Playbook

Dog walking & pet sitting

Weekday walks, drop-in visits and holiday sitting for local pet owners.

Reviewed 2026-09-25 · what a review checks

At 5h a week: €100–€450/mo
At 10h a week: €200–€910/mo
Start-up cost: €50–€350
First money: 1–2 weeks
Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
Risk: Medium
Customer contact: Some
Where: Local

Start tonight

0/5 done · about an hour

Five small actions. No money, no website. Tick them as you go — your progress is saved on this device.

1.Map a 30-minute walking loop from your home and count the houses with dogs you pass. That loop is your territory.
2.Write your offer in three lines: what you do, who it is for, and your price.
3.Set up one simple profile — a Facebook page or Google Business Profile — with that offer and your area.
4.Contact 5 neighbours, friends or local businesses directly with the offer. Personal messages beat posts.
5.Post it in two local community or buy-and-sell groups, then write down every reply so you can follow up tomorrow.

Who it suits

Reliable people who like dogs, are home during the day, and are happy outdoors in Irish weather.

What you need · how much it costs

To start: €50–€350 — leads, poo bags, first-aid kit, public liability insurance.

Monthly: €15–€40 — insurance, supplies.

Public liability insurance.
Dog licence and Control of Dogs rules: restricted breeds muzzled and on a strong lead in public.

How to get your first customer

Get a public liability insurance quote
Set a per-walk and per-visit price
Post in two local community groups with a free intro walk

How to price it

Assumed market range €15–€30 an hour (assumed hourly equivalent; typically priced per walk or visit). Start around €20 for your first three customers, then raise it for new customers once you have reviews. Check three local or platform listings before you publish a price.

Realistic earnings

€15–€30/hour × 5h a week × 4.33 weeks × 30–70% of hours actually paid ≈ €100–€450 a month, before costs and tax.

€15–€30/hour × 10h a week × 4.33 weeks × 30–70% of hours actually paid ≈ €200–€910 a month, before costs and tax.

The rate range is an assumption (assumed hourly equivalent; typically priced per walk or visit); the share of hours paid reflects the first few months, when most time goes on finding customers. Actual income depends on demand, pricing and how consistently you find customers. Capped at 20h a week.

What can go wrong

An escaped or injured dog — meet-and-greets, secure leads, owner’s vet details.
Weather-dependent reliability expectations.
Up to €350 spent before you know it works.

Irish tax (2026)

Self-employed income; insurance and supplies are deductible.

Declaring side income as a PAYE worker. Side income is taxable from the first euro. If your net non-PAYE income is under €5,000 (and gross under €30,000) you can declare it on Form 12 through myAccount. At €5,000 net or more you are a “chargeable person” and must register for self-assessment and file Form 11 by 31 October. Source · checked 2026-09-25

Business expenses. Costs incurred “wholly and exclusively” for the side business (tools, software, platform fees, a share of home costs) are deductible from the income before tax. Keep receipts for six years. Source · checked 2026-09-25

Educational information about Irish tax rules, not tax, legal or financial advice. Your position depends on your circumstances — check with Revenue or a qualified adviser.

Hustler · execution plan

What to do this week, and how to scale dog walking & pet sitting

Free gets you started tonight. Hustler gives you the day-by-day plan for your first week and what to do at your first customer, first €100, first €500 and when to scale — €9.99/month, 14-day free trial, cancel any time.

Checking your account…

Sources

gov.ie — Control of Dogs

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🐕 Dog walking & pet sitting