The rise of pet professionals: dog walkers earn more than average UK salary

• Average income for a professional dog walker is £26,496, while average salary is £22,044
• It costs an average of £11.50 to have a dog walked for an hour, which is 71 per cent more than the minimum wage
• Public school graduates choosing commercial dog walking over careers in property
   

A new study1 by Direct Line Pet Insurance reveals that providing dog care services is a profitable profession, with dog walkers earning approximately £26,496 a year, some 17 per cent more than the national average salary of £22,0442. 

On a national level, individual dog walkers charge an average of £11.50 per hour per dog, which is 71 per cent more than the minimum wage. A dog walker will typically walk around 13 dogs per day and carry out the equivalent of 192 dog walks per month. This equates to an average annual income for the dog walker of £26,496, which is £4,450 above the UK’s average annual salary. Although professional dog walkers in London can earn over three times this amount. 

Doggy day care is also big business in the UK. Providers charge an average of £17.50 per dog per day and a doggy day care business can see around 305 dogs per month. This equates to an average annual income for the business of £64,050. 

For dog owners, where they live will have a big impact on how much it costs them to use the services of dog walkers or doggy day care providers. Those living in London and the South East pay the most for professional ‘dog sitting’, paying out on average £14 an hour to have their dog walked and £24.50 a day to have their dog stay in a day care facility. 

Those living in the North West or Scotland pay the least for professional dog services. It costs these dog owners an average of £10 per hour to have their dog walked and just £15 per day to have their dog stay at a doggy day care provider. 

Regional cost of dog walking and doggy day care

Source: Direct Line Pet Insurance

What used to be seen as a part time job or something people did for an extra bit of cash has now become a respected profession which people are choosing to do full time. 

Luke Winchester has been walking dogs as a full time career since 2009 and now runs his own business called A Bit of Ruff, offering professional dog walking and dog boarding services. Luke was educated at a public school in Surrey and chose dog walking as a profession because of his love of dogs and the realisation that he could run his own business doing something he loved. 

Luke Winchester, Professional Dog Walker, said: “I have lived in London for 20 years and for the first 15 of those, my career was as an estate agent. I became a manager in a few of the large chains and then went onto running my own Estate Agency in Marylebone for a while. However, I then realised that dog walking would give me greater freedom in my day to day life with a similar salary. No need for a suit and more appreciative clients!"

Direct Line has recently launched Walkies3, its new dog walking app, which features a ‘pack’ function allowing owners or pet professionals to track the walks of multiple dogs. Professional dog walkers will be able to use the app to monitor the walks their charges are doing and share these routes on social media or with the dog’s owners. 

Prit Powar, head of pet insurance at Direct Line said: “Our research reinforces that pet care is big business for the UK and it’s great to hear that dog walkers and doggy day care providers are able to earn a real living providing these much needed services to dog owners. 

“Our Walkies app provides a simple and social way for dog walkers to share their walks with owners and also allows them to find exciting new walking routes. We are committed to helping owners and professionals alike keep pets healthy and hope that the Walkies app will make dog walking more enjoyable and interactive.”

Whilst out walking, the Walkies app’s in-built GPS functionality automatically calculates the distance travelled, calories burnt and average and top speed for each pet.  Other features include a handy stats screen to keep track of each pack member’s progress, and a ‘Dog Breeds’ tab, containing information on the most popular breeds in the UK, with details about their dietary and exercise requirements.

The Walkies app is available for free on the Apple App Store for all iOS 8-enabled devices with GPS capability.   To download, please visit: http://store.apple.com/uk.

   ENDS

Notes to Editors
(1) Research carried out amongst 150 UK dog walkers and dog day care providers between 
(2) Average annual salary in the UK as listed by Office of National Statistics  http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings/2014-provisional-results/2014-provisional-table-1.zip
(3) Screenshots of the Walkies app are available upon request


For further information please contact:

Claire Foster 
Direct Line 
claire.foster@directlinegroup.co.uk  
0165 183 1672

Charlotte Pascal 
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
charlotte.pascal@citigatedr.co.uk 
0207 282 1021

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line. 
Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. 
Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.
Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0845 300 7838 or visiting www.directline.com