How to Start a Dog Walking Business in Australia

A practical guide to planning, registering, pricing and protecting a professional dog walking business.

Last updated: August 2026  |  Written by Pet Business Insurance, an Australian broker specialising in cover for pet-industry businesses.

Starting a dog walking business can be a flexible way to earn an income while working with animals. However, building a safe and sustainable business involves more than choosing a name and printing a few flyers.

This guide explains each step, from assessing whether dog walking is right for you to finding clients and protecting the business you build.

1. Decide whether a dog walking business is right for you

Running a dog walking business means taking responsibility for someone else’s animal—often while using the client’s keys, entering their home and managing their dog around other people and animals.

Enjoying dogs is important, but it is not enough on its own. A professional dog walker also needs sound judgement, physical fitness, reliability and the confidence to handle unexpected situations.

Before starting, ask yourself:

• Can I safely handle dogs of different sizes and temperaments?
• Can I recognise common signs of fear, stress, aggression or illness?
• Am I prepared to work in heat, light rain and other changing conditions?
• Can I respond calmly if a dog escapes, becomes injured or is approached by an uncontrolled dog?
• Am I comfortable holding clients’ keys and accessing their homes?
• Can I communicate professionally when a booking changes or something goes wrong?
• Can I manage scheduling, invoicing, travel and record keeping as well as the walks themselves?

You do not have to accept every dog or every type of booking. Defining what you can safely manage is one of the first decisions a responsible dog walker should make.

For example, a new operator might begin with individual on-lead walks for small and medium dogs. A walker with more handling experience may feel comfortable offering group walks, transporting dogs or working with animals that require additional management.

Consider the practical side of the work

Dog walking appointments are usually concentrated around mornings, lunchtimes and late afternoons. Travel between clients can take up a significant part of the day, particularly if the service area is too large.

When assessing the opportunity, calculate your realistic booking capacity rather than assuming that every available hour can be sold.

A four-hour booking window, for example, will not necessarily accommodate four one-hour walks once travel, key collection, client updates and delays are included.

A dog walking business may suit you if you enjoy working independently, can follow consistent safety procedures and are comfortable managing both animals and customers. If you only enjoy the walking itself, the administrative and risk-management parts of the business may come as a surprise.

2. Choose your dog walking services and operating area

Before setting prices or creating a business name, decide exactly what you will offer. A clear service menu helps customers understand when they should hire you. It also makes it easier to estimate your equipment, transport, insurance and scheduling requirements.

Common dog walking services

Start with services that match your current skills. Additional services can be introduced once you have more experience, suitable systems and appropriate cover.

Solo walks or group walks?

Solo walks are usually easier to manage when starting out. They allow the walker to learn each dog’s behaviour and provide a service suited to puppies, older dogs or animals that may not be comfortable in a group.

Group walks can increase revenue per outing, but they introduce additional risks. Dogs need to be assessed for compatibility, and the walker must be capable of maintaining effective control. Local councils may also restrict the number of dogs one person can walk or require a permit for commercial group walking.

Do not choose a group-walking model based on revenue alone. The number of dogs you accept should reflect your experience, the dogs’ behaviour, local rules and any applicable insurance conditions.

Define a practical service area

A smaller, well-planned service area is often more efficient than covering an entire city. Consider:

• The suburbs you can reach reliably
• Travel time between bookings
• Parking near clients’ homes and popular walking areas
• Access to appropriate parks and walking routes
• Peak-hour traffic
• Fuel, tolls and vehicle costs
• Whether dogs will be collected or walked from home
• Local demand at the times you intend to work

A tightly grouped client base can allow you to complete more bookings with less travel. It can also make your marketing more specific—for example, ‘weekday dog walks in Brunswick and Coburg’ is clearer than ‘dog walking across Melbourne.’

3. Research demand and competitors in your area

Before investing heavily in branding, equipment or a vehicle, establish whether people in your intended service area are paying for dog walking services.

The presence of many dogs does not automatically mean there is strong commercial demand. You need customers who require regular help and are prepared to pay a sustainable price.

How to research the local dog walking market

Start by searching:

• Dog walker near me
• Dog walker + suburb
• Dog walking prices + city
• Puppy visits + suburb
• Group dog walks + suburb

Review Google Maps, local directories, pet-service platforms and community groups. Create a simple comparison table for at least five local competitors.

Do not simply copy the lowest advertised price. A competitor may have different costs, shorter visits or an unsustainable business model.

Look for a useful point of difference

A strong dog walking business does not need to serve every dog owner. It needs to solve a clear problem for a defined group of customers. Possible areas of specialisation include:

• Individual walks for dogs that do not suit groups
• Puppy toilet and enrichment visits
• Gentle walks for senior dogs
• Regular lunchtime walks for office workers
• GPS-tracked walks and photo updates
• Small groups with a strict dog-to-walker limit
• Weekend or early-morning availability
• Services concentrated in one group of neighbouring suburbs

Your point of difference should be something you can consistently deliver—not simply a marketing claim such as ‘the best dog walker in Australia.’

Validate the idea before making major purchases

You can test demand by creating a basic service page, speaking with local pet businesses and discussing your proposed service with dog owners in the area. Useful questions include:

• How often would you use a dog walker?
• Would you prefer a solo or group walk?
• What booking times are most useful?
• What would make you trust a new dog walker?
• Would you want your dog collected or walked from home?
• What concerns would stop you from making a booking?

The purpose is not to obtain compliments. It is to find evidence that your service solves a real and recurring problem.

4. Write a simple dog walking business plan

A dog walking business plan does not need to be a long document. For a new solo operator, one page may be enough to clarify the offer, costs and route to the first group of clients.

Who will the business serve?

Describe the ideal customer and their reason for booking.

This is more useful than defining the market as ‘anyone who owns a dog.’

What services will you sell?

List:

• The type of walks or visits
• The duration of each service
• Whether collection and return are included
• Your operating days and times
• The number of dogs you will handle
• Services you will not provide

Setting boundaries at the planning stage helps prevent unsafe or unprofitable bookings later.

How will the business make money?

Estimate:

• Price per booking
• Bookings per day
• Working days per week
• Travel time
• Payment-processing costs
• Equipment and consumables
• Vehicle expenses
• Marketing and software
• Insurance and permits
• Tax and superannuation allowances

You can then calculate how many weekly bookings are needed to cover recurring expenses. Keep revenue examples clearly labelled as projections. Actual results will depend on pricing, location, demand, cancellations, travel efficiency and the number of dogs safely handled.

How will customers find you?

Choose two or three initial marketing channels rather than trying to use every available platform. A starting plan might include:

• A Google Business Profile
• A simple website
• Local search pages for the suburbs served
• Referral relationships with vets and groomers
• A pet-service marketplace
• Local community groups
• Client referrals and reviews

What could go wrong?

Include the major operational risks in the plan:

• A dog escapes
• A dog bites a person or another animal
• A dog becomes sick or injured
• A client’s key is lost
• Property is damaged
• Extreme heat makes a scheduled walk unsafe
• The walker is injured and cannot work
• A client provides incomplete behavioural information
• Several clients cancel at short notice

These risks will inform your client agreement, emergency procedures and insurance decisions.

One-page dog walking business plan template

Your finished plan could use the following headings:

• Business name and location
• Ideal customer
• Services offered
• Service area

• Competitive difference
• Prices and packages
• Weekly booking capacity
• Startup and recurring costs

• Marketing channels
• Safety and business risks
• First 90-day target

A practical initial target might be to secure five recurring weekly clients, collect three genuine reviews and confirm which service is most profitable within the first 90 days.

5. Register your dog walking business

To register a dog walking business in Australia, you will generally need to choose a business structure, obtain an Australian Business Number and register the business name if you will trade under a name other than your own.

Your structure affects tax, reporting requirements, setup costs, control and personal liability.

Choose a business structure

Many solo dog walkers begin as sole traders because this structure is relatively straightforward and inexpensive. A sole trader can employ people, although the owner remains personally responsible for the business.

A company is a separate legal entity and may suit a growing operation, but it does not remove every form of personal responsibility. Company directors continue to have legal obligations.

