Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Dog Walking – Make £60 an hour while getting fit
Hope Brotherton
5th Aug 2025
Dog walking is a great way to make money on the side and get fit at the same time. Particularly in cities, there’s a lot of demand for dog walking services, and it’s well paid too. More people than ever got a puppy in the first lockdown – but now have to go back to work and haven’t the time to walk their new pooch.
Some people have even given up their day job to set up a full-time dog-walking business!
Dog walking is becoming a very popular way to make money on the side in the UK and it’s not surprising.
- You make really good money (£10-15 per dog per hour or part of the hour)
- It’s fantastic exercise
- It’s pretty flexible
- You get to spend time with dogs all day
People are willing to pay £10-15 per dog, per hour or part of an hour. So if you walk four at a time you could make £60 or more an hour!
Of course, there are other aspects to this work, so you need to know what the potential costs and downsides are before you dive in to the dog walking business.
Here’s how you can make easy money as a dog walker.
- Dog Walking – What’s Involved?
- Dog Walking – The Main Problems
- Getting Work as a Dog Walker
- What Will a Dog Walking Business Cost Me?
- Covid-19 – How Can I Safely Run a Dog Walking Business?
- Offer an Unbeatable Deal
- Important: Laws That Will Affect You
Dog walking – What’s involved?
Dog walking really is as simple as it sounds. You arrange to pick up the animals, take them for a walk and then return them home. Each dog may need two walks a day for a minimum of half an hour – ideally an hour. Most people will book you to pick up their dog once a day for the long walk, and they will do their own walk at another time when they are home.
Dog walkers charge per dog, per hour. Rates range from about £10-20 per dog, per hour (or half hour in some cases). If you’re able to take several dogs at once that means you can earn significant amounts per day.
However, to start off with you need to be careful not to take on too many dogs for one walking slot. If you have not done this type of work before it might be best to start off with just one dog but you should be able to cope with about three or four dogs depending on their size, speed and levels of obedience early on. If you are only taking one dog, make sure you charge at least £13 as the National Minimum Wage is £12.21 so you want to make sure you earn that after tax and expenses.
As you get to know their characters, you can organise dogs into groups that will get on well together. There are no current legal limits on how many dogs you can take out at once, but local councils say the worst problems they have are with dog walkers who take out more animals than they can cope with at any one time. The recommended number is four to six dogs.
Dog walking – the main problems
The main problems are:
- Dogs running away and not coming back – dangerous and bad for business!
- Not being able to clean up after them all – illegal and a health hazard.
National guidelines suggest that six is the maximum number of dogs that walkers should be able to cope with at one time. However, some local councils have introduced their own rules and in North Lincolnshire, for example, the maximum is four dogs at once.
Make sure you’re aware of, and always follow, the rules in your area or you could face a fine. Your local council can answer any queries you may have so give them a call before you get started.
It’s also important to realise that this job isn’t always a ‘walk in the park’! The charity Dogs Trust has a handy online guide detailing everything you should consider as a dog walker.
Common issues include being given dogs to walk who are really too unwell to go out. This can lead to emergency runs to the vet and difficult conversations with owners. You should make sure new clients sign a waiver that gives you permission to take their dog to the vet in the event of a medical emergency while they dog is in your care.
You may also have to deal with owners who don’t come home when they should, or who neglect their dogs and leave it to you to feed them and deal with any ailments they may have.
You also need to be fit and healthy! Walking dogs all day is a strenuous activity. You might prefer to do it part-time, perhaps taking up to four dogs around lunchtime each day for some extra cash, rather than walking all day, every day. You need to get some good shoes, wellies, waterproof gear, and a wooly hat too – you’ll be walking in all weathers!
Getting work as a dog walker
Firstly, you’ll have to decide whether you want to work for an agency or yourself. Both have their advantages. You’re more likely to get initial work through an agency, but they may charge for taking you on their books and take a cut of your earnings.
Try searching ‘dog walking jobs’ to see what’s on offer, or you could register with the national agency Animal Aunts. Individuals sometimes look for dog walkers on job boards like Gumtree, too.
