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The differences between pet sitters and dog walkers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a pet sitter and a dog walker. Additionally, a dog walker has an average salary of $30,893, which is higher than the $25,823 average annual salary of a pet sitter.
The top three skills for a pet sitter include PET, walkers and clients homes. The most important skills for a dog walker are PET, walkers, and clients homes.
| Pet Sitter | Dog Walker | |
| Yearly salary | $25,823 | $30,893 |
| Hourly rate | $12.41 | $14.85 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 21,735 | 5,474 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
A pet sitter is responsible for taking care of household pets while their owners are away. Pet sitters perform services for pet maintenance, including taking them to the veterinarian, monitoring their food, walk them in the park, and administer medications, if any. They also reach out to the pet owners for possible updates and emergencies, taking their instructions immediately. Apart from being highly communicative and organizational, a pet sitter should have an interest and passion in taking care of pets to ensure high-quality services.
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.
Pet sitters and dog walkers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pet Sitter | Dog Walker | |
| Average salary | $25,823 | $30,893 |
| Salary range | Between $10,000 And $62,000 | Between $21,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newport, RI | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Oregon |
| Best paying company | CARE | CARE |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Professional |
There are a few differences between a pet sitter and a dog walker in terms of educational background:
| Pet Sitter | Dog Walker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Massachusetts Amherst | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Here are the differences between pet sitters' and dog walkers' demographics:
| Pet Sitter | Dog Walker | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |