Dog Walking Side Hustle in Canada: How to Start in 2026

From the video

Pick a service area you can walk between in under 10 minutes. Price a 30-minute solo walk near your local average. Get your first clients from neighbours or an app profile. Then sell weekly packages to regulars. And it's cheap to start. The basic kit comes in under $200. Now pricing. Rover's Toronto price guide puts the average 30-minute walk at $20.73, and a 60-minute walk at $33.06, using September 2025 data. Its national average is about $21 for 30 minutes. For comparison, Job Bank's median wage for animal care workers, the group that includes dog walkers, is $18 an hour nationally, and $20 in the Toronto region. That's what employees earn. As your own boss, you set a price per walk. If you use Rover, it takes a cut. Canadian sitters pay a 20% service fee per booking. In 7 pilot cities, including Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa, it's 30% for a new client, then 15%, then 10% as that client books more.

Dog walking in Canada is paid work walking other people’s dogs, usually a 30-minute midday walk for owners who are at work, sold by the walk or as a weekly package. Rover’s own data puts the average 30-minute walk at about $21 nationally and $20.73 in Toronto, and a walker who keeps five weekday regulars can bill around $600 a week. Start with solo walks in a few blocks you can reach on foot, then add drop-ins, sitting or permitted group walks.

Browse more neighbourhood work in local services side hustles. Compare the platform route in Rover vs independent dog walking, set rates with dog walking pricing, and budget the kit with dog walking startup costs.

Quick facts
Startup cost	Under $200 for leash, bags, cleats and a light (Amazon.ca prices below)
Typical product	30-minute solo walk, 1 dog, weekday midday
Average Rover price	$21 national, $20.73 Toronto (30 min, September 2025)
Time to first client	Days, if you start with neighbours or an app profile
Licence	Usually none for 1–3 dogs; permits for 4+ dogs in some city parks
Best season	Year-round; summer and December holidays add sitting demand
Tax forms	T2125, CPP on self-employment, GST/HST past $30,000

Who is dog walking a good fit for in Canada?

Dog walking fits people who are home or nearby on weekdays between about 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., can walk in rain, heat and ice, and are calm with strong or nervous dogs. It’s one of the cheapest service businesses to start, and the work comes in recurring weekly slots.

It suits:

• Remote workers and shift workers with a free lunch hour or a gap between shifts.
• Students with flexible class schedules near dense neighbourhoods.
• Retirees and semi-retirees who want daily exercise and steady, small income.
• Condo and townhouse dwellers in dense areas, where five clients can sit within a 10-minute walk.
• People already doing neighbourhood work like lawn care, snow removal or house cleaning, who can sell to the same households.

It’s a poor fit if you have pet allergies, can’t commit to the same hour every weekday, or find it hard to turn down a dog that lunges, guards food or has no vaccine record. Overnight pet sitting is a different product, with keys, a stranger’s home and longer liability, so add it only after your walks are running smoothly.

How does dog walking pay in Canada?

Dog walkers charge per walk, not per hour, and most sell 30- and 60-minute walks, with extras for added dogs, puppies and holidays. You get paid either directly by the owner (e-transfer or card) or through an app, which takes a percentage.

Published Canadian dog walking prices

Source	Service	Price
Rover, Toronto price guide (September 2025 data)	30-minute walk	$16–$25, average $20.73
Rover, Toronto price guide (September 2025 data)	60-minute walk	$28.33–$37.33, average $33.06
Rover, national figure in the same guide	30-minute walk	$21 average
Rover Toronto search page (October 2026)	Walk, 1 dog, incl. 11% owner fee	Average $22, median $20, most $14–$34
Rover Vancouver search page (October 2026)	Walk, 1 dog, incl. 11% owner fee	Average $23, median $20, most $13–$41

All prices checked October 9, 2026. The search-page figures include Rover’s 11% owner booking fee, so the walker’s listed rate is lower. Independent Toronto companies publish their own price guides, and these often sit above the Rover average because they include insurance, staff and scheduling.

Employee wage benchmark. Job Bank groups dog walkers under pet groomers and animal care workers (NOC 65220). Its wage report, updated November 19, 2025, shows a $18.00 national median (range $15.00–$25.50). Medians by province: British Columbia $19.50, Ontario $19.00 (Toronto region $20.00), Quebec $18.57, Prince Edward Island $17.30, Alberta $17.00, Nova Scotia $17.00, Manitoba $16.40, New Brunswick $16.25, Saskatchewan $15.70. This is what employees of kennels and walking companies earn per hour. As your own boss you set a per-walk price, so the number to compare is your price ÷ the time each walk really takes, including travel.

How much does Rover take?

Rover’s Canadian help centre says it applies a 20% service fee per booking. Owners pay a separate 11% service fee at checkout, capped at $65 a booking (rechecked October 23, 2026). Sitters who live in or near Saskatoon, Regina, Québec, Nanaimo, Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa-Gatineau are in a pilot with tiered fees by client: 30% while that client’s booking history totals $499 or less, 15% from $500 to $999, and 10% at $1,000 or more (both pages checked October 9, 2026; the main fee page was unchanged on October 23, 2026). The pilot rewards keeping clients on the platform for a long time. Elsewhere it’s a flat 20%.

The fee pays for the client search, payments, background check, reviews and the Rover Guarantee, which Rover says covers up to $25,000 of eligible vet care. Direct clients cost nothing per walk but need your own insurance, booking and invoices. The Rover review for Canadian sitters covers payouts and T4A slips in detail.

Worked math: what does a dog walking route earn?

The two levers are price per walk and how many walks you fit into one block of time without long gaps or travel.

Illustrative. The walker’s rate, the number of clients, the travel time and the weeks worked are assumptions. The rate is close to Rover’s published Toronto average.

Scenario A: five weekday solo walks

• 5 walks × $25 = $125 a day.
• Each walk takes 30 minutes plus about 10 minutes to reach the next dog: 5 × 40 min = 3 hours 20 minutes.
• $125 ÷ 3.33 hours = about $37.50 an hour before tax and costs.
• 5 days × $125 = $625 a week. Over 48 weeks: $30,000 a year, which is exactly the GST/HST small-supplier line, so a route this size needs to plan for registration.

Scenario B: the same walks booked through Rover

Fee level	Walker’s rate	Fee	Walker keeps	5 walks × 5 days × 48 weeks
Standard (20%)	$20	$4.00	$16.00	$19,200
Pilot city, new client (30%)	$20	$6.00	$14.00	$16,800
Pilot city, client past $1,000 (10%)	$20	$2.00	$18.00	$21,600

Scenario C: a permitted group walk in Toronto

• 4 dogs on a 60-minute group outing at an assumed $22 each = $88 for the hour.
• Fixed costs: the Commercial Dog Walker Permit at $305.99 a year, plus $2 million of commercial general liability insurance (get a quote; premiums vary).
• If you run one group a day, five days a week for 48 weeks: 240 hours × $88 = $21,120 before the permit, insurance and any vehicle costs. The same 240 hours of one-dog walks at $25 per 30 minutes (two walks an hour, no travel) would bill $12,000.
• Group walks earn more per hour but need dogs that get along, the permit, insurance and either a vehicle or a park within walking distance of every client.

The single biggest variable is clustering. If every dog sits within a few blocks, travel shrinks and the hourly rate climbs. A route that zig-zags across a city can halve it.

Is dog walking worth it as a side hustle in Canada?

Dog walking is worth it in Canada if you can protect one weekday midday block and keep every client within a short walk of each other. At Rover’s Toronto average of about $21 for 30 minutes, five clustered weekday regulars bill roughly $500–$625 a week before tax (illustrative: 25 walks at $20–$25 each), while a scattered route or a 20–30% app cut can pull that close to Job Bank’s $18 employee median.

Three numbers decide it:

1. Walks per hour. Two clustered walks an hour beats one walk plus 20 minutes of travel.
2. Platform share. Rover’s 20% (or 30% for new clients in pilot cities) is worth paying for the first clients; moving repeat regulars to direct booking with your own insurance keeps more of each walk where the client agrees.
3. Retention. The money is in the same dog five days a week for months, not one-off bookings.

What are the rules for dog walkers in Canadian cities?

Most cities don’t license someone walking one to three dogs, but several regulate how many dogs one person can control and where. Check your city’s parks and animal bylaw before you take a fourth dog.

• Toronto: No one may control more than three dogs in a city park without a Commercial Dog Walker Permit, and the maximum is six. Fees from January 1, 2026 are $305.99 a year, $153.00 for six months or $76.50 for three months, before tax (City of Toronto page rechecked October 23, 2026). Apply by email or in person; a lost permit costs $14.13 to replace. Applicants must show $2,000,000 of commercial general liability insurance naming the City as an additional insured, and every dog must wear a valid Toronto licence tag.
• Calgary: The Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw lets one person have up to six dogs off-leash at once in an off-leash area. A walker with a Dogwalker Permit can exceed that, but the city can set a lower maximum as a permit condition.
• West Vancouver and other B.C. municipalities set their own dog-walker counts; see the Vancouver guide.
• Everywhere: stoop-and-scoop, leash zones and off-leash-park hours apply to you as the person in control of the dog, and fines are yours to pay.

City-by-city notes are in the Toronto, Calgary and Hamilton guides.

What dog walking services can you sell in Canada?

Beyond the 30-minute weekday walk, Canadian walkers sell puppy visits, senior-dog strolls, group outings, holiday coverage and add-ons. Here are 18 services and client types to target.

1. Midday weekday walks for office workers. The core product: same dog, same time, five days a week.
2. Puppy potty breaks. Short 15–20 minute visits for puppies who can’t hold it all day; often booked two or three times a day.
3. Senior-dog strolls. Slow, short walks for older dogs and owners who want someone patient.
4. Reactive-dog solo walks. Quiet routes at off-peak times; charge more and screen carefully.
5. New-parent households. Owners with a newborn often book walks for months.
6. Seniors who can’t walk their dog on ice. Winter demand in every Canadian city.
7. Post-surgery owners. Short-term bookings while someone recovers.
8. Condo towers. One building can hold several clients; ask the property manager about a lobby notice.
9. Shift workers (nurses, trades). Odd-hour walks command a premium.
10. High-energy breeds. 60-minute or running walks for huskies, shepherds and retrievers.
11. Weekend and holiday coverage. Owners away for the day.
12. Drop-in visits. Feeding, water, a yard break and a photo.
13. Cat drop-ins. Many walkers add cats once they have keys and a route.
14. Overnight pet sitting. See winter pet sitting and house sitting.
15. Pack or group walks with a permit where required.
16. Pet taxi to the vet or groomer, if your auto insurer covers it.
17. Yard waste pickup for existing clients; see pet waste removal.
18. Real-estate showings. Walk the dog while a house is shown.

What gear do you need to walk dogs?

You need a backup leash, plenty of bags, traction for winter and a light for dark afternoons. Everything else can wait until you know your clients’ dogs. Prices below were listed on Amazon.ca on October 9, 2026.

Leashes and handling

Product	Who it suits	Amazon.ca price (Oct 9, 2026)
SparklyPets hands-free leash, 1 dog	Budget waist leash for walkers who need a free hand for doors and bags	$23.95
Ruffwear Flagline 6.5 ft leash	Lightweight leash that converts to waist-worn	$34.99
Ruffwear Switchbak, double-ended	Two-dog walks, adjustable length	$59.99
lynxking slip lead, 6 ft	Backup lead when a client’s collar or clip fails	$16.99

See hands-free dog leashes on Amazon.ca and slip leads. Use the owner’s harness and collar where possible; carry a slip lead in case one fails.

Bags, treats and first aid

• A bulk roll of waste bags and a clip-on dispenser (see dog waste bags). Running out mid-walk is the most avoidable mistake.
• Mighty Paw Treat Pouch 2.0 ($26.99) holds treats, keys and a phone; only use treats the owner approves (see treat pouches).
• First Aid Central 39-piece pet first aid kit ($17.49) for scrapes and cut pads (see pet first aid kits).

Winter and dark-evening gear

Product	Who it suits	Amazon.ca price (Oct 9, 2026)
Yaktrax Pro traction cleats	Icy sidewalks from November to March	$39.65
Black Diamond Astro 300 headlamp	Budget light for 4:30 p.m. sunsets	$31.95
Black Diamond Spot 400 headlamp	Brighter, dimmable, waterproof	$54.88
ArcRidge Class 2 reflective vest	Visibility on unlit streets	$29.99

Links: Yaktrax Pro cleats, Black Diamond headlamps and reflective vests.

Keys

A combination lock box (Puroma 4-digit, $19.99; Master Lock wall-mount 5-key, $57.99 on October 9, 2026) lets owners leave a key without handing it over. Never label keys with an address. See key lock boxes on Amazon.ca.

Which booking and payment tools work for dog walkers?

For your first three clients, a calendar and e-transfer is enough. Past that, a booking app saves missed walks and unpaid invoices.

More options are compared in Calendly vs Square Appointments vs Acuity. Keep walk income in a separate account; KOHO is one low-cost option for that.

Do dog walkers need insurance in Canada?

Insurance isn’t legally required for one to three dogs in most places, but Toronto requires $2 million of commercial general liability insurance for its group-walk permit, and owners increasingly ask. A dog bite, a leash that trips a cyclist or a dog that slips its collar and gets hit are the claims to ask a broker about. Look for general liability plus care, custody and control (sometimes called animal bailee) coverage, which covers the dogs in your care.

Rover’s guarantee covers eligible vet costs on Rover bookings only. For direct clients, get quotes; APOLLO vs Zensurance vs a local broker compares online options. If you drive dogs, tell your auto insurer first.

How have real Canadian dog walkers grown their businesses?

The documented Canadian examples grew by filling a waitlist, moving to permitted group walks or adding pickup and other pet services. These businesses are publicly documented. Their results aren’t typical.

Dogs on the Go! (Richmond, B.C.). CBC News reported on June 25, 2022 that owner Kari Hanninen started the company in 2019 walking one or two dogs once a day. By 2022 she was taking two groups of six dogs out twice a day, usually to the off-leash area at McDonald Beach Park, and offered up to two overnight boarding spots. She told clients who knew their days to book early because spots filled quickly. Lesson: a waitlist is a signal to raise prices or move to permitted group walks.

Millbrook Pet Care (Peterborough County, Ontario). kawarthaNOW reported on March 14, 2025 that Riley Friesen, who worked as a pet care provider while studying at Trent University, launched the business in November 2023. Each weekday morning she picks up about a dozen dogs in a painted “doggy bus” for an hour-long off-leash pack walk on a 191-acre family farm, and also offers solo walks for reactive dogs, drop-in sitting and overnight care. In her first year she drove the dogs in her own car until she ran out of room. Lesson: in rural areas, pickup and a safe private space can be the product.

Roger Leonhardt (Toronto). Canadian Immigrant reported on June 24, 2025 that Leonhardt left a tech sales job in the early 2000s to walk dogs and at his peak walked up to 40 dogs a day in Toronto’s east-end parks and trails. He later launched a natural tick repellent, Chase Away, selling at pet expos and online. Lesson: a walking route builds the local trust and audience for other pet products and services.

How does a Canadian winter change a dog walking route?

Winter does not create a new product. It changes the walk you already sell. Daylight ends earlier, so the headlamp in the starter kit is for late-afternoon visits. Icy sidewalks are why the Yaktrax Pro cleats are in that kit at $39.65 on Amazon.ca on October 9, 2026. Ask the owner what they want done about salt and slush on the dog’s paws before you improvise a rinse at their door.

Clearing the client’s driveway is not included in a walk. That is snow removal, with its own trigger depth and price. The season overview is best winter side hustles. Holiday weeks are the demand spike in the plan below: post the December surcharge before the calendar fills.

How to start dog walking: a 30-day plan

Week 1: Set up the offer

• Day 1: Choose a service area you can walk or bike between in under 10 minutes. Note dense blocks, condos and parks.
• Day 2: Read your city’s parks and animal bylaws: leash zones, dog limits and any walker permit.
• Day 3: Write your limits: dogs per walk, sizes, no bite history, vaccines required.
• Day 4: Set prices: 30-minute walk, 60-minute walk, extra dog, puppy visit, holiday surcharge. Use the Rover averages above as your benchmark.
• Day 5: Buy the minimum kit: backup leash, bags, first aid kit, and cleats if it’s winter.
• Days 6–7: Write your intake form and service agreement (templates below). Ask a broker or online insurer for a liability quote.

Week 2: Get the first clients

• Tell neighbours, friends and family; post once in local community groups following each group’s rules.
• Put a flyer on condo and vet-clinic notice boards where allowed.
• Optional: build a Rover profile with clear photos and your limits. See first dog walking clients.
• Claim a free Google Business Profile if you qualify; Google says you can add or claim a Business Profile at no charge. If you email people who aren’t already contacts, read the CASL consent rules first: commercial electronic messages generally need express or implied consent.
• Book meet-and-greets with the owner present.

Week 3: Run solo walks

• Walk each new dog alone for at least two weeks before pairing.
• Send a photo and a two-line note after every walk.
• Track every walk’s start, end and travel time.

Week 4: Measure and package

• Work out your real per-hour rate including travel.
• Offer a weekly package (five walks paid in advance).
• Ask your happiest client for a review and a referral.

Days 31–90

• Weeks 5–6: Add drop-in visits and cat care for existing clients.
• Weeks 7–8: Fill gaps in your midday block; decline clients outside your area or price them higher.
• Weeks 9–10: If you want group walks, get the permit and insurance your city requires, and test pairs of dogs that already know each other.
• Weeks 11–12: Book holiday sitting early and post your December and summer rates.

What should you ask and send dog walking clients?

Ask about vaccines, bite history and keys before the first walk, and send a short report with a photo after every walk. Copy these templates.

Intake questions (send before the meet-and-greet)

Dog's name, breed, age, weight:
Vaccinations up to date? (rabies, DHPP, bordetella) Vet clinic name and phone:
Bite history or reactivity (other dogs, bikes, kids, men in hats):
Pulling, escape attempts, recall:
Food and treat rules, allergies, medications:
Entry: key / lock box / concierge / code:
Emergency contact (not the owner):
Spending limit if the dog needs a vet and you can't reach me: $

Service agreement (short)

Services: [30/60]-minute walks on [days] at about [time], at [address]. Price: $[X] per walk, billed [weekly/monthly] in advance. Extra dog $[Y]. Holidays +$[Z]. Weather: in extreme cold, heat or a weather warning, walks may be shortened; you’ll get a message. Cancellation: [24] hours’ notice, or the walk is charged. Emergencies: I may take [dog] to [vet] and you agree to pay the vet bill. Keys are stored without your address and returned when service ends.

Before every walk

• Bags, backup slip lead, treats (approved), phone charged
• Cleats and headlamp in winter
• Check harness fit and clips before leaving the door
• Lock up and confirm the door is closed

After-walk message template

Hi [name], [dog] had a good 30-minute walk around [route]. Pee and poop done, lots of sniffing, all good. Back inside at [time] with fresh water. [photo]

How do you grow beyond solo walks?

Most walkers grow in one of three directions.

1. More services per client. Drop-ins, cat visits, overnight sitting and holiday coverage raise the value of each household without more marketing. An overnight sit is priced by the night, so one booking can be worth several walks.
2. Group walks. Permits, insurance and careful dog matching, as Hanninen and Friesen did.
3. Hire walkers. Once your midday block is full, hire or contract another walker; you’ll need clear rules on whether they’re employees or contractors, and software like Time To Pet’s Team plan.

If you’d rather add people work alongside dog work, see personal training or babysitting, including provincial limits on unlicensed child care.

Which tax rules apply to dog walking in Canada?

Dog walking fees are self-employment income. Report them on Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities, and pay both the employee and employer share of Canada Pension Plan contributions on your net profit (QPP in Quebec).

This is not tax, legal or insurance advice.

• GST/HST: registration is required once your worldwide taxable supplies pass $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters (CRA small-supplier rule). The first-dollar rule for taxi and ride-sharing drivers doesn’t apply. Scenario A above lands right at $30,000, so track your running total.
• Rates once registered: charge the rate where the walk happens: 13% HST in Ontario, 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I., 14% in Nova Scotia (since April 1, 2025), and 5% GST elsewhere, plus QST in Quebec. Confirm with the CRA charge-and-collect table and GST/HST calculator.
• Platform income: Rover may issue a slip, but report all fees, including e-transfers and tips. What a T4A or a platform report does and does not change is in T4A, T5018 and platform slips. A printable record list is the free side hustle tax checklist. Filing tools are compared in Wealthsimple Tax vs TurboTax vs H&R Block.
• Deductions: bags, leashes, first aid kits, permits, insurance, booking software, phone (business share) and app fees. Keep receipts.
• Vehicle: if you drive between dogs, keep a kilometre log for the business share.

Starter kit

What are the most common dog walking mistakes?

The costly mistakes are mixing unknown dogs, scattering your route, underpricing holidays and assuming home insurance covers paid pet care.

• Taking unknown dogs into a group. Walk every new dog alone first.
• Skipping the vaccine and bite-history questions. “He’s friendly” isn’t a health record.
• A scattered route. Travel time is unpaid; decline far-off clients or price them higher.
• Off-leash where it isn’t allowed. Fines and lost dogs are on you.
• Labelled keys. Store keys with a code, never an address.
• Underpricing holidays. December and long weekends sell out; charge a surcharge.
• Assuming home insurance covers paid pet care. The FCAC’s home insurance page says home insurance isn’t business insurance and that you must tell your insurer about a home-based business. This matters most if you board dogs at home.
• Alarm and lockbox codes in group chats. PIPEDA applies to personal information collected in commercial activity (Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec have substantially similar laws). Keep codes in one secure place.
• No walk-and-payment log. Record date, client, dogs and amount for every walk; the CRA’s keeping records page explains what to keep.

For tasks that aren’t pets, see odd-job apps.

What should you keep in mind about these numbers?

Rover’s averages describe prices listed on one platform at a point in time (September 2025 for the Toronto guide, October 2026 for the search pages) and include its owner fee where noted. Independent walkers, companies and small towns price differently. The Job Bank figures are employee wages, not self-employed earnings. The route math is illustrative and leaves out unpaid admin, cancellations, sick days and seasonal dips. City permit fees and dog limits change; check your own city’s bylaw before taking a fourth dog. The operators above were chosen because their stories are documented, not because they’re typical.

Which guides sit next to dog walking?

• How Much Does It Cost to Start Dog Walking in Canada?
• How Much to Charge for Dog Walking in Canada (2026 Pricing Guide)
• How to Get Your First Dog Walking Clients in Canada
• What Dog Walking Gear Do You Need in Canada?

What are the common questions?

Which sources support this guide?

The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.

• When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
• Charge and collect the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
• GST/HST calculator (and rates) — Canada Revenue Agency
• Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency
• Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan — Government of Canada
• GST/HST for taxi and ride-sharing drivers — Canada Revenue Agency
• Rover — Rover
• How much does dog walking cost in Toronto? — Rover
• Dog walking in Toronto (prices) — Rover
• Dog walking in Vancouver (prices) — Rover
• What are the service fees? — Rover Help Center
• New ways for sitters to earn more with repeat clients — Rover Help Center
• Wages for pet groomers and animal care workers (NOC 65220) — Job Bank, Government of Canada
• Commercial Dog Walker Permit — City of Toronto
• Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw 47M2021 — City of Calgary
• Booming business: Demand for dog services is high, say business owners — CBC News
• Millbrook Pet Care's 'doggy bus' collects canines for off-leash pack walks on a family farm — kawarthaNOW
• How a Canadian entrepreneur is helping dogs stay tick-free — Canadian Immigrant
• Time To Pet pricing — Time To Pet
• Square Appointments pricing (Canada) — Square
• Amazon.ca search: hands-free dog leash — Amazon.ca
• Add or claim your Business Profile — Google
• Getting consent to send email — Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Home insurance — Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
• PIPEDA in brief — Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
• Keeping records — Canada Revenue Agency