The Australian Government provides a business structure comparison to help new operators understand the differences. Consider obtaining advice from an accountant or lawyer if you are starting with a partner, hiring workers, purchasing a vehicle or expecting the business to grow quickly.

Apply for an ABN

An Australian Business Number is the 11-digit number used to identify a business to government agencies, customers and other organisations.

Most dog walking businesses should obtain an ABN, although it is not compulsory for every activity that earns money. You must be operating—or taking genuine steps to operate—a business or other eligible enterprise to be entitled to one.

Applying through the Australian Government is free. An ABN can be used to:

• Identify the business on invoices
• Register a business name
• Register for GST when required
• Deal with suppliers and other businesses
• Support an application for an eligible Australian domain name

Applications can be made through the official Business Registration Service or Australian Business Register. Avoid third-party websites that charge a fee for submitting a basic ABN application on your behalf.

Register the business name

You must generally register a business name if it is different from your full personal name.

• Sarah Chen may trade using ‘Sarah Chen’ without registering another business name.
• Sarah Chen Dog Walking or Happy Tails Dog Walking would need to be registered.

Business names are registered nationally through the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Before applying, check the ASIC register, relevant domain names, social-media handles and existing trade marks.

Registering a business name allows you to trade under that name, but it does not give you exclusive ownership of the words. A trade mark provides a different form of protection. See ASIC’s business-name guidance before choosing a name.

Understand when GST registration is required

GST registration is generally compulsory once a business reaches—or expects to reach—$75,000 in GST turnover over a 12-month period. Turnover means business income, not profit.

Businesses below the threshold may be able to register voluntarily, but doing so introduces additional reporting and pricing considerations. The Australian Government’s tax-registration guide explains the current thresholds and registration requirements.

Set up basic financial administration

Once the business is registered:

• Create an invoice template showing the business name and ABN
• Keep business income and expense records
• Save receipts for equipment and operating costs
• Choose a bookkeeping system
• Establish clear payment and cancellation terms
• Consider opening a separate bank account

A separate business account is recommended, but not compulsory, for a sole trader. Companies must maintain a separate account because the company’s money is legally separate from the owner’s personal funds.

6. Check licences, permits and council rules

There is no single Australia-wide dog walking permit that covers every location. The licences and approvals you need depend on your state or territory, local government area, services and use of public land.

Before accepting clients, check:

• Whether commercial dog walking requires a council permit
• How many dogs one person may walk
• Where dogs must remain on-leash
• Whether commercial walkers may use off-leash areas
• Rules for transporting animals
• Identification and registration requirements
• Waste-disposal obligations
• Whether the council requires public liability insurance
• Whether operating the business from home requires approval

The Australian Government recommends using the Australian Business Licence and Information Service to identify possible licences, permits and council approvals. You should also contact every council in which you plan to walk dogs.

Dog walking rules vary between councils

Council rules can differ substantially, even between neighbouring areas. For example:

These are examples rather than national rules. Permit thresholds, fees and conditions can change, so confirm the current requirements directly with the relevant council.

Check every area in which you operate

The applicable council may be the council where the walk occurs—not necessarily the council where your business is registered. If you collect a dog in one suburb and drive to a park in another municipality, check the rules for the destination as well as the collection area.

Keep copies of:

• Permits and renewal dates
• Council correspondence
• Maps of on-leash, off-leash and prohibited areas
• Applicable dog-number limits
• Insurance certificates required by the council
• Incident-reporting requirements

Add permit and insurance renewal dates to your business calendar so they are not overlooked.

7. Build your dog-handling skills and customer trust

A formal qualification may not be required for every dog walking business, but training and practical experience can help you work more safely and give prospective clients confidence.

The nationally recognised unit ACMGEN308 Walk and Exercise Dogs covers areas such as planning walks, checking local regulations, using equipment, monitoring dog behaviour and responding to problems. The training standard itself notes that local animal-management rules vary by jurisdiction.

Useful areas of training

• Dog body language
• Safe lead handling
• Canine behaviour
• Group management
• Low-stress animal handling
• Animal first aid
• Heat-stress recognition
• Emergency response
• Safe animal transport
• Work health and safety

The national training register also includes ACMGEN309 Provide Basic Animal First Aid, which covers assessing an animal, minimising immediate risks, providing an initial response and recording the incident.

