What should I charge for dog walking?
Dog walking is priced per walk, but your costs run per year: insurance, fuel between clients, treats and leashes, and the app or software you book through. Work out what your time must earn per hour first — then translate it into a per-walk price that doesn’t fall apart once you count travel time.
| Gross revenue you need to bill | – |
| Business expenses | – |
| Self-employment tax (15.3%) | – |
| Federal income tax (est.) | – |
| State income tax (est.) | – |
| Retirement savings | – |
| Your take-home income | – |
For projects: estimate the hours the job will take, multiply by your hourly rate above, then add materials (with markup) and a 10–25% buffer for overruns.
Estimates use 2025 federal brackets, the standard deduction, and an approximate state rate. Local taxes, credits, and deductions beyond the standard deduction are not included. Not tax advice.
What to count as expenses
For dog walking, annual business expenses typically include pet-sitter insurance and bonding, fuel between clients, leashes/waste bags/treats, booking software fees, and a phone plan. Add up a full year of these — using a rough annual total is far better than entering zero and pricing your overhead at nothing.
Be honest about billable hours
A 30-minute walk usually consumes 45–55 minutes once you include travel and pickup chat. If your hourly target is $40, a solo 30-minute walk needs to be priced near $30 — or walked as a small group — to actually hit it.
Dog Walker pricing FAQs
How do I convert my hourly target into a per-walk price?
Take your calculated hourly rate, multiply by the real time a walk consumes including travel (often 0.75–0.9 hours for a 30-minute walk), and round to a clean number. Example: $38/hr × 0.8 hours ≈ $30 per 30-minute walk.
Should I charge more for two dogs from the same household?
Yes — a common structure is +$5 to +$10 for a second dog. It adds work and risk, but no extra travel, so a partial surcharge is fair to both sides.
What do apps like Rover or Wag take from dog walkers?
Typically 20–40% commission. Price on-platform walks higher to net the same amount, and move regular clients to direct booking when the platform’s terms allow it.