Figo and I get asked this a lot by readers in the Midlands: what’s actually the difference between a dog walker, a dog trainer and a pet sitter? It sounds obvious until you’re the one trying to book someone, tired, a bit anxious about leaving your dog with a stranger, and faced with a dozen websites that all use the words interchangeably. So let’s be clear from the start. A dog walker takes your dog out for exercise, usually on a set schedule, either solo or in a small compatible group, while you’re at work or otherwise can’t manage it yourself. A dog trainer works on behaviour and obedience, often in sessions rather than daily visits, and isn’t necessarily walking your dog at all. A pet sitter looks after your pet in your home (or theirs) while you’re away, which might include walks but is really about cover and companionship, not a daily exercise routine.
This guide is about walkers only, and specifically ones with an operating presence across the West Midlands county – Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Solihull, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall. I went looking for businesses I could actually stand behind: ones with their own websites, listings on recognised pet-service directories, or a Companies House record, rather than just a name on a freelance marketplace app with no way to check who’s really behind it. What I found was a genuinely patchy picture – some areas have well-established local operators, others have almost nothing verifiable at all – and I’ve laid that out honestly below rather than padding the list.
What we found
Searches were run borough by borough across the West Midlands county. In Birmingham and Coventry, and to a lesser extent Solihull, there are small, independent dog walking businesses with their own websites, years of trading history, and listings on DogFriendly.co.uk. In Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall, the searches mostly surfaced freelance-marketplace profiles (Pawshake, Rover, Gudog, Bark) rather than standalone businesses – individual walkers who may well be excellent, but whose insurance, DBS status and trading history can’t be checked independently of the platform itself, so none are named here as recommendations.
Dog walkers in West Midlands, by area
Birmingham (South Birmingham: Bournville, Cotteridge, Kings Norton, Selly Park, Northfield)
A good walk often ends with a good pub — our guide to dog-friendly pubs, cafés and restaurants in the West Midlands covers plenty of options across this side of the city.
- MoorPaws – based in Kings Norton (B38), covering Bournville, Stirchley, Cotteridge, Selly Park and Northfield, with Kings Heath, Longbridge, Moseley and Selly Oak covered partially (a transport fee may apply further out). Offers dog walking, group walks, puppy visits, and cat/small-animal visits. No star rating is published, but its DogFriendly.co.uk listing shows 90 written reviews. moorpaws.co.uk.
- Scruffy and Fluffy Dog Walks – based in Harborne (B17), caring for more than twenty dogs a week on daily or occasional walks, including dogs that need extra help socialising. No review count or star rating is published. scruffyandfluffy.co.uk.
Solihull
If your dog would rather have space to itself than a group walk, our guide to secure dog fields in the West Midlands covers bookable private fields nearby.
- Talk 2 The Paw – based in Solihull (B91), offering dog walking alongside pet sitting and a pet taxi service, plus cat sitting, pet boarding and grooming. No published star rating or review count. Because walking is only one of several services it offers, it’s worth confirming directly that a standalone daily walk is what you’re booking. talk2thepaw.co.uk.
Coventry
If you’re visiting rather than local, our guide to dog-friendly accommodation in the West Midlands covers hotels that’ll take a dog overnight.
- Walkies of Coventry – describes itself as the longest-established dog walking and pet sitting company in Coventry, walking dogs in compatibility-matched groups with public liability insurance up to £5,000,000. No review count or star rating is published, and its DogFriendly.co.uk listing was last confirmed updated in 2019, so double-check current details directly before booking. walkies-coventry.co.uk.
- Zips Walkies – based in Stoke Heath (CV2), family-run since 2013, offering walks of up to 60 minutes plus home visits for small pets. States it is fully insured, DBS checked, and Dog CPR trained with refresher courses every two years. Currently lists a Facebook page rather than a standalone website. facebook.com/zipswalkies.
Names we found but left out, and why
Being upfront about this part matters as much as the list itself. We found a registered company called Sheldon Dog Walking & Training Ltd (Companies House number 13998075, active, registered in Birmingham B26), but couldn’t locate a working website, social page, or any customer reviews describing what it actually offers day to day – so there was nothing to verify beyond the company registration, and it’s left out on that basis. Bridge Paddocks Walkies, in Coven near Wolverhampton, turned out on closer inspection to be a secure enclosed field for private hire rather than a dog walking service, so it didn’t belong on this list at all. And across Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall, every search turned up individual profiles on freelance marketplace apps rather than standalone local businesses – those platforms do their own vetting to varying degrees, but we can’t independently confirm insurance, DBS status or trading history for an individual profile the way we can for a business with its own site and track record, so none are named here.
What to actually check before you book
- Public liability insurance – ask to see proof, not just a claim on the website. A reputable walker will have this ready to share.
- DBS check – especially important if the walker will need a key to your home or will be collecting your dog while you’re out.
- NARPS-UK membership – not every good walker belongs to the National Association of Registered Pet Sitters, but membership is a useful extra signal of professionalism and ongoing standards.
- Group size and compatibility – ask how many dogs are walked together at once, and how they’re matched for temperament and size.
- A settling-in period – most dogs take a walk or two to relax with someone new, and it’s completely normal for a nervous dog to need a bit of extra reassurance that first week. A calming chew alongside the introduction can take the edge off those first few sessions – we use Calmdogs calming treats with Figo whenever he’s meeting someone new.
Is there a dog walker directory covering the whole West Midlands?
Not evenly, no — we found verifiable, standalone dog walking businesses in Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry, but no business in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell or Walsall that we could independently confirm beyond a freelance-marketplace profile.
What’s the difference between a dog walker, a trainer and a pet sitter?
A dog walker provides regular exercise on a schedule; a trainer works on behaviour and obedience, usually in sessions rather than daily visits; a pet sitter looks after your pet while you’re away, which may include walks but is really about cover and companionship.
What should I check before hiring a dog walker in the West Midlands?
Ask to see proof of public liability insurance, check whether they’re DBS-checked, ask about group size and how dogs are matched for compatibility, and look for membership of a trade body like NARPS-UK.
For wider pet care across the region, see our Dog Services in the West Midlands hub, and our guide to the best local dog walks in the West Midlands if your walker’s route needs new ideas.
