How PawLocal Matches Walkers
We match dog owners with walkers based on quality, reliability and suitability — not just booking volume.
How We Match
When you search for a walker, we calculate suitability using these factors. We show a range of suitable walkers — not just the highest-scoring one.
Distance & Location
We prioritise walkers close to you, so your dog gets care from someone who knows your local area.
Availability
We only show walkers who are available on the days and times you need.
Services Requested
We match the specific service you need — dog walking, puppy visits, pet sitting and more.
Walker Priority Score
Our scoring system rewards reliability, responsiveness and customer satisfaction — not just booking volume.
Customer Rating
Genuine reviews from completed bookings help you choose a walker with a proven track record.
Relevant Experience
We consider the walker's experience with dogs of your size, breed and temperament.
PawLocal Priority Score
Every walker has a priority score from 0–100. The score rewards genuine customer service and reliability — not excessive app usage or booking volume alone.
Booking Reliability
Completed bookings vs walker-caused cancellations
Customer Reviews
Genuine ratings from completed bookings
Response Rate
How promptly enquiries are responded to
Availability
Days, services and areas available
Cancellation Rate
Lower walker cancellations = higher score
Profile Completeness
How complete the walker profile is
Verification
Verification steps completed and shown on the profile
Weightings can be adjusted by PawLocal administrators to reflect what matters most to the community.
Walker Levels
Your PawLocal level reflects your activity, reliability and customer experience. Higher levels may receive increased visibility when they are a suitable match for a booking.
0–39
New walkers building their first reviews.
40–64
Regular walkers with a growing track record.
65–84
Reliable walkers with strong customer feedback.
85–100
Top-rated walkers with excellent reliability.
Levels are not a guarantee of bookings. They reflect genuine performance and customer satisfaction.
New Walker Boost
New walkers receive a temporary visibility boost for their first 30 days. This gives them a fair opportunity to obtain their first bookings and genuine reviews.
The boost does not permanently override established walkers. After 30 days, scores are based purely on performance.
Our Fairness Principles
We reward genuine customer service and reliability — not excessive activity or unnecessary app usage.
We do not encourage walkers to accept bookings they cannot fulfil.
We do not reward cancellations or manipulate scores through fake reviews.
Customer cancellations do not penalise walkers — only walker-caused cancellations affect the score.
Walkers outside their stated working hours are not unfairly penalised for slow responses.
Every score is explainable — walkers can see exactly how their score was calculated and how to improve it.