Guidance

Commercial dog walking in your woodland

Published 16 January 2025

Applies to England

Commercial dog walkers provide a much-needed service for owners who are unable to walk their own dogs, whether that is due to ill-health, work or family commitments. Woodlands are popular places for these walkers as they prefer landscapes away from livestock, arable crops and high numbers of private dog walkers.

Commercial dog walkers do not always have the same access rights as people walking their own dogs, including on publicly owned land. They can lawfully use public rights of way but the right to walk on access land does not include commercial activity. They may not behave differently to people walking their own dogs. However, they may be more visible and visit more frequently.

The average number of dogs walked by a commercial dog walker at one time is 6, though this can vary due to practical, commercial and insurance considerations.

There is no national limit on the number of dogs that can be walked at one time. However, only the number of dogs that can be effectively controlled should be walked at the same time and best practice guidance, such as the New Forest’s Professional Dog Walker’s Charter, recommends in any case no more than 6. The majority of dog walking clients are likely to request off-lead exercise for their dog.

Many commercial dog walkers are advocates for responsible dog walking, including with their clients. Building rapport can help to build trust and mitigate problems. For example, commercial dog walkers who regularly visit your woodland can provide informal monitoring and alert you to any problems they find, such as vandalism or fly tipping.

Management options for commercial dog walking

Decide what is needed in your woodland and how you want to manage dog walking. Do you want commercial dog walkers to do anything differently from other visitors with dogs? You may want them to:

• avoid certain areas
• use leads: at sensitive times or places, or all the time
• pay to use your land
• not use your land at all (which may displace the activity to other nearby land)

You can work with professional operators to promote benefits, minimise conflicts and help influence any irresponsible operators.

Engaging with commercial dog walkers

Communicate how you would like commercial dog walking to operate in your woodland. The New Forest’s Professional Dog Walkers’ Charter gives good examples of responsible dog walking requirements.

Be clear about opportunities and restrictions for commercial dog walking with on-site signage. Ensure that any online and off-site information is clear and accurate. This is also useful for other visitors with, or without, dogs. Signs can highlight the off-site information available, for example:

‘For more information on our approach to commercial dog walking in this woodland, please see the information we provide on our website, social media and in our visitor guides.’

Top tips on engagement:

• ask commercial dog walkers to follow the same rules as private dog walkers
• ask them to avoid certain areas or times: commercial dog walkers generally want to cooperate with landowners
• if there’s an issue, chat with the walker in question: sometimes people don’t realise they have caused a problem
• approach a walker at the end of a walk: dogs are calmer then
• engage with responsible commercial dog walkers so that they can become advocates for your woodland management goals, which will also benefit their walks: they can become informal influencers with their clients and peers

Agreements (restricted access) for commercial dog walking

If there is no right of access, you can give permission for individual commercial dog walkers to access the woodland on a case-by-case basis. You can implement your own requirements, for example those in the Professional Dog Walkers’ Charter.

Commercial dog walkers may welcome such an agreement, especially if obtaining this enhances their business, such as displaying an ‘authorised to walk dogs at…’ badge. 

Top tips on arranging access permission for commercial dog walkers:

• produce a written permit, or other agreement, clarifying what’s allowed and not allowed
• check that agreed commercial dog walking access does not conflict with any regulations, for example, if your woodland has a designation on it, such as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (contact Natural England for areas designated for wildlife interest)
• discuss with your insurance provider when granting permission for commercial activity
• ask commercial dog walkers to have their own insurance

Giving permissive access to your woodland does not automatically include commercial users but check whether any grant scheme conditions allow restrictions.

Private rental

Many commercial dog walkers would consider paying to walk dogs in a safe area away from other people.

Some land managers have chosen to rent private land, such as paddocks or fenced enclosures. This can benefit all parties and can be an opportunity to diversify income from your woodland.

Check conditions and liabilities in any written agreements, and whether they fit with any access rights or grant conditions already in place. Locate any new fenced enclosures where they will have minimum impact on the woodland and check if any consents or permissions are required for fencing.

Car parking management

Commercial dog walkers typically drive up to 20 minutes from clients’ homes to a walking location and so may use car parks or nearby parking areas close to the woodland.

If parking is constrained especially during peak times at busy sites, or access is limited, for example by height barriers, commercial dog walkers using larger vehicles or vans may add to these challenges.

Providing clear information about available parking options can help visitors plan their visit effectively and encourage responsible parking behaviour.

If cooperation fails and you need to restrict some or all commercial dog walkers on your woodland, regulating vehicle parking can be effective. However, be mindful of the potential for displacement and conflict with other visitors, as well as the broader impact on dog walkers.

Contact your local authority for insights into managing parking in laybys and on roads in specific locations. You can also enlist a parking management company who may offer advice.

It is advisable to request that dogs be kept on-lead in car parks. This not only ensures the safety of the dogs but also encourages visitors to carry a lead during their walk.

Local authority support

Your local authority dog warden may have a good overview of local commercial dog walking activity and be able to suggest an integrated approach.

Do check with the local authority and any grant funders to ensure you are aware of any access rights or conditions you need to respect.

Regulations and access rights

There are no national regulations regarding legal, training or insurance requirements for walking dogs for payment.

If you’re having persistent issues relating to dog walking, your local authority can issue Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to designated areas. These can enforce dog control measures and people can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for non-compliance.

Your local authority can also issue Community Protection Notices (CPNs) to dog walkers for persistent problems.

You can contact your local authority, and neighbouring landowners, about any local regulations, such as PSPOs, CPNs, or voluntary regulation and accreditation schemes. Read more on PSPOs and CPNs.

Monitoring and maintenance

Maintain regular communication with commercial dog walkers. Notify them in advance about any changes, for example, forestry operations or seasonal wildlife sensitivities.

You can do this by using contact details from any permits you issue, or online such as your website, social media channels or with clear signage. Some commercial dog walkers have a local support organisation, WhatsApp group or similar and can share the information widely.

If commercial dog walkers benefit from open communication with you, they are more likely to comply with desired behaviours and provide advocacy, informal monitoring and report any problems in your woodland at an early stage.

Read more about managing visitors with dogs in your woodland.