Dog walking terms and conditions: what to include

What to include

1. 01

   Services and prices

   What each service includes, how long it lasts, and what it costs, including extra dogs, weekends and bank holidays.

2. 02

   Booking and cancellation

   How clients book, how much notice they must give to cancel, and what you charge for late cancellations. Say what happens if you have to cancel.

3. 03

   Payment

   When you invoice, when payment is due, how clients pay (for example by card or pre-authorized debit), and what happens if a payment is late.

4. 04

   Keys and access

   How you store keys and codes, who can use them, and what happens if a key is lost.

5. 05

   Vet treatment

   Permission to take a dog to a vet in an emergency, who pays, and how you'll contact the owner.

6. 06

   Off-lead and group walks

   Whether dogs go off-lead, the owner's consent for it, and how many dogs walk together.

7. 07

   Health, vaccinations and behaviour

   Which vaccinations you require, what the owner must tell you about health and behaviour, and your right to refuse or stop a service.

8. 08

   Liability and insurance

   What your insurance covers and the limits of your responsibility, in plain words.

9. 09

   Photos and data

   Whether you'll share photos, and how you look after the owner's and dog's information.

Tips

• Keep it short and plain: clients should actually read it
• Have every new client agree before the first booking
• Record which version each client agreed to
• Review your terms once a year

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Consumer and contract law vary by country, so have your terms checked if you're unsure.