Pick a dog walker who is insured and bonded, has passed a background check, and will meet your dog before the first walk. Then make sure you get proof of every walk, like a GPS map and a photo.
You are trusting someone with your dog and your home. That is a big deal. Here is how to check each part before you hire a dog walker in Houston.
A walker you can trust will:
Insurance helps cover you if something goes wrong on a visit. A bond helps protect you if a worker ever takes something from your home.
Ask if the walker is insured and bonded. A real business will be glad to tell you.
Your walker may go inside your home when you are not there. Ask if every walker passes a background check before they start.
Ask about training too. A good team teaches every walker the same safety rules for leashes, heat, and keys.
This one is easy to miss. On many apps, each walker works for themselves. The app helps you find them. Who shows up can change from week to week.
A W2 employee works for the company. The company hires them, checks them, trains them, and stands behind their work. You always know who to call if something is not right.
So ask two simple questions. Who will walk my dog? Who covers when they are out?
You should never have to guess if a walk happened. Ask what you get after each visit.
The best answer is a GPS map of the route, a photo of your dog, and a few notes. You can see where your dog went and how they did.
A good walker wants to meet you and your dog before the first walk. Think of it as a short interview. Watch how they greet your dog. See if your dog warms up to them.
Bring a few questions:
Ask where your key will live. A lockbox at your home means your key never leaves your property. You can read how we handle keys and codes in our FAQ.
Be careful if a walker:
We built Shady Waggers to pass this test. We are insured and bonded, and we are members of Pet Sitters International. Every walker is a W2 employee we background check and train.
We are a small, close team, so your dog gets to know all of us. We keep detailed notes so every walker knows your dog. After each walk you get a GPS tracked route, a photo, and notes. Your key stays at your home in a lockbox.
Your meet and greet is free, and no card is needed to book it. We have served 150 plus Houston families since 2016. The Four Seasons Hotel Houston sends their guests to us. You can read our reviews on Google, where we are rated 4.9 stars.
We walk dogs inside the 610 Loop, plus Galleria, Uptown, Post Oak and Tanglewood just west of it. See how our dog walking works and what it costs.
Book a free meet and greet. We help you get set up at the visit. No card needed.
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