A course does not replace veterinary treatment. Your emergency procedure should state when and how you will contact the owner, nominated emergency contact and veterinarian.

Gain practical experience before accepting difficult dogs

Training should be supported by supervised, practical experience. This may come from working or volunteering with a reputable animal-care organisation, shadowing an experienced walker or handling dogs for friends and family with their informed permission.

Build experience gradually. Do not advertise services for reactive, aggressive or high-needs dogs unless you have the skills and systems to manage them safely.

Should dog walkers obtain a police check?

A police check is not a universal requirement for all Australian dog walkers, but many clients may see it as an important trust signal because the walker could receive keys, alarm codes or unsupervised access to the home.

If you obtain a check:

• Use an accredited provider or relevant police service
• Keep the original document secure
• Avoid publishing personal information from it
• State when the check was completed
• Renew it when required by a platform, council or business policy

Other useful trust signals

• Relevant training
• Animal first-aid knowledge
• References
• Verified reviews
• Clear business details
• Written service terms
• Insurance information
• A professional website and email address
• A structured meet-and-greet process

Be precise when describing your credentials. ‘Completed basic animal first-aid training’ is more credible than a vague claim such as ‘fully certified’ when no specific certification is identified.

8. Consider insurance for the dog walking business

Dog walkers work in public spaces, enter clients’ homes and take temporary responsibility for animals they do not own. An incident could involve a client’s dog, another animal, a member of the public or someone’s property.

The insurance appropriate for a dog walking business depends on its services, location, turnover, number of dogs, employees and operating procedures.

Insurance dog walkers may consider

The Australian Government explains that public liability insurance may cover certain claims where another person is injured or their property is damaged because of a business’s negligence.

Is public liability insurance compulsory for dog walkers?

Public liability insurance is not universally compulsory for every Australian dog walker. However, a council, venue, client, platform or commercial agreement may require it.

For example, Yarra City Council asks commercial dog-walking permit applicants to provide evidence of $20 million in public liability cover. Requirements elsewhere may be different.

The safest approach is to check:

• The law and council rules where you operate
• Any platform or client contract
• The policy’s insured activities
• Its limits, excesses and exclusions

What is Care, Custody & Control cover?

Care, Custody & Control cover may respond to certain insured events involving animals temporarily under the responsibility of the insured business.

For a dog walker, that could be relevant when a client’s dog is injured, lost or dies while in the walker’s care. Exactly what is insured depends on the policy wording.

When comparing policies, ask:

• Are dogs in my care included?
• Are solo and group walks both covered?
• Is off-leash walking covered?
• Is pet transport covered?
• Is there a maximum number of dogs per walker?
• Are employees and subcontractors included?
• Is loss of a client’s keys covered?
• What incidents are excluded?
• What documents or procedures must I maintain?
• What excess and sub-limits apply?

Compare dog walker insurance options

Pet Business Insurance helps eligible Australian pet professionals arrange dog walker insurance, including options for public liability insurance and Care, Custody & Control cover.

Always read the relevant policy documents. The Australian Government recommends checking definitions, covered events, exclusions, limits, excesses and disclosure obligations before buying business insurance. See Managing business insurance.

9. Prepare client agreements, forms and safety procedures

Every client should complete an intake process before the first paid walk. A casual conversation is not a reliable substitute for written information about the dog, service and emergency arrangements.

Conduct a meet-and-greet

Meet the owner and dog before accepting the booking. During this meeting:

• Observe how the dog responds to you
• Watch the owner attach the lead and harness
• Take a short trial walk where appropriate
• Confirm the dog’s normal routine
• Discuss behaviour around dogs, people, children and traffic
• Inspect the equipment you will use
• Test keys or access instructions
• Confirm the preferred walking route
• Explain your cancellation and weather policies
• Decide whether you can safely accept the booking

A meet-and-greet is an assessment, not a guarantee that the dog will always behave in the same way.

Dog and client intake form

Record:

• Owner’s name and contact details
• Emergency contact
• Dog’s name, age, breed and identifying features
• Registration or council-tag details
• Veterinarian and preferred emergency clinic
• Relevant medical conditions
• Allergies and medication
• Vaccination information where relevant
• Behavioural triggers
• Bite, aggression or escape history
• Recall and lead behaviour
• Dogs or situations to avoid
• Feeding and treat permission
• Equipment instructions
• Home-access details
• Photo and communication consent

Ask the owner to notify you when the dog’s health, behaviour, medication or equipment changes.

Dog walking service agreement

A written agreement should clearly state:

• Services and walk duration
• Whether travel or pickup time is included
• Fees and payment dates
• Cancellation terms
• Public-holiday or last-minute charges
• Bad-weather arrangements
• Owner responsibilities
• Equipment requirements
• Key and access arrangements
• Veterinary emergency authority
• Off-leash arrangements, if offered
• Photo and privacy permissions
• Incident communication
• When either party may end the service

Have a lawyer review clauses dealing with liability, indemnities, waivers or emergency treatment. Do not assume a waiver removes all legal responsibility or overrides a customer’s statutory rights.

Create an incident-response procedure

Your procedure should cover:

• A loose or missing dog
• Dog bites and attacks
• Injury or sudden illness
• Heat stress
• Traffic incidents
• Damage to a client’s home
• Lost keys
• Injury to the walker
• Severe weather
• A dog becoming unsafe to handle

The immediate priority is safety. Once the situation is controlled, contact the owner, obtain veterinary or emergency assistance where required, record the facts and notify any relevant council, insurer or other authority.

What an incident report should include

• Date, time and location
• Dogs and people involved
• What happened before the incident
• Injuries or damage observed
• Actions taken
• Witness details
• Photographs, where appropriate
• Calls and messages made
• Veterinary, council or police involvement

Write factual observations rather than assumptions about fault.

Establish an extreme-weather policy

Australian conditions require a clear heat and severe-weather procedure. This may allow you to:

• Move the booking to a cooler time
• Shorten the walk
• Replace it with an indoor or shaded home visit
• Avoid hot surfaces
• Cancel when the walk cannot be completed safely

The RSPCA recommends avoiding exercise in extreme heat, walking during cooler parts of the day and keeping dogs away from hot sand, concrete and asphalt. Heatstroke is a veterinary emergency. See the RSPCA heat-safety guidance.

10. Buy dog walking equipment and plan safe transport

You do not need to purchase every possible accessory before launching. Start with reliable essentials and add equipment as the services develop.

Essential equipment

Your dog walking kit may include:

• Suitable leads
• A backup lead
• Waste bags
• Fresh water
• Collapsible bowl
• Treats approved by the owner
• Towels
• Hand sanitiser
• Torch or visibility equipment
• Charged mobile phone
• Portable power bank
• Basic animal first-aid kit
• Emergency contact information
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Secure key-storage system

Check the dog’s collar, harness, lead and identification before every walk. Record damaged, poorly fitted or unsuitable equipment and ask the owner to replace it before the next booking.

Your agreement should clarify whether the client or the walker supplies equipment and who is responsible for maintaining it.

If you transport dogs

Transport introduces additional risks and expenses. The vehicle should be suitable for the number and size of dogs being carried. Consider:

• Appropriate restraints, barriers or crates
• Separating incompatible dogs
• Ventilation and temperature
• Safe entry and exit
• Cleaning and disinfection
• Emergency contact information
• Vehicle breakdown procedures
• Business use under the motor policy
• Council and state transport requirements

11. Set dog walking prices and payment terms

There is no single correct dog walking rate for Australia. Prices vary according to location, walk duration, service type, experience, travel and demand.

Published marketplace estimates should be treated as broad indicators. For example, Airtasker’s 2026 Australian guide reports a wide range of approximately $15 to $70 per walk, depending on the service and circumstances.

Your price needs to cover the full cost of delivering the service—not only the minutes spent walking.

Calculate the real time per booking

Include:

• Travel to and from the booking
• Parking
• Accessing the property
• Preparing the dog
• The walk itself
• Cleaning or drying the dog
• Returning the dog securely
• Sending an update
• Invoicing and administration

For example, a 30-minute walk might require another 15 minutes for travel, access and the client update. If the price only covers 30 minutes of labour, the service may be less profitable than it appears.

Factors that can affect your price

• Solo or group walk
• Walk duration
• Additional dogs from the same household
• Travel distance
• Pickup and transport
• Weekends and public holidays
• Short-notice bookings
• Puppy or senior visits
• Additional handling requirements
• Regular package versus occasional booking
• Payment-processing fees
• GST, if applicable

Avoid setting the introductory rate so low that it cannot support the business later. A limited founding-client offer is generally easier to withdraw than permanently underpricing the main service.

Set payment and cancellation rules

Decide:

• Whether customers pay before or after the service
• Whether recurring bookings are invoiced weekly or fortnightly
• Which payment methods you accept
• How much notice is required to cancel
• What happens if the walker arrives but cannot access the dog
• Whether extreme-weather changes attract a fee
• How overdue payments are handled

Put these terms in the service agreement and explain them before the first booking.

12. Find your first ten dog walking clients

New dog walking clients are not only buying exercise for their dog. They are deciding whether to trust you with an animal they love and, in many cases, access to their home.

Your early marketing should therefore focus on credibility, location and a clearly defined service.

Build a basic trust package

Before promoting the business, prepare:

• Business name and ABN
• Professional email address
• Service list
• Prices or a clear quoting process
• Service area
• Photograph and short biography
• Relevant training and experience
• Police-check information, if applicable
• Insurance information
• Client agreement
• Contact and booking process

Avoid claiming to be ‘insured’ without explaining which business or activities are covered.

Create a simple website

A useful dog walking website should answer:

• Where do you operate?
• What services do you provide?
• Who are the services suitable for?
• What do they cost?
• Why should the owner trust you?
• How does the first booking work?

Include the suburbs served in natural language. Separate location pages may be useful when they contain genuinely different local information, but avoid producing dozens of near-identical pages with only the suburb name changed.

Set up a Google Business Profile

A properly configured Google Business Profile can help the business appear for searches such as ‘dog walker near me’ and ‘dog walker in [suburb].’ Use:

• A consistent business name
• The correct service area
• Accurate operating hours
• Original photographs
• A link to the website
• A clear service description
• Genuine customer reviews

If customers do not visit your home address, configure the profile as a service-area business and follow Google’s current eligibility and address-display rules.

Build local referral relationships

Introduce the business to:

• Veterinary clinics
• Dog groomers
• Pet shops
• Dog trainers
• Doggy daycare operators
• Apartment managers
• Local pet groups
• Community noticeboards

Ask before leaving flyers or business cards. A useful referral relationship is built through reliability and reciprocal trust, not a single unsolicited sales message.

Ask for reviews and referrals

After several successful bookings, ask the client for an honest review. Do not write the review for them or offer rewards only for positive feedback.

With permission, use genuine photographs and short client testimonials on the website. Avoid showing a client’s address, access arrangements or other private information.

13. Launch carefully and grow in stages

Begin with a manageable number of dogs and use the first month to test your systems.

A simple 30-day launch plan

What to track

• Enquiries received
• Enquiry-to-booking conversion rate
• Recurring weekly clients
• Revenue per service hour
• Travel time per booking
• Cancellations
• Repeat bookings
• Reviews
• Incidents and near misses

Near misses should be recorded even when no injury or damage occurred. They can reveal weak equipment, unsuitable dog combinations or gaps in a procedure.

Before adding more dogs or hiring walkers

Confirm that:

• Current bookings are consistently profitable
• Routes and schedules are efficient
• Procedures are written down
• Client records are complete
• Council permits cover the expanded activity
• Insurance covers the proposed number of dogs and workers
• New walkers can be properly trained and supervised
• Employment, contractor and workers-compensation obligations have been checked

Growth should not depend on one walker controlling more dogs than they can safely manage.

Dog walking business launch checklist

Before taking the first paid booking, confirm that you have:

• ✓Defined your services and service area
• ✓Researched local competitors and demand
• ✓Prepared a one-page business plan
• ✓Chosen a business structure
• ✓Applied for an ABN
• ✓Registered the business name if required
• ✓Checked council and state requirements
• ✓Applied for necessary permits

• ✓Confirmed dog-number and off-leash rules
• ✓Completed relevant training
• ✓Considered a police check
• ✓Arranged appropriate insurance
• ✓Prepared a client agreement
• ✓Created a dog intake form
• ✓Written emergency and incident procedures
• ✓Established a heat and severe-weather policy

• ✓Purchased suitable equipment
• ✓Checked vehicle and transport arrangements
• ✓Calculated sustainable prices
• ✓Set payment and cancellation terms
• ✓Created a website or booking page
• ✓Established a secure record-keeping system
• ✓Completed a meet-and-greet before each first walk

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a licence to start a dog walking business in Australia?

There is no single national dog walking licence that covers every Australian business. However, local councils may require a commercial dog walking permit, particularly when council land, public parks or group walks are involved. Use ABLIS and contact the councils where you intend to operate.

Do dog walkers need an ABN?

Most people operating a genuine dog walking business should obtain an ABN. Applying through the Australian Government is free. An ABN is required to register a business name and GST and is commonly displayed on invoices. Not everyone earning occasional money will necessarily be entitled to one.

Do you need qualifications to become a dog walker?

A specific qualification is not universally mandatory, but training in dog handling, behaviour and animal first aid can improve safety and credibility. Local permits, clients or pet-service platforms may have additional requirements.

What insurance does a dog walker need?

The appropriate cover depends on the business. Dog walkers commonly consider public liability and cover for animals in their care, custody or control. Professional indemnity, personal accident, workers compensation and commercial vehicle cover may also be relevant. Check the policy’s insured activities, limits and exclusions.

How much does it cost to start a dog walking business?

There is no reliable universal startup figure. Costs may include business-name registration, training, a police check, council permits, insurance, equipment, website setup, software, marketing and a vehicle. A walker operating locally without purchasing a vehicle will usually have lower startup costs than a group-walking business providing transport.

How much should a dog walker charge?

Your price should cover the entire booking time, including travel and administration, as well as equipment, insurance, vehicle expenses, tax and profit. Compare local services, but do not copy the cheapest competitor without understanding their service and costs.

How many dogs can a professional dog walker walk at once?

There is no single national limit. The maximum may be set by the local council, permit conditions, insurance policy and the walker’s ability to maintain control. Some councils require permits from four dogs, while others use different rules.

Does a dog walker need a police check?

A police check is not universally mandatory, but it can be an important trust signal because dog walkers may enter clients’ homes and hold their keys. A council, platform or client may also require one.

Can you run a dog walking business from home?

A dog walking business can often be administered from home, but council approval, lease conditions, strata rules and home-insurance conditions may apply. Requirements become more significant if clients visit the property, employees work there or animals are kept there. The Australian Government provides specific guidance for home-based businesses.

Is a dog walking business profitable?

It can be, but profitability depends on price, recurring bookings, travel efficiency, cancellations and operating costs. A compact service area with regular clients will generally be more efficient than scattered one-off bookings, even if both businesses charge the same amount per walk.

Start the business with the right foundations

A successful dog walking business is built on trust, safe animal handling and reliable service. Define what you can manage, check the rules in every area where you operate and document how you will respond when plans change or an incident occurs.

Insurance is one part of that preparation. Pet Business Insurance helps eligible Australian dog walkers arrange cover for certain risks involving the public, clients’ property and animals in their care.

Sources and further reading

• Australian Government — Guide to starting a business
• Australian Government — Choose your business structure
• Australian Government — Business Registration Service
• ASIC — Register a business name
• Australian Government — Tax registration for your business
• Australian Business Licence and Information Service
• Training.gov.au — ACMGEN308 Walk and Exercise Dogs
• Training.gov.au — ACMGEN309 Provide Basic Animal First Aid
• Australian Government — Types of business insurance
• RSPCA Australia — Keeping your pet safe during the heat
• Yarra City Council — Commercial dog walkers
• City of Port Phillip — Dog walkers