How to hire a great dog walker in Salt Lake City — what 2026 rates look like, what makes a walker worth it, what questions to ask, and what red flags to walk away from.
A reliable dog walker is one of the highest-leverage services a working dog owner in Salt Lake City can invest in. The right walker delivers daily exercise, mental stimulation, a midday potty break, and — for puppies and adolescent dogs — meaningful socialization while you're at the office or working from home in back-to-back meetings.
The wrong one creates risk: lost dogs, off-leash incidents, dogs left in cars, no-shows, and uninsured liability. This guide covers what to expect, what to pay, and how to choose well in SLC.
The core service is a midday or scheduled walk — typically 30 or 60 minutes — but most professional walkers in SLC offer more:
Most full-time SLC walkers run a regular Monday–Friday route — clients have set days and times. One-off walks are usually billed at a premium and depend on availability.
| Service | Typical Rate |
|---|---|
| 30-min solo walk | $20–$30 |
| 60-min solo walk | $30–$45 |
| 30-min group walk (2–4 dogs) | $18–$25 per dog |
| Mid-day visit (15–20 min, no walk) | $20–$28 |
| Puppy visit (20–30 min) | $22–$32 |
| Drop-in cat / indoor pet visit | $20–$30 |
| Weekend / holiday surcharge | +$5–$15 per visit |
| Last-minute (under 24 hr) surcharge | +$5–$10 per visit |
| Multi-dog same household | +$5–$15 per additional dog |
| Adventure / off-leash walk | $40–$80 per walk |
| Drop-off / pick-up service | +$10–$25 per leg |
Most walkers offer a small discount for regular weekly clients (5+ walks per week, locked-in schedule).
Most professional dog walkers operate in a defined service zone to keep drive time low. Common SLC zones:
If you're outside a walker's primary zone, expect either a service-zone fee ($5–$15 per walk) or a flat denial. Most walkers are clear about boundaries on their booking page.
A professional dog walker should carry commercial liability insurance (minimum $1M general liability) and be bonded. Bonding protects you in the rare event of theft from your home. Insurance protects everyone if something goes wrong on a walk — your dog injures another dog, the walker is bitten, your dog escapes a leash and damages property.
Always ask for proof. A bonded and insured walker will email you their certificate of insurance without complaint.
Reputable walkers carry pet first aid certification through programs like PetTech or Red Cross Pet First Aid. It's not legally required, but it's a strong professional signal. Ask.
Two large national associations — Pet Sitters International and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters — set ethical and operational standards for the industry. Membership isn't required, but it's a positive signal.
A walker has the keys to your home. You should know — and they should be willing to share — that they've passed a background check, ideally through a service like Checkr or HireRight.
Not just reviews on a directory. Ask for two current client references and call them. A good walker is happy to provide them; a bad walker hedges.
You should not be able to hire a walker over text in 10 minutes. A reputable Salt Lake City walker requires:
If a walker skips these steps to take you on faster, that's a red flag — not a courtesy.
A good first meeting covers:
Two SLC realities every walker must handle:
Salt Lake City summer asphalt regularly exceeds 140°F at midday. The 5-second rule applies: place the back of your hand on the pavement; if you can't hold it for 5 seconds, your dog can't walk on it. Reputable SLC walkers shift to early morning or evening walks during heatwaves and switch to grass-only routes during high-asphalt-temperature days.
Salt Lake City uses heavy de-icing salt on sidewalks. It burns paw pads and is toxic if licked. Good walkers carry paw wax, booties, or a paw-rinse routine for winter visits.
SLC's winter inversion can push AQI well into unhealthy ranges. A professional walker should monitor AQI and either shorten walks or move to indoor enrichment activities on the worst days.
What you should not trade off: insurance, bonding, certification, and the meet-and-greet onboarding. The "deal" walker who skips these isn't a deal.
A great Salt Lake City dog walker pays for itself in tired, well-exercised, less-destructive dogs and the peace of mind of consistent midday care. The price difference between a $25 walk and a $30 walk is nothing compared to the difference between a professional with insurance, bonding, and first aid training and a college kid who answered a Craigslist ad. Hire for credentials and process, not for the cheapest rate.
Browse verified pet service providers across Salt Lake City to compare dog walkers, their service zones, and reviews from neighbors.
