Get paid to look after dogs in Chicago
Board dogs overnight, run a doggy daycare, or cover walks and drop-ins across Chicago. Boarding runs $45 to $80 per night, and you keep up to 90% of every booking with sitter cashback.
Petme is live in Chicago. Get verified and start accepting requests in your neighborhood.
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 routes
Most bookings cluster Lincoln Park to Hyde Park. Owners look for sitters who know the local parks, leash rules, and the breeds they keep, from Labrador, Goldendoodle, French Bulldog.
Keep up to 90%
You set your own rate. Petme keeps a low service fee, and sitter cashback pushes your take-home toward 90% of every booking.
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 walk
Drop-in visits
$18 to $28 per 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 past $600 a year 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
$20,000 in vet protection 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.
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.
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. 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 $20,000 in vet protection for the dog in your care, at no cost to you or the owner.
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. $20,000 vet protection on every booking, cashback that keeps your clients rebooking, and fast payouts to your bank.