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 real 2025 state brackets (single-filer). Local/city taxes, credits, and state-specific deductions 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.