A good reputation is often key to getting work. If you want to be professionally vetted, sign up with the National Association of Registered Pet Sitters. But, beware – membership isn’t cheap, so it might not be necessary if you’re just looking for the odd job.
If you choose to be self-employed, you’ll need to think about how you can promote your dog walking business. Also remember – you’ll need to register as self-employed with HMRC and pay your taxes.
Putting an advert in a pet shop, vet surgery or on Gumtree is a great first step, or why not do some trial sessions for friends and ask them to spread the word? If you’re feeling confident, speak to people walking their dogs in the park – while keeping your distance! If you walk your own dog, they will trust you more.
Thousands of dog owners a month come to websites looking for help walking their dogs. Once you’re live, you’re able to provide quotes to hundreds of dog owners a week with your own prices.
You could also post about your business on social media, particularly local Facebook groups.
A typical daily walk can help you earn £200-300 per month per dog, and it’s a great way to keep fit while earning money. Do your research and then dive in!
What will a dog walking business cost me?
Running this sort of business shouldn’t involve too much in the way of set-up or running costs.
- It helps to have a car to reach people, so petrol could be a factor.
- Also, you should have a ready supply of pooper-scoopers and poops bags and extra collars or leashes in case the originals fray.
- You might also like to get gloves and/or antibacterial gel for keeping your hands hygienic.
- Apart from that, the biggest expense will probably be insurance. You should speak first to the dog owner to find out what insurance they already have.
Consider Pet Business Insurance as they offer a total package; public liability – if the dog runs out into the road and causes a pile up, or bites someone. Care, custody and control cover – looks after the pet itself, if it gets injured while under your care; and key replacement cover – if you lose your employers’ keys they’ll pay to change the locks.
The market rate for insurance starts at about £70 a year, although this price will be for the most basic cover. Assess your needs and shop around for the best deal for you.
Use a Public Liability Insurance comparison to find the right cover for you.
Hiring a dog field
Many dog walkers will prefer to hire a private dog field. This means they can charge more to each customer, as they provide peace of mind that their dog will be running around off-lead in a secure field, socialising only with other dogs you know will get along together. You can charge even more if you offer one-to-one time with a client’s dog(s) in the field, too.
A dog field costs around £12-£15 an hour to hire. Some charge more for people who have several dogs. If you want to use one regularly, even once or twice a day, speak to the field owner to secure a block-booking discount.
While this is an extra cost, there are many benefits. You can trust the environment as being somewhere secure – just in case the dogs like to run away and not come back! You will also be able to play fetch safely, without being disturbed by other strange dogs on your walk. If you have experience with training dogs, or a client would like you to help with their training following some instructions left by them (such as playing scent games), you can charge more per hour to include training, too.
Finally, you can keep an eye on all dogs under your care with ease, rather than feeling scattered and on high alert when walking in a public place.
You can write off the cost of dog field hire on your taxes.
Offer an unbeatable deal
In tough economic times like these, you might have to sweeten the deal for clients to fight off the competition. Offering both dog walking and pet minding services together will make you very useful, increasing your level of custom.
Additional services you might offer are pet feeding, washing pet clothes and bedding, and watering indoor and garden plants.
Equally, vets are happy to see a patient who arrives with their pet sitter as long as payment is pre arranged with the owner. It’s also a good way of making extra money on top of your dog walking activities.
You could offer routine vet visits for annual vaccinations, plus flea and worming treatments, during the middle of the week. These times tend to be less busy and therefore less stressful for the pet. It’s also a handy service to provide for busy customers working in the week!
You could also offer a pet B&B to take a dog or small pet, such as a hamster, home with you for a few days, offering full-time company to a pining pooch, or moving in for short periods of time, especially with cats. It’s best only to do this if you’re experienced at full time pet care. See how to set up a pet sitting operation in our article here.
Remember, offering a service that removes stress and bother for the client is key. Plenty of people have dogs but are too busy to do all the walking and caring themselves. Make sure you have the relevant insurance to cover you for any services you offer.
Be realistic, but market yourself as a time saving asset. Also remember to show your enthusiasm about the dogs themselves to build trust.
Important: Laws that will affect you
Dangerous Dogs
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, if you lose control of a dog in your care it is your legal responsibility, not the owner’s.
Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 and the Animals Act 1971, a dog must not cause distress to livestock on agricultural land. It is actually legal for farmers to shoot a dog if they believe there’s substantial threat to their livestock.
The person in charge of the dog at the time will be charged with the offence, not the owner. So beware when walking on downs or farmland.
Banned Breeds
There are some breeds in the UK that are banned.
- Pit Bull Terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
XL Bully dogs are banned in England and Wales.
Whether a dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name.
If a client has a banned breed, you should refuse to walk it. However, you can ask if they have a Certificate of Exemption, which means the dog has already been approved by the courts as safe to own. Then, it is up to you whether you choose to walk a banned breed with a Certificate of Exemption – but you must make sure your insurance covers you, and check that the owner has the required insurance (owners of banned breeds with a CoE must have insurance). You are responsible for the dog the whole time it is in your care. A banned breed with a CoE must be walked with a muzzle and on a lead at all times.
If you hire a dog field to walk a banned breed, check their rules first. Some may allow it but only if it is the only dog present, others refuse to allow any banned breed at any time.
Poop Pickup
When a dog does its business in any public place, you have to clean it up by law and dispose of it properly. If you don’t, you can be given a £50-£80 spot fine.
Your local council may give away biodegradable poop bags for free, ask the environmental health department. Check the rules of your local park, these are usually posted at the entrance. It’s also useful to have the details of your nearest dog warden, so contact your local council for details.
Find more information on Dog Fouling Laws in the UK here
Emergency Info
You will also need the vet details for each customer in case of emergencies. You don’t need any training for this work but you could consider a canine first-aid course.
Find Extra Work recommends signing an agreement with any new customers in order to protect yourself from liabilities.
The best idea is a dog walking consent form. You can include clauses like who is responsible for the cost of emergency treatment when the dog is in your care.
Also include an agreement by the owner that the dog will have an annual vaccination and regular worming to stop the possible spread of disease to other dogs in your care.
You should speak to a solicitor for advice about drawing up a consent form and what conditions to include.
I do a bit of dog walking by walking my own dog and one other, I then bring the dog back to me for a while as it’s owners are out at work. I take the dogs on lots of different walks and on one occasion they both spotted three Roe deers and instantly took chase. Anyone with a working breed dog knows that their obedience goes out of the window when they are switched into chasing mode. I am glad I was out in the sticks as I ran at my top speed chasing the dogs and shouting in… Read more »
I was once left gobsmacked when I say this ‘posh’ woman pick up her pug’s poop using a poop bag and then put it in her pink Radley bag!!!! EEKKK!!! I think she looked too embarassed to be seen swinging a poop bag!
A great idea and I am amazed at the money that can be made. Insurance is vital for the responsibility of caring for someone else’s pet and I would imagine this could be expensive. Certainly one for a dog lover with lots of time to spare.
I often run into dog walkers when out with my own doggie, the people are great that seem to do this, and its great fun bumping into a posse of excited dogs, they play chase with my Ruby, and last summer they chased her into the sea, which was hilarious as she is only one and hadn’t been swimming before. I have been made redundant and have thought of this as a new dream stress free job but not sure if im brave enough!!
very interesting article, something to ponder on
It’s a great idea for people who can’t afford their own dog or for people who live in properties that won’t allow pets. Not a money making idea but my friend volunteers with the RSPCA & she walks the dogs that are waiting to be rehomed
What a great idea, I do hope people treat the animals well with lots of affection…
I don’t own a dog myself but I have seen the funniest clip online of a dog that had raided the kitchen bin whilst his owner was out. His head had got caught in the flip lid! When his owner got home, the dog tried to look all innocent about the mess he had made with all the rubbish from the bin, not realizing the evidence around his neck (the bin lid) gave him away!
I offered to walk a friends dog, whilst walking along kids were playing and the dog picked up a little girl toy and ran off with it and wouldn’t give it back. The little girl was screaming and crying her eyes out….. by the time she got it back it was a drowl covered dirty dog toy – how embassing
This Must be a fun way to earn money if there is a demand! I used to have a lovely dog, she would get in bed with me in the morning and then literally kick me out! Bless her 🙂