How It Works

Safety & Insurance

Private Walks
With Spot, every dog walk is strictly private, which means one-on-one between the walker and the dogs of a single household. Spot does not offer group/pack walks to ensure that every dog receives constant one-on-one attention throughout the walk. If you own multiple dogs and would like them walked together, it costs an extra $5 per additional dog.

With a private walk, walkers are not permitted to bring anyone else with them, which means no spouses, friends, children, or dogs of their own.
On-leash Walks
With Spot, every dog walk is strictly on-leash!

Spot does not bring/supply the walking tools, instead, we use the dog owner’s collar/harness/leash/treats/bags to ensure proper fit and comfort.  

Because dogs can be unpredictable, especially with people other than their owners, walkers are not permitted to take dogs off-leash. This also applies to fenced-in off-leash areas within dog parks.

The only exception to the on-leash rule is within the dog owner’s backyard. When booking with Spot, you can request a backyard break instead of a walk, in which case a dog is permitted to be off leash under the direct supervision of a walker.
Door-to-Door Walks
With Spot, every walk is strictly door-to-door, which means your dog will never spend any time in a walker’s vehicle. Spot walkers are not insured to transport dogs in their vehicles, nor do they have the proper equipment to do so safely.
GPS Tracked Walks
Every Spot dog walk is GPS-tracked, so you know you are getting exactly what you paid for! After every walk, you can view the GPS map by clicking Walk History in the dropdown menu, or you can follow along every step of the way with live GPS walk tracking. Once the walker presses Start Walk, you will have access to the walk report and live GPS map, along with photos and videos. The GPS walk map updates every 10-seconds and displays the elapsed time and distance travelled (KMS).

Frequently Asked Questions

Veterinary Reimbursement
For eligible claims, Spot offers reimbursement for veterinary expenses up to $15,000 per incident.  

In order for a claim to be eligible, injuries to a dog must have directly resulted from a walk scheduled through Spot; veterinary expenses must be the direct result of the injury sustained; claims must be made within 7 days of the sustained injury; all veterinary expenses must be incurred in Canada and provided by a licensed veterinarian.

There is no deductible for eligible claims, and a Spot Claims Representative will work directly with you throughout the claims process.  

If you already have pet insurance that covers some or all of a claim, you should file a claim under that policy before seeking reimbursement from Spot. In such a case, Spot may be leveraged to meet deductibles or cover costs that fall outside your policy.

To submit a claim please contact Spot Support by chat, email, or phone, and a Spot Claims Representative will help you.

What’s not covered?

Pre-existing conditions, preventable illnesses or injuries, treatment for dental illnesses, rehabilitative therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, chiropractic, behavioural modification and therapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, herbal therapy, prescription food, and supplements.

Spot may require a complete medical history/records associated with your dog to process any claim. By submitting a claim, you agree to provide to Spot all medical history/records associated with your dog. You authorize Spot to contact any veterinary hospital to obtain all available medical records that exist for your dog. You authorize any veterinary hospital to release to Spot all medical records that exist for your dog. Failure or refusal to disclose a complete medical history for your dog when requested may result in the denial of your claim.

Reporting a claim that involves false, misleading, and/or dishonest information may be reported to local governmental authorities.
Detailed List Of What Is Not Covered
Home & Property Insurance
Spot has insurance that provides coverage for your home and property up to $1,000,000 per incident.

This means if you don’t already have a liability policy, this policy responds first if you need to make a claim. If you already have a liability policy for property, then consider this to be coverage additional to what you have.

What is covered:
Physical damage to a dog owner’s property caused by the dog walker.
What isn’t covered:
Damage to a dog owner’s property not caused by the dog walker.
Damage to a dog owner’s property caused by their own dog or pets.
Injury or damage that arises outside of the dates of a dog walk booked and paid for through Spot.
Losses and damages paid by any other insurance policy, including health insurance, pet insurance, homeowners insurance, or renters insurance.
For any situation potentially including theft or stolen property, involved parties are encouraged to contact local law enforcement.
The Walkers
Having completed more than 75,000 walks, our team of dog walkers has pretty much seen it all! With all that experience, we know that there’s absolutely no comparison to the one-on-one attention a dog receives during a private, on-leash walk. With that being said, we are constantly striving to ensure that every dog is in safe and capable hands, which is one of the reasons why Spot hires less than 5% of dog walker applicants, and why every Spot dog walker must complete a multi-step screening and onboarding process that includes a 15 question test.

The walker onboarding process includes an 8-part video tutorial that covers safely entering a home & greeting a dog, leashing a dog & preparing for a walk, and safe on-leash walking. However, Spot walkers are NOT dog trainers, and all have varying levels of experience. Therefore, if you have specific training techniques that you would like reinforced during a walk, it’s recommended that you schedule a meet-and-greet. Spot offers unlimited free meet-and-greets when booking a recurring walk, and $12 meet-and-greets for non-recurring walks. However, there’s no guarantee that specific walkers will be available for specific dates and times once you have met.

When booking walks using the Spot App, you will be connected to available walkers based on the dates and times requested, at which point you can review their profiles, ratings, & comments, start chatting, and select the walker of your choice. In the rare instance that you are not comfortable with any of the available walkers, you may cancel the booking without penalty.

$1 Million in Property Insurance

It can be difficult letting someone new into your home, but we've taken every precaution to create a stress-free experience. On top of our strict walker selection process that hires less than 5% of walker applicants, every walk is insured for up to $1 million in house or property damages.

$15,000 in Veterinary Reimbursement

Although we’ve never had to use it, every walk comes with $15,000 in veterinary reimbursement coverage! See exactly what's covered here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Spot feed my dog?

Yes, if you would like the walker to feed your dog, please leave detailed instructions in the Walk & Entry Instructions. Its also a good idea to send your scheduled walker a message to ensure they don’t miss this important detail.

Learn more
Do the walkers bring treats?

Spot does NOT bring/supply treats, as some dogs may be allergic to certain types of treats. Therefore, please supply treats if you would like your dog to be given them before, during, or after a walk.

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Who supplies the poop bags?

Spot does NOT bring/supply the walking tools, instead we use the dog owner’s collar/harness/leash/treats/bags to ensure proper fit and comfort. 

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Does the walker bring their own leash, or use mine?

Spot does NOT bring/supply the walking tools, instead we use the dog owner’s collar/harness/leash/treats/bags to ensure proper fit and comfort.

Learn more
Does Spot offer group walks?

No, Spot walks are all private, which means one-on-one between the walker and the dogs of a single household. Spot does not offer group/pack walks to ensure that every dog receives the walker’s full and undivided attention throughout the walk. 

Spot dog walkers are also not insured to transport dogs in their vehicles.

Learn more
Can the walker take my dog off-leash?

No, Spot dog walks are on-leash only. This includes fenced-in off leash parks. Off-leash services are not insured and are not permitted due to the elevated risk of injury to a dog, injury caused by a dog, and potential loss of a dog. Even within a fenced-in off-leash dog park, a dog is more likely to injured by another dog, and is more likely to inflict injury to another dog or person. 

The only exception to the on-leash rule is within the dog owner’s backyard. When booking with Spot, you can request a backyard break instead of a walk, in which case a dog is permitted to be off leash under the direct supervision of a walker.

Learn more
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