![]() ![]() Last year, Carrie Deans earned about $7,000 boarding dogs at her Minneapolis home through clients she connected with on the Rover app. “Our goal is to give pet parents peace of mind when they’re away,” she said. “Pet parents can schedule a meet-and-greet with a boarder, or a few of them, to pick the one they like best and explain the unique quirks of their dog,” said Brandie Gonzales, pet lifestyle expert for Rover, who says Rover has 3,000 pet sitters and walkers in the Twin Cities area. Rover allows its contractors to set their own rates, with overnight stays averaging $35 per night. Seattle-based Rover also offers doggie day care, for owners who want their pets to spend the day at a sitter’s house. Wag is more focused on walks while the biggest part of Rover’s business is pet services - boarding (the animal stays at the boarder’s home) and sitting (the sitter stays at the owner’s home). They’re required to track their earnings and pay taxes on them, but they accumulate no health, retirement or unemployment benefits. “On a good day, when I can do seven or eight walks, I can make $180 to $200,” said Barczak, who has done 200 walks since December.Īs with other on-demand services, such as Uber and Lyft, the dog-walking apps consider their providers to be independent contractors. Still, she finds on-demand dog walking lucrative. While she does have repeat customers, most of Barczak’s walks are “one-time deals.” I get to meet dogs, be outdoors and get exercise,” said Barczak. “It’s super flexible, I work when I want, as much as I want. She now holds down a three-day-a-week job as an assistant at a production company, and dog walks on the other days. She set aside those earnings for a graduation gift to herself - a trip to San Francisco with her University of Minnesota roommates. On her biggest day yet, she hit 16 miles.īarcrzak, 21, started answering Wag requests last year during her final year in college. On a typical day as a Wag walker, Claire Barczak logs 10 miles on her Fitbit. “We want a good experience for the pet parent, the walker and the dog.” Both sides are accountable,” said Meltzer. ![]() Walkers leave recommendations about the dog for the next walker, and owners rate the walkers. “With our technology, the system gets smarter as a pet owner uses it. The platform even lets owners watch the route the walker takes, complete with pin drops at the location of every squat or leg lift. The app gives owners an alert when the walker picks up and drops off their dog. Here’s how it works: Wag provides dog owners with a lockbox to store keys, providing them with changeable codes that can be sent to a walker, when one accepts a job. “We can almost always have a dog walker at the door in 30 minutes or less.” They’re willing to spend more resources than ever to keep them healthy and happy,” said Jason Meltzer, Chief Dog Officer for Los Angeles-based Wag. “This is successful because today people are focused on their pets but they’re busy. In the Twin Cities, and across the country, the apps are taking off like a dog after a squirrel. The transactions occur online, where owners can tip their walkers, if they like. Owners pay a flat fee of $20 for a 30-minute walk, and no cash changes hands. “It’s great for when you get in a bind,” said Hoogenakker, “although it’s weird that someone you’ve never laid eyes on is in your house and with your dog.” While it can lack the regularity - and personal connection - of traditional dog-walking businesses, it offers spur-of-the-moment convenience. Using an app to find someone to leash up your pup is just the latest feature in the long-established business of dog walking. Rover, another dog-walking app, also offers dog boarding, sitting and day care. Wag lets pet owners book on-demand or dog walks (or shorter potty breaks) by approved walkers who are nearby. Hoogenakker uses Wag, a dog-walking app called the Uber for dogs. “Most days, one of us can get home to let her out, but when we can’t, I go on the app and book a walk,” said Hoogenakker, 26, of Plymouth. So it’s no wonder that Belle has a dog walker. The miniature goldendoodle sleeps on the bed, stars in her own Instagram page, and is a source of delight for Hoogenakker, an ad agency media buyer, and her fiancée, an accountant. Bethany Hoogenakker’s dog Belle recently had her first birthday party - at a local brewery. ![]()
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