Set Your Own Rates
You decide what to charge. Our pricing suggestions help you stay competitive while maximizing earnings.
Des Moines, IADog walking work in Des Moines, you set the hours
Set your own routes and hours across Des Moines and take only the walks that fit your day. Walks in Des Moines run $14 to $27 per 30 to 60 minute walk, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.
Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web
Not looking for work? Find a dog walker near you
$14 to $27
per 30 to 60 minute walk in Des Moines
Up to 90%
of every walk kept by the walker
$22,000
Protection Plan for eligible vet costs
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating on Petme
Why Join Petme
Everything you need to succeed
We provide the tools, support, and protection you need to build a thriving pet care business.
Flexible Schedule
Work when you want. Accept bookings that fit your lifestyle. No minimum hours required.
Petme Protection
The Petme Protection Plan offers up to $22,000 for eligible vet costs. Care for pets with confidence.
Easy Booking System
Our app handles messaging, payments, and scheduling. Focus on what you do best: pet care.
Local Visibility
Get discovered by pet owners in your area. Our search helps clients find the perfect sitter.
Fast Payments
Get paid within 2 business days after each booking. Keep up to 90% of every booking.
A local edge
Local know-how pays off in Des Moines
Des Moines has a humid continental climate with hot, muggy summers and cold, snowy winters that drop about 34 inches of snow a year. Sitters walk dogs early or late on humid July afternoons to keep paws off hot pavement, then salt up and shorten routes through January ice.
When demand peaks
Demand climbs over summer travel and the winter holidays, plus Iowa State Fair week in August and move-in weekends around Drake University. Boarding and house sitting lead during vacation stretches while dog walking and drop-in visits carry the workweek for the insurance and finance office crowd downtown.
Know your Des Moines routes
Most bookings cluster Downtown to Beaverdale. Owners look for walkers who know the local parks and leash rules, and who can turn up on a regular schedule.
Breeds you will meet in Des Moines
Owners here mostly keep Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Australian Shepherd. Knowing how those breeds behave, and saying so on your profile, is what turns a first booking into a repeat client.
Getting Started
How it works
From sign up to your first booking in just a few simple steps.
1
Create Your Profile
Download the app, add photos, write your bio, and select the services you want to offer.
2
Get Verified
Complete our verification process. Once approved, your profile goes live.
3
Set Your Services
Choose your rates, availability, and the types of pets you're comfortable caring for.
4
Start Earning
Accept booking requests, provide great care, and build your client base.
Earnings Calculator
See what you could earn
Adjust the sliders to estimate your potential monthly earnings.
Based on typical boarding rates in the United States
Estimated Monthly Earnings
$2,356
per month
Per pet rate: nearly half of our clients have multiple pets
Rate per night$68
Bookings per Week8
Weeks per month4.33
Monthly total$2,356
Actual earnings depend on your rates, services offered, location, and availability. Many sitters earn more by offering multiple services.
Rates in Des Moines
Choose your services, set your own rates
Typical Petme rates in Des Moines. You set your own price for each service, and keep up to 90% of every booking.
Dog walking
$14 to $27 per 30 to 60 minute walk
Drop-in visits
$14 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit
Doggy daycare
$24 to $44 per day
Dog boarding
$33 to $68 per night
House sitting
$33 to $68 per night
Where demand is strongest
Des Moines areas that book the most
Petme walk bookings in Des Moines come from neighborhoods like Downtown Des Moines, East Village, Sherman Hill, with daily walks and recurring schedules the most requested.
Iowa does not license pet sitters or dog walkers; the state's commercial-kennel license covers boarding and grooming facilities, not a solo walker. Boarding or day hosting several dogs at home may fall under that license, so check before offering it. Des Moines requires dogs to be leashed on a restraint no longer than six feet in public, and the city has no general business license requirement for a solo walker. Pet-care earnings are self-employment income, reported on Schedule C against the platform's 1099.
Downtown Des MoinesEast VillageSherman HillBeaverdaleDrakeIngersoll ParkHighland ParkUnion ParkWaveland ParkRiver BendWoodland HeightsCapitol Park
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
How much do dog walkers earn per walk in Des Moines?
Dog walking on Petme in Des Moines runs $14 to $27 per 30 to 60 minute walk. You set your own rate, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.
Are dog walking jobs hiring near me in Des Moines?
Yes. Petme recruits sitters across Des Moines year-round, from Downtown Des Moines to East Village, 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 walking jobs in Des Moines 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.
Where is dog walking demand strongest in Des Moines?
Petme walk bookings in Des Moines come from neighborhoods like Downtown Des Moines, East Village, Sherman Hill, 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.
Do I choose my own routes and schedule in Des Moines?
Yes. You decide where to walk, when, and for how long. No assigned routes, no minimum hours, no shift rosters. Many Des Moines walkers build a regular loop through Downtown Des Moines and East Village and accept or decline requests as they come in.
Is dog walking a good part time job in Des Moines?
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 Downtown Des Moines keeps travel time low between walks.
What protection do I get on walks?
The Petme Protection Plan offers up to $22,000 for eligible vet costs for the dog in your care, subject to its terms. The same terms apply whether you walk in Downtown Des Moines or East Village.
When is dog walking demand highest in Des Moines?
Demand climbs over summer travel and the winter holidays, plus Iowa State Fair week in August and move-in weekends around Drake University. That pattern shapes dog walking bookings in Des Moines across the year. Des Moines has a humid continental climate with hot, muggy summers and cold, snowy winters that drop about 34 inches of snow a year.
What do I need to start dog walking in Des Moines?
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 Des Moines areas you cover.
Which dogs will I mostly walk in Des Moines?
Owners in Des Moines mostly keep Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Australian Shepherd, Goldendoodle. 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.
Are there jobs near Downtown Des Moines or East Village?
Yes. You set which parts of Des Moines you cover, so you can keep dog walking to Downtown Des Moines, East Village 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.
Petme for Creators
Make your pet a Petfluencer with Petme
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
Nearby cities
Dog walking jobs near Des Moines
Cover more than one patch. Each city page has its own local rates and demand notes.
Ready to start earning?
Download the app and create your profile today.
Pet sitters near me in Des Moines
Browse verified Petme pet sitters near you in Des Moines: 0% owner fee, cashback on every booking, and $22,000 Protection Plan.
Doggy daycare jobs in Des Moines
Host dogs during the day. Set your own headcount, hours and rate, and keep up to 90%.
Cat sitting jobs in Des Moines
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
Board, host daycare, and do drop-ins too. Set your own rates and keep up to 90% of every booking.
Dog grooming jobs in Des Moines
Groom professionally? Approved sitters with 6+ months of paid grooming can add it and post their work where owners nearby see it.