Pricing for Risk, Not Just Time. Why “per hour” is outdated for professional dog walkers
- Tori Lynn Crowther
- Jan 10
- 4 min read
Pricing for Risk, Not Just Time
Why “per hour” is outdated for professional dog walkers
The Question That Sounds Sensible — But Isn’t
“How much do you charge per hour?”
It sounds reasonable.
It sounds logical.
It sounds fair.
And yet, it’s the question that causes more long-term damage to dog walking businesses than almost any other.
Time is easy to measure.
Risk is not.
Professional dog walking isn’t paid movement.
It’s paid judgement, responsibility, and risk absorption — most of which happens before, between, and around the hour itself.
How Hourly Pricing Quietly Undervalues the Job
Hourly pricing assumes:
All walks carry similar responsibility
Risk scales neatly with minutes
The hardest part is physical movement
Professional input happens evenly across time
None of those assumptions hold true in real work.
The most demanding part of a walk is often:
The first five minutes
A single decision point
A moment of intervention
A choice not to include a dog
Those moments may last seconds — but they carry all the liability.
A Real-World Example: Same Hour, Different Job
Let’s make this concrete.
Example 1: Low-Risk Hour
Two calm, familiar dogs
Stable relationship
Quiet route
Minimal public interaction
No behavioural concerns
The work here is mostly maintenance.
Example 2: High-Risk Hour
Five dogs
Mixed ages and arousal levels
One adolescent
Urban environment
Narrow paths, traffic, people
This hour requires:
Continuous assessment
Distance management
Intervention timing
Exit planning
Charging the same for both isn’t fairness — it’s professional mispricing.
Risk Exists Before the Lead Is Even On
One of the least discussed aspects of pricing is pre-walk responsibility.
Professional risk includes:
Deciding which dogs can walk together
Excluding dogs that would increase pressure
Choosing routes based on environment, weather, and time of day
Assessing dogs whose behaviour is changing
Carrying responsibility for third parties
None of this shows on an invoice — but it’s where experience protects everyone.
Why “Per Hour” Encourages Unsafe Decisions
Hourly pricing creates pressure to:
Fill slots
Maximise numbers
Rush transitions
Avoid turning work away
This isn’t about bad intentions.
It’s about financial structure pushing behaviour.
If your income depends on filling every hour, safety margins shrink — even for conscientious walkers.
Risk-based pricing creates breathing room.
My Own Dogs Prove the Point
This philosophy isn’t theoretical — it plays out daily, even in professional homes.
I live with:
Shiva, a calm, stooge GSD with exceptional social skills
Zeus, a rescue with poor social literacy and high confusion
Nicky, socially sharp and intolerant of repeated boundary violations
A young working Labrador cross with selective respect
On paper, this group should be easy.
In practice, I don’t walk them all together.
Why?
Not because of time.
Not because of numbers.
But because the risk and cognitive load of managing that combination outweighs the benefit.
If this is true in a home with:
Deep behavioural knowledge
Stooge dogs
Full control of environment
…how much more true is it on paid group walks?
Pricing for risk allows walkers to make the same decision professionally — without financial penalty.
The Hidden Work Clients Never See
Clients see:
A dog being walked
A duration
A photo
They don’t see:
Dogs you excluded
Routes you changed
Tension you defused early
Dogs you didn’t walk together
Incidents that never happened
Risk-based pricing acknowledges invisible labour.
Why Professionals Move Away from Time-Based Models
Experienced walkers often shift to:
Per-dog pricing
Tiered group structures
Behaviour-based fees
Complexity pricing
Not to charge more — but to charge more accurately.
This protects:
Dogs
Walkers
Businesses
Hourly pricing punishes caution.
Risk-based pricing rewards it.
“But Clients Won’t Understand” — Until You Explain It
Most client resistance comes from never being told the truth.
When clients understand that pricing reflects:
Safety
Group suitability
Professional judgement
They often become more trusting — not less.
You’re not charging for time.
You’re charging for not taking unnecessary risks.
Why Cheap Walks Are Often the Most Dangerous
Low prices force:
High volume
Tight margins
Reduced flexibility
That’s when:
Walks get overloaded
Warning signs are ignored
“Just this once” becomes routine
Professional pricing creates space to say no.
The Internal Shift That Changes Everything
This isn’t just about price lists.
It’s about moving from:
“What will people pay per hour?”
to:
“What level of responsibility am I taking on?”
Once you make that shift, hourly pricing stops making sense.
Final Thought: Time Is the Smallest Part of the Job
Anyone can sell an hour.
Professionals sell:
Experience
Awareness
Decision-making
Risk reduction
Accountability
When you price for risk instead of time, you’re not being expensive.
You’re being honest.
And honesty is what keeps dogs safe, walkers sane, and businesses sustainable.
About Tori Lynn C. & The Dog House
Welcome to The Dog House — my cosy corner of the TLC Canine Crusaders Business Hub. I’m Tori Lynn C., the founder of TLC Dog Walking Limited, mentor to professional dog walkers, and lifelong advocate for dogs and the people who care for them. With over 17 years of hands-on experience in the industry, my mission is to guide you through the realities of running a successful, sustainable dog walking business — from client care and safety to wellbeing, confidence, and professional growth.
The Dog House is where I share the honest, behind-the-scenes conversations we all need: the tricky moments, the funny bits, the business lessons, and the mindset work that keeps us thriving rather than merely surviving. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, you’ll always find support, guidance, and a friendly nudge forward here.
You’re never alone in this journey — you’re part of a community of canine crusaders.
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