Dog walker and pet sitter red flags

At the meet-and-greet

• They want to book the first walk without meeting you or the dog.
• They never take the leash, so you never see how they handle your dog.
• They cannot say how long a walk lasts, door to door.

On the walk

• More dogs on the leash than one person can hold back from a squirrel.
• No straight answer on group size, or on mixing small dogs with big ones.
• Off-leash time you did not agree to.

Backup and emergencies

• No plan for a sick day, a snow day or a car that will not start.
• No named vet, and no answer on who pays if your dog gets hurt.
• No insurance certificate when you ask for one.

Home boarding

Public Health Seattle & King County regulates pet businesses such as daycares, grooming shops and boarding facilities. (King County) Its permit does not apply to boarding three or fewer dogs or cats. (King County) Watch for:

• a sitter boarding a houseful of dogs who cannot name a permit or say who issued it;
• in unincorporated Pierce County, boarding for owners with no Boarding Kennel or Cattery license. The County requires one, and anyone keeping more than ten dogs or cats must provide kennel facilities. (Pierce County)

Payment and paperwork

• Cash only, with no receipt.
• A month paid up front before the first walk.
• A certification they mention but cannot show you on paper.
• No business name. Washington requires a business license once a business grosses $12,000 a year. (Washington DOR) A part-time walker below that may not need one yet.

Next

Take the meet-and-greet questions with you, or go back to how to hire a dog walker or pet sitter.