Dog Sitting Jobs in Chicago

Your dog sitting side gig in Chicago

Owners around Lincoln Park and Wicker Park prefer a home with a yard over a kennel. Dog boarding in Chicago runs $45 to $80 per night, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.

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

Start dog sittingUp to 90% kept. $22,000 Protection Plan.

Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web

Not looking for work? Find dog boarding in Chicago

$45 to $80
per night boarding in Chicago
Up to 90%
of every booking kept by the sitter
$22,000
Protection Plan on every booking
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating on Petme
A local edge

Local know-how pays off in Chicago

December through March brings sub-zero wind chills, lake-effect snow, and heavy road salt along the Lakefront Trail. Chicago sitters rinse salt off paws between blocks, keep walks short during a polar vortex, and switch to indoor enrichment when the wind chill turns dangerous.

When demand peaks

Boarding peaks over the winter-holiday travel window and the June-to-August vacation stretch; daily lunchtime walks run steady year-round for downtown and North Side commuters. Lollapalooza weekend and the October marathon lift short-notice demand.

Know your Chicago areas

Most bookings cluster Lincoln Park to Hyde Park. Owners look for sitters who know the area and can reach them without a long trip.

Breeds you will meet in Chicago

Owners here mostly keep Labrador, Goldendoodle, French Bulldog, German Shepherd. Knowing how those breeds behave, and saying so on your profile, is what turns a first booking into a repeat client.

Rates in Chicago

Choose your services, set your own rates

Typical Petme rates in Chicago. You set your own price for each service, and keep up to 90% of every booking.

Dog boarding

$45 to $80 per night

Doggy daycare

$32 to $58 per day

Dog walking

$17 to $28 per 30 to 60 minute walk

Drop-in visits

$18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit

House sitting

$45 to $80 per night

Where demand is strongest

Chicago areas that book the most

Petme bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, across walks, drop-in visits, daycare, and boarding.

Illinois requires no state pet-sitter licence. Chicago enforces a citywide leash-and-waste ordinance, and the Park District restricts off-leash play to permitted Dog Friendly Areas that need an annual tag. Pet-sitting income is self-employment income on a federal Schedule C, with a 1099-NEC from Petme once your annual earnings pass the federal reporting threshold plus the flat Illinois state income tax.

Lincoln ParkWicker ParkLakeviewLogan SquareWest LoopBucktownAndersonvilleHyde ParkRiver NorthPilsenRoscoe VillageEdgewater
Why Petme

Built for sitters in Chicago

Keep up to 90%

You set your rate. Petme keeps a low service fee, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.

Full schedule control

No assigned shifts and no minimum hours. Accept or decline each request and pause your profile whenever you need to.

Protected on every booking

$22,000 in Protection Plan comes with every confirmed booking, so you are never on the hook alone if something goes wrong.

Common questions

Dog Sitting Jobs in Chicago

What new sitters ask before signing up on Petme in Chicago.

How much can I earn dog sitting in Chicago?
Dog boarding on Petme in Chicago runs $45 to $80 per night, with daycare and walks adding daytime income. You set your own rate per service, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.
Are dog sitting jobs hiring near me in Chicago?
Yes. Petme recruits sitters across Chicago year-round, from Lincoln Park to Wicker Park, and owners send booking requests directly to sitters in their area. There is no vacancy list to wait on: you create a profile, set the areas you cover, and accept the requests you want.
Can I do dog sitting jobs in Chicago at 16 or 17?
No. Petme sitters must be 18 or over, so under-18s cannot take bookings yet. From 18 you need a smartphone with the Petme app, to pass ID verification, and a profile that describes the pets you have cared for, including your own.
Is dog sitting a good part time job in Chicago?
It fits part-time schedules well because you are self-employed: no assigned shifts, no minimum hours, and you set your own rate. Many Chicago sitters take a few bookings a week around a job or studies and scale up or down as their calendar allows.
Can I board dogs in an apartment in Chicago?
Yes. You set your own house rules: the dog sizes you accept, how many dogs at once, and whether your home suits high-energy breeds. Many Chicago sitters board small and medium dogs from a flat near a park in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park.
What is the difference between dog boarding and doggy daycare?
Boarding is overnight, billed per night, while the owner travels. Daycare is daytime only, billed per day, for owners at work. You can offer either or both and set a separate rate for each.
Do I choose which dogs and bookings I accept in Chicago?
Yes. You review each request, arrange a meet first if you want, and accept or decline. No assigned bookings and no minimum hours, whether the owner is in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park. You set your rates and availability per service.
What protection do I get on dog sitting bookings?
Every confirmed Petme booking, including boarding and daycare, includes $22,000 in Protection Plan for the dog in your care, at no cost to you or the owner. The same cover applies across Lincoln Park and Wicker Park.
When is dog sitting demand highest in Chicago?
Boarding peaks over the winter-holiday travel window and the June-to-August vacation stretch; daily lunchtime walks run steady year-round for downtown and North Side commuters. That pattern shapes dog sitting bookings in Chicago across the year. December through March brings sub-zero wind chills, lake-effect snow, and heavy road salt along the Lakefront Trail.
What do I need to start dog sitting in Chicago?
You need to be 18 or over, have a smartphone with the Petme app, and pass ID verification. Owners choose on reviews, availability and a complete profile, so it is worth describing the pets you have looked after, including your own, and naming the Chicago areas you cover.
Which dogs will I mostly look after in Chicago?
Owners in Chicago mostly keep Labrador, Goldendoodle, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, rescue mixes. Saying on your profile which of those you have looked after helps owners choose you, because most are looking for someone already comfortable with their dog's size and energy.
Are there jobs near Lincoln Park or Wicker Park?
Yes. You set which parts of Chicago you cover, so you can keep dog sitting to Lincoln Park, Wicker Park and the streets around them. Owners inside that area send booking requests to the sitters who cover it, and you accept or decline each one.
Nearby cities

Dog sitting jobs near Chicago

Cover more than one patch. Each city page has its own local rates and demand notes.

AuroraRockfordMilwaukeeMadisonGrand RapidsFort Wayne
New to pet care? Start here
How to become a pet sitter in the USPet sitter earnings and getting startedIs pet sitting worth it as a side hustle? The take-home mathHow to start pet sitting and land your first booking
Get started

Start earning in Chicago

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

Start dog sitting

Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web

Pet sitters in Chicago for owners

See the owner side of the marketplace you would join: local sitter profiles, 0% owner fee, $22,000 Protection Plan on every booking.

Dog walking jobs in Chicago

Get paid to walk dogs. Set your own routes and hours, keep up to 90% of every walk.

Doggy daycare jobs in Chicago

Host dogs during the day. Set your own headcount, hours and rate, and keep up to 90%.

Cat sitting jobs in Chicago

Drop-in cat visits and in-home cat care. Set your own rate per visit and keep up to 90%.

Pet sitting jobs across the US

Every US metro hiring sitters on Petme. Keep up to 90% of every booking.

Become a pet sitter in the US

The full US guide to getting started on Petme. Keep up to 90%.