How to hire a dog walker/pet sitter

How to hire a dog walker/pet sitter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dog walker/pet sitter 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/pet sitter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dog walker/pet sitter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a dog walker/pet sitter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The dog walker/pet sitter hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A dog walker/pet sitter's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, dog walker/pet sitters from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of dog walker/pet sitters.

   Type of Dog Walker/Pet Sitter	Description	Hourly rate
   Dog Walker/Pet Sitter	Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more	$9-21
   Animal Daycare Provider	An animal daycare provider is a professional who deals with animals and provides care to animals whose owners are temporarily unavailable. Animal daycare providers must assist and facilitate activities based on the curriculum set out by the animal daycare facility... Show more	$9-22
   Animal Care Provider	An animal care provider is someone who provides care and attention to pets. Usually, this person is part of a veterinary clinic and offers all kinds of care pets ranging from grooming, medical attention, and hygienic care... Show more	$6-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Walkers
   • Water Plants
   • Fresh Water
   • Administer Medications
   • Client S Homes
   • Litter Boxes
   • Topical Medications
   • Minute Walk
   • Cat Care
   • Pigs
   • Exotic Animals
   • Snakes
   • Care Procedures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Help managed the company and train new walkers
   • Care for dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, & guinea pigs at all stages of life.
   • Fed and give water, give medication if necessary.
   • Volunteer on a farm and work closely with chickens and pigs.
   • Provide pet sitting services including daily dog walking, feeding, administer medication and overnights
   • Pet services comprise of basic and specialize dog care including administering medication and following precise instructions left by the owner

   More dog walker/pet sitter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the dog walker/pet sitter job description is a good way to get more applicants. A dog walker/pet sitter 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/pet sitter in Pennsylvania may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level dog walker/pet sitter. Additionally, a dog walker/pet sitter with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average dog walker/pet sitter salary

   $14.84hourly

   $30,871 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level dog walker/pet sitter salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 28, 2026

   Average dog walker/pet sitter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$37,816	$18
   2	California	$36,487	$18
   3	Washington	$33,492	$16
   4	Connecticut	$32,823	$16
   5	Massachusetts	$31,255	$15
   6	Rhode Island	$30,888	$15
   7	Arizona	$30,877	$15
   8	Illinois	$30,328	$15
   9	Wisconsin	$28,094	$14
   10	Georgia	$27,905	$13
   11	North Carolina	$27,817	$13
   12	Texas	$27,739	$13
   13	Michigan	$27,413	$13
   14	Virginia	$25,911	$12

   Average dog walker/pet sitter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	CARE	$33,297	$16.01	4
   2	Fetch! Pet Care	$30,833	$14.82	6
   3	Pet Sitter	$30,790	$14.80	13

4. Writing a dog walker/pet sitter job description

   A dog walker/pet sitter 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a dog walker/pet sitter job description:

   Dog walker/pet sitter job description example

   Since 2014, Westside Dogs LA has been the number one choice for pet owners in Venice, Culver City, and surrounding communities. We are not just the pet owner's best choice but the dog walker's best choice too! We offer a fun and active position with a supportive management team, paid training, flexible schedules, and competitive wages. Westside Dogs LA is licensed, bonded, insured and CPR certified. We offer first-class care to all of our client's pets and we treat all of our dog walkers like family.

   You might see many dog walking jobs in LA but why should you join our team?

   • Competitive weekly pay with the ability to earn tips and bonuses.
   • Mileage and cell phone reimbursements.
   • A professional small business work environment with supportive management and open communication.
   • Employment with the ability to earn paid time off.
   • Flexible part-time scheduling. Enabling you to reach other professional/educational goals. *We do prefer schedules that will remain mainly consistent week to week.

   Compensation:

   • $15 - $19 / hour
   • $1800 - $2000 / month
   • Reimbursements for business miles and cell phone use
   • Weekly pay

   What will you need to apply?

   • Have a passion for animals, especially dogs.
   • Comfortable with all breeds, sizes, and temperments
   • Previous volunteer or professional experience is encouraged but any applicant who has provided care to another living being with empathy and patience can thrive in this position.
   • An excellent communicator who wants to do the best work of their life right now.
   • Additional requirements are listed in the application form but it only takes a few brief moments to apply.

   What will you be asked to do?

   • Provide safe, engaging, and fun dog walks both privately or in a group setting.
   • Administer attentive care for our pet sitting clients (cat and dog visits)
   • Work independently with strong attention to detail, time management, and customer service
   • Enjoy your time caring for and exercising animals in both neighborhood and natural environments!

   This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with an additional professional or educational commitment as the part-time dog walking positions are designed to act as part of a household income. Dog walking isn't just a fun job but it can help you accomplish your other career, artistic and educational goals outside of dog walking. We hope to see your resume and application soon!

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find dog walker/pet sitters for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit dog walker/pet sitters, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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/pet sitter

   Once you've found the dog walker/pet sitter candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new dog walker/pet sitter 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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