Full guide
How to start a dog walking business as a teenager
Dog walking is a weekday business, which makes it awkward with school and valuable because of it. Owners who work all day need someone at lunchtime, and there are far more of those owners than there are walkers. If you can do after-school walks reliably, you have a business.
What it costs
What you actually need
- A sturdy leash of your own
- $20–$35
- Waste bags
- $8 a roll
- Treats
- $10
- A phone with the owner's number saved
- $0
Use the owner's for their dog, but carry a spare. Leashes break.
Carry twice what you think you need.
Ask the owner first. Some dogs have allergies and some owners have rules.
And your own emergency contact, visible on the lock screen.
Borrow before you buy
Do your first three jobs with equipment you already have access to. Buy your own out of money a customer has already handed you, never out of money you are hoping to make.
What to charge
Pricing, honestly
Start at the lower end of each range. Raise it once five people have paid you without hesitating.
- 30-minute walk, one dog
- $12–$20
- 60-minute walk
- $20–$30
- Second dog, same household
- +$5–$8
- Five walks a week, booked
- 10–15% less
Check what adult services near you charge, then sit below it. You are starting out.
Worth offering for high-energy dogs.
Only take two at once if you have walked each one alone first.
Regular beats occasional. Chase the standing booking.
Your first five
Exactly who to ask, in order
Warmest first. Your first attempt should be with someone who will be kind about it, because you will be bad at it.
Person 1
The dog on your street you already know by name.Person 2
Anyone in your family who works full time and owns a dog.Person 3
Your neighbours' dog-owning friends — ask your first customer to mention you to one person.Person 4
The local vet or groomer's noticeboard, with an adult's permission and a real phone number.Person 5
A neighbourhood group your parent is in. Ask them to post it, not you.
Send this
“Hi — I'm Sam from number 14. I walk dogs after school, Monday to Friday, and I have room for one more. I'd take Bruno out for 30 minutes for $15. Could I do a free first walk this week while you're home, so you can see how he does with me?”
Change the names and the price. Keep the shape: who you are, how they know you, what you do, the price, and an easy way to say yes.
Not optional
Staying safe
- Meet every dog with the owner there before you ever walk it alone.
- Never wrap a leash around your hand or wrist. A startled dog can break a wrist.
- Know what you will do if another dog comes at you. Decide before it happens, not during.
- Never take a dog somewhere the owner has not agreed to.
- If a dog growls at you at the meeting, say no. There will be other dogs.
Tell a parent or guardian where you are working and when you expect to be finished, every time.
The actual business
Getting them to book you again
- Send one photo from every walk. It is the whole reason people stay.
- Be the same time every day. Dogs and owners both run on routine.
- Say something specific about their dog each week. It proves you were paying attention.
- Tell the owner about anything odd — limping, not drinking, off their food.
- Ask for a referral only after a month of not missing once.
Anything about licences, taxes or getting paid under 18 is on the Ontario guide. More ideas are on the full list.
Free, for students
Want help actually starting one?
These are what people commonly charge, not what you will make. Look up what adults near you charge for the same job, then start a little under it and raise your price once you have five happy customers.
All the ways to make money 50 business ideas Getting your first customer