Now Hiring: Dog Walker + Pet Sitter (Part-Time)

Posted: December 17, 2025

Woof! Hi!

A friendly hello from Celine (the Girl) and Graham (the Golden). We’re a pet-care duo that got our start in Laguna Beach and now serve Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, and parts of Mission Viejo and Dana Point.

We offer dog walking, cat drop-ins, and in-home sittings—like most pet-care companies. The difference is that I’ve had the privilege of building this business with my Golden Retriever in mind. Graham has accompanied me on 500+ walks and 300+ sits, and he’s a big part of what makes our care feel personal, steady, and safe.

In addition to Graham being our Chief Opawrating Officer, we have a team of 5 amazing women that have helped to grow our business this past year.

Right now, we’ve reached the point where we can’t take on additional clients without more help—so we’re hiring.

The Role

Being a dog walker/pet sitter is often considered an “easy” and “fun” job—and sometimes it is. But it’s also real responsibility, real communication, and real problem-solving.

We’re looking for someone trustworthy, reliable, and communicative who understands the “Golden Rule”: we care for pets the way we’d want ours treated.

Job Type: Part-time, W-2 employee

Work Location: In person (driving between client homes)

Service Area: Laguna Niguel • Aliso Viejo • parts of Mission Viejo • Laguna Beach (and surrounding)

Pay + Perks

Pay: $16–$18/hour (based on experience)

Mileage reimbursement at the government rate ($0.67/mi)
Paid training
Flexible schedule
Professional development assistance (business-related certifications, education support)
Referral program
You keep any tips you receive
Equipment provided as needed

What You’ll Be Doing

Most days, you’ll be:

Driving to appointments and checking in/out using our mobile app
Walking dogs in 30- or 60-minute increments
Completing drop-ins (fresh water, feeding per instructions, potty breaks, basic cleanup)
Writing nice, informative updates with clear photos so clients know how their pets are doing
Communicating with both pets and humans (some clients are home during services)

And yes—some days include the less-glamorous parts of animal care:

Cleaning up kitty throw-up
Bribing a dog to take their meds
Handling unexpected behavior kindly and calmly

Occasionally, you might help with:

Creating a simple social post in Canva
Passing out flyers / local outreach

Hours + Scheduling

Our business hours are 8 AM–4 PM M-F, 9:30 AM - 1 PM Saturday, and we're "off" Sundays. Requests outside of that window can happen (with an additional client fee), but our core schedule lives there.

This job can feel “seasonal” in demand—busy times tend to be when people travel (summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.). Because of that, we can’t promise fixed weekly hours right away, but the goal is to build consistency as routes grow. For context: my first employee started at about 6 hours/week and now (happily!) works 25–30.

For now, this role is best as supplemental income—not something to rely on as your primary source.

We do work major holidays, and you’ll be paid extra on those days.

Who This Is For

You’ll be a great fit if you are:

Reliable and punctual (we don’t do “running late” as a personality trait)
Calm, observant, and good at making smart decisions
Comfortable around dogs of different sizes and energy levels
A clear communicator (you ask questions early instead of guessing)
Physically able to walk multiple miles a day and work outdoors
Comfortable working independently while following clear systems and routines

Job Requirements

Based within / willing to drive to our service area radius
Pet sitting experience (personal or professional)
Own a reliable, titled, insured vehicle
Valid driver’s license
Smartphone with photo/video/GPS capability (and able to use apps comfortably)
Comfortable working in all weather (rain or shine—within reason!)
Must genuinely adore animals
Must pass a background check (offers are contingent on passing)

Availability needs:

Morning/afternoon shift
Weekends as needed
Holidays (paid extra)

What I'm Like as an Employer

I’ll be real with you: hiring my first employee was a leap of faith—and I got incredibly lucky. I’ve spent a long time building trust with my clients, and putting that into someone else’s hands has been…terrifying.

I want to be approachable and supportive while you’re on the job. I also know what it’s like to work somewhere that feels like you and your boss are on different planets—so that’s not the culture I’m building.

I'm still learning how to be a good boss while also being realistic and fair - I'm a recovering people pleaser, so sometimes balancing the aforementioned is difficult for me. All I ask is that you're flexible and patient with me (regarding almost everything lol), and I'll do the same for you when it's your turn.

As you grow with us, I offer incentives based on tenure and performance, like raises and paid certifications.