partners@corneliacove.com
Talk to us

Free tool · No sign-up

Dog walking rates calculator: what to charge per walk

The short answer

Add the walk, the time getting the dog ready and your drive, multiply by what you need to earn an hour, then add costs and profit. Thumbtack says dog walking ranges from $20 to $40 an hour, and it lists walkers charging about $19 to $23 for a 30 minute walk. Extra dogs usually cost more, but not double.

A 30 minute walk takes more than 30 minutes of your day. Enter the real time to see what a walk needs to bring in.

The walks

These numbers are examples, not going rates. Replace them with yours.

A 30 minute walk is 0.5. Add getting the dog ready.
Their pay plus payroll taxes and insurance. If it’s you, what you want to earn.
Insurance, truck, phone, software, marketing. Add up a year and divide by your sales.

What to charge

$22.77

$22.77 per walk. About 0.6 hours on site.

Labor, with drive time
$13.80
Bags, treats and fuel per walk
$1.00
Overhead
$3.42
Profit
$4.55
Brought in per hour the crew is tied up
$29.70

How it works

Price = (labor + supplies) ÷ (1 − overhead share − profit share). Dividing, rather than adding a percent, makes sure overhead and profit are the shares of the price you wanted.

Worked example: one walk at 36 minutes door to door, using made-up numbers
LineAmount
Labor, with drive time (1 at $18 an hour)$13.80
Bags, treats and fuel per walk$1.00
Overhead (15% of the price)$3.42
Profit (20% of the price)$4.55
Price$22.77

What customers see

Walkers listed on Thumbtack, updated October 28, 2026
Walker’s market30 minute walkOther prices
Seattle$2360 minutes $28
Hollywood, Florida$2015 minutes $15
Mohegan Lake, New York$20
Clayton, North Carolina$1915 minutes $17, 60 minutes $23

Source: Thumbtack’s dog walking prices (opens in a new tab). It says prices change with the walk’s length, the time of day, the number of walks and dogs, the distance and holidays. It lists an example of a prepaid package at 10% off.

Common questions

How much should I charge to walk a dog?
Enough to cover your time and travel at your target hourly rate. Walkers on Thumbtack list about $19 to $23 for 30 minutes, and it gives a range of $20 to $40 an hour.
How much extra for a second dog?
Walkers on Thumbtack charge about $3 to $5 more, so extra dogs cost more but not double.
Should I offer packages?
They can make your income steadier and your route tighter. Thumbtack gives an example of a prepaid package at 10% off. Run the numbers first: a discount comes straight out of your profit, as the discount calculator shows.
Should I charge more on holidays?
Many do. Walkers on Thumbtack add $5 to $10. Say so up front.

More free tools

See all free tools

Your hands are full. Your phone can wait with someone else

CoveDesk answers your business calls on a walk and texts you who called and what they need.

Talk to usSee pricing