Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Standards
Read the official All Things Dog dog walking certification standards and assessment checklist.
About these standards
Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Standards
Version 0.1
Purpose
The All Things Dog Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Standards exist to recognise businesses that provide reliable exercise, enrichment, transport and supervision while protecting each dog's welfare, maintaining effective control and respecting the public and environment.
The Standards are designed for New Zealand and apply to solo, group, pack, adventure, puppy, running and related dog-walking services, whether the business is a sole trader or a larger multi-walker operation.
They are deliberately practical.
Certification should be:
Easier to understand. Easier to implement. Easier to demonstrate compliance. But not necessarily a lower standard of welfare.
The Standards focus on what genuinely matters: competent walkers, informed clients, accurate dog information, individual assessment, compatible groups, lawful and manageable dog numbers, secure transport, suitable routes, proportionate handling, active supervision, emergency readiness, transparent reporting and continuous improvement.
They do not tell every business to use the same training philosophy, collar, harness, lead, muzzle, vehicle, software, route or pack structure. Different dogs, walkers, environments and lawful operating models require different practical approaches.
Wherever possible, All Things Dog sets the required outcome while allowing the business to decide the best reasonable way to achieve it.
Important: This is a voluntary private certification standard. It is not New Zealand legislation, does not create government regulation and does not replace legal, veterinary, behavioural, council or other professional responsibilities.
How Certification Works
A dog-walking business either meets the applicable All Things Dog Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Standards or does not.
There are no levels, rankings or star ratings.
Certification applies to the whole dog-walking operation within the declared scope. A business cannot certify only a preferred walker, route or service while excluding other walkers, contractors, vehicles, locations or higher-risk services that it owns, manages or materially controls.
To become All Things Dog Certified, a business must demonstrate that all mandatory standards applying to the operation are met in practice.
Where a requirement genuinely does not apply, for example vehicle transport where no dogs are transported, it may be recorded as Not Applicable.
Assessment may use announced or short-notice observation of collection, transport and live walks, interviews, record sampling, vehicle and equipment inspection, incident and veterinary evidence, client information and practical scenarios. Pack services must be assessed under representative operating conditions.
Having a policy that says something happens is not enough when observation or other credible evidence shows otherwise.
2.1 Understanding the Standards
The words must, must not, should and may make clear what is required for certification and what is good practice.
Must: Required for certificationThe business must demonstrate that the requirement is met to achieve and maintain certification.
Must not: ProhibitedThe action or practice is not permitted under All Things Dog Certification.
Should: Recommended good practiceThe practice is encouraged but is not mandatory unless another part of the Standard makes it so.
May: Permitted option or approachThe option is acceptable but is not the only reasonable way to achieve the outcome.
Examples: Guidance onlyExamples do not limit other reasonable and evidence-based approaches unless specifically stated.
2.2 Legal and Local Requirements
All Things Dog Certification does not replace a dog-walking business's legal responsibilities.
Certified businesses must comply with the Animal Welfare Act 1999, the current Code of Welfare for Dogs, applicable animal-welfare regulations, the Dog Control Act 1996, transport and workplace-safety requirements, local council bylaws, land-access conditions and other law relevant to their activities.
Commercial-walker rules and dog-number limits differ between councils and places. These Standards do not turn one council's rule into a nationwide limit. The applicable local rule always applies, and the business must operate below it whenever the actual dogs, walkers, environment, vehicle or conditions require fewer dogs.
Where a legal requirement is higher or more specific than these Standards, the legal requirement applies. Assessors do not provide legal advice, veterinary diagnosis or specialist behaviour advice.
2.3 Methods and Equipment
These Standards do not certify or reject a business merely because it identifies with a particular training philosophy or uses a particular lawful type of walking equipment. Assessment is based on individual needs, informed client agreement, walker competence, proportionality, legal compliance and demonstrated welfare, control and safety outcomes.
No philosophy or equipment label excuses injury, impaired breathing or thermoregulation, reckless use, work beyond competence or continuation despite serious distress. Equally, assessors must not substitute their personal method preference for the outcome-based requirements in these Standards.
2.4 Evidence Base and Review
These Standards draw on New Zealand animal-welfare, dog-control, transport, workplace and privacy requirements, local commercial-walker controls, recognised operational practice and professional-conduct principles already familiar to the New Zealand dog-walking industry. The Professional Dog Walkers Association code was reviewed as a legacy industry reference; certification does not depend on that association's membership, endorsement, enforcement or continued existence.
Reference to a source does not imply endorsement. The Standards should be reviewed when law changes, when material new evidence or recognised guidance becomes available, and at least every two years during the pilot and early implementation period.
The Standards
Assessment checklist and outcomes
Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Checklist
Version 0.1
Purpose
This checklist is used to assess whether a dog-walking business meets the All Things Dog Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Standards.
Certification assesses what happens across the walking operation in practice, not simply whether the business has written policies, tidy vehicles or polished records.
Assessors should use a reasonable combination of:
direct observation of collection, transport, handover and live walks;
conversations with owners, walkers, assistants, contractors, clients and relevant professionals;
review of dogs, groups, routes, records, incidents and documents;
inspection of vehicles, equipment and supplies;
practical demonstrations or scenarios; and
professional judgement within the assessor's competence.
The purpose is not to prescribe one training philosophy, tool, vehicle, software system, route, pack size or operating model. It is to determine whether the required outcomes are achieved.
Assessment Outcomes
Each requirement must be recorded as one of the following.
MEETS STANDARD
There is reasonable evidence that the requirement is being met in practice.
