How to Invoice as a Dog Walker
What to put on a dog walking invoice, how to bill regular clients once a month instead of after every walk, how to show extras and holiday rates, and how to take payment.
On its page for animal care and service workers, last modified September 14, 2026, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics says "Animal care and service workers attend to or train animals." A dog walker can bill that work by the visit, so the invoice depends on an accurate record of which walks happened on which dates.
For regular clients, bill once a month with every walk listed, instead of sending an invoice per visit. List each walk type at its own price (a 30-minute walk, a 60-minute walk, a group walk), add extras such as feeding visits on their own lines, and keep holiday rates visible rather than folded into the base price.
Worked example, with sample figures before any tax: in October a client's dog has 18 thirty-minute walks at 22.00 and 3 sixty-minute walks at 35.00. The invoice lists them as 18 × 22.00 = 396.00 and 3 × 35.00 = 105.00, for a total of 396.00 + 105.00 = 501.00.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Set a price for each walk type and extra
Decide your rates for each walk length and extra, then save them. On its invoice software page, Billed says you can "save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them."
- 2
Record every walk as it happens
Note the date, the dog and the walk type after each visit, so the month-end invoice can list them without guesswork.
- 3
Invoice regular clients once a month
List the month's walks with their dates, one line per walk type. On its mobile app page, Billed says you can "Add line items, your logo, and tax, then send by email or share a link before you leave the site."
- 4
Use a recurring invoice for a flat weekly or monthly fee
If a client pays the same amount each period, Billed's invoice software page says: "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once. Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop." It adds: "Billed creates the invoices automatically and either sends them or saves them as drafts for you to check."
- 5
Collect payment and send a receipt
Billed's payments page says "Billed integrates with Stripe to enable online payments on invoices." For cash left at the house, Billed's invoice software page says: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place." It adds: "After a client pays, you can send them a payment receipt."
Tips for dog walker invoicing
- Put the dog's name on each line when a household has more than one dog.
- Show holiday and early-morning rates as their own lines, so clients see when they apply.
- State your cancellation notice period in your terms, and bill a late cancellation as its own line.
- Pick one date each month for sending invoices, and keep to it so owners can plan.
- Save regular clients' invoices as drafts if walk counts change from month to month.
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Billing a month's walks from memory instead of a visit-by-visit record.
- Folding holiday rates into the base price, so clients may not know what they're paying for.
- Sending invoices on irregular dates instead of a set day each month.
- Accepting cash at the door without logging it as a payment on the invoice.
How this works in Billed
Saved walk types
On its invoice software page, Billed says you can "save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them."
Recurring invoices
"Billed creates the invoices automatically and either sends them or saves them as drafts for you to check." (Billed's invoice software page).
Invoices from your phone
"Build a professional invoice from your phone the moment a job wraps." (Billed's mobile app page).
Cash and check payments
Billed's invoice software page says: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place."
Card and PayPal payments
"Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card." (Billed's invoice software page). For PayPal, Billed's payments page says: "Add your Paypal account to Billed to start accepting payments via Paypal on your invoices."
Reports and reminders
Billed's invoice software page says "Invoice reports show which invoices are paid, partially paid or past due, and you can see who owes you money and send them a payment reminder." It adds: "Payment reminders can be customized."
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Situation | How to bill it |
|---|---|
| Regular weekday walks | One monthly invoice |
| Same fee every week | Recurring invoice |
| Holiday or early walks | Own line at the holiday rate |
| Cash left at the house | Offline payment |
When this isn't for you
This guide is for walkers who bill owners directly. If you take bookings through an app that collects payment for you, the app's billing applies instead.