Gitnux/Report 2026

Dog Walking Industry Statistics

With 25% of UK pet owners already using dog walking services and US platforms making 30 minute walks the default, the demand and pricing logic are clearer than you might expect. You will also see how 2024 tracking and proof features, hybrid work routines, and rising repeat clients are reshaping daily workloads and service quality, alongside the welfare and legal rules walkers must meet.
248Statistics
64Sources
12Sections
45mRead
November 11, 2026Updated
Dog Walking Industry Statistics
Marcus AfolabiWritten by Marcus Afolabi·Edited by Marcus Engström·Fact-checked by Peter Sandoval
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The dog walking industry at a glance

The global pet-sitting and dog-walking services market is projected at $3.38 billion in 2026 and is expanding as dog ownership and demand for scheduled care increase.

$3.38B[45]
Global market size, 2026
12.6%[45]
Forecast CAGR, 2026–2034
11%[4]
Employment growth, 2025–2035
53%[46]
U.S. households owning dogs, 2025
Market size
The global pet-sitting and dog-walking services market was estimated at $3.38 billion in 2026. In the United States, the broader pet-sitting market generated $832.9 million in 2025, although that figure excludes some dog-walking activity and is not directly comparable with the global combined-market estimate.[45][47]
Forecast & CAGR
The global combined market is forecast to reach $8.76 billion by 2034, implying a 12.6% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2034. The U.S. pet-sitting market is projected to reach $1.92 billion by 2033 from $832.9 million in 2025.[45][47]
Segmentation
The global market is segmented by care presence, including scheduled dog walking, drop-in visits, live-in pet sitting, on-call and emergency care, and other services. It is also segmented by care location, animal category, and service-access model.[45]
Key players & concentration
Available industry research describes unregistered competition as a continuing constraint, indicating a fragmented market with many independent providers. No reliable current source identified a numerical market-share concentration measure for the leading dog-walking companies.[45]
Pricing
Pet Sitters International reported an average U.S. dog-walking fee of $24.59 for a 30.6-minute walk in its 2022 industry statistics, based on 2021 operating data. The source does not provide a comparable national average for 2025 or 2026.[34]
Trends, drivers & challenges
U.S. dog ownership increased from 51% of households in 2024 to 53% in 2025, equivalent to about 4 million additional dog-owning households. Demand is supported by expanding pet ownership and owners’ focus on animal well-being, while affordability pressures are moderating household spending and unregistered providers remain a competitive challenge.[46][45]
Consumer behavior & competition
In 2025, 71 million U.S. households owned a dog, representing 53% of households. The competitive landscape combines local independent walkers and sitters with technology-enabled marketplaces such as Rover and Wag!, with digital scheduling and tracking used to improve convenience and service visibility.[46][4]
M&A
Rover acquired European pet-care marketplace Gudog in April 2025, adding approximately 20,000 dog sitters and walkers across Europe. Swifto, a GPS-tracked dog-walking company, was acquired by Houndry in 2025 after completing more than 500,000 walks.[48][49]
Regulation
Regulation is primarily local and state-based, covering leash requirements, business licensing, animal-welfare obligations, and commercial-use permits. For example, the National Park Service stated that commercial dog-walking permits in its relevant park program would be issued through the Commercial Use Authorization program beginning in 2025.[50][51]
Latest news
The 2026 Pet Sitters International survey reported average gross revenue of $112,423 for U.S. pet sitters in 2025, up from $100,537 in 2023. The figure covers pet-sitting businesses and is broader than dog walking alone, but indicates continued revenue growth among professional operators.[34]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Dog Walking Industry

The leading companies in the dog walking industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Rover leads Gitnux's 2026 dog walking ranking with an Overall score of 9.9, with largest online marketplace for dog walking and pet sitting in North America and Europe. Fetch! Pet Care is the highest-ranked dog walking franchise at 9.3, backed by dog walking through 77+ local Fetch! locations across the United States.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in dog walking marketplace

    Rover

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.9 · Dog walking marketplace

    Why we picked it: It runs a dog-walking and pet-sitting marketplace, and its 2022 revenue rose 58% to $174.0 million.

    See in ranking ↓Visit rover.com ↗

  2. Leader in dog walking franchises

    Fetch! Pet Care

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.3 · Dog walking franchises

    Why we picked it: Its in-home model uses many local locations to deliver scheduled dog walking across the U.S.

    See in ranking ↓Visit fetchpetcare.com ↗

  3. Leader in on-demand pet care platform

    Wag! Group

    US

    Ranked #5 · 8.1 · On-demand pet care platform

    Why we picked it: It runs an on-demand marketplace with platform coverage; Wag! had 600,000 participants transact in Q4 2023.

    See in ranking ↓Visit wag.co ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the dog walking industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Rover

Dog walking marketplace · US

9.9
2

Fetch! Pet Care

Dog walking franchises · US

9.3
3

Petpals

Dog walking franchises · GB

8.7
4

Pawshake

Dog walking marketplace · AU

8.7
5

Wag! Group

On-demand pet care platform · US

8.1
6

We Love Pets

Dog walking and full-service pet care, United Kingdom · GB

7.7
7

BarklyPets

Dog walking marketplace for independent walkers, United States · US

7.5
8

Mad Dogs & Englishmen

Dog walking and doggy daycare, Australia · AU

7.0
9

Top Dog Walking & Pet Services

Professional dog walking and pet services, United Kingdom · GB

7.0
10

Tailster

Dog walking and pet care booking platform, United Kingdom · GB

7.0

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the dog walking industry. In Dog Walking Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dog-walking-industry-statistics/#top-companies

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

This section frames digital workflow adoption using veterinary-practice benchmarks, including 36% using practice info or EMR systems installed on-site in 2026.

Digital Transformation in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 36% of U.S. veterinary practices used practice information management or electronic medical-record systems installed on-site in 2026.[1]
  • 76% of U.S. veterinary practices used client digital communication tools in 2026, according to a survey of general-practice veterinary providers.[1]
  • 44% of U.S. veterinary practices used internet-based practice information management or electronic medical-record systems in 2026.[1]
  • 90% of U.S. veterinary practices used digital diagnostic or imaging equipment in 2026, according to a survey of general-practice veterinary providers.[1]

Technology Adoption in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 66.2% of U.S. veterinary practices used electronic medical-record software in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 32.5% of U.S. veterinary practices offered online appointment scheduling in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 76.1% of U.S. veterinary practices used practice-management software in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 64.7% of U.S. veterinary practices used an online pharmacy in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 29.7% of U.S. veterinary practices used telehealth, defined as virtual consultation or client communication, in 2024.[2]

Cloud Computing in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 45% of EU enterprises bought cloud-computing services in 2023; adoption was 78% among large businesses and 44% among small and medium-sized enterprises.[3]
  • 83% of EU enterprises using cloud computing used it to host email systems in 2023.[3]
  • 68% of EU enterprises using cloud computing used it for file storage in 2023.[3]
  • 66% of EU enterprises using cloud computing used it for office software in 2023.[3]
  • 52.74% of EU enterprises with at least 10 employees or self-employed persons used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[3]

Big Data in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 5.92% of EU enterprises analyzed data from smart devices or sensors in 2025.[3]
  • 33.02% of EU enterprises performed data analytics using their own employees in 2025.[3]
  • 17.62% of EU enterprises analyzed customer data in 2025.[3]
  • 13.85% of EU enterprises had data analytics performed by an external enterprise or organization in 2025.[3]
  • 26.20% of EU enterprises analyzed transaction-record data, such as sales or payment records, in 2025.[3]

IoT in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 29% of EU enterprises with at least 10 employees or self-employed persons used Internet of Things devices or systems in 2021.[3]
  • 72% of EU enterprises using IoT used cameras or other connected devices to secure their premises in 2021.[3]
  • 24% of EU enterprises using IoT used sensors to monitor equipment conditions for maintenance in 2021.[3]
  • 48% of large EU enterprises used IoT devices or systems in 2021, compared with 26% of small enterprises.[3]
  • 30% of EU enterprises using IoT used smart meters or smart lights to optimize energy consumption in 2021.[3]

Innovation in the dog walking industry

  • 10.2% was the average annual growth rate in hours worked in U.S. pet-care services from 2009 to 2019, when platform-based services expanded.[4]
  • Hours worked in U.S. pet-care services more than tripled from 2004 to 2021, a period that included dog-walking and pet-sitting businesses adopting platform technology.[4]
  • 1.6% was the reported five-year market growth for dog walking among insured U.S. pet professionals surveyed in 2025.[5]
  • 7.8% was the average annual growth rate in hours worked in U.S. pet-care services from 2004 to 2021.[4]
  • $5.7 billion was the global pet-technology market in 2020, covering technologies including platforms connecting customers with dog walkers.[4]
  • $20 billion is the projected global pet-technology market for 2027, including mobile applications connecting pet owners with dog walkers.[4]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

This section quantifies how marketplace data gets used, including Rover’s 2022 bookings metrics and a 32% increase in bookings driving revenue to $174.0 million.

Business intelligence in the dog walking industry

  • Rover’s 2022 revenue increased 58% year over year to $174.0 million, with management attributing growth primarily to a 32% increase in bookings.[6]
  • Rover’s 2022 gross booking value was approximately $800 million, up 53% from 2021.[7]
  • Rover’s average booking value was $144 in 2022, up 15% from 2021.[7]
  • Rover used bookings, new bookings, repeat bookings, gross booking value and average booking value to measure marketplace performance and guide strategic decisions in 2022.[6]

Data analytics in the dog walking industry

  • Approximately 65% of pet-parent revenue was retained in Rover’s 2019 cohort analysis, according to company investor materials.[6]
  • 85%+ of Rover bookings were repeat bookings in the company’s 2019 investor materials, linking platform data and matching quality to customer loyalty.[6]
  • More than 90% of provider revenue was retained from year one to year two among Rover providers who became established on the platform, according to company materials covering 2019.[6]

Data Quality in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 13% of challenges in the U.S. animal-drug review process were attributed to data quality and governance challenges in an assessment covering 2024 operations.[8]
  • 40% of pet food companies reported they were not currently considering data analytics and digital tools for quality and safety in a 2026 industry survey.[9]
  • 40% of pet food companies selected “not applicable/don’t know” when asked about using data analytics and digital tools for quality and safety in a 2026 industry survey.[9]
  • 29.5% of German equine veterinarians identified data quality as a concern with digital data collection in pre-purchase examinations, based on a 2024 survey.[10]
  • 20% of pet food companies reported using data analytics and digital tools for quality and safety in a limited capacity, with plans to expand, in a 2026 industry survey.[9]

Data Governance in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 86% of U.K. businesses using AI and data-driven systems reported storing and managing data responsibly through well-defined governance and data-protection protocols, either very or fairly well, in 2021.[11]
  • 2.67 out of 4 was the average AI maturity score among veterinary professionals in 2026, with governance and oversight scoring lowest across the assessed dimensions.[12]
  • 80% of U.K. businesses using AI and data-driven systems reported having well-defined governance processes for key data-related decisions, either very or fairly well, in 2021.[11]
  • 83.7% of veterinary professionals reported using AI in practice in 2026, creating a governance benchmark for a rapidly expanding digital workflow in veterinary medicine.[12]

KPIs in the dog walking industry

  • 13.3% was Rover’s cancellation rate in the three months ended September 30, 2023, down from 14.2% in the comparable 2022 period.[6]
  • 12.6% was Rover’s cancellation rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, down from 13.8% in the comparable 2022 period.[6]
  • 4% was the increase in Rover’s average booking value in the three months ended September 30, 2023, driven partly by higher prices set by providers.[6]
  • 20% was the year-over-year increase in Rover platform bookings in the three months ended September 30, 2023.[6]
  • 22% was the year-over-year increase in Rover platform bookings for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.[6]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

This section links platform scaling to measurable inputs like bookings and provider growth, including Rover’s $6.5 billion long-term European opportunity estimate.

Growth in the dog walking industry

  • 32% was Rover’s year-over-year bookings growth in 2022.[6]
  • 6.2 bookings were made in year one by Rover’s January 2022 repeat-customer cohort, compared with 3.7 for the January 2013 cohort.[6]
  • $6.5 billion was Rover’s estimated long-term opportunity in the new European markets targeted through its 2025 expansion strategy.[13]
  • 58% was Rover’s year-over-year revenue growth in 2022.[6]
  • 47% was the year-over-year growth in Rover’s addressable pet-care-provider base by June 30, 2023.[6]
  • 1.6 million unique pet parents had a Rover booking in 2022.[6]

Differentiation in the dog walking industry

  • Less than 15 minutes was Wag!’s stated target for connecting pet parents with a local caregiver for on-demand dog walking.[6]
  • Five core services were offered through Rover’s marketplace by September 2023, covering daytime and overnight pet-care needs.[6]
  • 11% was Rover’s U.S. pet-parent service-fee structure referenced in its third-quarter 2023 filing.[6]
  • 10% was the discount offered on Wag! services through its Premium subscription.[6]
  • 14 million miles had been walked by Wag! caregivers since the platform’s inception by the time of its 2023 annual filing.[6]
  • 96% of Wag! reviews had earned five stars by February 2024, based on more than 12 million reviews.[6]

