour, not resolves it.

You don't need your walker to be a certified trainer. But their instincts should be toward management and positive reinforcement, not correction.

11. They can't name the parks they use in your area

"There are a few parks nearby" is a different answer than "I walk through Centennial Park from the Oxford Street gate — dogs are off-leash in the eastern sections before 10am, and I always check the event schedule because the equestrian areas restrict access on show days."

Specific knowledge of local parks, their off-leash hours, their particular features and risks — these are things an experienced local walker accumulates over time. Their absence suggests a walker who's less experienced in your area than they've implied.

12. No references, or references they can't name specifically

A walker with real experience has real references — previous clients who can speak to specific dogs they've walked and specific situations they've handled. If a walker is new and has no references, that's understandable on a properly-verified platform where the in-person vetting compensates. If a walker claims years of experience but can't offer a single named reference, that experience hasn't left a trail.

13. Their social media or reviews show excessive dog numbers or chaotic scenarios

A little research goes a long way. Some walkers post their work on social media. Photos showing 10 dogs in a suburban footpath, or videos of poorly-controlled multi-dog groups, are showing you what a typical day looks like — not an exceptional one.

Five-star reviews that lack any specific detail should also prompt a second look. "So professional!" tells you nothing. "Bella was reactive when we started and Mia had her walking calmly past other dogs within three months" tells you something real.

14. They don't ask anything about your dog

A walker who doesn't ask about your dog's triggers, health conditions, medication schedule, behaviour around food, or history of previous care arrangements is not preparing to walk your dog — they're preparing to walk a generic dog. Every dog is specific. The questions a walker asks at the meet-and-greet reveal whether they understand that.

15. They undercut every other walker in your area by a significant margin

Aggressive undercutting in professional services usually means one of three things: the person is new and building a base (acceptable, but verify everything else carefully), they're not covering their costs properly (not your problem until it becomes your problem when they exit the market abruptly), or they've cut something to keep the price low — insurance, training, verification, the number of dogs they're walking simultaneously.

$8 cheaper per walk is $416 per year. It's not nothing. But it should trigger closer scrutiny on everything else, not immediate acceptance.

Find a TruePath walker near you

Background-checked walkers, GPS-tracked walks, and live photo updates. Most owners book their first walk within an hour.

Find a walker

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a dog walker is insured in Australia?

Is it safe to hire a dog walker who isn't on a platform?

What should I do if I already have a walker and notice red flags?

How do I check a dog walker's reviews in Australia?

Keep reading

dog walking

12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Dog Walker

Most dog walker interviews last 10 minutes and cover almost nothing useful. These 12 questions reveal the things that actually matter — verification depth, emergency protocols, and what happens when something goes wrong.

dog walking

What to Do When Your Dog Walker Doesn't Show Up

Your dog walker didn't show up and isn't responding. Here's exactly what to do in the next 30 minutes, how to get a refund, and how to avoid it happening again.

compare

TruePath vs Mad Paws: Full Comparison for 2026

Side-by-side comparison of TruePath and Mad Paws — pricing, fees, walker verification, insurance, refund policy, and app features. Updated May 2026.