All businesses / Dog walking and pet sitting

Fingerprint: capital · hours · speed to income · margin · ceiling. The dashed line is mid-scale.

Start a dog walking and pet sitting: the real numbers

Walks and in-home care. Below is what it actually costs, how long before money arrives, and the part most guides leave out.

Startup capital

€200–€1,200

Hours / week

8–30

First income

~2 wks

Net margin

85%

Saturation

high

Realistic ceiling

€500–€1,800

What nobody usually tells you

The cheapest possible start, and you earn from week one. But the ceiling is genuinely low: it works as a supplement, rarely as a salary replacement.

The route, in five steps

  1. Get insured: it's the one non-negotiable cost
  2. Define a tiny area you can cover on foot
  3. Group several dogs in the same walk
  4. Use platforms for the first clients, then take them direct
  5. Add overnight boarding: that's where the margin is

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories every dog walking and pet sitting pays for in the first month. We break down what each one actually costs at this size on the tools page.

insuranceleads and kitbooking app

Does it hold up for you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your capital, your hours and how long you can wait — put them in and see.

Run my numbers → See the tool stack