Mergers and acquisitions in the dog walking industry

  • Three strategic acquisitions were identified in Wag!’s 2023 filing: Compare Pet Insurance Services, Furmacy and Dog Food Advisor.[6]
  • More than 1 million dog lovers were registered on DogBuddy before its acquisition by Rover.[13]
  • 25,000 approved dog sitters were included in DogBuddy’s network at the time of Rover’s acquisition announcement.[13]
  • 20,000 dog sitters and walkers were included in Gudog’s network when Rover announced its 2025 acquisition.[13]
  • $15 million was the incremental five-year investment Rover expected to make alongside its European expansion and Gudog acquisition.[13]

Strategic partnerships in the dog walking industry

  • 600,000 platform participants transacted on Wag! during the fourth quarter of 2023 through its caregiver-and-pet-parent marketplace.[6]
  • 12 million reviews had been generated by Wag!’s pet-parent community by February 2024, supporting its platform-based stakeholder model.[6]
  • $150 million was invested in Rover by Blackstone in 2023 to support continued expansion and growth initiatives.[6]
  • One B2B prescription-management software partnership was planned by Wag! for implementation in the veterinary market beginning in 2024.[6]
  • 500,000 approved caregivers supported Wag!’s marketplace partnership between pet parents and local service providers through 2023.[6]
  • $300 million was invested in Wag! by SoftBank Vision Fund in 2018 to support the dog-walking platform’s expansion.[14]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

This section highlights workforce indicators relevant to service consistency, including 30 days of in-house training for new dog walkers by Sniff and Go.

Hiring in the dog walking industry

  • 413 Rover Group employees were based in the United States at December 31, 2022.[6]
  • 501 employees worked for Rover Group at December 31, 2022, supporting its dog-walking, pet-sitting and boarding marketplace.[6]
  • 242 Rover Group employees worked in operations and support at December 31, 2022.[6]
  • 88 Rover Group employees were based outside the United States at December 31, 2022.[6]
  • 35% was Rover Group’s year-over-year employee headcount increase in 2022.[6]

Employee retention in the dog walking industry

  • 64% of surveyed pet businesses whose employees stayed three to four years paid bonuses, according to a 2022 industry survey.[15]
  • 45% of surveyed pet businesses with employee retention of less than one year paid bonuses, according to a 2022 industry survey.[15]

Remote Work in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across UK veterinary professionals, 70% reported working zero days remotely per week in 2024.[16]
  • Across UK veterinary professionals who worked remotely, 19% worked remotely one to three days per week in 2024.[16]
  • Across UK veterinary professionals who worked remotely, 7% worked remotely four to seven days per week in 2024.[16]
  • Across UK veterinary professionals who worked remotely, 4% said their weekly number of remote-work days varied too much to report in 2024.[16]

Hybrid Work in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across veterinary teams in animal research programs, 55% implemented remote work during the pandemic, and 53% of those teams planned or might continue it indefinitely in the survey period.[17]
  • Across animal-health survey respondents, 27% felt less connected to their company in a hybrid or work-from-home setup in 2022.[18]
  • Across animal-health professionals surveyed, 49% said working from home affected their feelings about company culture, while 27% felt less connected in hybrid or work-from-home setups.[18]
  • Among current animal-health employees, 29% felt less connected to their company in a hybrid or work-from-home setup in 2022.[18]
  • Across animal-health survey respondents, 49% said working from home affected their feelings about company culture in 2022.[18]

Upskilling in the dog walking industry

  • 30 days of paid, in-house training are provided to new dog walkers by Sniff and Go in San Francisco.[19]
  • 2 to 6 dogs are walked daily by each assistant in a documented Connecticut dog-walking business, with training in basic dog-walking techniques provided by the owner.[20]

Employee Engagement in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among U.S. pet parents working for companies with more than 1,000 employees, 63% said additional pet benefits would increase their desire to stay for the next 12 months in 2023.[21]
  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 91% felt their company supported physical health and wellness, compared with 59% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[22]
  • Among U.S. pet parents working for companies with more than 1,000 employees, 64% said additional pet benefits would increase their desire to stay for the next 12 months in 2023.[21]
  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 88% would recommend their employer, compared with 51% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[22]
  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 91% felt fully engaged with their work, compared with 65% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[22]

Change Management in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across emergency and specialty veterinary practices, 57% reported that adopting new technology improved work-life balance for themselves and their teams in 2024.[23]
  • Across general veterinary practices, 91% changed or adopted at least one new technology during the previous year in the 2026 survey.[1]
  • Among general veterinary practices, 31% adopted or changed AI for scribing or medical records during the previous year in 2026.[1]
  • Among U.S. veterinary practice owners, 76.1% used practice-management software, 66.2% used electronic medical-record software, and 29.7% used telehealth in 2024.[2]
  • Across veterinary practices in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, more than 80% of surveyed professionals said they were seeking greater efficiency by optimizing technology in 2023.[24]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

This section anchors buyer confidence and retention with repeat behavior, including Rover’s 82% of bookings as repeat bookings through September 30, 2023.

Customer experience in the dog walking industry

  • More than 11 million Wag! reviews supported customer confidence in the platform in 2022.[6]
  • 97% of reviewed Rover bookings had a five-star rating through December 31, 2021, globally.[25]
  • More than 12 million reviews had been written by Wag! pet parents by February 2024, with over 96% receiving five stars globally.[6]
  • Wag! provided 24/7 customer support to pet parents and caregivers in the United States in 2022.[6]

Customer retention in the dog walking industry

  • 21% of customers joining Wag! in 2021 made another purchase within six months in the United States.[26]
  • 83% of Rover bookings were repeat bookings in 2022 across its marketplace.[6]
  • 80% of Rover bookings were repeat bookings in the three months ended September 30, 2021.[6]
  • 10% of customers joining Rover in 2021 made another purchase within six months in the United States.[26]
  • 23% of Rover customers joining in 2021 made another purchase during the following month in the United States.[26]

Customer acquisition in the dog walking industry

  • Rover recorded 939,000 new bookings in 2022 across its marketplace.[6]
  • Approximately 67% of new Rover pet parents had previously relied on friends, family or neighbors rather than a commercial pet-care service by 2021.[25]
  • 70% of Wag!’s customer acquisition was organic in 2022, according to company investor materials.[6]
  • 90% of Wag! customers had never used a dog walker before using the platform, according to company survey data from 2018–2019.[6]
  • Rover’s new bookings increased 17% year over year in 2022.[6]

Customer loyalty in the dog walking industry

  • More than 60% of Wag! customers were reported to have a recurring subscription in 2022.[6]
  • Rover reported 80% average annual cohort repeat-revenue retention for pet parents from 2013–2020 cohorts through September 30, 2023.[7]
  • Wag! offered a 10% service discount, VIP caregivers and VIP customer service through its subscription proposition in 2022.[6]
  • More than 90% average annual cohort revenue retention was reported for Rover pet-care providers from 2013–2020 cohorts through September 30, 2023.[7]
  • 82% of Rover bookings were repeat bookings through September 30, 2023, globally.[7]

Lead generation in the dog walking industry

  • 61% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used signs to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 35% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used printed leaflets to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 13% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used dog shows or events to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 27% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used an app to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 80% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used the internet to obtain information about dog walking.[27]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

This section shows how customer acquisition and trust signals show up in survey and review metrics, including more than 12 million Wag! reviews by February 2024.

Marketing in the dog walking industry

  • 8% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used other social media to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 43% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used Facebook to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 9% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used Twitter to obtain information about dog walking.[27]
  • 70% of Wag!’s acquisition was described as organic in 2022 investor materials, indicating a major role for non-paid marketing and word of mouth.[6]

Digital marketing in the dog walking industry

  • 98% of Wag!’s community was mobile in 2022, according to company investor materials.[6]
  • Rover cited Google query volume for key terms as correlated with demand from new pet parents in its 2022 annual report.[6]
  • 80% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey identified the internet as a source of dog-walking information.[27]
  • 27% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey identified an app as a source of dog-walking information.[27]

Branding in the dog walking industry

  • The average Wag! review rating was 4.97 out of 5 in 2022 investor materials.[6]
  • More than 11 million Wag! reviews were cited as reinforcing the brand’s reach and trust proposition in 2022.[6]
  • Rover reported that 97% of reviewed bookings had a five-star rating through December 31, 2021.[25]

Social media in the dog walking industry

  • 9% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used Twitter to obtain dog-walking information.[27]
  • 8% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used other social media to obtain dog-walking information.[27]
  • 43% of respondents in a 2021 UK dog-walking market survey used Facebook to obtain dog-walking information.[27]

Influencer Marketing in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. dog owners, 30% said social media influenced their dog-food choice in 2025.[28]
  • Among U.S. dog owners aged 18–39, 12% followed dog-food influencers on TikTok in 2025.[28]
  • Across U.S. pet owners, 50% followed pet influencers on social media in 2023.[29]
  • Across U.S. dog owners, 10% followed influencers on Instagram in 2025.[28]
  • Among 114 pet brands studied globally, TikTok partnerships and influencer reposts produced engagement rates of 5.03% by view for The Farmer’s Dog in 2023.[30]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

This section emphasizes operating scale and coverage, including over 500,000 pet caregivers approved on Wag!’s North American platform by December 2023.

Process optimization in the dog walking industry

  • 95% of the U.S. population had access to Wag! by December 2023, indicating broad geographic coverage for digitally coordinated pet-care services.[6]
  • 600,000 platform participants transacted on Wag! for at least one service in the fourth quarter of 2023.[6]
  • Over 500,000 pet caregivers were approved on Wag!’s North American platform by December 2023, supporting standardized digital matching and booking processes.[6]

Operational efficiency in the dog walking industry

  • $10.7 billion was the U.S. pet-care-services revenue in 2021, more than quadrupling from 2004 as technology and platform-based services expanded operating scale.[4]
  • More than three-quarters of U.S. pet-care establishments operating year-round had fewer than 10 employees in 2017, reflecting the industry’s small-business operating structure.[4]
  • 144.6% was the cumulative increase in U.S. pet-care-services output from 2004 to 2021, equivalent to 5.4% annual growth.[4]

Quality management in the dog walking industry

  • 93.5% of U.S. animal caretakers required on-the-job training in 2025, a workforce indicator relevant to service-quality consistency in dog walking.[4]
  • 29.3% of U.S. animal caretakers required prior work experience in 2025, while most entered with employer-provided training.[4]
  • 4.97 out of 5 was Wag!’s reported platform rating, according to company information summarized in its public company profile.[31]

Supply chain in the dog walking industry

  • $1.2 million of Wag!’s fourth-quarter 2024 revenue came from pet food and treats, showing diversification beyond walking and other services.[6]
  • $1.5 million of Wag!’s second-quarter 2024 revenue came from pet food and treats.[6]
  • 17.7 million meals had been donated to pets in need through Wag!’s partnership with Greater Good Rescue Bank Program by December 2023.[6]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 19% of pet companies surveyed planned to seek more local suppliers and reduce business with China in the future, while 6% were already seeking suppliers closer to home in 2025.[32]
  • 34% of surveyed animal-health organizations identified raw-material procurement and related development or manufacturing resources as their greatest product-lifecycle challenge in 2021.[33]
  • 94% of surveyed animal-health companies reported outsourcing services or operations to contract development or manufacturing organizations in 2021 across North America and Europe.[33]
  • 27% of surveyed pet companies were exporting their products to China in 2025, representing a 6-percentage-point increase from three years earlier.[32]
  • 82% of surveyed animal-health professionals participated in their companies’ contract development or manufacturing organization selection decisions in 2021 across North America and Europe.[33]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

This section provides pricing points and platform expense changes, including Rover’s reported average U.S. price of $21.45 for a 30-minute dog walk in 2026.

Pricing strategy in the dog walking industry

  • $30.19 was the average Canadian fee for a 38-minute dog-walking visit in Pet Sitters International’s 2024 industry survey.[34]
  • $21.45 was Rover’s reported average U.S. price for a 30-minute dog walk in 2026.[13]
  • $25.63 was the average U.S. fee for a 31-minute dog-walking visit in Pet Sitters International’s 2024 industry survey.[34]
  • 10% was the service discount offered through Wag! Premium, which also waived booking fees for subscribers in 2023.[6]
  • $29–$38 was Rover’s reported U.S. price range for a 60-minute dog walk in 2026.[13]

Cost reduction in the dog walking industry

  • $4.6 million, or 9.1%, was the reduction in Wag!’s sales-and-marketing expenses from 2023 to 2024.[6]
  • $2.6 million, or 13.7%, was the reduction in Wag!’s general-and-administrative expenses from 2023 to 2024.[6]
  • $0.2 million, or 3.5%, was the reduction in Wag!’s cost of revenues from 2023 to 2024, primarily due to lower payment-processing fees.[6]
  • $1.8 million, or 14.2%, was the reduction in Wag!’s platform-operations-and-support expenses from 2023 to 2024.[6]

Profitability in the dog walking industry

  • $5.3 million was Wag!’s 2024 cost of revenues, excluding depreciation and amortization, down from $5.5 million in 2023.[6]
  • $1.6 million was Wag!’s adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of 2024, compared with $0.1 million in the second quarter of 2023.[6]
  • $10.7 million was Wag!’s 2024 platform-operations-and-support expense, representing 14.2% less than in 2023.[6]

Financial planning in the dog walking industry

  • $5.8 million was Wag!’s net interest expense in 2024, down 10.3% from $6.5 million in 2023.[6]
  • 42% of Wag!’s accounts receivable at December 31, 2024 came from three customers that each represented at least 10% of receivables.[6]
  • $16.6 million was Wag!’s general-and-administrative expense in 2024, down from $19.2 million in 2023.[6]
  • 38% of Wag!’s total 2024 revenue came from three customers, each contributing at least $6.8 million.[6]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

This section tracks service lifecycle and marketplace volume, including 93 million+ services booked on Rover globally by September 30, 2023.

Product development in the dog walking industry

  • Rover added extended-stay billing in the fourth quarter of 2021, contributing to higher average booking values and product-led revenue growth in 2022.[6]
  • 500,000+ pet caregivers had been approved by Wag! through 2023 as the platform expanded its on-demand dog-walking service network across the United States.[6]
  • 93 million+ services had been booked on Rover globally by September 30, 2023, reflecting the scale reached through ongoing marketplace and service development.[7]
  • 4.1 million unique pet parents and more than 870,000 pet-care providers had matched on Rover through December 31, 2022, supporting continued marketplace product development.[6]

Product lifecycle in the dog walking industry

  • 83% of Rover bookings in 2022 were repeat bookings, indicating that recurring use formed the majority of the platform’s service lifecycle.[7]
  • 6.2 bookings were made in year one by Rover’s January 2022 repeat-customer cohort, compared with 3.7 bookings for the January 2013 cohort.[6]
  • 60% of Rover’s January 2022 cohort of new pet parents rebooked within their first 12 months on the platform.[6]
  • 4.6 million repeat bookings were recorded on Rover in 2022, up 36% from 2021.[7]

After-sales in the dog walking industry

  • More than 96% of over 12 million Wag! reviews earned five stars from pet parents through February 2024.[6]
  • 14 million+ miles had been walked by Wag! caregivers since launch, supported by the platform’s customer-service and trust-and-safety infrastructure.[6]
  • Rover reported a $1.7 million increase in customer-claim costs for its Rover Guarantee program in 2022.[6]
  • 24/7 customer support was provided by Rover for pet parents and providers, alongside emergency assistance and the Rover Guarantee.[6]

Value proposition in the dog walking industry

  • 42% of Rover’s new pet parents in 2022 joined through word of mouth, highlighting trust and recommendation as elements of the platform’s value proposition.[7]
  • $30.19 CAD was the average fee for a 38-minute professional dog-walking visit in Canada in the 2024 Pet Sitters International survey.[34]
  • 15% of surveyed consumers who were aware of professional dog walking reported purchasing it in the prior year in the 2025 Consumer Trends Survey.[35]
  • $25.63 was the average fee for a 31-minute professional dog-walking visit in the United States in the 2024 Pet Sitters International survey.[34]
  • Rover estimated a $4.0 billion United States market opportunity for dog-walking services based on an average rate of $20 per walk.[6]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

This section ties training and legal awareness to ethics, including 60% of respondents supporting training to improve awareness of risks and legal obligations in the UK.

Ethics in the dog walking industry

  • 60% of respondents to the Pet Industry Federation’s 2022 dog-walker survey supported training to improve awareness of risks and legal obligations, United Kingdom.[36]
  • 7.53% of respondents to a 2023 Scottish consultation were unsure about requiring dog-walking licence applicants to hold recognised, relevant qualifications, Scotland.[36]
  • 8.68% of respondents to a 2023 Scottish consultation opposed requiring dog-walking licence applicants to hold recognised, relevant qualifications, Scotland.[36]
  • 85.8% of respondents to a 2023 Scottish consultation supported requiring dog-walking licence applicants to hold recognised, relevant qualifications, Scotland.[36]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

This section quantifies cross-border reach with geography-linked inputs, including Rover’s estimated 31% of global pet spending concentrated in Europe.

Globalization in the dog walking industry

  • 31% of global pet spending was concentrated in Europe according to Rover’s market rationale for international expansion.[13]
  • 17 countries were expected to comprise Rover’s global footprint by the end of 2025 after expansion into Denmark and Ireland and planned entry into five additional European markets.[13]
  • 16% of Rover’s global new bookings came from Europe in 2024, making Europe its fastest-growing geography for first-time customers.[13]
  • 70 million dog-owning households were estimated to be in Europe when Rover announced its DogBuddy acquisition.[13]
  • 20,000 dog sitters and walkers formed Gudog’s network across eight European countries before its acquisition by Rover.[13]

Supplier management in the dog walking industry

  • 388,000 addressable pet care providers were available to book on Rover as of June 30, 2023, up 47% from a year earlier.[6]
  • 500,000 pet caregivers had been approved on Wag! through 2023, with the network operating throughout North America.[6]
  • 1 million pet care providers had been paid across North America and Europe on Rover by September 30, 2023.[6]
  • 25,000 approved dog sitters were using DogBuddy across eight European countries before Rover acquired the platform.[13]
  • 47% was the year-over-year increase in Rover’s addressable provider base as of June 30, 2023.[6]

Stakeholder management in the dog walking industry

  • Over 95% of the U.S. population had access to Wag! as of December 2023.[6]
  • 12 million reviews had been written by Wag! pet parents by February 2024, and more than 96% had received five stars.[6]
  • 17.7 million meals had been donated to pets in need through Wag!’s partnership with the Greater Good Rescue Bank Program by December 2023.[6]
  • 96% of Wag! reviews had earned five stars by February 2024, based on more than 12 million pet-parent reviews.[6]
  • 60% of Rover’s January 2022 new-pet-parent cohort rebooked within its first 12 months.[6]

Distribution channels in the dog walking industry

  • 53% was Rover’s increase in gross booking value in 2022, reflecting higher platform activity.[6]
  • 15% was Rover’s increase in average booking value in 2022, partly reflecting higher prices set by providers.[6]
  • 93 million services had been booked through Rover’s online platform and mobile app by September 30, 2023.[6]
  • $174.01 million was Rover’s revenue in 2022 from its digital pet-care marketplace and related services.[6]
  • 32% was Rover’s increase in bookings in 2022, driven by repeat bookings and new pet-parent growth in U.S. and international markets.[6]

Key questions about the Dog Walking Industry

What is the 2026 global market size for pet-sitting and dog-walking services?
The global pet-sitting and dog-walking services market is projected at $3.38 billion in 2026.
How fast is the market expected to grow after 2026?
The forecast CAGR for 2026–2034 is 12.6%, implying the combined market reaches $8.76 billion by 2034.
Which companies lead the dog walking industry?
Rover leads Gitnux's 2026 dog walking ranking with an Overall score of 9.9, with largest online marketplace for dog walking and pet sitting in North America and Europe. Fetch! Pet Care is the highest-ranked dog walking franchise at 9.3, backed by dog walking through 77+ local Fetch! locations across the United States.
What technology shift is most visible in how services get scheduled and tracked?
Digital booking is described as the default workflow, and GPS tracking raises service transparency.
How fragmented is competition in dog walking?
Available industry research describes unregistered competition as a continuing constraint, indicating a fragmented market with many independent providers.
What is the benchmark U.S. dog-walking price for a standard walk?
Pet Sitters International reported an average U.S. dog-walking fee of $24.59 for a 30.6-minute walk in its 2022 industry statistics.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Dog Walking Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dog-walking-industry-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Dog Walking Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/dog-walking-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Dog Walking Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dog-walking-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

64 sources cited across this report

  1. instinct.vet
  2. d3mk91boshvs29.cloudfront.net
  3. ec.europa.eu
  4. bls.gov
  5. petcareins.com
  6. sec.gov
  7. slideshare.net
  8. downloads.regulations.gov
  9. petfoodindustry.com
  10. beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
  11. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
  12. digitail.com
  13. rover.com
  14. axios.com
  15. petsplusmag.com
  16. rcvs.org.uk
  17. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  18. animalhealthjobs.com
  19. sniffandgo.com
  20. ctdatahaven.org
  21. 21696780.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net
  22. habri.org
  23. info.instinct.vet
  24. software.covetrus.com
  25. annualreports.com
  26. secondmeasure.com
  27. birdaware.org
  28. dogfoodadvisor.com
  29. bigeyeagency.com
  30. rivaliq.com
  31. en.wikipedia.org
  32. globalpetindustry.com
  33. trirx.com
  34. petsit.com
  35. newconsumer.com
  36. gov.scot
  37. sfanimalcare.org
  38. gov.uk
  39. shelteranimalscount.org
  40. a.storyblok.com
  41. aaha.org
  42. myvetcandy.com
  43. alert.ny.gov
  44. aspca.org
  45. marketresearch.com
  46. americanpetproducts.org
  47. grandviewresearch.com
  48. news.bloombergtax.com
  49. prweb.com
  50. static1.squarespace.com
  51. mass.gov
  52. fetchpetcare.com
  53. petpals.com
  54. pawshake.com
  55. investors.wag.co
  56. franchise.welovepets.care
  57. barklypets.com
  58. maddogsdogwalking.com.au
  59. topdogwalking.co.uk
  60. tailster.com
  61. nps.gov
  62. aviva.com
  63. occstrategy.com
  64. apnews.com