Last updated: September 17, 2025

How to start a dog walking business

A professional guide

For years, I’ve received emails from people either asking for a job or how they can start their own dog walking business.  In 2011, I wrote this guide, and have added to it over the years. There’s so much info here, it really is the ultimate guide to dog walking!

This post contains some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Contents

• Introduction
• Set Your Dog Walking Prices
• Pet Services to Offer
• Choosing A Business Name
• Get a Canine First Aid Certificate
• How to Walk Multiple Dogs At Once
• Becoming A Responsible Dog Walker
• Introducing New Dogs To The Group
• Get Pet Business Insurance
• Marketing your business
• Dog walking forms

Introduction

The chances are high that you own a dog. In that case, you’ve no doubt been out walking at your go-to place and seen the local dog walkers arriving in their vans, taking their group out for a walk, and wished you could do the same. Spending time outdoors with dogs and getting paid for it seems almost too good to be true. Especially if you’re not happy in your current job.

Dog walkers are popping up everywhere, and all share the dream of finally earning a fair wage, in proper working conditions, and doing something they love. There’s plenty of work out there, and you can be successful even with little to no funds to invest, but you must be 100% committed to make your new business work!

To make sure your business doesn’t fail in the first few months, plan how you will pay your bills while you build a client base. If you have a partner or family that can support you, that’s great. But if not, consider looking for evening and weekend work to bring in extra income while leaving the daytime available for dog walking. An evening job like a takeaway driver is ideal.

Set Your Dog Walking Prices

The first thing you should do is research your local dog walkers. So get on Google and Facebook and find all your local dog walkers in your area. Find out how much they charge to walk dogs, and what services they offer. Areas vary slightly, so London prices are different from the rest of the UK, and even one town can have different prices from the town next to it. Find the average price the locals are charging and set that price as yours. For example, walking a dog for an hour where I live is around £14+ in 2025 (more in places like London), with discounts for secondary dogs from the same home – you will need to confirm the dog walking prices in your local area.  Dog walker’s earn around £25,000 – £30,000+ for full time work on average.

There are two types of dog walks – group and solo. Most people are happy to get their dog walked in a group, so they get to socialise and play. You can charge more money for a solo walk, but you get paid way more money walking six dogs in a group than one dog on its own.

A couple of group walks a day can be enough for a dog walker to make a living. Some do just that – it makes for an ideal job for those who have kids and want to work during school hours. So what is the main reason someone hires a dog walker? Answer: They’re usually at work or have plans during the day. I didn’t know this when I started, and I just hoped someone would pay me to walk their dog. I didn’t even consider the motivation of those that hire a dog walker. Who wants to give their money away, after all? Most people like walking their dog. So, for most people, hiring a dog walker is a necessity because there’s no one else at home to do it.

And because the most common need for a dog walker is that the owner is at work, nearly everyone wants their dog walked in the middle of the working day. Not 9 am, just after they’ve left home, and not 5 pm when they’re on their way back. So the lunchtime period is peak working hours for a dog walker. You may only manage two walks at that time (an early lunch walk and a late lunch walk, e.g. 11 am & 1 pm).

You will earn most of your money for the day during lunch, so you can’t do solo walks or offer any other service during this time – that time is for group walks only. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do solo walks. You may get asked to do walks by people like the elderly and the disabled who don’t mind what time their dog gets walked during the day; as long as they get walked – you can fit them around your schedule. But solo walks tend to be done more by those just starting with time on their hands, while the established dog walkers tend to stick to group walks only. For example, I walk three group walks a day, and then I’m done.

You’ll be surprised how much time it takes to pick up and drop off dogs. Taking three groups of dogs out for a 1-hour walk takes me around 6 hours – half my working day is spent collecting or dropping dogs back home in a small area. Dog walkers are always racing against the clock, so working in a small area is always advisable.

Pet Services to Offer

The most popular services are doggy daycare, dog boarding, and cat visits outside of dog walking. Doggy daycare is taking off nowadays. Dogs come to stay with you for the day (or half-day) while their owners are at work, with the option of a pick-up and drop-off service available.

I don’t offer daycare, but it’s a significant rival/addition to dog walking and growing by the day. You can charge quite a bit more for daycare, but someone will have to be at home to look after the pups if you are out dog walking. Some dog walkers offer this service, and some folks provide daycare exclusively.

