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Dog Walker salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a dog walker is $49,900 per annum, before tax, up $10,300 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay depends on how you work: sole traders set their own rates and keep what they charge, while walkers on apps or with pet care businesses take a share after the platform or employer's cut.
- Rates usually rise with the number of dogs on a walk, the length of the walk and clients who book the same slot every week, and extras such as overnight stays or puppy visits add to the day.
- Working for yourself also means covering insurance, transport and equipment from the same money, with no paid leave.
The median salary rose by $10,300 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than dog walker
The largest typical pay rise is $16,500 a year, moving into Dog Trainer.
- Dog Trainer+$16,500/yr
- Dog Groomer+$16,500/yr
- Animal Husbandry Technician+$12,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher dog walker salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time dog walker salary is $49,900; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Animal care and handling and Operations management tend to command a premium over general dog walker experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Dog Trainer pays a typical $16,500 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Dog Walker salary questions
How much do dog walkers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a dog walker is $49,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is dog walker pay rising or falling?
The median dog walker salary is up $10,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than dog walker?
Dog Trainer pays a typical $16,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to dog walker.
Related salaries
- Dog Trainer salary
- Dog Groomer salary
- Boarding Kennel Operator salary
- Dog Breeder salary
- Animal Husbandry Technician salary
- Stock and Station Agent salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.