West Yorkshire has plenty of dog walkers, but we could only reach a few own-website operators, and none lets us say more than “this is what they claim”. Our standard is strict: a walker is listed only if their own site shows they work in the county, and marketplace walkers need at least 50 reviews. Every insurance, DBS and first-aid statement below is the walker’s own claim, we haven’t seen any certificates, and no site we read showed review counts.
Walkers with their own websites
Adel Dog Walking is based in Adel, Leeds, and walks at Adel Woods, Meanwood Park, Otley Chevin and the Harewood Estate. It says all walkers are “DBS checked, canine first aid trained and fully insured”, and its site lists a one-hour walk at £11, which is below what we’d expect, so confirm it’s current. Hansons Hounds covers Leeds postcodes LS4, LS6, LS16, LS17 and LS18, and says it is fully insured, DBS checked and holds a Leeds City Council boarding licence. A boarding licence isn’t a dog-walking licence, and we didn’t see the licence number. Perfect Paws Pet Services in Leeds (LS15) claims insurance, first aid and DBS checks, with no prices.
Petpals Leeds North is a national franchise covering Chapel Allerton, Roundhay, Meanwood, Alwoodley, Adel and nearby. It says its team are DBS checked, fully insured and pet first-aid trained, with no prices or reviews on the page. George’s Pet Pals is based in Wetherby, which sits in Leeds district, and covers Wakefield and east Leeds as well as North Yorkshire towns. It lists council licence numbers without saying what they cover, so ask before relying on them.
Limits and licences
We found no West Yorkshire council that requires a licence for ordinary dog walking. Dog numbers are another matter. Leeds allows four dogs per person, or six for professional walkers who hold the appropriate insurance and aren’t walking with other dogs. Calderdale caps dogs at six at named sites such as Hardcastle Crags with no professional exemption. Bradford and Kirklees set no limit in what we read, and we couldn’t confirm Wakefield. Day care and home boarding do need an animal activities licence from the council.
Gaps
Several Huddersfield and Leeds walkers’ sites were blocked to us, and we couldn’t open marketplace profiles to check review counts, so we haven’t named any marketplace walker. A directory lists names in Halifax, Brighouse, Holmfirth and Bradford, which we haven’t verified. We found no independent operators in Bradford city, Keighley, Ilkley, Otley, Pudsey or Wakefield city. That is a limit of our search, not proof none exist.
Whoever you choose, ask about insurance, group size, recall and emergencies, and do a meet-and-greet first. A calming bite can help take the edge off a nervous dog’s first few walks, and if anxiety is a regular issue, speak to your vet. For everything else, see our West Yorkshire dog services hub, and for places to walk yourself, our best local dog walks in West Yorkshire.
A second look on Google Maps
We said above that no site we read showed review counts. Google Maps does, and it shows more Leeds walkers than our first pass found. These have a listing, their own website and at least 11 reviews, all rated 4.7 or better when we checked.
Furry Friends Pet Care
★★★★★ 4.7 · 54 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
MBF Dog Walking
★★★★★ 4.9 · 48 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
Pawsome Walks
★★★★★ 5.0 · 39 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
New Forest Pet Care
★★★★★ 5.0 · 26 Google reviews
Listed in Leeds despite the name, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
Happy Paws Leeds Dog Walks
★★★★★ 5.0 · 26 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
Pooch Patrol Dog Walks
★★★★★ 4.8 · 22 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
Katie’s PerfectPaws
★★★★★ 5.0 · 17 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
Groovy Pups Leeds
★★★★★ 5.0 · 11 Google reviews
Came up in a Leeds search, with a Google Maps listing and their own website; ask whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire.
View on Google Maps
We haven’t tested any of them, Google ratings come from the public, and these all came up in a Leeds search, so ask each walker whether they cover your part of West Yorkshire. Paws Of Yorkshire Pet Care (5.0 from 28), Off Leeds Dog Walking and Training (4.8 from 26) and A walk in the bark (4.8 from 21) are well reviewed but have no website on their listings, so we’ve left them off. Petpals Leeds North (4.5 from 24) is the franchise covered above.
Between walker visits, you might fancy a day out together, so have a look at our secure dog fields in West Yorkshire and our dog-friendly pubs, cafés and restaurants in West Yorkshire.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can a dog walker take in Leeds?
Up to six, if insured and not walking with other dogs. Otherwise the limit is four per person.
Do dog walkers need a licence in West Yorkshire?
We found no licence for ordinary dog walking. Day care and home boarding need an animal activities licence.
What should I ask a dog walker before booking?
Ask to see proof of insurance and DBS checks, group size, recall practice and emergency plans, and arrange a meet-and-greet first.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who always checks the lead before the lanyard.