There are dedicated premises for larger daycare centres that also hire staff. When looking for a dog walker, clients will sometimes look for those who can board their dogs, too – this is quite important to some, but it’s not a deal-breaker. People like to go on holiday or the odd weekend away, so having a dog walker that can look after their dog is a big bonus, plus boarding pays well (£20-£30+ per night, per dog).

In the summer months and school holidays, a dog walker’s wage can almost double with the addition of the boarders, but it can be hard work. Expect to wake up to ‘accidents’. Several dogs living with you can bring a lot of dirt and fur into the house and along the walls – your once beautiful lawn is now scorched with urine, plus if they’ve never stayed before, it can take a day or two for them to settle in.

Apart from group dog walking, dog boarding and doggy daycare, all other services are just pocket money, and if you don’t fancy them, then it’s ok to forget about them, and that includes pet sitting.

But what is pet sitting? Do you know? I’ve been doing this for fifteen years, and even I sometimes wonder. Is it cat visits or dog sitting in the owner’s home? Is it dog boarding in your own home or looking after small furries? Well, it’s all those things, actually and more. Technically, pet sitting is an umbrella term for caring for a pet in either the client’s home or your own. Some think it just relates to pet care in the owner’s home. It’s a vague term, and because of that, I don’t like it, as it can mean anything to anyone. So if you do promote ‘pet sitting’ as a service, then describe clearly what it is you’re offering potential clients. I prefer to be more exact in my descriptions and only list actual pet sitting services I offer, e.g., cat visits, dog boarding, etc.

But whatever pet sitting services you choose to offer, describe clearly what each service is in layman’s terms and don’t just assume clients will know, as most won’t be sure.

A visit to feed the cats while their owners are on holiday.

Choosing A Business Name

There’s more to think about in a business name than you might think. If you plan to work alone, a more personal business name may suit you better as pet care is very personal. I’m known locally as Jamie, the dog walker, and people recommend using that term, so if I needed to start all over again, that could be a suitable business name.

There has also been quite a benefit of using your location in your business name. It made it much easier to rank in Google search. Around 2011-2012, just after I started, if you Googled for a dog walker using my location, it would be my website, and all the directories my business was listed on, that took up the whole first page. But now, I only appear once, like most others do, with maybe my Facebook page listing. Google has changed a lot since those days. Google keeps tweaking its algorithms to improve user experience, so there is a chance that adding your location to your business name may become redundant.

If I planned to start a pet business and hire helpers as it grew, calling my business “Jamie’s dog walking” doesn’t make much sense. Nor does it to offer other pet services, like cat visits and small animal boarding. So for those with ambitions and plans of hiring staff, a less personal, more inclusive name is better. For example, if I started again and wanted a team and offered a spectrum of pet services, a business name like “Bishopton Pet Nannies” would make more sense. It includes the location and the term “pet” rather than just “dog” but also has the plural “Nannies,” letting people know there is more than just me working there.

Since pet care can be so personal, some people won’t use businesses that hire staff. They want to choose their pet person and have them walk their dog or care for their pet. Also, those who hire staff can struggle to keep them for long. It pays poorly, hours are low, and it isn’t as fun as it sounds. Yet, because of the appeal of working with pets, businesses never have trouble getting new staff. Still, their clients have to get used to a new dog walker becoming common every so often.

After four years, I hired someone as I found myself overbooked and told some clients their dogs would get walked by my new helper, and most were ok. But some didn’t like the idea of someone they didn’t know or trust walking their dog or coming into their home. So what I learned is that if you hire help and then pass some clients onto your team, it can make some clients feel disgruntled: the agreement of terms has now changed.

So my advice is, if you get a helper, then give them the new dogs to walk, not current dogs. New clients will be happy to have your helper walk their dog from the start.

Get a Canine First Aid Certificate

Being a professional dog walker is a huge responsibility! I often get told I’ve got a dream job and that it’s easy, and at times it can be, but I’m responsible for the life of another person’s pet, and I’m always aware of that! When walking one dog on a lead, it’s a carefree walk, but when I’m walking six dogs off the lead, I am 100% focused and alert, on the lookout for problems and potential issues at all times.

You’ll learn to anticipate problems before they happen. If you have a dog that always runs over to greet other dogs, it’s up to you to spot that dog before yours does and respond accordingly. If you have a male that doesn’t like other males, you need to see that other male first and move away or distract. If there’s a dog owner with a dog on a lead, you can often tell by their body language if the dog is friendly or not and keep your dogs from getting too close.

