Loving and being loved by a dog is one of the best feelings in the world. Consider yourself lucky if you have both in your life. But when you have both, and you also have the opportunity to be with other dogs and earn money from it, now that’s awesome.
If you love dogs, taking them out for a walk for a living shouldn’t even be a job. It’s a treat that you should look forward to each time. What’s even better is that having clients is the last thing you should worry about.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or ASPCA reported that as of 2017, there are roughly 78 million dogs in the United States. This means that nearly half—or about 44%— of all households in the US have dogs. The ASPCA also reported that these households spent a whopping $5.24 billion in 2016 for services like pet sitting, boarding, grooming, and walking.
These figures will tell you that the pet care industry is a lucrative one and that there will always be opportunities for you to become a part of this industry if you sincerely love animals and you know where to go.
10 Leading Dog Walking Sites In The US
If you love animals and you want to become a part of the industry by working in pet care establishments, go over the list below for sites and apps that you can check out.
1. Rover
Rover takes care of all things related to dogs. From dog walking jobs to dog supplies, name it, and Rover has it. Rover is found in many US cities and provides insurance to its employees.
If you want to work as a dog walker, Rover offers an attractive package that could make you earn between $15 and $26 an hour.
Link to Rover: https://store.rover.com/pet-supplies
Link to Application: https://www.rover.com/become-a-sitter/
2. Fetch! Pet Care
Fetch! is much like Rover, except that it does not sell pet supplies. Fetch! is more client-based, providing features that allow you to see whether you and the dog are a match. Dog walkers can expect to earn at least $9 an hour, excluding tips.
Link to Fetch!: https://www.fetchpetcare.com/
Link to Application: https://www.fetchpetcare.com/dog-walking-and-pet-sitting-jobs/
3. Wag!
Wag! trains its walkers and gives pet owners the option to choose the same walker for you for every session. It also provides GPS tracking so owners can keep track of their pets while they’re in session. They will even get a message when their pets pee and poop.
Wag! pays its walkers $13 to $17 an hour.
Link to Wag!: https://wagwalking.com/
Link to Application: https://wagwalking.com/dog-walker
4. Local Dog Walker
The good thing about this site is that once you become a part of its network of walkers, anyone looking for a dog walker or pet sitter will be able to view your profile and may contact you for your services. You may also avail yourself of pet sitting services through this site.
Link: http://www.localdogwalker.com/
Link to Application: http://www.localdogwalker.com/join-our-network/
5. Petsits
Much like Local Dog Walker, Petsits links you to an extensive network of walkers and potential clients. The possibility of finding a steady gig through Petsits is good. However, you need to take care of doing your advertising and insuring yourself. Petsits, though, could offer you a lifetime membership and help you select the insurance company and the insurance coverage that works for you.
Link: http://petsits.com/
6. Care
Care is not just about providing caregiving services to humans. For $12 an hour, registered dog walkers can take care of your dogs while you are away.
Dog walkers registered with Care are available in major US cities, so it’s not difficult to find dog walkers near you. Potential clients also have the option to book walkers for an immediate engagement or a long-term job.
Link: https://www.care.com/dog-walkers
7. Petsitter
Petsitter has such a huge network of walkers and sitters you’ll find it challenging to pick out which one is the perfect match for your pet. There are filters, though, to make your search a lot faster.
As a job seeker, it is your job responsibility to “sell” yourself well so you will stand out among the rest.
Link: https://petsitter.com/pet-sitter-jobs
8. DogWalker
At DogWalker, you can advertise your services—dog walking, pet sitting, or any other pet-related service you can provide—for less than $1 a week. You can also find a service provider by entering your city and state, zip code, or neighborhood.
Link: https://www.dogwalker.com/
Link to Application: http://www.dogwalker.com/resources/become-a-dog-walker/
9. Walkio
As a client, you can select up to three potential dog walkers and sitters to handle your pet. Once you’ve chosen a walker or sitter, Walkio facilitates communication with the provider without you having to give out sensitive information. You may also request for a meet-and-greet session.
As a service provider, Walkio notifies you when a job is available or when a client requests for an interview. Payments are also made to the site, so the transaction is smooth.
Walkio provides insurance coverage, advertising, and service support to its registered walkers/sitters.
Link: https://getwalkio.com/become-a-walker/
10. Pet Sitter’s Center
This site is an excellent resource center for your pet sitting business. You can set up your website to make booking faster and get to become a part of its network of service providers. Potential clients may also look you up on this site if they want to avail themselves of your services.
Link: http://www.petsitcenter.com/index.htm
11. HoliDog
What I like about HoliDog is how they strongly recommend that you let your pet meet first the walker you have chosen.
With HoliDog, you can set your availability and can set your rate. If a job comes through, HoliDog will notify you immediately.
The average HoliDog part-timer earns about $30 a day.
Link: https://us.holidog.com/become-petsitter
Already into dog walking? Have you tried hooking up with any of the sites above? Let us know your experience by leaving a comment in the box below.
