Your starting point for a professional dog walking career

If you want to move from casual dog walking to a professional, trusted service, this course is for you. The Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking gives you the knowledge, practical awareness and confidence to look after dogs safely on walks and to run your service in a more organised, professional way.

By the time you complete the course you will be able to:

• Plan and deliver safe, welfare friendly walks for individual dogs and small groups
• Read canine body language and make sound decisions in real life environments
• Use equipment and public spaces safely and with confidence
• Match dogs appropriately for group walks and manage group dynamics
• Communicate clearly with owners and set realistic expectations about your service
  

You will study online at your own pace, working through short lessons and applied tasks that are designed specifically for professional dog walkers.

On completion you will:

• Hold an IICBT recognised Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking
• Have practical tools, templates and procedures you can use immediately in your business
• Be well placed to progress to the IICBT Level 5 Diploma in Canine Training and Instruction if you decide to move into formal training work

Practical curriculum for real world walks‍

You will study five modules that build your skills step by step. Together they cover: professional practice, welfare and ethics, canine behaviour and body language, handling and safety, planning walks, and the business and client side of professional dog walking.

Want the full detail of every learning outcome and assessment criterion?

[Download the full syllabus (PDF)]

Module 1. Professional Dog Walking Practice, Welfare and Ethics

You will:

• Understand what it means to be a professional dog walker, including where your role begins and ends
• Apply core welfare principles when planning walks, including walk length, environment and weather
• Identify key legal and insurance considerations and know when to seek formal legal advice
• Put in place simple policies for emergencies, incidents and lost dogs
• Make ethical decisions when client requests conflict with dog welfare or safety

Module 2. Canine Behaviour and Body Language for Dog Walkers

You will:

• Recognise signs of relaxed, happy dogs compared with stressed, worried or overaroused dogs
• Spot the difference between healthy play and play that is tipping into conflict
• Identify early warning signs that a dog is struggling on a walk, in transport or in a group
• Understand how excitement, fear and frustration can change quickly on walks
• Use what you see to make decisions about when to intervene, separate dogs or change your plan

Module 3. Handling, Equipment and Safety in Public Spaces

You will:

• Choose and fit collars, harnesses and leads safely and humanely
• Understand welfare and safety implications of different equipment choices
• Use safe, low stress handling techniques for walking, managing and separating dogs
• Assess risk in different environments and plan routes with safety in mind
• Put in place practical safety measures around roads, gates, livestock, recall and interactions with the public

Module 4. Planning and Managing Individual and Group Walks

You will:

• Gather key information from owners before walking a dog, using simple forms or checklists
• Plan appropriate walk types, durations and routes for different dogs and conditions
• Match dogs thoughtfully for small group walks based on size, age, energy and social style
• Manage group dynamics during walks, including pacing, regrouping and rest breaks
• Recognise when a dog is not suited to group walks and explain this to owners in a professional way

Module 5. Business, Client Care and Professional Development

You will:

• Outline the main elements of a small dog walking business, from services to scheduling
• Understand why written agreements, terms and consent forms are important, and know that formal legal advice should be sought when creating binding documents
• Communicate clearly with clients from first enquiry through to ongoing updates
• Record and store basic client and dog information securely and appropriately
• Compile a small portfolio of example forms, walk plans, risk assessments and reflections
• Identify your next steps as a professional, including whether you would like to progress to the IICBT Level 5 Diploma in Canine Training and Instruction

Flexible distance study

The Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking is delivered 100% online so you can study alongside your current job, family life or existing walking work.

You will:

• Work through short, focused online lessons, case examples and knowledge checks
• Complete applied tasks such as planning walks, assessing simple scenarios and drafting client information
• Use real or simulated examples from your own area to make the learning relevant
• Receive guidance from tutors who understand professional dog walking and wider canine practice
  

All learning and assessment are completed through our online learning platform. There is no requirement to attend in person events.

What this looks like in real life

Many learners study for around 1 to 2 hours a week. You might do a lesson in the evening, then apply it on your next walk by observing body language or reviewing a route. The course is designed to fit around your current commitments, not replace them.

Assessments linked to real work

Assessment at Level 4 is designed to be straightforward, fair and clearly linked to what you will do in practice.

You will complete:‍

Online knowledge checks

Short quizzes and questions to confirm your understanding of welfare, safety, behaviour and basic business concepts.

Scenario based tasks

Written responses to realistic scenarios, such as risk assessing a walk, deciding how to match dogs for a group, or responding to a client request.

Practical planning tasks

Sample walk plans, simple risk assessments and basic policies or procedures for your service.

Small professional portfolio‍

A small collection of documents that might include:

• Example client and dog information forms
• A sample terms and conditions or information sheet
• One or two walk plans with reflection notes
• A short reflective piece about a real or simulated walking situation and the decisions you made

You will be given clear criteria and examples so you know exactly what is expected. The focus is on helping you become a safer, more confident and more professional walker, not catching you out.

Where this qualification can take you

The Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking is designed for people who want to:

• Start a professional dog walking business
• Strengthen an existing walking business and stand out to clients
• Work more confidently in roles that include dog walking, such as day care, home boarding or rescue support
  

It can help you:

• Offer a more professional, structured service to clients
• Increase client trust by showing that you follow clear welfare and safety standards
• Build a foundation for further study if you later wish to move into training or behaviour work
  

Many learners use this certificate as a starting point and then progress to the IICBT Level 5 Diploma in Canine Training and Instruction once they want to move into formal training and instruction.

Your qualification and recognition

On successful completion you will be awarded the:

IICBT Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking

Graduates receive:

• An IICBT certificate confirming successful completion of the Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking
• Permission to reference the qualification in marketing materials and client communications in line with IICBT brand guidelines
  

This is a professional education programme, designed around IICBT’s standards for safe, ethical and professional dog walking. Where you need to make decisions with legal or regulatory implications, you should seek formal professional advice.

Is this course right for you

To enrol on the Level 4 Certificate in Professional Dog Walking you should:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Feel comfortable and confident around dogs
• Be able to read, write and communicate in English to engage with course materials and client information
• Have basic computer or tablet skills and reliable internet access
• Ideally have some informal experience walking dogs, whether your own, friends’ or family dogs or volunteer dogs
  

You do not need to be an existing professional dog walker. The course is suitable both for people starting a new walking business and for those who want to strengthen an existing service.

If you are unsure whether this is the right level for you, we can help you decide between the Level 4 Professional Dog Walking Certificate and the Level 5 Diploma in Canine Training and Instruction.