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Dog walker vs bather

The differences between dog walkers and bathers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a dog walker and a bather. Additionally, a bather has an average salary of $31,051, which is higher than the $30,893 average annual salary of a dog walker.

The top three skills for a dog walker include PET, walkers and clients homes. The most important skills for a bather are PET, check-in, and customer satisfaction.

Dog walker vs bather overview

Dog WalkerBather
Yearly salary$30,893$31,051
Hourly rate$14.85$14.93
Growth rate28%28%
Number of jobs5,47456,255
Job satisfaction54
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%High School Diploma, 48%
Average age3232
Years of experience33

What does a dog walker do?

A dog walker provides dog walking services to pet owners at scheduled times, ensuring their safety. They first meet with pet owners to discuss their preferred schedule and use this opportunity to learn more about the dog and understand its needs. There are instances where a dog walker may walk multiple dogs, consider weather conditions, pick-up and dispose of waste properly, and feed dogs with water or food. Moreover, a dog walker regularly updates pet owners with the duration or location of walks, including the dog's behavior.

What does a bather do?

A bather typically works at veterinary clinics and pet grooming establishments where they are primarily in charge of bathing animals, particularly cats and dogs. They are responsible for ensuring that the animals are comfortable with the water temperature, using particular soap and shampoo, drying fur, and adhering to the pet owner's other requests. They may also cut toenails, comb and brush coat, and administer particular products when necessary. Moreover, as a bather, it is essential to be proactive in dealing with issues and temperamental pets.

Dog walker vs bather salary

Dog walkers and bathers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Dog WalkerBather
Average salary$30,893$31,051
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $44,000Between $22,000 And $42,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DC-
Highest paying stateOregon-
Best paying companyCARE-
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between dog walker and bather education

There are a few differences between a dog walker and a bather in terms of educational background:

Dog WalkerBather
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%High School Diploma, 48%
Most common majorPsychologyMedical Assisting Services
Most common collegeUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstVermont Technical College

Dog walker vs bather demographics

Here are the differences between dog walkers' and bathers' demographics:

Dog WalkerBather
Average age3232
Gender ratioMale, 29.2% Female, 70.8%Male, 14.2% Female, 85.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.6% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between dog walker and bather duties and responsibilities

Dog walker example responsibilities.

  • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
  • Head groomer, use of dremel, clippers, dryers, hemostats.
  • Provide in-home grooming services such as bathing, nail trimming, and clipping for all breeds and sizes of dogs.
  • Provide general bathing and preventative services, such as nail clipping and ear cleaning to maintain and improve clients health.
  • Assist pet owners by transporting animals to grooming and veterinary appointments.
  • Assure proper annotation of administrative MWD utilization and training records used for legal reviews.
  • Show more

Bather example responsibilities.

  • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
  • Advise customers on proper pet nutrition, and pick a proper shampoo program to ensure healthy coats for individual pets.
  • Sustain pet care excellence in a dynamic and fast-pace environment
  • Read written or receive oral instructions to determine clipping pattern desire.
  • Detail orient work and recognizing signs of rashes, allergies and potential behavioral problems in dogs.
  • Bathe dogs, clip/ground nails, clean ears, brush teeth and shave paw pads/sanitary area, express anal glands.
  • Show more

Dog walker vs bather skills

Common dog walker skills
  • PET, 50%
  • Walkers, 44%
  • Clients Homes, 2%
  • Fresh Water, 1%
  • Minute Walk, 1%
  • Customer Service, 0%
Common bather skills
  • PET, 79%
  • Check-In, 7%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
  • Compassion, 4%
  • Book Appointments, 2%
  • Develop Long Term, 1%

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