How to Start a Dog Walking & Pet Sitting Business

Starting out · 6 min read

Pet care is a trust business — you are being given keys to someone's home and responsibility for their animal. This guide covers what it actually takes to get started — and the one thing most new owners leave until it's too late.

Insurance and bonding

Pet-sitting insurance is inexpensive and clients increasingly ask for it. Bonding matters because you are holding keys.

What to charge

Per-visit pricing with add-ons (extra pets, extended visits, holidays) is standard. Holiday rates are where the margin is.

Plan for emergencies

A vet release form authorising treatment when the owner can't be reached is the difference between acting fast and being stuck.

The paperwork

Service agreement, pet profile, vet release, key release and daily visit log. The vet release and key form are the two that actually matter in a crisis.

Start with the paperwork done

The dog walking & pet sitting forms bundle gives you the intake, agreement, estimate and invoice you need on day one — editable and print-ready, instant download.

Get the forms bundle →Browse all bundles on Etsy

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