Hiring a dog walker means handing over the keys to your home and the safety of a beloved family member. While most dog walking services perform background checks, these checks are not always thorough, and independent walkers found through apps or social media may have no vetting at all. A face search engine like facesearching gives you an additional layer of verification that can reveal red flags a standard background check might miss. This tutorial walks you through the process of verifying a dog walker's identity using reverse face search so you can feel confident about who is caring for your pet.
Step 1: Gather the Dog Walker's Profile Photos
Before you can run a reverse face search, you need a clear photo of the dog walker. Most dog walking apps and platforms include profile pictures of their walkers. Save or screenshot the clearest image available — ideally a front-facing portrait with good lighting and no sunglasses or obstructions. If the walker has multiple photos on their profile, save them all, as running multiple images through facesearching can increase your confidence in the results. If the walker's profile only has a single low-quality photo, that itself can be a red flag worth noting.
Step 2: Upload the Photo to facesearching
Navigate to facesearching and upload the dog walker's profile photo. The face search engine will scan over 100 social platforms, news sites, and public web sources for matches. Within approximately 60 seconds, you will receive a list of results showing where this face appears online. Pay close attention to the source URLs and confidence scores. If the results show the same face on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other professional platforms with consistent name and location information, that is a strong sign of legitimacy. If the face appears under multiple different names or on suspicious websites, you have reason to be concerned.
Step 3: Cross-Reference Findings with the Walker's Claims
Once you have the facesearching results, compare them against what the dog walker has told you. Does the name on their LinkedIn profile match the name on their dog walking profile? Does their claimed location align with where their social media activity places them? Are there any news articles or public records that suggest a criminal history? Being able to find someone by photo and cross-reference the results with their stated identity is one of the most powerful verification techniques available. If anything does not add up, ask the walker for an explanation. A legitimate professional will have no issue with reasonable identity verification — in fact, many appreciate it.
If the walker's face appears in contexts that are inconsistent with their claimed identity, or if the reverse face search reveals that the photo is a stock image or belongs to a different person entirely, you have likely encountered a scam. Pet theft rings have been known to pose as dog walkers to gain access to homes and valuable animals. For more on spotting fake profiles, see our guide on 10 red flags that someone is using fake photos online.
Step 4: Combine Face Search with Other Verification Methods
A face search engine is most effective when combined with traditional vetting methods. After running a reverse face search on facesearching, take these additional steps: ask for references from previous clients and actually call them; verify that the walker is insured and bonded; check their reviews on independent platforms, not just the app where you found them; and arrange an in-person meet-and-greet before handing over your keys. This layered approach to identity verification significantly reduces the risk of letting the wrong person into your home and near your pet.
Remember that facesearching is powerful because it does not require a name or social security number — just a photo. This makes it particularly useful for vetting independent dog walkers who may not appear in traditional background check databases. The ability to find someone by photo across the entire web gives you visibility that no app-based rating system can match. For more comprehensive safety tips, explore our guide on comprehensive background checks with one photo.
Preventing Pet Theft and Ensuring Peace of Mind
Pet theft is a heartbreaking crime that has increased in recent years, with purebred dogs being particularly targeted. A dog walker who is actually a thief can case your home, learn your schedule, and identify the most valuable items and animals to steal. facesearching helps you avoid this nightmare scenario by giving you the tools to verify who you are inviting into your life. The few minutes it takes to run a reverse face search is a small investment compared to the potential cost of trusting the wrong person. If you have any doubts after your verification process, trust your instincts and find another walker. There are plenty of legitimate, caring professionals in the pet care industry — you just need to separate them from the frauds.