How much do you pay for a dog walker?
- Thread starter Laurelin
- Start date
Our basic rate for dog walking in New York City is $15/half hour. For 10 walks/week or more (i.e. 2 walks/day) the rate drops to $13. For additional dogs, we add 50% to the price, regardless of how many extra dogs there are. You can see a table of my prices on our website.
You would think walking rates would be a lot more in Manhattan than they are in most places, but free competition has kept them low. Back when I started as a dog walker 8 years ago I charged $15, and I've kept them the same all that time despite inflation. I'd love to be able to raise them but there are so many fly-by-night dog walkers in New York who decide to become a walker, put up posters advertising ridiculously cheap rates, then abandon the profession once they realize they can't live from that income. But meanwhile, I get the calls from clients saying "sorry guys, we've found someone cheaper (who's got no experience, isn't bonded or insured, walks 5 dogs at once and doesn't pay any taxes)." It sucks really, but I've learned to live with it.
I had an email from one of NYC's largest dog walking companies recently urging me to put up my rates along with theirs, but to be honest I'm not receptive to any kind of price colluding, I'd rather stay competitive. There's not a huge amount of profit for me per walk once I've paid my walkers (who get the lion's share of the fee) and also paid my payroll liabilities on their behalf, but the alternative is to constantly lose clients to cheaper walkers. You do get what you pay for with a walker. The companies who pay their workers minimum wage are basically operating a revolving door of dog walkers who come and go and never show any dedication or develop any skills. You should never base your decision as to who walks your dogs entirely on price, although many people do.
But wow, I'm constantly amazed at what some people get away with charging in other parts of the country - $25/walk etc. Although I suppose they're working in a large spread out suburban or rural area and have to drive between each dog, it may be justified. All of our dogs are within walking distance
You would think walking rates would be a lot more in Manhattan than they are in most places, but free competition has kept them low. Back when I started as a dog walker 8 years ago I charged $15, and I've kept them the same all that time despite inflation. I'd love to be able to raise them but there are so many fly-by-night dog walkers in New York who decide to become a walker, put up posters advertising ridiculously cheap rates, then abandon the profession once they realize they can't live from that income. But meanwhile, I get the calls from clients saying "sorry guys, we've found someone cheaper (who's got no experience, isn't bonded or insured, walks 5 dogs at once and doesn't pay any taxes)." It sucks really, but I've learned to live with it.
I had an email from one of NYC's largest dog walking companies recently urging me to put up my rates along with theirs, but to be honest I'm not receptive to any kind of price colluding, I'd rather stay competitive. There's not a huge amount of profit for me per walk once I've paid my walkers (who get the lion's share of the fee) and also paid my payroll liabilities on their behalf, but the alternative is to constantly lose clients to cheaper walkers. You do get what you pay for with a walker. The companies who pay their workers minimum wage are basically operating a revolving door of dog walkers who come and go and never show any dedication or develop any skills. You should never base your decision as to who walks your dogs entirely on price, although many people do.
But wow, I'm constantly amazed at what some people get away with charging in other parts of the country - $25/walk etc. Although I suppose they're working in a large spread out suburban or rural area and have to drive between each dog, it may be justified. All of our dogs are within walking distance
I wouldn't feel like you have to charge less at all. If you're working alone with no back up, you have a tremendous amount of responsibility and dedication to your clients, and that should be reflected somewhat in the price. I know what it's like to walk alone for myself - I used to go 5-6 months at a time without a day off, and was often working 12 hour days. You feel like you have to say "yes" to everything your clients request, at the expense of your own social life.
A few years ago I had skin cancer and had to have serious surgery and many clinic visits for various things - but despite this, I only took one day off (for the surgery), left the hospital 2 hours after waking up from the anesthetic (against the protests of the doctors), jumped in a cab, went home, got into bed and got up at 6am the next morning for a full day of walking dogs in 100 degree heat. Such is the level of dedication you come to feel....although looking back, I guess I probably could have backed off a little
The general feeling in the market in NYC is that you pay the same or a little more for a solo dog walker, and you get a slightly cheaper price if you go with a large company. However some people prefer having a solo dog walker for a number of reasons, so you're filling a niche in the market.
A few years ago I had skin cancer and had to have serious surgery and many clinic visits for various things - but despite this, I only took one day off (for the surgery), left the hospital 2 hours after waking up from the anesthetic (against the protests of the doctors), jumped in a cab, went home, got into bed and got up at 6am the next morning for a full day of walking dogs in 100 degree heat. Such is the level of dedication you come to feel....although looking back, I guess I probably could have backed off a little
The general feeling in the market in NYC is that you pay the same or a little more for a solo dog walker, and you get a slightly cheaper price if you go with a large company. However some people prefer having a solo dog walker for a number of reasons, so you're filling a niche in the market.
I am amazed at how many people USE dog walkers. Such a scary concept O.O And letting them take your dog to a dog park?! No way in spaghetti sauce!! Not to mention, all of these prices sound incredibly expensive for someone to just take your dog for a few minutes.
Two entirely different worlds going on here...
Two entirely different worlds going on here...
That's just the same as saying "I'm amazed at how many people use baby sitters, nannies, or send their kids to school."
And really the prices are quite justified when you think about it. $15 for a half hour doesn't exactly translate to earnings of $30/hr for 8 hours a day - it takes time to travel between dogs, and the peak walking times for most dog walkers is between 11am and 4pm. You're only going to get a professional, reputable and reliable daily dog walker if you hire someone who's making a decent living out of it, and the price is reflected in that. $15 per day isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things, when you consider how much people spend on junk food, booze, cigarettes, movies etc, a $75 per week expense to make sure your dog is properly cared for while you're at work is reasonable to someone who actually prioritizes their dog's care.
And really the prices are quite justified when you think about it. $15 for a half hour doesn't exactly translate to earnings of $30/hr for 8 hours a day - it takes time to travel between dogs, and the peak walking times for most dog walkers is between 11am and 4pm. You're only going to get a professional, reputable and reliable daily dog walker if you hire someone who's making a decent living out of it, and the price is reflected in that. $15 per day isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things, when you consider how much people spend on junk food, booze, cigarettes, movies etc, a $75 per week expense to make sure your dog is properly cared for while you're at work is reasonable to someone who actually prioritizes their dog's care.