Dog walking jobs in Chicago

Become a dog walker in Chicago

Build a walking schedule that fits your life. Pick your own routes and hours at $17 to $28 per hour, keep up to 90% of every booking and answer to no shift roster.

Petme is live in Chicago. Get verified and start accepting walk requests in your neighborhood.

Start Walking DogsUp to 90% kept. $22,000 Protection Plan.

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$17 to $28

per hour in Chicago

Up to 90%

of every walk kept by the walker

$22,000

Protection Plan on every walk

4.9 / 5

average sitter rating on Petme

Work on your own terms

How walkers turn flexible hours into steady income

Chicago owners keep long downtown hours, so a dog in a Loop high-rise or a Lincoln Park walk-up almost always needs a midday walk. That gap is where a flexible schedule pays. Slot a couple of routes between Lakeview and Wicker Park into your own week, and the regulars stack up. The walkers who earn the most show up in January when others cancel, then send a quick photo from the 606 or the Lakefront Trail. Reliability through the cold weather is what quietly turns a one-off request into a standing weekday booking that funds the rest of your month.

Own the cold months

Owners pay a premium for someone dependable in winter. Show up in the snow and the standing weekday bookings are yours.

Know your neighborhoods

The Lakefront Trail, the 606, and your local parks. Tight neighborhood knowledge turns first bookings into regulars.

Set your own hours

No minimum hours and no assigned shifts. Build midday routes around a job or classes and accept only the requests that fit.

Keep up to 90%

You set your hourly rate. Petme keeps a small commission, and you keep up to 90% per walk.

Pick your patch

Where Chicago owners request the most walks

Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and River North drive high-rise and walk-up demand, while Wicker Park, Logan Square, and the West Loop book steady residential routes.

Lincoln ParkLakeviewWicker ParkLogan SquareWest LoopRiver North

Before you sign up

Dog walking in Chicago, answered

The questions Chicago walkers ask before they take their first booking on Petme.

How much do dog walkers earn in Chicago?

Dog walking on Petme in Chicago runs $17 to $28 per hour. Lincoln Park, the West Loop, and River North sit at the upper end of that band. You set your own rate, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.

Can I walk dogs part-time around a job in Chicago?

Yes. There are no minimum hours and no assigned shifts, so the schedule bends around your day. Plenty of walkers stack two or three midday routes between work or classes.

What do owners in Chicago look for in a dog walker?

Owners actually weigh reliability, clear photo updates, and calm leash handling on a busy sidewalk. A complete, verified profile that names the neighborhoods you cover is what wins those first few bookings, and the regulars build from there.

How do walkers get paid on Petme?

Payments run through the app. Owners pay in advance, and your earnings release to your bank account once the walk is done. You set the hourly rate, Petme takes a small commission, and you keep up to 90%.

Which Chicago neighborhoods book the most walks?

Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Logan Square, the West Loop, and River North all see steady demand. Downtown high-rises and the leafier walk-up blocks both book heavily, and the midday slot is the one owners fight over most.

More US cities

Dog walking jobs in other US cities

Petme is hiring walkers across the country. Pick another city to see local rates and where demand is strongest.

Get started

Start walking dogs in Chicago

Set your own hourly rate. $22,000 Protection Plan on every walk, cashback that keeps your clients rebooking, and fast payouts to your bank.

Start Walking Dogs