Dog Walker CV example

Being a dog walker isn’t a walk in the park. Owners are trusting you with a member of their family – and that means your CV needs to show not just pet-handling skills, but care, reliability, and good judgement.

Whether you’re applying through an agency or offering your own services, you’ll soon write a CV which fetches results.

Just like a walk, a CV should have a clear route from start to finish. A good structure makes it easier for the reader to follow your skills, see your experience, and trust that you’re organised and professional. Visual mistakes or making these details hard to find will just make the reader move onto the next applicant.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Keep your name and personal details front and centre at the top. Whether or not to include a photo is your decision.
• Profile – Start with a snapshot of your skills, career highlights, and professional aspirations.
• Core skills – Focus on core skills like making it easy for employers to see your key strengths at a glance.
• Work experience – Walk through your professional experience, beginning with your latest position and moving backwards.
• Education – Outline your education and certifications, focusing on those most relevant to the role.
• Additional info – This section is optional, but it’s a good place for interests and hobbies that complement your CV.
  

Your format matters, too. Keep your CV length to two pages max, use bullet points to make dense text easy to read, and use clear headings to separate each part. Choose a professional font and make sure there’s plenty of white space – no one wants to get lost in a big block of text. The clearer your layout, the quicker they’ll trust you know what you’re doing.

Your CV profile is the friendly introduction at the top of your CV – just a short paragraph that explains who you are, what experience you’ve had, and why someone should trust you with their beloved pet. It’s about showing you’re friendly and dependable enough to convince recruiters to hire you.

Here’s some tips on what to include:

• Where you worked – Describe the settings you’ve worked in, such as private homes, local pet services, dog walking companies, or kennels.
• Your top qualifications – Mention if you’ve completed any animal care courses, pet first aid training, or dog behaviour workshops.
• Essential skills – Highlight the practical abilities you use every day, such as managing multiple dogs, using leads and harnesses, handling difficult behaviour, or sticking to client routines.
• Clients or animals supported – Say how many dogs you walk at once, whether they’re big, small, reactive, or shy – and if you also manage feeding, medication or vet visits.
• Value delivered – Show how you build trust with owners, keep animals safe, and offer reliable service – even in bad weather, unexpected situations, or tight schedules.
  

Your skills section should offer a quick snapshot of the abilities that make you a reliable, capable dog walker. Instead of listing soft traits like “friendly” or “animal lover,” focus on the tangible, job-specific skills that pet owners and agencies will care about. Think about what’s in the job advert – then reflect that in your section.

Whether it’s handling different breeds, following feeding routines, responding to emergencies, or managing client communication, this section should reflect the practical side of the work you do.

This is where you show that you haven’t just walked the walk – you’ve done it regularly, responsibly, and with great feedback. Whether you’ve worked solo or with a company, cared for dogs full-time or part-time, this is your chance to explain how you gained your experience and what you’ve learned.

List your most recent work experience first and work backward. Start each job entry with a short sentence summarising who you worked for and what kind of work you did, then use bullet points to break down your main duties and achievements. Focus on what owners or employers valued – punctuality, handling complex dogs, managing multiple bookings, or maintaining trust over time.

• Outline – Summarise the dog walking company or client type, what areas you covered, and the scale of your work.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “walked” and “managed.” For example: “walked up to four dogs per session, following strict feeding and medication routines” or “managed regular daily visits for long-term clients.”
• Achievements – If you helped grow the client base, built trust over time, or received great feedback, include it. Even small wins – like 100% on-time bookings – show professionalism.

Even if you didn’t study animal care, this section still matters. It shows your general education and work ethic – and if you’ve taken any courses relevant to dogs or small business management, even better.

List your qualifications from most recent to earliest. That might include GCSEs, diplomas, pet first aid certificates, or anything else relevant. There’s no need to go into lots of detail – just show that you’ve got the basics, and that you’re always open to learning more.