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  1. 2025 Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Rates: The Definitive Guide to Establishing Your Fees

2025 Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Rates: The Definitive Guide to Establishing Your Fees

2025 Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Rates: The Definitive Guide to Establishing Your Fees

Easy Busy Pets
January 20, 2025

For pet sitting and dog walking businesses operating in the United States and Canada in 2025, determining appropriate prices for services such as dog sitting, cat sitting, pet sitting, dog walking, and pet care is crucial for success. This is a common concern among new businesses in the industry, as setting a fair rate for both the client and the business is essential.


In recent years, ensuring that you are charging the correct amount has become increasingly important due to various factors such as the global economy, inflation, and the threat of recession. The cost to provide pet care services is now higher than in previous years, and businesses must adjust their pricing accordingly to cover expenses and create profit.


When potential clients are looking to hire a pet sitter or dog walker in 2025, price is often a deciding factor, and it may be one of the first things they look at when visiting your website. Therefore, it's crucial to have an easy-to-understand and fair pricing structure to attract clients. Use this blog post as a guide to set rates that are appropriate for your business and the services you offer.


Key Elements to Consider When Setting Prices for Pet Sitting and Pet Care

  • Define your pet sitting and dog walking services
  • Set your revenue goals
  • Determine business location
  • Research competition's rates
  • Calculate total expenses


Looking to Start a Dog Walking or Pet Sitting Business?
Check out Our Comprehensive Guide with All the Resources You Need!

Pricing Formula for Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
 

Top Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Services in 2025

The pet sitting and dog walking industry has two main categories: walks and visits.


Both categories are further divided by time:

  • Dog Walks: 15-minute, 30-minute, and 60-minute
  • Pet Visits: 15-minute, 30-minute, 60-minute, and overnight


It's worth noting that these time-based services are typically applicable to all types of pets, such as cats, dogs, birds, chickens, horses, cows, and more. In some cases, cat sitters may charge additional fees for litter boxes, or offer a lower rate for their overnight pet sitting compared to other animals. Additionally, it's common to consider travel time and weather conditions when scheduling services, which may be designated by time of day (such as "morning" or "afternoon") rather than specific arrival times (such as "9 am" or "1 pm").

As an established industry, there are numerous best practices to follow when offering pet sitting and dog walking services. Many pet sitting software providers catering to this industry offer easy-to-use setups that include standard options to ensure you're keeping up with industry norms.


If you're currently developing your pet sitting or dog walking services, you may find it helpful to explore the features of top pet sitting solutions. Many platforms provide a simple and efficient way to add and manage all your services without dealing with a pile of papers. Here's a sample snippet to assist you in creating your list of services:

Here's a sample snippet from EasyBusyPets.com that can assist you in creating your list of services:


Easy Busy Pets Dog Walking Software Services Setup
 

What services will you offer this year?

When launching your pet sitting business, it's essential to determine which services you'll offer to clients. With so many possibilities available, it's easy to get overwhelmed and attempt to offer everything, so keep things simple!


Keeping your service offerings simple is critical to running a successful pet sitting business. By limiting the types of services you provide, you'll be able to maintain a consistent level of quality and avoid becoming overwhelmed. Plus, pet owners appreciate straightforward pricing and clear expectations. Keeping it simple will help you establish a strong foundation for your business and set you up for long-term success.


It is vital to keep in mind your business's goals and the types of animals you'll be caring for. Do you specialize in dogs, cats, or more exotic pets? Will you offer additional services such as grooming or medication administration?

By offering a consistent and repeatable experience for all of your clients, you'll quickly establish a strong reputation in the industry and differentiate yourself from competitors.


What are your revenue goals?

A professional pet sitter or dog walker should set their revenue goals in their business plan, based on their expenses and the income they need to make to sustain their business and themselves. It is important to calculate all of the expenses involved in running the business, including insurance, equipment, marketing, and other overhead costs. Once the expenses are calculated, the pet sitter or dog walker should determine how much income they need to generate to cover those expenses and make a profit. 


Income is based on a number of factors, described below. Once you plug-in these details into your business plan, it will be clear whether or not you'd be making a profit, and more importantly if it's meeting your revenue goals.


Your goals need to be realistic and achievable. It's important to remember that building a successful pet sitting or dog walking business takes time and effort, and setting unrealistic revenue goals can lead to burnout and disappointment.


Best places in the USA to start a dog walking or pet sitting business

Safety and security have become critical considerations for businesses and individuals in 2025, and it is important to take appropriate measures to protect yourself, your clients, and your community.


Best places in the USA to start a dog walking or pet sitting business.


When selecting a location for your pet sitting business, it is important to consider the safety of the surrounding community, as well as any potential risks to your (future) employees and clients. You may want to research crime rates, police presence, and local safety measures such as neighborhood watch programs or security patrols.


Choosing the right location plays a crucial role in determining the pricing for your pet sitting services. Begin by identifying the states, cities, towns or regions where you might consider to reside and conduct business. Then, research your competitors [ex. Top 3 competitors listed on Google search] in those areas to gauge the average cost of services offered.


While you do not want to underprice your services, you also want to ensure that your rates are competitive with those of other pet care providers in the area. Striking the right balance between pricing and quality of service is key to attracting and retaining clients.  


