Interview with a Professional Dogwalker and Petsitter

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a professional dogwalker or petsitter? We interviewed Rainey, a woman in her mid-twenties living in Middle Tennessee, to find out.

Rainey walking one of her clients, Rainey

When and why did you first start walking dogs?

"I started dogwalking and dogsitting when I was a sophomore in college, or maybe just before I started, in 2018. I started because I needed extra money. It's kind of the ideal job, spending time with dogs and getting paid for it."

How did you determine your rates?

"The first house I dogsat at, they gave me their price, so I used that as a basis for every other house. Then a bunch of people kept telling me "Your price is too low", and I realized that first house kind of cheated me, and I didn't know because I hadn't done it before, and I needed the money. They paid me $40 for staying overnight. Then I raised my price to $80 for a night, and people told me it was too much, but I found a rate that works for me and my clients. I charge $15 for an hour walk and $60 per night for overnights. Keeping my prices lower keeps my clientele pretty frequent. Since my clients are consistent, I feel like it balances out the lower prices.

Image by Blue Bird from Pexels

What's your favorite part of the job?

"Making the connection with the dogs. The more you go over there, the more the dog thinks of you as part of their family. They get excited to see you and lay their head on your lap, and when they're really comfortable with you it's really nice."

What's the hardest part of the job?

"Leaving and giving them back to their owners. They really turn into your secondhand babies."

Image by Sam Lion from Pixabay

Has there been anything about dogwalking and petsitting that's surprised you or taught you something new/unexpected?

"Every dog is so different. When you get to work with as many dogs as I've worked with, you realize every single dog is their own special being and they have different tendencies and quirks. Like with foods. Dogs can have carrots, and some would tear your arm off for a carrot, but others are like 'Are you freaking kidding me?' It's similar with all foods. Some dogs don't like walking or tennis balls. They all have unique preferences."

What do you think people should know about this work?

"That it's awesome. Working with animals is so fulfilling. It's really a privilege to be able to take care of these awesome creatures. People are really putting their hearts in your hands when you're taking care of their animals. For some people, their pets are basically like their children, they are part of the family. Some people see it that way more than others. People who get animals get that they're just like us, they just can't talk. They can communicate, but they can't speak."

Image by Tom und Nicki Löschner from Pixabay

How do you get your name out there as a professional dogwalker and petsitter?

"At first, I used the Nextdoor app for people in my neighborhood, but then it spread by word of mouth, family friends, etc. When one person hires you and likes you and their dog really likes you, they're likely to recommend you to someone they know who's looking for a dogsitter. Then you get a whole network when people start referring you to their friends. I don't use Rover or Wag because they're expensive and take a chunk out of what the dogsitter makes."

Do you have any advice you'd give to someone who's curious about beginning as a professional dogwalker/petsitter?

"There's so much to learn about animals. They are so complicated. Just start learning. You can watch vet TV shows, read books, and spend time with animals. Do research and learn as much as you can. For getting your name out there, ask your neighbors, ask your friends. A lot of people are really busy and wish their dogs could get more exercise and more attention. Just ask around."

Image by Tom und Nicki Löschner from Pixabay

*Note: Some answers have been paraphrased for clarity.

Written by Skye I. R. Iwanski

Thank you to Rainey for consenting to be interviewed for this article.