How to Give Your Dog Walker a Key (Safely)

The Best Ways to Give Your Dog Walker Access

One of the most practical concerns when hiring a dog walker is how to give them access to your home. Most walkers visit while you are at work, so leaving a physical key or setting up keyless entry is necessary. Here are your options, ranked from most to least recommended:

Option 1: Smart Lock (Recommended)

A smart lock with a unique code for your walker is the safest and most convenient option. Here is why:

• Unique codes — Give your walker their own code that is different from yours. If you stop using that walker, delete their code without changing any locks.
• Access logs — Most smart locks log every entry and exit with a timestamp. You can see exactly when your walker arrived and left.
• Scheduled access — Some smart locks let you restrict a code to specific days and times (e.g., Monday-Friday 11am-2pm only).
• No physical key to lose — No risk of a key being copied, lost, or forgotten.
• Remote control — Lock or unlock from your phone if your walker has an issue.

Popular smart lock options that work well for pet owners include keypad deadbolts from brands like Schlage, Yale, and August. Prices range from $100-300, and most can be installed in 15-30 minutes with just a screwdriver.

Cost: $100-300 one-time purchase. No monthly fees for basic keypad models.

Option 2: Lockbox

A combination lockbox (the kind real estate agents use) attached to your door handle or a fixed object near your entrance is the most common solution for dog walkers:

• Affordable — A decent lockbox costs $15-40.
• Simple — No batteries, no Wi-Fi, no app. Your walker opens the lockbox with a combination, uses the key, and puts it back.
• Easy to change — If you change walkers, change the combination.

The downsides: no access logs, anyone who knows the combination can access the key, and cheaper models can be pried open. Choose a lockbox with a hardened shackle and a combination (not a key lock) for the best security.

Cost: $15-40 one-time purchase.

Option 3: Hidden Key

Hiding a key under a mat, in a fake rock, or in a planter is common but the least secure option:

• Pros — Free, no equipment needed.
• Cons — Most "hiding spots" are obvious. Delivery drivers, neighbors, and anyone watching your routine can find it. Once found, there is no audit trail.

If you go this route, choose a non-obvious location away from your door. A magnetic key holder inside a dryer vent or under a deck railing is better than under the doormat. But honestly, a $20 lockbox is a much better investment.

Cost: Free, but least secure.

Option 4: Spare Key Given Directly

Some owners give their walker a copy of their key to keep. This works well for walkers you have used for months or years and fully trust:

• Pros — Simplest approach. No codes to remember, no lockbox to fumble with.
• Cons — If you stop using the walker, you should change your locks or ask for the key back (and hope it was not copied). No access logs.

This option is fine for long-term, established relationships but too much trust to extend to a new walker you have just met.

Cost: $3-8 for a key copy.

Option 5: Garage Code

If your dog is accessible through the garage, you can give your walker the garage door code:

• Pros — No key needed. You can change the code anytime.
• Cons — Most garage keypads do not have access logs. Your garage likely contains more valuables than your front entry.

Use this option if your garage connects to your home and your walker only needs to access the dog. Make sure the interior door from garage to house is unlocked during walk times.

Security Tips for Any Access Method

Regardless of which option you choose, follow these practices:

• Start with a meet-and-greet — Never give access to someone you have not met in person at least once.
• Check references — Ask for 2-3 references from other clients and actually call them.
• Use a pet camera — A basic indoor camera ($30-50) near the entry lets you see when your walker comes and goes. Many walkers are comfortable with cameras and expect them.
• Secure valuables — Keep cash, jewelry, medications, and sensitive documents out of common areas. Not because your walker is untrustworthy, but because reducing temptation is basic security.
• Set clear boundaries — Let your walker know which rooms they should and should not access. Most walkers only need the entryway, the room with the leash, and the path to the door.
• Change codes periodically — If you use a lockbox or smart lock, change the code every 3-6 months or whenever you change walkers.

What Most Dog Walkers Prefer

From the walker's perspective, the ideal setup is a smart lock or lockbox. Here is why:

• They do not want the liability of carrying someone else's house key
• Lockboxes and codes eliminate the "I forgot the key" problem
• Smart locks with logs protect them too — proof they were there at the right time

If you are not sure what to set up, ask your walker what they prefer. Most experienced walkers have a recommendation based on what works best with their other clients.

Find a Dog Walker on HeyDog

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Browse dog walkers near you or sign up free to get started.

Product recommendations in this article are for informational purposes only. HeyDog is not affiliated with any lock or camera manufacturers. Last updated February 2026.