This Side Gig Is Paw-fect for People Who Have to Pet All the Doggos
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with the latest information.
If you’re anything like me, you feel a compulsive need to pet any dog that crosses your path.
You loudly announce “Guys, there’s a dog!” literally every single time you spot one. You know, just in case everyone else missed it.
Maybe you’ve passed someone walking their dog, and you smiled at the dog… before you smiled at its owner.
If this sounds like you, then we’ve got a pretty sweet side gig for you.
Rover, the nation’s largest online network of pet sitters and dog walkers, will help you get paid to walk dogs in your spare time!
It’s sort of like Uber for dog walking in that you take requests in your area. Depending on where you live, you can accept walks that are ASAP, meaning you can arrive for the walk within 30 minutes, or accept a walk that’s scheduled for a later time.
And if you really hit it off with a pup and its owner, you can schedule ongoing walks with the same client.
Dog walkers set their own rates, and Rover keeps a small portion.
Rover also has other opportunities for dog lovers to make money.
You can sign up to offer dog boarding in your home or become a house sitter for clients when they’re away, or you can even offer drop-in visits. You also set your own rates if you take part in these extra services.
Who Can Be A Dog Walker For Rover?
Becoming a dog walker for Rover is a great option for anyone looking for a side gig. You can commit to walking dogs full time, or just do it on your lunch hour.
Plus, you can switch up your availability whenever you want. Say you’re going out of town for a few days, or you walked 10 miles the day before and your dogs are barking (sorry, I really couldn’t help myself) — you can just turn off your availability until you’re ready to start walking again.
You don’t have to be a professional dog walker, but you must meet these requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have the latest Rover app for iOS or Android (It’s free!)
- Pass a background check
- Be available to work on weekdays
Sign Up for Rover Dog Walking
Check out Rover’s website to get started. You’ll create a profile, which the Rover team will review.
After your profile is approved, Rover will reach out to you about going through an orientation and taking some online lessons. It will also have you take a super quick in-person harness test.
Once you complete these steps, you’ll officially be certified and can start accepting clients!
Just make sure you download the Rover app on your phone — that’s how you’ll get clients and communicate with them (and send them cute pictures of their pups on their walks, if you want).
Once you finish a walk, you’ll get paid for your time within 48 hours. Now that’s what I call a quick de-paws-it!
So if you want to get paid to hang out with dogs in your spare time, this is a side gig you should keep in mind.
Kaitlyn Blount is a junior staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She spent way too much time thinking of dog puns for this post.
