22/07/2025
🙌🏼
Would you walk miles every day, in every kind of weather, for less than minimum wage?
Rain or shine. Ice or heatwave. For £25 a walk?
Sounds decent, right?
Let’s break it down:
Fuel. Tax. Insurance. Admin. Travel time. Cleaning. Safety kit.
Suddenly, that £25 turns into £10 or less for 1.5–2 hours of work.
That’s below minimum wage—for a job with serious responsibility.
Sounds crazy?
That’s the everyday reality for many professional dog walkers.
We’re not just “taking your dog for a stroll.”
We’re responsible for their safety, wellbeing, and behaviour—every step of the way.
No matter the weather. No matter how tired we are. No matter what life throws at us.
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Here’s the breakdown:
You pay for a 60-minute walk. Sounds fair, right?
But that hour includes:
• Travel time between clients
• Pre-walk setup (harnessing, behaviour checks, safety gear)
• Post-walk care (cleaning muddy paws, drying coats, sending updates)
• Vehicle cleaning and maintenance
• Admin, scheduling, route planning
• Ongoing training, insurance, licensing, canine first aid, DBS checks
By the time business expenses and prep time are covered, we’re often earning well below minimum wage—especially when legally limited to walking only a few dogs at a time.
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Where does every penny go?
• Legal & Professional Costs: Public liability insurance, DBS checks, vehicle insurance (business use), canine first aid, CPD training
• Daily Operations: Admin software, mileage, fuel, parking, scheduling
• Dog Safety: Secure transport, safety-tested leads, GPS trackers, ID tags, muzzles (when needed), behaviour assessments
• Equipment & Cleanliness: Towels, paw washers, boots, wet-weather gear, disinfectants, poo bags, enrichment toys
• Time & Commitment: Early mornings, late evenings, short-notice calls, and calmly handling unexpected emergencies
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The reality:
• A loose dog in the woods? We stay calm and in control.
• A dog refuses to walk? We adapt and support.
• Sudden aggression? We know how to manage it safely.
• Dog gets injured? We’re off to the vet—no hesitation.
We’re trained to protect, guide, and care for your dog as if they were our own.
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The risk?
One mistake. One slip of a lead. One forgotten note.
Our entire livelihood could be on the line.
No sick pay. No holiday pay. No pension. Just 100% responsibility—year-round.
We do it because we love dogs.
But love doesn’t pay the bills.
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We are insured, trained professionals.
We take on enormous responsibility with minimal recognition—and even less financial security.
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It’s time the professional dog walking industry got the respect it deserves.
Respect the skill. Respect the risk. Support professional dog walkers.
