Local rules
What professional dog walkers in Minneapolis are expected to know — in plain language, with the actual citations.Verified by the Top Dog SF team · September 2026
Code 64.80(a): no person having custody or control of a dog may permit it on any street, alley, public park, school ground or public place without being effectively restrained by chain or leash, except in officially designated off-leash areas. 'Custody or control' is you. No leash length is specified — the standard is EFFECTIVE restraint, which is a functional test rather than a measurement, and with a pack that's a higher bar than it first sounds.
Minneapolis Code 64.80(a) · official source
To use an MPRB off-leash area a dog needs a current Minneapolis dog licence (for residents) and proof of rabies vaccination — those are prerequisites for the off-leash permit, not optional extras. Check both before you take a dog into a dog park, because the permit that depends on them is the client's, and it's the client who loses it.
MPRB off-leash permit requirements; Minneapolis Code 63.80 · official source
The full pack — plus state and U.S.-wide baselines and an assessment localized to Minneapolis — is included with the Certified Professional Dog Walker.
Get certified — with Minneapolis rules included →This is educational guidance for dog-care professionals, not legal advice. Rules change — always confirm with the official source before relying on a rule.