Walking lurchers and other fast dogs, I’ve seen how quickly they can run and have worried about them breaking a leg. I always thought I’d try to splint their leg, assuming it was the right thing to do, but after an excellent canine first aid course, I learned that if a dog can walk on three legs, there’s no need for a splint. In fact, a splint can add extra weight to their broken leg and cause further harm. I bought a pet first aid kit and a brilliant first aid book to fall back on. It’s a great buy, packed with everything you need to know and a real alternative to a first aid course. I also have a handy canine first aid guide you can check out.

I recommend the great First-Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats

On my first day back dog walking after completing a first aid course, I felt more in control and relaxed than ever. Knowing how to perform CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, treat a cut or wound, or handle a dog that collapses with a seizure gave me confidence to manage situations until I could get the animal to a vet.

With experience, I’ve learned that it’s usually the same dogs that injure themselves repeatedly, not random members of the group. It’s always those super-driven dogs that run the most, getting sprains or even becoming hypoglycemic! I explained this to the editor of Country Walking magazine when I helped him write an article about hiking with your dog.

Hypoglycemia occurs when a dog’s sugar levels drop after pushing themselves too hard—I’ve seen it happen within 30 minutes of a walk. They become lethargic and dizzy, which can be dangerous, so I always carry honey in my first aid kit just in case, though it’s rare. It’s happened to me twice, always with dogs that chase every ball, pursue everything, and go as fast as they can—you have to be their brakes because they won’t stop. Working breeds are often the culprits.

A simple precaution is not to push a dog harder than it’s used to. Let them play, have fun, and tire themselves out, but in moderation. My own dogs can go all day because they’re accustomed to it, but clients’ dogs may only get one big walk daily, so I give them time-outs during high-energy walks. The last dog that went hypoglycemic tried to keep up with my Springer pup, and I ended up carrying a 30-kilo dog back to the van. But, as I said, it’s not common, and you may never encounter it.

Dog walking isn’t all the “sunshine and rainbows” some think it is and can be stressful at times, but learning the skills to handle potential situations will make your life easier, reduce anxiety, and could be the difference between life and death for the pet you’re caring for!

Get to know a dog behaviourist! They’re often easy to find on Google in your local area, and understanding dog behaviour is highly beneficial for a dog walker. Even if you’ve only owned a dog or two, it makes a big difference. If a dog is misbehaving, it’s easy to reinforce that behaviour and make it worse. Understanding why a dog acts a certain way can help you manage the dogs you walk. For example, how would you handle a new dog joining the group if one of your current dogs doesn’t like it or if there are group dynamics issues? The dog behaviourist I work with has written for my website and given me insights into dog behaviour I couldn’t have learned on my own.

How to Walk Multiple Dogs At Once

You learn when you can let a dog off the lead with experience, but I can offer some great tips and advice on when to let the dog off the lead for the first time. Some dogs will happily walk with you off the lead on their first walk and come to you when you call them but not all!

Puppies are generally the easiest. Second to pups are the dogs familiar with getting walked by different people or have had a dog walker in the past. But the older the dog gets, the more time it can take to adjust to new things. So older dogs that have never had a dog walker usually need the most time – but that is not always the case.

You might be on a group walk with the new dog on the lead, and it shows signs of wanting to play with the group – this is a good sign but not enough. They might be keen on their pack mates, but they must also be keen on you. If they’re not, they won’t come back to you, respond well to your commands, or let you come close enough to them to put them back on the lead.

So you are looking for signs that they are comfortable with the other dogs and, more importantly, happy with you. Warnings that tell you they must stay on a lead are:

• They are not pleased to see you when you arrive
• They are not happy with you in their home
• They won’t take a treat from you (at home or on a walk)
• Or they do take a treat but spit it back out
• They respond poorly to your commands/ignore you
• They are nervous around their new group mates
• They are not keen on you touching them while they are on lead

The last sign is vital. If dogs don’t like you touching them while on a lead, you will not get anywhere near them if you let them off, so you must keep them on.

Thankfully, trust builds quickly, and dogs learn that it’s a walk, and they get to go back home afterwards, so it might be scary at first, but they soon get used to it. If they have a good time, it can take just a couple of walks, but if you’re unsure, keep them on the lead until they get to know you better. Again, the older dogs are more prone to this than the younger ones (not always, though).

If you get a nervous dog, it generally just takes a few walks with the same pack for them to relax soon. However, if you have an unsure dog, it’s crucial that you become Mr/Miss Chilled. No drama, loud voices, nothing that makes them think being walked by you or being in the group is wrong – make it a great thing!