ACTION REQUIRED
The requirement is not currently being met, or there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that it is being met.
For each Action Required, the assessor must clearly record:
What is the issue?
What needs to change?
What evidence is required to close the action?
The timeframe must be reasonable and proportionate. Certification may be granted only after all mandatory Action Required items have been satisfactorily closed.
CRITICAL NON-COMPLIANCE
A Critical Non-Compliance is a serious failure that creates an immediate or significant risk to a dog's welfare, control or public safety, involves prohibited treatment, deliberate deception or concealment, represents serious or deliberate non-compliance, or fundamentally undermines certification integrity.
Certification cannot be granted or maintained until the issue is appropriately addressed. Some conduct may justify refusal, suspension or cancellation even after immediate risk is controlled.
NOT APPLICABLE
The requirement genuinely does not apply. It must not be used because a business has chosen not to comply or evidence is inconvenient to obtain.
General Assessment Principles
The assessor should consider the overall evidence rather than require a particular document, course provider, training philosophy, tool, software system, pack size or operating model unless the Standard or applicable law specifically requires one.
A sole-trader walker does not need the same administration as a larger multi-vehicle business. Both must demonstrate the same welfare, control and integrity outcomes.
Sampling of RecordsUse a sample reasonable for the operation's size, history, services and risk, expanding it if concerns arise.
Observation of WalkingObserve representative collection, loading, transport, equipment, handling, group management, route decisions, individual monitoring, public-space conduct and return without creating avoidable risk for assessment.
Assessment BoundariesAssessors must not diagnose, provide legal advice or mark down a business because of personal method preference. Specialist evidence must be obtained where required.
Legal Compliance Declaration
The business confirms that, to the best of its knowledge, the operation complies with relevant New Zealand and local requirements.
☐ Confirmed ☐ Concern identified - refer for further review
Certification Scope Declaration
The business confirms that all walking services, locations, vehicles, owners, staff, contractors and assistants within the operation have been declared.
☐ Confirmed ☐ Concern identified - expand scope or evidence
Development Sources and document control
Development Sources
The following sources informed these standards. They should be read in their current form and alongside qualified veterinary, behavioural, workplace-safety, council and legal advice where appropriate.
New Zealand Animal Welfare Act 1999
MPI Code of Welfare: Dogs
MPI Code of Welfare: Transport within New Zealand
Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018
Dog Control Act 1996
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
New Zealand Privacy Act 2020
Professional Dog Walkers Association: Code of Conduct (legacy industry reference reviewed during development)
Auckland Council Dog Management Bylaw (Multiple Dogs Control) 2025
Document control: Version 0.1 | Prepared August 2026 | Review due no later than August 2028, or earlier if material law or evidence changes.
Assessment summary, declaration and corrective action records
CERTIFICATION SUMMARY
Assessment Details
Dog-walking Business / Applicant Name: _______________________
Trading Name: ___________________________________________
Legal Entity (if any): __________________________________
Primary Operating Area: __________________________________
Other Council Areas / Locations: _________________________
Owner / Operator: _______________________________________
Person in Charge: _____________________________________
Assessment Date: _______________________________________
Assessor: _______________________________________________
Walkers in Scope: ____________________________________
Assistants / Contractors in Scope: ________________________
Vehicles in Scope: ____________________________________
Dogs Observed: _________________________________________
Walk Records Sampled: _______________________________
Incidents / Complaints Sampled: _______________________
Services Included: _____________________________________
Standard Results
Standard
Meets
ActionRequired
CriticalNon-Compliance
N/A
1. Whole-business Responsibility & Legal Compliance
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2. Competence, Training & Supervision
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3. Client Consent, Dog Information & Individual Plans
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4. Equipment, Handling & Method Choice
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5. Pack Composition, Numbers & Supervision
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6. Routes, Public Space & Environmental Responsibility
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7. Collection, Transport & Handover
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8. Walk Delivery & Individual Welfare
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9. Health, Disease & Biosecurity
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10. Incidents, Escapes & Emergency Response
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11. Records, Communication & Privacy
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12. Management, Review & Service Continuity
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OVERALL ASSESSMENT
☐ CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MET
All applicable mandatory requirements have been demonstrated.
☐ ACTION REQUIRED BEFORE CERTIFICATION
One or more mandatory requirements require corrective action.
☐ CRITICAL NON-COMPLIANCE IDENTIFIED
Certification cannot be granted or maintained until appropriately addressed.
ASSESSOR DECLARATION
I have assessed this dog-walking business against the applicable All Things Dog Ethical Dog Walking & Pack Walking Certification Standards using reasonable observation, evidence and professional judgement within my competence.
Where specialist veterinary, behavioural, workplace-safety, council or legal judgment was required, I relied on or requested appropriate external evidence.
Assessor Name: _________________________________________
Signature: ______________________________________________
Date: ____________________________________________________
CORRECTIVE ACTION RECORD
Standard / Requirement: __________________________________
Issue Identified:
Action Required:
Evidence Required to Close:
Required Completion Date: ______________________________
Evidence Received: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Action Closed: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Closed By: ____________________________________________
Date Closed: _________________________________________
CRITICAL NON-COMPLIANCE RECORD
Standard / Requirement: __________________________________
Nature of Critical Non-Compliance:
Immediate Action Taken:
Requirements Before Certification Can Be Considered:
Reviewed By: __________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________
Outcome:☐ Remains Open☐ Satisfactorily Resolved☐ Certification Declined / Suspended / Cancelled