Introduction

Christchurch Professional Dog Walkers Incorporated (CPDW Inc) is a not-for-profit professional association representing experienced and emerging professional dog walkers across Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region.  

We formed in response to a growing need for clearer understanding, consistency, and accountability within the professional dog walking industry—particularly where canine welfare, public safety, and shared public spaces intersect.  

At CPDW Inc, canine welfare sits at the center of our work. We recognize that dogs require more than basic exercise; they need appropriate mental and physical enrichment, individualised care, and informed handling that supports their wellbeing while respecting the environments they operate in.  

Our approach values natural canine behaviours such as movement, exploration, and sniffing, balanced carefully with safety-first decision-making and professional judgement.  

We are an education-led organisation, supporting evidence-based practice informed by theory, hands-on experience, and real-world risk assessment. CPDW Inc promotes strong dog walking standards, including health and safety awareness, effective group management, and responsible operation in shared public spaces. While we are not a regulatory or enforcement body, we provide a framework that supports best practice and encourages continual professional development.  

Public safety is a core consideration in everything we do. Professional dog walking involves managing dynamic environments, diverse dog personalities, and public interaction. CPDW Inc supports structured risk management approaches that help professionals make informed decisions to protect dogs, the public, and themselves.  

Our membership system provides accountability and transparency. Members are expected to operate lawfully, hold appropriate liability insurance for their own professional activities, and comply with the Society’s Constitution, Code of Conduct, and Safety and Welfare Standards. This structure helps distinguish professional dog walking from casual or recreational activity and supports public confidence in professional services.  

CPDW Inc also acts as a constructive, unified voice for professional dog walkers, engaging respectfully with councils, regulators, and the wider community. We aim to improve understanding of the role professional dog walkers play, the dog walking standards they operate under, and the value they provide to dogs, owners, and the community.

Christchurch Professional Dog Walkers Inc was formed in December 2025 to address the growing demand for clarity, consistency, and professionalism within the dog-walking industry across Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region.

As knowledgeable and experienced professional dog walkers operating in shared public spaces, we recognised a significant gap between casual dog walking and professional dog-walking services. This gap particularly relates to how standards, risk management, canine welfare, and public safety are understood, applied, and represented.

Additionally, evolving dog-control regulations highlighted the need for a unified, informed voice to represent trained professionals who operate responsibly and ethically, in compliance with New Zealand law.

Christchurch Professional Dog Walkers Inc was established to help fill this gap.

Our mission is to:

• Promote canine welfare and prioritise welfare-first decision-making
• Support public safety in shared spaces
• Encourage education-based, evidence-informed practice
• Advocate for fair, transparent, and practical policy outcomes
• Provide accountability and uphold professional standards within the industry

Christchurch Professional Dog Walkers Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated society, dedicated to supporting and representing professional dog walkers, without the intent to regulate, license, or replace the roles of councils or enforcement bodies.

Our focus is on collaboration, education, and constructive engagement, ensuring that professional dog walking is recognised as a skilled and responsible service that benefits not only dogs and their owners, but also the wider community.

Christchurch Professional Dog Walkers Inc exists to advance, support, and represent professional dog walking across Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region, with canine welfare and public safety at the core of everything we do.

Our mission is to promote high standards of professional dog walking, grounded in education, experience, and responsible risk management, while acknowledging the shared use of public spaces by the wider community.

We are committed to:

• Canine welfare first
  Prioritising dogs’ physical safety, emotional wellbeing, enrichment, and individual needs.
• Public safety
  Supporting professional decision-making that reduces risk and promotes respectful shared use of parks, reserves, and public spaces.
• Education-based practice
  Encouraging evidence-informed handling, ongoing learning, and professional development to enhance dog-walking standards.
• Professional accountability
  Supporting clear standards, codes of conduct, and ethical operation within the industry.
• Constructive advocacy
  Engaging respectfully with councils, regulators, and the community to support fair, transparent, and practical policy outcomes.

Christchurch Professional Dog Walkers Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated society.

We do not regulate, license, or enforce. Instead, we provide a unified, informed voice for professional dog walkers and support members to operate responsibly within existing laws and bylaws.

Through collaboration, education, and integrity, we work to strengthen public understanding of professional dog walking in Christchurch and support outcomes that benefit dogs, owners, professionals, and the wider community.