Just finishing a group walk and heading back to the van.

Dog Walking Tip: When out and about and meeting people walking their dogs, chat with them as human and not as a potential client. Don’t try to be a salesperson trying to get work, forcing your business cards down their throat. By just being friendly and chatty and without any agenda you build trust among people and should they need a dog walker they will choose you. Why? Because you are someone they’ve gotten to know, a nice person to chat to and someone they trust.

Becoming A Responsible Dog Walker

Control is what dog walking is all about and the most important thing to remember. Being in control is the number one rule. It’s more important than giving the dogs a good run and play. More important than letting them pee and poo. If you’re in control, dogs are safe. If you’re not, then they’re not.

You have to be able to control the dogs you walk, and what that means is that dogs off-lead should stay close to you, come when called, and be focused on you. The easiest way to control dogs is to be the centre of attention and even give the dogs a job to do. That might mean using a ball to keep the focus for some, retrieving things from the water for others or just having playmates.

However you do it, the dog must know that being with you is better than being away from you. Else, they are likely to entertain themselves. What’s happening over there may look a lot more fun. That means they are running away to greet other dogs, that means they are following a scent they’ve found, that means you are not in control. Being the centre of attention is the number one mega secret of being a good dog walker. Unfortunately, not many dog walkers understand this, so I’ll repeat it, you are the centre of attention.

It’s more fun for dogs to be with you than away from you – play with them – entertain them – talk to them, don’t ignore them – give them a job to do – remember that, and you will be doing well! If all else fails, they go on the lead. As I said, I’ve said this to many dog walkers who can’t stop their dogs from running off. Still, they don’t seem to get it for some reason, and eventually, most of their dogs end up permanently on lead.

Dog Walking Tip: For new dogs it’s important to post photos to Facebook that same day (if possible). You can bet your bottom dollar that your new client will be visiting your Facebook page aplenty that first day because they want reassurance and most are anxious when a stranger takes their dog out for the first time. Posting photos to Facebook is an ideal way to reassure new clients and to not do so can cause resentment and potentially the client finding a more reassuring dog walker.

Introducing New Dogs To The Group

Try to know as much about the new dog before you walk it. Are they dog-friendly? If not neutered, does it get on well with other males? If it’s a female, is it spayed? Are there any breeds they don’t like or anything you need to be made aware of? If you want, you can organise for the owner and dog to join you for a walk with your group so they can meet first.

Sometimes owners won’t tell you what you really should know because they are counting on you to walk their dog, but there can be signs that can give you insight if you look closely. For example, if they have a bungee lead, they might not be good on a lead. This can also be true if they use a harness or head collar. If they have an extendable lead, the dog probably doesn’t get off the lead much. Find out why.

Outside, where dogs can run free and have plenty of room, they can ignore the other dogs if they’re not happy in their company. But in the vehicle, dogs won’t ignore each other. So any problems will surface in the vehicle. New dogs always need to be placed in a separate area from the rest – this is why you need a minimum of two spaces in your vehicle.

Usually, dogs are fine, young puppies are always good, but the most likely scenario you’ll find is from the males and non-socialised dogs. Unneutered males don’t always like other males, especially complete males, but this isn’t always the case. Some males do need neutering, but haven’t been, and they can cause problems with other males, harass and get too personal towards the girls and cause trouble.

Some dog walkers (not many) only walk female dogs because of this. If you have a complete female, you’ll have to let the owner know that you can’t take them on group walks when they are in season. However, you might be able to offer a solo walk, which would have to be on the lead. Suppose a dog hasn’t been socialised enough at a young age. It really might not like being in proximity to other dogs in the vehicle, but a separate area can remedy that. Y

our dogs must be dog and people-friendly! Most dog owners will tell you their dog is friendly. Whether they are or not is another matter. If their dog doesn’t want anything to do with other dogs but doesn’t go for them, you may expect to hear that it’s friendly! Dog walking can be pretty funny that way, and some owners are, let’s say, very loyal towards their dogs.

So, unless it’s a puppy, you will have to find out what the dog is like. You could have a fantastic team filled with lovely sociable dogs having a great time together, all under your control. Then you bring in a new dog that profoundly changes the dynamic of that walk for the worse.

For me, dogs that cause problems in the group are the worst part of dog walking. Suppose I come across a dog that doesn’t fit in enough because it’s too hard to control or not friendly. I will let the owner know that it’s not working out and end that dog’s time with us – for the good of the group walk.

