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 with sitter cashback.
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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.
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 with sitter cashback.
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
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.
Built for sitters in Chicago
Keep up to 90%
You set your rate. Petme keeps a low service fee, and sitter cashback pushes your take-home toward 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.
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 with sitter cashback you keep up to 90% of every booking.
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.
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.
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?
No formal qualification is required. You need to be 18 or over, have a smartphone with the Petme app, and pass ID verification. Experience helps you win your first dog sitting bookings in Chicago, so it is worth describing the pets you have looked after, including your own, on your profile.
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.
Dog sitting jobs near Chicago
Cover more than one patch. Each city page has its own local rates and demand notes.
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.