Dog sitting jobs in Ireland, on your own schedule
Walking, drop-in visits and home boarding, priced by you and paid automatically. There's no interview and no rota — you list what you can cover, owners near you get in touch, and you accept the work that suits.
- Visit rate
- €9–€17
- Boarding / night
- €35–€70
- Busiest window
- 11am–2pm
- Peak season
- Jun–Aug, Dec
What each service pays
Live bands from PawPals listings, before our 15% commission.
| Service | Typical price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| 30-minute drop-in visit | €9–€17 | Feed, toilet break, play, photo update |
| 45-minute visit with a walk | €13–€21 | The most requested sitting option |
| 60-minute dog walk | €14–€22 | Solo; group walks scale your hourly rate |
| Overnight home boarding | €35–€70 / night | Highest earner; needs an enclosed garden |
| Bank holiday / Christmas | +20–30% | Demand far exceeds supply every year |
The seasonal gap
Boarding demand in July, August and the fortnight around Christmas outstrips supply everywhere in Ireland. Sitters who keep those dates open earn a disproportionate share of their year in those weeks.
Recurring beats one-off
One weekday-lunchtime client booking 3 walks a week for a year is worth more than a dozen holiday one-offs, and takes far less messaging. Build for the regulars.
Where owners are searching
These towns and suburbs generate the most owner searches on PawPals. Open one to see the local rate, the walks sitters use and who's already covering it.
Browse by county
Questions about the work
Is dog sitting a real job in Ireland?
It's self-employed work rather than employment — you're not on our payroll, you set your own rates and hours, and you invoice nothing because payment is automatic. Plenty of people run it as a full-time business; far more use it as flexible income two or three days a week.
What does dog sitting pay?
A 30-minute drop-in visit is €9–€17, a 45-minute visit with a walk €13–€21, and overnight home boarding €35–€70 a night depending on county and demand. PawPals takes 15% of the completed booking; the rest is yours.
Do I need a garden?
For drop-in sitting and walking, no — you're going to the dog. For overnight boarding, an enclosed garden is effectively required, and owners will ask to see it. If you don't have one, start with walking and visits.
How many hours a week is realistic?
Midday is the pinch point: most Irish owners want a walk or a visit between 11am and 2pm. A tight round of three to five dogs inside a small radius is two to three hours' work. Boarding is different — it's a whole-weekend commitment, but for one payment per night per dog.
What checks do I need to pass?
Photo ID verification, Garda vetting, address confirmation and two references. All four clear before your profile is visible to owners. You can prepare your listing while the checks run.
Can I choose which dogs I take?
Always. Every booking starts as an enquiry you can decline, and you set filters on your profile — size, age, whether you take reactive dogs, whether you take more than one household at a time. Declining work you're not comfortable with is good practice, not a mark against you.