This was one of the harder categories to pin down for Derbyshire. There’s no shortage of dog walking going on across the county — it’s just that genuinely independent, verifiable local businesses are thin on the ground compared with other types of listing. Here’s exactly what we found, and how far each lead actually checks out.
Hooves and Paws Pet and Equine Services
Run by Jackie Howe, a sole trader covering Chesterfield (Newbold) and the surrounding area, offering dog walking, group walks, horse care and pet/cat sitting.
- Address: 77 Highfield Lane, Newbold, Chesterfield S41 8AZ
- Contact: 07981 266233 / jackie_hooves_paws@yahoo.com
- Website: hoovesandpawspetandequineservi.godaddysites.com
This is the one business in the whole county we could independently verify to a genuinely good standard: she’s listed on Derbyshire County Council’s own Trusted Trader scheme (joined February 2023), with 22 reviews averaging 5 out of 5 through that council-run checking process, which is a real step up from a self-declared marketplace profile. Worth knowing: dog walking on its own isn’t a licensable activity in England, so there’s no licence number to check here — she’s upfront about that on her own profile.
Looking on Rover?
We checked, since Rover genuinely does list a good number of individual dog walkers across Derbyshire — dozens of profiles show up across Derby, Chesterfield, the Derbyshire Dales and the High Peak. Every profile carries Rover’s own “Identity Verified” badge, which is Rover’s in-house ID check rather than an independent background check, and a review count and star rating that live entirely on Rover’s own platform.
One profile stood out well above the rest: Clare F., Wirksworth — 5.0 stars from 67 reviews, 40 years of experience claimed, and both Rover’s “Star Sitter” and “Identity Verified” badges. We’re naming her as an example of a long-standing, well-reviewed Rover listing, but it’s important to be clear: this is a Rover-only review count with no independent corroboration behind it (no separate Google listing, council scheme or press mention) — the same gap that applies to any marketplace profile, however well-reviewed.
How to vet a dog walker yourself
Given how thin independently-verifiable walkers are across Derbyshire, here’s what Figo and I would actually check before booking anyone, Rover profile or otherwise:
- Ask to see proof of public liability insurance, and for a home boarding/day care business specifically, their council licence number (dog walking alone isn’t licensable, but boarding and day care are).
- Ask whether they’re a member of a professional body such as NARPS-UK, which requires background checks.
- Ask for at least two independent references you can actually contact, not just reviews on their own profile.
- Meet them and your dog together first, before any solo walk.
- Ask how many dogs they walk together at once, and how they transport dogs if driving is involved.
We also found three more names mentioned in a single 2022 Derbyshire Times feature (Take the Lead in Tupton, S40 Dog Walking in Chesterfield, Ruff Times Made Easy in Danesmoor), but none of them has a website or active social media we could find, so we’re mentioning them only as leads worth asking about locally rather than fully vetted businesses.
FAQs
Is there a verified dog walker in Derbyshire?
Yes, one that clears a genuinely good verification standard: Hooves and Paws in Chesterfield, listed on Derbyshire County Council’s own Trusted Trader scheme with 22 reviews averaging 5 out of 5.
How many dog walkers are listed on Rover for Derbyshire?
Dozens of individual profiles show up across Derby, Chesterfield, the Derbyshire Dales and the High Peak. One, Clare F. in Wirksworth, stands out with 67 reviews and 40 years of claimed experience, but Rover’s reviews aren’t independently corroborated the way a council scheme or press coverage would be.
Is dog walking a licensed activity in England?
No. Only home boarding, day care and breeding are licensable activities under English law — dog walking on its own isn’t regulated, so there’s no licence number to check for a pure walking service.
