How to hire a dog walker

How to hire a dog walker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dog walker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a dog walker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dog walker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a dog walker do?

Post a dog walker job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your dog walker job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a dog walker for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a dog walker to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a dog walker that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of dog walker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Dog Walker	Description	Hourly rate
   Dog Walker	Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more	$10-21
   Kennel Attendant	A kennel attendant is responsible for the daily care of boarded dogs and kennel maintenance. Some of the duties that you will perform will include cleaning cages, scheduling boarding appointments, and monitoring the behavior of these dogs... Show more	$9-16
   Animal Care Technician	An animal care technician is an animal medical professional who is responsible for providing care to animals in the clinical or research setting. Animal care technicians take blood or stool samples from animals and run laboratory tests to determine the cause of an ailment... Show more	$10-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Walkers
   • Clients Homes
   • Fresh Water
   • Minute Walk
   • Customer Service
   • Administer Medications
   • Topical Medications
   • Schedule Appointments
   • Dog Care
   • Cat Care

   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.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the dog walker job description is a good way to get more applicants. A dog walker salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a dog walker in Florida may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level dog walker. Additionally, a dog walker with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average dog walker salary

   $14.85hourly

   $30,893 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level dog walker salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average dog walker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$37,941	$18
   2	California	$37,850	$18
   3	Minnesota	$32,560	$16
   4	Arizona	$31,991	$15
   5	Colorado	$31,604	$15
   6	Illinois	$31,090	$15
   7	Rhode Island	$30,844	$15
   8	New York	$30,843	$15
   9	Massachusetts	$30,536	$15
   10	Texas	$28,910	$14
   11	Maryland	$28,425	$14
   12	North Carolina	$27,597	$13
   13	Georgia	$26,512	$13
   14	Montana	$26,199	$13
   15	Virginia	$25,418	$12
   16	Florida	$25,353	$12
   17	Pennsylvania	$24,137	$12
   18	South Carolina	$22,887	$11
   19	Ohio	$22,573	$11

   Average dog walker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	CARE	$33,548	$16.13
   2	The Walker Co	$32,768	$15.75
   3	Chicago Urban League	$32,177	$15.47
   4	Lancaster Rehabilitation Center	$31,353	$15.07
   5	Kindred Healthcare	$31,351	$15.07
   6	Da Vinci Schools	$30,841	$14.83
   7	Valet Living	$30,772	$14.79
   8	St Francis	$29,947	$14.40

4. Writing a dog walker job description

   A dog walker job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a dog walker job description:

   Dog walker job description example

   Grow as We Grow and Take Your Career to New Heights!
   
   Do you have a knack for providing top-level customer service? Do you go the extra mile to ensure satisfaction for clients and guests? If so, this just might be the right opportunity for you!
   
   We are hiring for a Dog Walker (Home Valet) who will be responsible for providing exemplary and timely customer service to community staff, pets, and residents of our client communities. Amenity services including pet visits & occasional on-site package delivery.
   
   Location: Frisco, TX
   
   Pay: $14.00 per Hour
   
   Schedule: This position will cover day shift Monday to Friday 9am -3pm (Up 25-30 hours per week)
   
   Pet Walking Duties
   

   • Deliver memorable interactions with all residents and community staff by being friendly, answering questions, and being helpful as you develop a strong rapport with each client
   • Handle dogs of varying sizes and breeds while delivering an exceptional dog walking experience with plenty of love and attention
   • Walk dogs on a leash, outdoors, and in all weather conditions for 15 minutes to 2 hours at a time
   • Ensure security of resident homes and property when picking up and dropping off pets or other items
   • Allow dogs to relieve themselves during the walk and then remove and discard pet waste
   • Communicate to dog owners with a status update and photo of the pet after each walk
   • Record which dog was walked, the duration of the walk, and anything abnormal observed during the walk
   • Ensure safety of the dog resident and those around them (human and dogs) when being exercised and socialized
   • Adhere to the proper safety protocols and procedures
   • Understand special requests and conditions of the resident's pet(s)
   • Other duties may include light administrative work & Onsite package delivery service.

   
   
   You are a good fit if you have the following skills:
   

   • Must have a commitment to service excellence with a friendly and positive attitude
   • Enjoys working outside and being physically active
   • Must love dogs with an understanding and willingness to learn about animal care
   • Comfortable with dogs of all shapes, sizes and temperaments
   • Excellent ability to read dog body language and behaviors
   • Able to keep up with the physical demands of being on your feet and walking for much of the day
   • Must be able to lift at least 25 pounds
   • Able to cope with inclement weather (rain, snow, cold, or heat wave - we walk through it all)
   • Attention to detail and quality
   • Ability to take direction, be reliable, work productively on one's own and adhere to a schedule
   • Own an iPhone with IOS 9 or newer or Android 6 or newer
   • Comfortable with downloading and using mobile apps
   • Desire to be part of a fun and growing company
   • Must have reliable transportation to commute between properties and a valid driver's license, good driving record, with proof of vehicle insurance

   
   
   Experience Requirements:
   

   • Familiar with basic dog training commands or complete on job training
   • Experience working in a veterinary hospital, pet grooming, pet ownership or pet boarding business is a plus

   
   
   We provide the following benefits to our part-time associates:
   

   • Tuition reimbursement
   • Referral bonus program
   • Associate discount programs
   • Associate and family assistance program
   • Rewards and recognition program

   
   
   Are you a current Valet Living employee? If so, click here to apply.
   
   Valet Living is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values the strength diversity brings to the workplace. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right dog walker for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your dog walker job on Zippia to find and recruit dog walker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with dog walker candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new dog walker

   Once you've decided on a perfect dog walker candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new dog walker first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a dog walker?