Average Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Rates in 2025

Please note that this pet sitting prices list offers averages and may vary depending on factors such as location, level of experience, and the specific services offered by the pet care provider. It is important to research and analyze the local market and your competition before setting your own rates for pet care services.


Average rates for a 30 minute dog walking service in major US States

 


  • New York: According to a survey by HomeGuide, the average rate for dog walking in New York City is around $33 for a 30-minute walk.
  • California: The average rate for a 30-minute dog walking service in California is $26, according to a survey by Angie's List.
  • Massachusetts: Care.com reports that the average rate for a 30-minute dog walk in Massachusetts is $25.
  • Washington: According to a survey by Rover.com, the average rate for a 30-minute dog walk in Seattle is $27.
  • Illinois: According to a survey by HomeGuide, the average rate for a 30-minute dog walking service in Chicago is around $25.
  • Colorado: The average rate for a 30-minute dog walk in Colorado is $24, according to a survey by Angie's List.
  • Texas: According to a survey by HomeGuide, the average rate for a 30-minute dog walk in Austin, Texas is around $25.
  • Florida: The average rate for a 30-minute dog walking service in Florida is $22, according to a survey by Care.com.
  • Pennsylvania: According to a survey by Thumbtack, the average rate for a 30-minute dog walk in Philadelphia is $21.
  • Virginia: The average rate for a 30-minute dog walking service in Virginia is $21, according to a survey by Care.com.

These averages can serve as a starting point for research and analysis but it's important to conduct your own research to determine appropriate pricing for your area and business.


Average pet sitting prices list for cat and dog walking and pet sitting services across the United States

  

How much should I charge for Dog Walking:

  • 15-minute walk: $20-$27 (average)
  • 30-minute walk: $27-$40 (average)
  • 60-minute walk: $40-$67 (average)    


Cat Sitting:

  • 18-minute visit: $17-$26 (average)
  • 30-minute visit: $27-$40 (average)
  • 60-minute visit: $40-$67 (average)


Pet Sitting:

  • Overnight stay: $53-$80 (average)

The average cost of a dog sitter provided are based on various surveys and sources, corrected for US inflation as of January 2025 including: Thumbtack's Pet, Care Survey, Rover's Pet Care Report, Care.com's Pet Care Survey, Pet Sitters International's State of the Industry Report, Aggregate data from EasyBusyPets.com software for Pet Sitting and Dog Walking, research and analysis of pet care rates in various regions of the United States.

Costs and Expenses in 2025

More than ever, it is crucial to ensure that the prices you set for pet care services adequately cover your expenses and allow for a profit margin that you feel is acceptable. We've written in the past about expenses in starting a pet sitting business.


Calculate costs of starting a pet sitting business in the USA.

Things have changed again in 2025: Over the last 12 months, the cost of running a pet sitting and dog walking company has significantly increased in three key areas.

Firstly, the increased cost of gas ⛽ for traveling is a significant expense that needs to be factored in. With rising gas prices, the cost of traveling to and from clients' homes can add up quickly. Pet sitters may need to adjust their pricing, factor in the increased cost of gas, and consider creating a service area to limit travel expenses. They can also opt for more fuel-efficient vehicles or explore alternative modes of transportation like biking or walking, where feasible.

Secondly, inflation has significantly impacted the expenses of a pet sitting business. Examples of such expenses include insurance, marketing, legal, and the price increase for goods and services that you and your sitters consume needs to be accounted for in adjusting your own service pricing. This is particularly true for long-term clients whose rates may have remained unchanged for some time. Failing to adjust prices in response to inflation can result in reduced profitability, which can ultimately lead to business failure.

Finally, retaining quality employees can be a significant expense for pet sitting businesses in 2025. With the job market becoming more competitive, it is essential to offer competitive wages, benefits, and a supportive work environment to attract and retain quality employees. Additionally, it is crucial to invest in employee training and development to improve their skills and job satisfaction, ultimately leading to increased job retention.

By factoring in these expenses and taking proactive steps to manage them, pet sitting businesses can improve their profitability and ensure their long-term success.

Keep Your Pricing Reasonable

One cannot control the price of gas or inflation. And passing down all your increased costs to the pet owner can be risky for your growth and also your reputation. So let's explore the next best thing: Saving Time.


With the right software, you can save 10+ hours a week to service more clients, reduce your administrative costs (ex. online booking, invoicing, electronic forms, staff management), save on advertising expenses (ex. automated client reviews, social marketing, getting a website). Save even more hours a week and reduce human error with simple technologies like automated invoicing.


Final Thoughts

While offering a fair price for your services is important, some potential clients may still try to negotiate a lower rate, while others may not reside within your preferred service area. It's essential to evaluate whether accepting these clients is in the best interest of your business. If they are not willing to pay your full rate or are too far away from your existing client base, you must decide if it's worthwhile to take them on. While it may be challenging to turn down business, particularly when starting out and trying to expand, it's okay to decline clients who do not align with your business goals.


If you need any help in saying no, be sure to read our article on Polite Ways to Fire a Pet Sitting Customer. Many pet care providers implement a meet and greet stage before a pet owner can make a booking, so to help filter out the clients you don't want.


By offering more value to your customers, you can charge higher prices and increase your profitability. Decide on what you need to earn to be successful, and work backwards by calculating your costs.


Don't worry, you got this!

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