Physical and mental well-being
Unless you live on a farm or other scenario with a large enough parcel of land nearby, if you own one or more dogs, walking the dogs daily (or more often) is part of the deal.
As a result, dog owners are generally more active than non-owners. The strength of the dog–owner relationship is known to be correlated with dog walking, A qualitative study with 26 interviews were combined with autoethnography of dog walking experiences. Dog walking was constructed as ‘for the dog’, however, owners represented their dog’s needs in a way which aligned with their own. Central to the construction of need was perceptions of dog personality and behavior. Owners reported deriving positive outcomes from dog walking, most notably, feelings of happiness, but these were contingent on the perception that their dogs were enjoying the experience.
Owner physical activity and social interaction were secondary bonuses but rarely motivating. Perceptions and beliefs of owners about dog walking were continually negotiated, depending on how the needs of the owner and dog were constructed at that time. Complex social interactions with the significant other of a pet can strongly motivate human health behavior. Potential interventions to promote dog walking need to account for this complexity and the effect of the dog-owner relationship on owner mental wellbeing.
To contradict that, there are some who rarely walk with their dog. And some cultures frown on having dogs as pet. In Teheran, Iran, for example, dog walking has been prohibited since 2019. Since then, Iranian officials have expanded a ban on dog walking to a swathe of cities across the country, citing public order and health and safety concerns. In 2021, 75 lawmakers condemned dog ownership as a destructive social problem that could gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life.
Walking other people’s dogs
Assuming there’s no ban on dog walking, owners who don’t want to walk their dog, or whose daily life’s (work) activities prohibits dog walking throughout the day, have found a good alternative: You can pay someone to walk your dog for you. And thus dog walking in some areas is now an accepted part of the gig economy, just like taxi or food delivery services.
The dog walking gig economy in the USA has experienced significant growth in recent years, particularly following the pandemic, with industry revenue projected to reach $1.3 billion in 2025, slowing in growth to $1.4 billion on 2030.
This expansion has been driven by rising pet ownership and the pet humanization trend, where owners treat pets as family members, leading to increased demand for premium and frequent pet care services.
The proliferation of on-demand apps like Rover and Wag! have revolutionized the industry by enabling instant connections between clients and walkers, allowing real-time tracking of walks and streamlining the booking process.
Thousands of small, independently owned businesses competing primarily at the neighborhood level due to low barriers to entry, minimal start-up costs, and limited regulation. This has intensified competition, triggered pricing battles, and pressured profit margins, making it difficult for providers to differentiate themselves without innovation. In high-demand urban areas like New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago, walkers can earn $30 to $50 per walk, especially when handling multiple dogs simultaneously.
Starting a dog walking business typically requires a relatively low initial investment of $500 to $2,000 for training, licenses, insurance, and supplies like leashes, treats, and poop bags.
Having the weekend off
When I run into Eduardo, he is walking a massive pack of 11 dogs. He tells me that twice a day he follows a now well established route to gather the dogs, walk through the park and brings them back home.
He gave up his job for this routine. At $12 per dog per day for two 40 minutes walks, it gives him a reasonable, albeit low, income for less than 3.5 hours of work a day. His services are considerable cheaper than most, which is how he thinks he managed to get his pack together.
And I have the weekend off he adds, as that’s when the owners do their own walking.