The 6 Best Dog Walking Services of 2023

Photo comp of dog walker walking dog — Spruce Pets / Design by Amelia Manley

Our Top Picks

Most Popular: Rover

"Now the largest network of dog walkers and caretakers in the country, Rover offers boarding, house sitting, grooming, daycare, dog walking, and drop-in visits in more than

24,000 neighborhoods."

Best for On-Demand Walking: Wag!

"The immediacy of this startup’s services make it a top choice for busy owners."

Best Walks-Only App: Barkly Pets

"Barkly provides in-person training for each dog walker, and owners can choose theirs from a list of profiles or be assigned one by the company."

Best for Odd Hours: Fetch! Pet Care

"Fetch! Pet Care is a national franchise that matches sitters from their network with dog owners based on their individual needs."

Best for International Travel: Petbacker

"Ideal for globetrotters who want to keep their pup in tow, the app’s simple navigation makes scheduling walks a breeze."

Best for Variable Pricing: Holidog

"This site serves as a middleman between dog owners and dog lovers, so those looking for a personalized experience may prefer it over traditional dog walking services."

First conceptualized as “Airbnb for dogs,” Rover was born at a startup hackathon in 2011 by then-college junior Philip Kimmey. Teaming up venture capitalist Greg Gottesman (whose yellow lab, Ruby, had recently come down with “kennel cough” after being boarded) and eventually picking up help from Microsoft alum and now-CEO Aaron Easterly, the tech entrepreneurs set out to pair dog parents with dog people—the kinds of folks who’d treat any dog like their own. Now the largest network of dog walkers and caretakers in the country, Rover offers boarding, house sitting, grooming, daycare, dog walking, and drop-in visits in more than 24,000 neighborhoods.

To use the service, start by entering your location, marking which services you are looking for and what dates you will need them. For dog walking and daycare, options are available for single visits or recurring daily or weekly services. Then, you’ll answer questions about your pup’s weight and age before the site populates a list of available dog walkers in your area—and the starting price for their services. Single strolls tend to start at $15 to $40 per walk, and users can scout reviews, profile pictures, and brief biographies for each potential caregiver.

Booking with Rover comes with peace of mind, too: The site offers background checks, ongoing education for sitters, and around-the-clock support.

When it launched in 2015, endorsements from stars like Olivia Munn and Mariah Carey put this Silicon Valley startup company in front of a massive audience quickly. And the immediacy of its services helped Wag! stand out against its competitors. Walks start at $15 and are ordered in 20-, 30-minute, or one-hour time blocks.

All walkers are insured and background checked, and regardless of who’s holding the leash, Wag! makes your pup’s location available in real-time in the app, and owners can expect bathroom updates, photos, and a report card after the visit. Wag! does more than walking, too—look to them for overnight sitting, drop-ins, boarding, and daycare, too. An added bonus? Wag! looks out for all pups by donating a portion of its profits to GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank, which provides food to shelter dogs across the country.

The best pups aren’t just beloved by their owners: They weave themselves into the fabric of entire neighborhoods. Washington, D.C.-based Barkly Pets was founded out of that relationship when Dave Comiskey, Chris Gonzalez, and Jim Camut—three friends and neighbors—realized they couldn’t keep relying on only each other when they needed reliable last-minute help with their pups.

Rates for thirty-minute walks range from $15 to $22 depending on the location, with an extra $5 for each additional pet. An hour-long walk costs around $30. Barkly provides in-person training for each dog walker, and owners can choose theirs from a list of profiles or be assigned one by the company.

Hours run between 6 a.m. and 10 pm., and walkers will heed a personalized checklist made by the owner—that means favorite toys, medications, and special notes for each pup will be taken into account. And through the iOS and Android apps, owners can follow along, with photos and updates provided throughout the walk.

Fetch! Pet Care is a national franchise that matches sitters from their network with dog owners based on their individual needs. Its first location opened in 2002 in Berkeley, California, and today there are locations around the country helping busy pet owners get by. Before you book, an in-home consultation, which comes free before your first appointment, allows you—and your pup—to get acquainted with the dog walker before anything is confirmed.

Once a scheduled walk begins, owners can expect calls, texts, and a post-sitting report card to keep them informed about their pup’s care in real-time. Individual walks cost between $18 and $24 for each visit, and in addition to dog walking, Each sitter or walker is background checked and insured, and the company reserves a “back-up” sitter for every reservation so you can always rely on getting your dog a walk when they need it.

Singapore-based Petbacker covers the entire United States, and the growing company is a resource for dog lovers around the world, with operations from Italy to India and beyond. Ideal for globetrotters who want to keep their pup in tow, the app’s simple navigation makes scheduling a walk easy. Each walker sets its own price, and users get instant access to five quotes from those nearby—chosen by Petbacker or selected individually. Verified reviews for each potential walker are readily available before you book along with “trust points” awarded to the walker for each social media account they have linked to the app.

A report card given after the walk provides helpful information about your pet’s care, with a map of the walk, a bathroom log, food and water information, and a photo. In addition to walks, Petbacker can provide grooming, sitting, boarding, and taxi service. And frequent users reap big benefits: Petbacker enrolls each new user in its Royalty Rewards program, which offers bigger discounts the more you spend.

Holidog is a middleman between dog owners and dog lovers, so those looking for a personalized experience may prefer it over traditional dog walking services. Holidog offers boarding, sitting, and in-home visits in addition to walks, and the sitters are vetted by Holidog advisors before their profiles are approved. Owners can search the site for free, and dog walkers set their own rates. You'll pay a small fee to Holidog each time you book, but you can save by signing up for a membership that covers everything but the walker’s individual rate.

Because each walker decides whether to accept your assignment, book early—it can take around 24 hours for many to reply to bookings. Walks are offered in 30-minute increments.

Dog walking services tend to hover between $15 to $20 for a 20-minute walk and a bit more (about $30) for 30 minutes. Some walkers also offer an hourly rate, which is usually between $30 and $60. Adding a second dog usually brings up your price by $5 or $10. And, if you need multiple walks per day, this will add to the cost. Some dog walking services provide discounts or bundles for a regular daily walking schedule for routine customers.

It depends on your dog. Some dogs are OK if left alone for a typical eight-hour workday. Other dogs have more energy and will relish the opportunity for more exercise and a trip outside. Hiring a dog walker for active dogs gives them the chance to burn off energy and help curb unwanted or destructive behaviors. Meanwhile, smaller breeds with smaller bladders might be grateful for a midday bathroom break.

The duration of a dog walk depends on your dog. Smaller breeds require about 30 minutes of exercise a day, divided into multiple segments during the day. Medium and larger breeds might need 40 minutes on up to two hours per day. Ultimately, it depends on your dog’s energy level and age. Regardless, every dog needs a walk regularly.