Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between dog walkers and dog sitters 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 dog sitter. Additionally, a dog walker has an average salary of $30,893, which is higher than the $25,532 average annual salary of a dog sitter.
The top three skills for a dog walker include PET, walkers and clients homes. The most important skills for a dog sitter are PET, customer service, and dog care.
| Dog Walker | Dog Sitter | |
| Yearly salary | $30,893 | $25,532 |
| Hourly rate | $14.85 | $12.28 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 5,474 | 67,682 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
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.
A dog sitter is primarily responsible for taking care of dogs while their owners are away. Their tasks include feeding dogs, taking them to walks or daycares, bathing or cleaning their ears, and providing owners with regular updates. Most dog sitters typically meet with clients beforehand to learn about the dogs and their needs, as some of them may require medicine or particular care. Should there be any problems, a dog sitter must report to the owners right away.
Dog walkers and dog sitters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dog Walker | Dog Sitter | |
| Average salary | $30,893 | $25,532 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $44,000 | Between $10,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Warwick, RI |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | CARE | CARE |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a dog walker and a dog sitter in terms of educational background:
| Dog Walker | Dog Sitter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Texas A&M University - Commerce |
Here are the differences between dog walkers' and dog sitters' demographics:
| Dog Walker | Dog Sitter | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% | Male, 22.0% Female, 78.0% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |