What to do with your dog while you're at work: UK options and costs

In short: Dogs Trust's guidance is that dogs shouldn't be left alone for more than four hours, and that if you have to be out longer you should arrange for someone to pop in or for your dog to go to doggy day care. For a full working day in the UK, that means a midday dog walker (typically £10 to £20 a walk), drop-in visits (£8 to £15) or doggy daycare (£20 to £40 a day), alone or combined. An eight-hour working day plus a lunch break and a commute can easily mean nine or ten hours away from home. That is more than twice the time Dogs Trust recommends, so working full time with a dog is less about finding one perfect service and more about breaking the day into shorter stretches.

How long can a dog be left alone?

No more than four hours, according to Dogs Trust, which says you should avoid leaving your dog for longer than that. The RSPCA's rule is about the dog rather than the clock: never leave your dog alone long enough for them to become distressed. For some dogs that point comes sooner than four hours, so watch how your own dog copes. Dogs Trust also says that teaching a dog to cope alone should ideally start when they are a puppy, and that time apart should be built up very gradually and linked to something positive, like a long-lasting treat.

Your options for a working day

Option	What it covers	Typical UK cost	Good for
Midday dog walk	A walk, usually around 30 minutes, in the middle of the day	£10 to £20 a walk	Adult dogs that settle at home and need exercise and a toilet break
Drop-in visit	A short visit to let your dog out, feed them and keep them company	£8 to £15 a visit	Older or calmer dogs, and adding a second break to a long day
Doggy daycare	The whole working day with a carer, often with other dogs	£20 to £40 a day	Young, sociable, high-energy dogs
Changing your own day	Working from home some days, a flexible start, or someone at home	Free, if your job allows it	Any dog, combined with the options above

Prices come from our UK pet sitter cost guide, and rates in London and other big cities sit at the top of each band. A quick test of whether one service is enough: if you leave at 8am and get home at 6pm, a single midday walk still leaves two stretches of around four and a half hours. Two visits, or daycare, keeps each stretch under four.

What a working week costs

Using the same UK bands, a walk every weekday costs about £50 to £100 a week, and daycare every weekday about £100 to £200 a week. Many owners mix the two, for example daycare on two busy office days and a midday walk on the others, or a walk plus a drop-in on long days. On Petme you see each sitter's own rate before you book, owners pay no booking fee on top, and every completed booking earns cashback toward the next one, which adds up when the bookings repeat every week. Find dog walkers and doggy daycare near you.

Dog walker, daycare or drop-ins: which suits your dog?

• Sociable, high-energy dogs often suit daycare, where they are active and supervised for most of the day.
• Adult dogs that rest well at home usually need a solid midday walk more than all-day company.
• Older dogs may prefer one or two calm drop-ins over a long walk or a busy daycare group.
• Dogs that struggle alone need more than a service. Dogs Trust advises building up time apart gradually, and our guide to separation anxiety covers what a carer can do.

If you are choosing between a sitter and daycare, dog sitting vs doggy daycare compares them in more detail.

How to choose a dog walker

Dogs Trust's guide to finding a good dog walker gives a practical checklist:

• Insurance. All professional dog walkers should have third-party liability insurance. Ask to see the policy, which also sets how many dogs they can walk at once.
• First aid. Dog walkers should have a canine first aid certificate and carry a canine first aid kit on walks.
• A council licence. Check your local council's website to see whether professional dog walkers need a licence or must follow a code of conduct.
• References or reviews. Ask what other clients say about the service.

Every Petme sitter passes background and ID checks, and you can read their profile and rate before you book.

Frequently asked questions about dogs and working full time

What should I do with my dog while I'm at work?

Break the day so your dog is never alone for more than about four hours, which is Dogs Trust's guidance. For a full working day that usually means a midday dog walker, one or two drop-in visits, or doggy daycare, or a mix of these across the week.

How long can a dog be left home alone?

No more than four hours, according to Dogs Trust, and less for dogs that become distressed sooner. The RSPCA's advice is never to leave a dog alone long enough for them to become distressed, so watch how your own dog copes rather than relying on the clock alone.

How much does dog daycare cost per day in the UK?

Doggy daycare typically costs £20 to £40 a day in the UK, with city rates at the top of that band. A weekday every week comes to about £100 to £200, so many owners use daycare on some days and a dog walker on others.

How much do dog walkers charge in the UK?

A dog walk in the UK typically costs £10 to £20, usually for around 30 minutes, with London and other big cities at the top of the range. Longer walks, extra dogs and peak times can cost more, so check what each walker's rate includes.

How much do dog walkers charge per month?

One walk every working day for a month, about 21 days, comes to roughly £210 to £420 at the typical UK rate of £10 to £20 a walk. Adding a second visit on long days, or a day of daycare, raises the total.