How To Make $1,000 A Month Dog Sitting And Dog Walking - Digest Your Finances (2024)

Here’s the question for the day. Do you love making money? I know I do. How about dogs, do you love them? If your answer is yes for both, then this might be the perfect site also for you! You can actually make very good money for dog sitting and dog walking!

In 2014, the pet sitting industry generated over $330 million dollars according to Pet Sitters International. $330 million is a lot of money generated in that industry!

The pet-sitting industry is definitely an ever-growing Industry as more people are adopting pets year-over-year and providing them with much more care. That said, making money dog sitting has never been so accessible and profitable.

Simply put, it’s definitely not too late to get started and make money for dog sitting and dog walking. If taking care of fur babies while their owners are away sounding fun, then this side gig might be perfect for you!

What is Rover?

Rover is the go-to place for pet owners! Services offered on Rover include pet sitting, overnight care, and even pet daycare and dog walking services. Rover is a win-win platform that allows pet owners to not only have their pets taken care of, but it’s also a great way for animal lovers to turn a decent side income caring for them.

As a pet caregiver, you set your own rates, schedules, breed and size limitations, and whether or not you want to care for the pets in your own home or the pet owner’s home.

Another fantastic perk of Rover is that they offer very good insurance for both the pet owner and pet sitter. This makes sure that no matter what happens, both parties and the pets are protected.

Can I really make money dog sitting and dog walking on Rover?

Making money dog sitting on Rover is actually not that difficult! A pet sitter or pet walker can average $20 to $40 per night and make over $30 to $40 per walk! After fees are deducted by Rover a pet sitter can take home up to 80% off of your earnings.

Although these figures are just the average, your local rates may differ. It’s important to make sure that you check out what other Pet Sitters in your area are charging. That means, depending on your area, you can even make a lot more than that!

Because your earning potential is virtually Limitless, the more consistently you pet sit and dog walk, the more money you can definitely make!

How do I sign up?

You really don’t need that much to get started pet sitting or dog walking. Their requirements state that you must be at least 18 years old to be eligible and go through their background check.

This background check only applies if you want to offer certain services. This list of requirements changes often oh, so make sure that you check their latest requirements.

So as long as you are over the age of 18 you can submit an online application. Rover will respond with an email typically within one week to let you know if you have been accepted on the website.

That means, within just one week, you can start running a profitable and lucrative pet sitting and dog walking side hustle!

How much does it cost to be on Rover?

Creating an account on Rover is completely free, however, you might have to pay for the background check they perform. The criteria to qualify for the background check differs depending on the Services you’re offering, so once you get started signing up you will know if you would need one or not.

Rover fees range from 20 to 25% of your earnings. Your take-home earnings then are about 75 to 80% of what you earn.

You as the pet sitter will be responsible for paying for gas and other wear and tear of the items and equipment that you used to pet sit and dog walk.

Do I pay taxes when I get paid on Rover?

Servicers like Rover, Uber, and Doordash are considered independent contractors. This means that if you are a resident in the United States, Rover will require you to complete a W-9 form.

Depending on how you cash out your earnings, getting paid through PayPal for instance requires you to meet a $20,000 threshold before they send you a 1099-k form. If you don’t make that much annually, you are still responsible for reporting earnings during tax time.

So to answer your question, yes you are responsible for reporting your income and paying the taxes. As an independent contractor, however, you can always deduct certain business expenses like pet food, gas, and even your phone bill for keeping in touch with your customers.

Always make sure to consult with a tax representative to get the most accurate information.

Do I need special insurance?

When getting started you don’t need to get any additional Insurance. Rover offers its own formal insurance that covers any incidences that might occur while pet sitting or dog walking.

All the information about what their insurance covers and their limits are provided on their website. So make sure that you go on there and check what’s covered and not covered before you get started.

Overall, their insurance is very good. At the time of writing, they cover incidences up to $25,000 for vet care and up to $1 million for property damage so really you don’t have to worry much about insurance.

Final thoughts

Using Rover as a side hustle on the weekends or even a full-time gig, you can definitely make a lot of money for dog sitting and dog walking. If you just absolutely love taking care of animals and making a decent income, Rover is definitely a good option to get started.

Remember to check out Rover’s website and see what services you are willing to offer.

Like it? Pin it!