Now Hiring · San Francisco · Since 2009
Walk dogs for a living. Seriously.
Sniff and Go has been hiring San Francisco's most reliable dog walkers since 2009. Not a gig app. Not a side hustle. A real W-2 dog walking job with paid training, consistent weekday hours, full mileage reimbursement, and dogs who are happy to see you every day.
If you've been searching for dog walker jobs near you in San Francisco — the kind that pay properly and treat you like a professional — this is the one.
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The role
Monday through Friday, roughly 10 AM to 2 PM. You'll drive to 4 to 7 homes across SF, walk 1 to 3 dogs per household, and use positive reinforcement methods on every walk. All private, all on-leash, all in the client's neighborhood. This is the kind of dog walker position that doesn't really exist anywhere else in the city.
Hours
3 to 5 hrs/day, M-F
Walking
5 to 7+ miles/day, hills included
Vehicle
Required. Full IRS mileage reimbursed.
Training
30 days paid, in-house
Team size
Under 15 people
Holidays
All observed M-F holidays off
Compensation
Day 1
✓ Paid training (first 30 days)
✓ Paid travel time
✓ Mileage reimbursement at the full IRS rate
✓ Parking reimbursement
✓ Company phone + all gear
✓ Paid sick leave
After 30 Days · Regular Pay
✓ $24/hr base pay
✓ Pooled tips
✓ Referral bonuses
✓ Scheduled time off
✓ Everything from Day 1
About you
✓ At least 18 years old
✓ Access to a safe, reliable, insured vehicle
✓ Reliable smartphone
✓ Physically fit for 5-7 miles/day on SF hills
✓ Available Monday through Friday, 3-5+ hours
✓ Comfortable around all breeds and temperaments
✓ Comfortable on camera (for social media)
No prior dog training experience required. We provide 30 days of paid training covering animal behavior, body language, fear-free handling, and on-leash walking skills.
Dog walker jobs in SF: common questions
New Sniff and Go dog walkers start at $20/hour during their first 30 days of paid training, then move to regular pay of $24/hour plus pooled tips. We reimburse mileage at the full IRS recommended rate, cover parking, pay for travel time, and provide a company phone and all gear. Most San Francisco dog walking jobs do not include this kind of full reimbursement.
Our dog walking jobs are Monday through Friday, roughly 10 AM to 2 PM, with each walker working 3 to 5 hours a day. We do not run walks on weekends or evenings, and we observe all standard Monday-through-Friday holidays. If you want a dog walking job in San Francisco with predictable daytime hours and no nights or weekends, this is one of the few you will find.
No prior dog training or professional dog walking experience is required. We provide 30 days of paid in-house training that covers animal behavior, body language, fear-free handling, leash skills, pet first aid, and our specific walk protocols. What we do need: someone reliable, physically fit for SF hills, comfortable around all breeds, and able to use positive reinforcement methods consistently.
The fastest way to become a professional dog walker in SF is to apply to a company that trains you and pays you while you learn, rather than paying for courses yourself. With Sniff and Go, you don't need a certification or prior experience. If we're a fit, you start with 30 days of paid training at $20/hour covering animal behavior, body language, fear-free handling, leash skills, and pet first aid, then move to regular pay of $24/hour plus pooled tips. Apply, train, and you're walking dogs for a living.
Part-time by hours (3 to 5 hours of paid walking per day), but consistent year-round. Most of our team treats it as a primary part-time job with a flexible morning or afternoon on either side. It is not a gig you turn on and off in an app. We commit to your schedule and we expect you to commit back.
Rover and Wag classify walkers as independent contractors, do not provide training, do not reimburse mileage or gear, and do not control client quality. Sniff and Go walkers are W-2 employees with paid training, a company phone, mileage and parking reimbursement, paid sick leave, and a curated client list of private SF dog parents. We also only walk dogs on-leash, in the dog's own neighborhood. Different job, different pay structure, different work.
You personally do not need a license to be hired. Sniff and Go is registered with the City and County of San Francisco as a commercial dog walking business. We also provide Pet First Aid and CPR certification during paid training, and walkers who want to pursue the CPDT-KA professional dog trainer credential can do so with our support.
Apply now
Complete our application to get started. Most dog walker jobs in San Francisco can't offer paid training, W-2 pay, and full mileage reimbursement — this one does. We'll reach out within a few days to talk next steps.
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