How to start a dog-walking business in Canada
Discover everything you need to know about starting your own dog-walking business in Canada.
Setting up a dog-walking business in Canada isn’t as complicated as you may think. However, there are a few necessary steps to take to ensure you do it correctly. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know from permits and licensing to taxes, business structures and banking.
Regulations and licensing requirements for a dog walking business
In Canada, you don’t need a federal or provincial/territorial license to be a dog walker. However, you might need to be licensed at the municipal level – especially if you live in a highly populated city.
For instance, you need a permit if you plan to walk dogs on a commercial basis in Toronto, and you can only walk up to six dogs at a time. Similarly, you must get a dog walker’s license and renew it yearly to walk more than three dogs in Montreal, Quebec or simply walk dogs for compensation in Vaughan, Ontario.
Acquiring a permit or license may require:
- Payment of a fee, which can vary depending on the length of the permit you want
- Personal ID, such as a driver’s license or passport
- A completed application
- A criminal records check
- Proof of insurance
What education do you need to start a dog-walking business?
You don’t need any formal training or educational qualifications to start a dog-walking business. But, if you have qualifications in fields such as animal first aid, animal behaviour or veterinary care, this could enhance your reputation in the eyes of customers and build your business more quickly.
Choosing the right business structure for your dog-walking business
Your business type determines how much tax you’ll pay on the money you make and how personally liable you’ll be for business debts and lawsuits. If you operate solely under your own legal name, you don’t even need to register your business. However, if you add any words, like “Jane’s Dog Walking”, you must register, choosing one of the following business structures:
- Sole proprietorship. You’ll continue to pay income tax and other remittances to the government as an individual. You’ll personally be held liable for business debts or lawsuits against your business.
- Partnership. This is essentially the same as a sole proprietorship, except profits are shared with your business partner(s). Under a general partnership, each partner is held personally liable. Under Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Partnerships, only general partners (those who manage the business) are liable, while limited partners (investors) are not.
- Corporation. Here, your business becomes an entity in its own right, and your personal finances are separate from your business finances. In addition to filing your own personal tax return, you’ll also file a separate business tax return. Plus, you’ll have to pay yourself a wage from company profits. You can’t be held personally responsible for business debts and will have reporting and management responsibilities.
- Cooperative. Cooperatives are best for groups of people who share similar social or economic needs and want to operate a business democratically. In Canada, all cooperatives must be incorporated, either at the federal or provincial level. Cooperatives can be set up as for-profit, not-for-profit or charitable organizations.
Incorporating is more expensive and complicated to set up. If you’re launching a dog-walking business, you may not see it as worth the hassle. You could launch as a sole proprietor or partnership, then incorporate later.
How do taxes work on a dog-walking business?
How taxes work depends on the business type you choose. If you register your dog-walking business as a sole proprietorship or partnership, you have to report your business income on your personal tax return. If your business is incorporated, you need to complete a corporate and personal tax return.
You must file your personal and/or corporate tax returns between April and June, but pay what you’ll owe in monthly or quarterly installments throughout the year.
And, since you’re self-employed, you’ll have to contribute both the employer and employee percentages to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). For 2025, the total contribution rate you’ll pay is 11.9% of your net income to a maximum of $8,068.20.
So, to figure out how much you need to set aside, let’s look at 2025’s tax rates.
Federal income tax rates:
- 15% on the portion of taxable income that’s $57,375 or less, plus
- 20.5% on the portion of the taxable income over $57,375 up to $114,750, plus
- 26% on the portion of taxable income over $114,750 up to $177,882, plus
- 29% on the portion of taxable income over $177,882 up to $253,414, plus
- 33% on the portion of taxable income over $253,414
Federal corporation income tax rates:
- The federal tax rate is 15% (after the general tax reduction and federal tax abatement).
- If you’re eligible for the small business deduction, your federal tax rate would be further lowered to 9%
Provincial income tax rates for Ontario, as an example:
- 5.05% on the portion of taxable income that’s $52,886 or less, plus
- 9.15% on the portion of taxable income over $52,886 up to $105,775, plus
- 11.16% on the portion of taxable income over $105,775 up to $150,000, plus
- 12.16% on the portion of taxable income over $150,000 up to $220,000, plus
- 13.16% on the portion of taxable income over $220,000
Provincial corporation income tax rates
- If you’re eligible for the small business deduction, your provincial corporate tax rate would be 3.2% for eligible income up to $500,000
- 11.5% for all other provincial corporation income
Also, if you make $30,000 gross income or more in four consecutive calendar quarters (a period of three months beginning on the first day of January, April, July or October in each calendar year), you’ll have to charge your dog-walking clients GST/HST. Then, you’ll be assigned a monthly, quarterly or annual reporting period to file your GST/HST return.
Here are the GST/HST rates you’d charge based on your location:
- 5% (GST) in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon
- 13% (HST) in Ontario
- 14% (HST) in Nova Scotia
- 15% (HST) in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island
This means, if your net income is $35,000, you live in Ontario and your dog-walking business is a sole proprietorship, you’ll need to pay the following:
- $5,250 in federal taxes
- $1,767.50 in provincial taxes
- $4,165 in CPP contributions
- $4,550 in HST
- Total = $15,732.50
Set up business banking for your dog walking business
If you’re wondering, do I need a business bank account? The answer is that legally, you must have one if you’ve registered your business as a corporation or formed a partnership.
Even if you’re operating as a sole proprietor, opening a business bank account is still smart, as you can separate your personal and business income and expenses. This makes bookkeeping easier, simplifies tax filing and gives you a clearer picture of how your business is actually performing.
So, if you want to open a business bank account, your two main options are traditional banks and fintechs. Traditional banks typically offer in-branch service, established reputations and a range of financial products like loans, credit lines and merchant services. Fintechs are digital-first (sometimes digital-only) alternatives that often provide streamlined, lower-cost financial services and bank accounts you can open online.
Here are some of the best business bank accounts to consider:
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What insurance do you need to run a dog-walking business?
Most small business owners will find it essential to invest in the following types of insurance:
- General liability. This protects you and your employees if legal action is brought against your business for damages done to a client’s person or property.
- Business contents insurance. This protects any professional assets you keep in your place of business, regardless of whether you rent, own or work out of a home office. Coverage can potentially extend to computers, office furniture, inventory, machinery and equipment.
- Personal injury. Helps cover costs associated with recovering from a work-related injury.
- Commercial auto coverage. Get car insurance for vehicles you use to pickup/drop off dogs. Coverage can be obtained for supply vans, trucks and regular passenger vehicles.
Some insurance companies offer dog-walking insurance, which protects you against all of these potential outcomes while also covering the cost of lawsuits if a dog gets hurt or injured in your care.
To get insurance tailored for dog walkers, you may need to ensure the dogs you walk are vaccinated and that you have a record of each one’s medical history.
Creating a business plan for your dog-walking business
Unless you plan to apply for financing, you don’t need to create a business plan to start a dog-walking business. But doing so can still be helpful. Laying out your plan clearly will allow you to spot potential obstacles to your success or reasons why you might want to reconsider starting a business or explore other options.
A great business plan should include:
- Company overview. The name of the business and its owners, the business type and its address. Perhaps a short mission statement explaining your operational goals.
- Your target market. Who will you market your services to and why? It pays to be as specific as possible. The better you know your audience, the easier it is to market to them.
- Products and services. A full list of what products and services are offered by your business, plus how much you’ll charge.
- Competitors. Who are your competitors? How does your business differ from theirs? Why is yours better?
- Marketing plan. Are you planning to distribute brochures? Where will you market your business? What is your monthly marketing budget for each marketing platform?
- Financial plan. How much will it cost to launch your business? What are the estimated monthly running costs? What are your monthly sales forecasts? (You should list a minimum viable target amount, an average target amount and stretch targets for long-term growth.)
Things change quickly in the world of business, so you might want to review and amend your business plan at least once every three months.
How much should you charge for dog walking?
On average, dog walkers in Canada make between $20 and $40 per walk. 30-minute walks and group walks will be on the lower end of the pay scale, and private walks or walks lasting an hour or more will cost on the higher end. Dog walking in more populated cities like Toronto or Vancouver typically costs more than the same services performed in suburban regions.
As with any service-based business, the amount you charge can potentially be adjusted based on the demand for your services or the amount of competition in your local region. If you offer a better service, have more experience and/or qualifications, you may be able to ask for more.
You can bring in a little extra business by offering related services such as letting dogs out for potty breaks when their owners aren’t home, visiting pets to play with them and keep them company and handling pets at major events such as weddings. These services will need to be individually priced, with smaller services costing at, or around, minimum wage and more complicated or time-consuming services costing up to hundreds of dollars.
Consider offering a discount for second and third pets in the same household, although you should make sure the money you’re making covers your costs and adequately rewards you for your efforts.
How to market your business
Here are some great ideas for marketing your dog-walking business.
- Flyers. Since you’re most likely only targeting customers in your local area, it makes sense to put up flyers around your neighbourhood. Target supermarkets, shops, parks, schools, vet clinics and anywhere else where your customers are most likely to see them. Make sure you have permission to post in public places or on private property.
- Business cards. Get a few hundred business cards printed. Have them in your wallet ready to give to any potential clients you come across. Hand them over to your friends and family members to give to pet owners they know. Give some to your customers, so they can easily refer you to their friends.
- Search engine optimization (SEO). A lot of people will search for a dog walker on search engines like Google. Consider hiring someone to create a website and optimize it to rank highly for the keywords your potential customers are using to attract them to you passively.
- Organic social media marketing. It’s no secret that pictures of cute animals are a massive hit on social media. If you create a page sharing this sort of content (including some subtle marketing for your business), there’s a good chance it’ll get shared around.
- Paid social media advertising. On social media, it’s really easy to target specific demographics. If you want to advertise only to dog owners in your local area, that’s definitely possible.
Alternatives to a dog-walking business to make extra income
If you want to earn extra income but aren’t sure whether dog walking is right for you, consider these alternatives:
- Fill out surveys on websites like Freecash or Five Surveys
- Start an e-commerce store
- Offer translation services if you speak another language
- Create and sell handmade goods
- Start a blog
- Become a social media influencer
- Become a delivery or ride-share driver
Bottom line
Starting a dog-walking business in Canada doesn’t mean just grabbing a leash and heading to the park. You need to set up the right legal foundation, understand your tax obligations, choose a solid business structure, and stay on top of municipal regulations to succeed. By taking the time to get these details right from the start, you’ll not only protect yourself and your clients, but you’ll also build a professional reputation that can help your business thrive. If you want to grow your profits even more, check out our guide on investing for the future.
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