Dog walking and pet sitting
Rover
Walk dogs, drop in, or host pets overnight. You set your rates. Rover takes a fee and charges sitters for a background check. That fee is the company’s, not a stranger’s.
Checked 22 September 2026. Figures are ranges, not offers.
- Where
- In person, where Rover operates — including large US, Canadian, and UK cities and plenty of suburbs. Not remote.
- Hours
- A walk is about half an hour plus travel. Overnights are a different job: you are at home, but you are responsible the whole time. Start with day visits.
- Pay
- A 30-minute walk is often listed around $16–25 before Rover’s fee; overnights are higher
- To start
- Budget for Rover’s own background check. Do not pay a second “verification” texted to you. The service fee on bookings is taken by Rover — read the current sitter fee.
Why it is listed
The background check and the fee are disclosed by Rover. You are not asked to buy animals, stock, or a franchise.
What you can realistically expect
Rover’s own figures for a brand-new sitter are modest, not a full calendar. Reviews take a few bookings. Travel between houses is unpaid.
Who pays you
Pet owners pay in the app. You are paid after the booking. An owner who wants to pay cash to dodge the fee also dodges your insurance cover.
How to start
- Apply on rover.com and complete their background check.
- Set a walking rate you would accept on a wet Tuesday, not a fantasy rate.
- Meet the dog before the first solo walk.
- Start with one neighbourhood so travel does not eat the fee.
Read this before you start
- Texts from “Rover support” that ask you to pay a fee by gift card or wire are fake.
- Do not leave a dog off-lead to save time.
- Your own pet insurance is worth pricing before you take an overnight.
Sideline will not ask you for money. Anyone who messages you claiming we will is not us. Write to [email protected] if something on this page looks wrong.
Nearby on the list
Listed openingPet care outside the US
Pawshake
Dog walking, sitting, and home visits on Pawshake, which is used in the UK, Australia, and parts of Europe. You set prices. The platform takes a commission.
Local walking rates, minus the platform commission — check both before you publish a price
United Kingdom, Australia, European Union, and othersUnder 5 hours, 5–10 hours
Listed openingChildcare, pets, and home help
Care.com
Find local families who need babysitting, pet care, or housekeeping in the United States. You apply to jobs families post. You are not employed by the website.
Families set hourly rates. Local babysitting often sits in the mid-teens to mid-twenties per hour, before tax.
United StatesUnder 5 hours, 5–10 hours
Work for yourselfPet care without an app
Walk dogs in your own neighbourhood
Walk the same few dogs every week for people who live near you. You keep the whole fee. You also keep the responsibility if a dog slips a lead.
Many walkers charge about $15–25 or £12–20 for half an hour, before travel
United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and othersUnder 5 hours, 5–10 hours