How Much Do Dog Walkers and Sitters Charge?

How Much Do Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters Charge?

When caring for your critters becomes overwhelming or you need to travel, pet sitters and dog walkers can help fill in those pet care gaps. We explore the relevant cost considerations of different types of pet assistance including boarding, cat or dog sitting and dog walking. Note that typical prices for these pet services may vary depending on the local cost of living. 

Understanding options for affordable pet care and what providers charge can help pet owners make the best decision for their budgets and their animals. 

Dog walking prices: Average charge

According to Homeguide, the average cost for dog walking is $15-25 per walk. Some services charge less if you are able to have your dog walked with other local dogs. These prices can increase to $35+ per walk for a single dog on a 30-minute walk especially in expensive cities like New York, Los Angeles or Boston. 

Assuming you need 2 dogs walked five days a week at $20 per walk, you would need to budget around $800 dollars a month. 

Dog boarding prices: Average charge

The average charge for boarding a dog overnight is $40-50 dollars in a kennel according to Rover. If your dog needs specialized medical care or you want to board them in a free range environment, those dog boarding services will cost extra. For example, a dog daycare setting often charges over $60 a night, but offers additional staff and plytime. 

Some dog boarding companies offer discounts from the daily rate if you are boarding your dog longer than a week. Pricing could also vary depending on holidays or other seasonal shifts. 

If you are interested in using dog boarding services, it is helpful to research dog boarding prices beforehand so you can budget accordingly and choose the service that best fits your situation. Kennels tend to be the cheapest option followed by veterinary boarding, and dog overnight daycare. 

Dog sitter prices: Average charge

A dog sitter caring for your animal is often an affordable option because they are caring for multiple animals in their home. The average price for a dog sitter with this arrangement is about $25-45 a night. For sociable dogs that would feel most comfortable in a homelike environment, dog boarding with a sitter can be an excellent affordable choice. 

Having a dog sitter come to your home costs $45-75 on average. Dogs with behavioral issues, anxiety or who need 1:1 attention would be more successful in this type of pet care. If a kennel or dog boarding situation would not be a safe option for your canine, budget more for your dog sitting or alternatively plan dog-friendly vacations where possible. 

Cat sitter prices: Average charge

If your cat sitter is visiting your home for 30 minutes a day, an average charge is between $20-30 dollars. Overnight cat sitting in your home will cost $75 a day on average. Many cat sitters would charge an extra fee for holidays as well as caring for a cat with additional brushing or medical needs. 

Cat boarding prices: Average charge

Cat boarding prices in a kennel will be similar to dogs; $25-40 a night according to catster. A cat with additional medical needs like insulin or other medication would likely need veterinary boarding to ensure that they receive proper care.  

Hourly rates for the top pet care platforms

Rates for the top 5 pet care platforms can vary widely depending on who is providing the services and geographic location. 

Dog walking prices on top platforms 

On the Rover app, dog walkers are transparent about the prices that they set - it can vary by location and date. There is also an 11% booking fee paid by pet owners. 

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On the Wag! Platform, dog walkers set their own pricing but there is also a number of fees pet owners should note. Wag! also takes a booking fee of $2.99 (dog walking) with additional charges for same-day bookings, state taxes or extra services. 

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The pet care franchise Fetch! Offers a 30-minute dog walk at $25. Pricing can change depending on the franchise location or after an in-home consultation. 

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The average price for dog walking on Care.com is only $14, making the platform a very affordable option. But you need a monthly subscription to actually hire a pet caregiver on the platform. 

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Another affordable option is Bark with an average dog walking price of $20. 

Dog boarding prices on top platforms 

According to Rover, dog boarding can cost $25-80 a night depending on the level of services. Dogs needing veterinary care for instance will need to be boarded in a facility that can accommodate. Pricing on Rover can vary depending on holidays or location. 

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Wag! Pet Caregivers can determine their own pricing; generally overnight boarding in a home costs between $48-69. Similarly, pet carers on care.com can set their own prices for overnight dog care in their home or yours. The average pet sitter cost on bark is $60, within range of its competing platforms. 

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Fetch! Offers a $27 in-home consultation to determine the best fit for overnight dog care in your home. They do not offer dog boarding. 

Cat Sitting and Boarding 

On Rover, cat sitting prices are generally cheaper than dog sitting because cat sitting tends to be a daily drop-in service rather than an overnight one. Cat sitters or veterinary kennels can set their own pricing on Rover, so costs can change based on the time of year or number of cats needing attention. 

While Wag! is canine-focused, there are cat sitters offering drop-in care on the platform; generally urban areas have more coverage on Wag!. 

As a franchise, Fetch prices for cat sitting will vary based on location. Generally, drop-in care is much cheaper than overnight care. 

The average rate for a cat sitter on care.com is $14 hourly.

Among its home services, Bark hosts cat sitting services on its platform. Pet owners can receive instant quotes for local cat sitters in their area by answering a brief questionnaire.

What’s included in dog walking?

A typical dog walking service including a 30-minute walk, often alongside other dogs. If your dog is a high energy breed who needs lots of exercise or had on-leash reactions to other dogs , you may need an experienced dog walker who can take longer hour-long walks which naturally cost more. 

What’s included in dog boarding?

Dog boarding services involve overnight care of dogs and some form of exercise or playtime for your dogs. If your dog is going to be kenneled, then they will have multiple opportunities to be walked or spend off-leash time with other dogs. In contrast, if your dog is being boarded at someone’s home, they will generally have more free reign to play outside or sleep on couches. If your dog needs special food or medication administered, you may need to consider veterinary boarding or a facility with more hands-on overnight care. 

What’s included in cat sitting?

Cat sitting services imply that someone will care for your cat in your home. Cat sitting can also be a drop-in service where a cat sitter visits for a short period of time to check on your cats. Cat sitters will feed cats, check litter boxes, administer medications, and sometimes spend extra time with your felines. The major benefits of cat sitting is that cats do not have to leave their familiar environment. 

What’s included in cat boarding?

For long-term stays, cats can be brought to a kennel. The services would typically include food, litter areas, overnight monitoring, and potentially a feline play area. 

If cats need medical care, veterinary boarding may be necessary, which typically costs more to provide that level of additional care. 

How can I save money on pet care?

An excellent resource for affordable pet care is platforms that list multiple pet carers or services in your local area. Transparent prices or the ability to easily request quotes allows pet parents to easily compare pet care providers. It would also be worthwhile to compare kennels or boarding with in-home pet care to understand the most affordable option especially if multiple pets are needing care. 

Is a pet care service worth the cost?

Quality pet care is invaluable to pet owners who want or need to travel. Being able to entrust your animals to an experienced, vetted pet care provider offers peace of mind to you and safety for your animals. Utilizing a pet care service often adds a layer of verification to the process, especially if you are allowing a sitter to come into your home. 

We recommend Rover and Wag! 

As leaders in the pet services space, Rover and Wag! Are excellent platforms to find dog walkers, cat sitters, and other pet care services. Being able to find local providers with transparent pricing helps you find a pet carer who can handle your pets with expertise and affection. Rover is specifically helpful for comparing local boarding facilities to individual pet service providers, while Wag! Is mostly dog-focused and offers mostly home-based pet care.