How to Start a Dog Walking Business
From walking dogs for friends to running a dog walking business: local rules, insurance and the first month you bill.
A dog walking business runs on trust and routine: owners hand you keys and their dogs, and you turn up on schedule. The steps below set the business up. Pricing walk types and billing regular clients monthly are covered in the dog walker invoicing guide linked below.
The BLS page on animal care and service workers (In the US, last modified September 14, 2026) says "Most pet sitters feed, walk, and play with pets daily." It also says "Many states require self-employed animal care and service workers to have a business license." Check with your state and city whether your business needs one.
Example of a first month's invoice, in sample figures: 20 half-hour walks at 20 × $22.00 = $440.00 and 4 weekend visits at 4 × $28.00 = $112.00 come to $440.00 + $112.00 = $552.00. Use your own figures; these are only an illustration.
Step-by-step startup guide
Follow these steps to launch your dog walker business on solid footing.
- 1
Decide your area and services
Choose the neighborhoods you'll cover, the walk lengths you'll offer, and whether you'll take one dog at a time or small groups.
- 2
Build experience with dogs
The BLS page on animal care and service workers (In the US, last modified September 14, 2026) says "For many animal care and service workers positions, it helps to have experience working with animals."
- 3
Check local rules and register
The SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says "Local governments determine registration, licensing, and permitting requirements, so visit local government websites to find out what you need to do."
- 4
Get an EIN
The IRS (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated October 16, 2026) says "If it’s approved, we’ll issue your EIN immediately online."
- 5
Insure and bond the business
The SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says "Business insurance can fill in any gaps in coverage." Ask a licensed agent about liability cover for the dogs in your care and about bonding.
- 6
Set the schedule and bill the first month
Put each client's walk days and times in writing, then invoice the month's walks. The dog walker invoicing guide covers walk types and extras.
Tips for starting your dog walker business
- Keep each dog's vet contact, feeding notes and leash rules on file.
- Tag each set of client keys with a code, not an address.
- Put part of each month's payments toward quarterly tax. The IRS (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated September 25, 2026) says "Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation shareholders, generally have to make estimated tax payments if they expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when their return is filed."
- Ask your city whether group walks in parks need a permit.
How Billed helps you get started
Features to look at as you set up your business.
Recurring Invoices
Billed's features page says: "Save time by sending invoices on a regular schedule so you don’t have to create invoices again and again."
Client Profiles
Billed's features page says: "Create and save client profiles to bill them quickly."
Record Offline Payments
Billed's features page says: "Record offline payments easily with Billed App payment management."
Accept Paypal
Billed's features page says: "Integrate Paypal with Billed App and accept Paypal payments on invoices."
Frequently asked questions
More Startup Guides
Bill Your First Month of Walks
Create invoices, track payments and keep your clients' details in one place with Billed.
At a glance
| Step | Check | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | Working with animals | BLS (In the US, last modified September 14, 2026) |
| License | State and city | BLS (In the US, last modified September 14, 2026); local pointer |
| Registration and permits | Local government websites | SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) |
| Tax ID | An EIN, issued online once approved | IRS (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated October 16, 2026) |
| First invoice | A month of walks plus extras | Dog walker invoicing guide |
When this isn't for you
If an app or an agency bills the dog owners for your walks, the set-up here can wait.