Chicago, ILChoose your own patch of Chicago and the hours you want to work. Walks in Chicago run $17 to $28 per 30 to 60 minute walk, and you keep up to 90% of every booking with sitter cashback.
We provide the tools, support, and protection you need to build a thriving pet care business.
You decide what to charge. Our pricing suggestions help you stay competitive while maximizing earnings.
Work when you want. Accept bookings that fit your lifestyle. No minimum hours required.
Every booking includes up to $20,000 in vet support. Care for pets with confidence.
Our app handles messaging, payments, and scheduling. Focus on what you do best: pet care.
Get discovered by pet owners in your area. Our search helps clients find the perfect sitter.
Get paid within 2 business days after each booking. Keep up to 90% of every booking.
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.
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.
Most bookings cluster Lincoln Park to Hyde Park. Owners look for walkers who know the local parks and leash rules, and who can turn up on a regular schedule.
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.
From sign up to your first booking in just a few simple steps.
Download the app, add photos, write your bio, and select the services you want to offer.
Complete our verification process. Once approved, your profile goes live.
Choose your rates, availability, and the types of pets you're comfortable caring for.
Accept booking requests, provide great care, and build your client base.
Adjust the sliders to estimate your potential monthly earnings.
Based on typical boarding rates in the United States
Typical Petme rates in Chicago. You set your own price for each service, and keep up to 90% of every booking with sitter cashback.
$17 to $28 per 30 to 60 minute walk
$18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit
$32 to $58 per day
$45 to $80 per night
$45 to $80 per night
Petme walk bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, with daily walks and recurring schedules the most requested.
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.
Dog walking on Petme in Chicago runs $17 to $28 per 30 to 60 minute walk. You set your own rate, and with sitter cashback you keep up to 90% of every booking.
It works as flexible income alongside a job or studies. You pick your availability and scale bookings up or down, and a compact route around Lincoln Park keeps travel time low between walks.
Every confirmed Petme booking, including walks, includes $22,000 in vet protection for the dog in your care, at no cost to you or the owner. The same cover applies whether you walk in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park.
Petme walk bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, with daily walks and recurring schedules the most requested. You walk where you already know the parks, the quiet routes, and the local leash rules.
Yes. You decide where to walk, when, and for how long. No assigned routes, no minimum hours, no shift rosters. Many Chicago walkers build a regular loop through Lincoln Park and Wicker Park and accept or decline requests as they come in.
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 walking 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.
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 walking bookings in Chicago, so it is worth describing the pets you have looked after, including your own, on your profile.
Owners in Chicago mostly keep Labrador, Goldendoodle, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, rescue mixes. Saying on your profile which of those you have walked helps owners choose you, because most are looking for someone already comfortable with their dog's size and energy.
It's easier than ever. Discover why thousands of pet parents are joining the community to grow their audience, land brand deals, and monetize their content all in one app.
Discover Why
Cover more than one patch. Each city page has its own local rates and demand notes.
Not looking for work? Find a dog walker in Chicago
Download the app and create your profile today.
See the owner side of the marketplace you would join: local sitter profiles, 0% owner fee, $22,000 vet protection on every booking.
Board, host daycare, and do drop-ins too. Set your own rates and keep up to 90%.
Host dogs during the day. Set your own headcount, hours and rate, and keep up to 90%.
Drop-in cat visits and in-home cat care. Set your own rate per visit and keep up to 90%.
Every US metro hiring walkers on Petme. Keep up to 90% of every walk.
The full US guide to getting started on Petme. Keep up to 90% with sitter cashback.
