Dog Walker / Pet Sitter
Walk dogs and look after pets while their owners work or travel - in your area, on your own schedule.
This UK dog walker / pet sitter career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £15,000 - £25,000
- Mid-career salary
- £25,000 - £40,000
- Senior salary
- £40,000 - £70,000 (with home boarding or staff)
- Work environment
- Outdoors, in all weather; some at-home boarding
- Time to entry
- Immediate
- Degree required
- Not required
- Category
- Self-Employed and Business Owner
What a Dog Walker / Pet Sitter does
Walk dogs and look after pets while their owners work or travel - in your area, on your own schedule.
- Home Boarding / Doggy Day Care - Look after dogs in your home overnight - much higher income but needs council licensing.
- Specialist Dog Trainer - Move from walking into 1-to-1 behavioural training - higher fees, less weather exposure.
How to become a Dog Walker / Pet Sitter
- Decide who your first 5 paying clients will realistically be (be specific - "dog owners in [your town]" not "everyone").
- Register as self-employed with HMRC and get your UTR. Set up a separate bank account.
- Get the kit, insurance, and any qualifications/licences you actually need to start - no more.
- Build the simplest version of your offer (one-page site or Insta + price list) and put it in front of those 5 people.
- Land your first paying job, deliver well, and ask for a review or referral. Repeat.
Key skills
- Confident dog handling
- Reliability
- Local knowledge
- Customer communication
- Safety awareness