New Dog Walking Client Onboarding Checklist
A one-page checklist to run through at the meet and greet and again after the first visit, so every new dog, home, and owner is documented before the recurring schedule starts.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
Most problems with a new dog walking client show up in the first two weeks, and almost all of them trace back to something nobody wrote down at the meet and greet: the side gate that only latches from the inside, the alarm code that changed, the dog who slips a flat collar the moment a squirrel appears. This checklist is the list of things to capture before the first paid visit and to confirm after it. It follows the order we suggest in the guide on this site, from the dog itself to home access, the service agreement, billing, and the update the owner expects to receive. Every line is something you should be able to point to in the client file, not something you remember on the sidewalk.
Print one copy per new client, or paste the items into the notes field of whatever system you use. Our article on what should be in a dog walking service agreement with new clients explains the paperwork lines in more detail, and the article on when to offer solo walks instead of group walks will help with the placement decision. Before you say yes to a new recurring slot, the Dog Walker Daily Visit Capacity Calculator in our Tools section is a quick way to check that the new stop fits a day that is already close to full.
- A meet and greet is scheduled at the client's home, with the dog present, before any paid visit is booked.
- The dog profile is written down: name, breed or mix, age, approximate weight, spay or neuter status, and the veterinarian's name and phone number.
- Walking equipment is inspected: collar or harness fit, leash condition, a legible ID tag, and a note on whether the dog has ever slipped a collar.
- Behavior notes cover reactivity to dogs, people, bikes, and squirrels, plus leash pulling, resource guarding, and any bite history the owner discloses.
- Medical notes cover medications and timing, allergies, mobility limits, recent surgeries, and the signs that mean stop the walk and call the owner.
- The service selected (drop-in, short visit, standard walk, or long walk) is named in writing with its exact duration and what it includes.
- Solo or group placement is decided honestly, and a dog going into a group has been screened against the specific pack it will join.
- Days, arrival windows, and the recurring schedule are agreed, and each window is realistic for the neighborhood cluster it falls in.
- The address is checked against your service area and current route so the new stop does not break an existing client's arrival window.
- Home access is documented: lockbox code, key, garage keypad, alarm code and disarm procedure, and which door to use on the way in and out.
- Keys are labeled with a code rather than the address, and the client knows where keys are stored between visits and what happens if one is lost.
- House rules are captured: gates to close, rooms that stay shut, other pets in the home, towels for muddy paws, and where the leash and treats live.
- Emergency contacts include the owner, a backup local contact, and the vet, and the owner has signed a veterinary authorization with a spending limit.
- The service agreement is signed and covers services, pricing, billing dates, cancellations, holidays, key handling, photo permission, and liability.
- Billing is set up: rate confirmed, invoice date agreed, payment method on file, and any recurring discount stated in writing rather than implied.
- Update preferences are agreed: what the owner wants to hear (arrival, bathroom, water, mood, notes) and the channel they actually read.
- Photo permission is confirmed separately, including whether the dog may appear on your website or social media.
- Weather and cancellation rules are explained: heat, ice, storms, and how the client is told when a walk is shortened, moved, or skipped.
- The first visit is booked in a slightly longer slot so there is time to find the lockbox, read the notes, and let the dog settle before leaving.
- After the first visit, the check-in record, notes, and photo are reviewed and any surprise (sticky lock, loose gate latch, a nervous dog) is added to the client file.
- The recurring slot is placed into the weekly route only after the first visit confirms the transition time you estimated.
https://puproutr.com/templates/new-client-onboarding-checklist/Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.
Also from PupRoutr
- Weekly Route Cluster Planner: A worksheet for laying out one day of dog walking visits as neighborhood clusters, ordered stops, arrival windows, transition minutes, and access notes, so the same route can be repeated all week.
- Free calculators