Regarding new dogs, it should only take a couple of walks for you to get a good idea of how that dog is and how it gets on with the pack. Even after one walk, you should have a reasonable idea.

Dog Walking Tip: When approaching a person walking with their dog, look at the body language of the dog owner to find out if that dog is friendly or not. If the owner is relaxed chances are the dog is friendly, but if they react and then put their dog on a lead, call it in, tense up, stop, then act accordingly and you’ll avoid any issues.

Get Pet Business Insurance

You need dog walking/pet care insurance; there are a few dedicated pet insurance businesses around. Pet Business Insurance and Cliverton are the two most popular. It should cost about £15–£20 a month. Pet insurance covers things like the locks of owners’ homes in case you lose their keys or they are stolen and also covers vet costs if a dog gets injured on a walk. Also, insurance will generally (or optionally) cover other services like dog boarding, daycare, pet taxi, etc. I’ve had emails often in the past from dog walkers unable to get their vehicles insured for dog walking – not many insurance companies want to take us on. So if you are having trouble, try Hastings.

You have to register with the HMRC when you start your dog walking business, this is so you can pay taxes on your income. You can earn around £12,570 a year before you have to start paying tax.  By law, you have to keep your financial records up to date—what’s coming in, what’s going out—so an accountant is worthwhile and quite cheap. But it’s quite easy to do yourself. Taxes are done online every January on the HMRC website, and you are paying tax for the previous year.

Using either spreadsheet software or a notepad, write down every time a client pays you, whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly for each month—this is your incomings. For your outgoings (keep your receipts), you are looking at fuel bills, van insurance, dog walking insurance, boarding certificates (if required), mobile costs if you have one for your business, and any items you need to buy, e.g., dog leads, cages, etc. So it’s not complicated. Online HMRC will only ask you for your incoming total and the outgoing total for the year and then work out what you owe in tax.

Some people will be entitled to Universal Credit too (I was), so check into that as the income can really help when you start. You might want to get a business bank account too. They are similar to your personal bank account, but you keep it just for business. It makes it easier to keep track of your incomings and outgoings and doesn’t cost anything.

Since you are generally given a key to the owners’ home while they’re away, it’s best to have a certificate showing you have been police checked (DBS/CRB check) and have no criminal record. Letting strangers into their home alone is a big deal for most people, which is why dog walkers rely so heavily on recommendations. If a friend or someone they know trusts you, they are far more likely to choose you than someone they know nothing about. Disclosure Scotland is a government-run organisation and can offer disclosure certificates to anyone in the UK. You can also Google search to find other services that offer this.

Dog Walking Tip: In case of emergency, you can take the dog to any vet (meaning the closest at hand), not just their registered vet. All that vet needs to know is what clinic the dog’s registered with so they can get their info. Vets will also treat injured wild animals should you come across any.

Marketing your business

If you want an online presence, a Facebook business page may be all you need. But a website can also help. Those who don’t know of any dog walkers will likely Google for one and find local businesses (and their websites) listed. Register on Google Business. Doing this will list your business on local search results and Google maps – a must-do action, and it’s free!

I got my website with One.com and have been with them since 2010, and I think it’s about £20 for the first year and they have a super easy to use website builder, so it’s very easy to make a website.  Half of the people that contact me come from my website, the other half from Facebook, so it pays for itself easy.

Custom Clothing

Just like getting stickers for your vehicle helps promote your business wherever you go, getting your brand on your clothes does the same thing. When I started dog walking I got my logo printed on hoodies, and it was the first thing I did after making my website. It really helped promote my brand while out dog walking. If you want to get clothing (t-shirts, hoodies, jackets etc) with your own logo or want to use loads of free artwork I made, go here!

I get my embroidered clothing from Clothes2Order.

Dog walking forms

Protect your business with three key forms, available in my Dog Walking Form Book and Pet Sitting Form Book:

• Dog Walking Contract: Outlines terms, compensation, and liabilities.
• Veterinary Release Form: Authorises emergency vet care.
• Pet and Owner’s Information Sheet: Details pet health, behaviour, and contacts.

Download free form templates below to ensure professionalism and safety.

• Free Dog Walking Contract
• Free Vet release Form
• Free Pet and Owner’s Info Sheet
• Free Pet Sitting Form

Learn More

This article is a segment from my book: How to Be a Dog Walker – A Pocket Guide, on Amazon.  Read the rest, there’s loads more still to learn!