You wouldn’t think that walking someone’s dog could pay as much or more than a lawyer’s salary, but, wow, life is full of surprises, isn’t it? People in cities like New York (you know, the kind of place where time is money and nobody has either) are raking in over six figures a year just for spending time with slobbering, tail-wagging companions. Six. Figures. For walking dogs. Let that sink in for a second.

And it’s not just NYC! London has its own booming pet care scene. I read this article about a guy called Harry Mayfield who started his dog walking service, Tail Trekking London. (Great name, by the way.) His business blew up so fast that he had to take on three more walkers just to keep up with demand. And in Dubai, luxury dog sitting includes a chauffeur service, yes, a chauffeur, for dogs. These pet sitters don’t just walk dogs, they’re personal assistants, catering to every whim of pets and their owners.

But it makes sense. If you’re working 12-hour shifts at a tech company or running a shop all day, you can’t rush home to let Sparky out before he turns your sofa into his personal toilet. And what about holidays? Not everyone has a grandma who loves to feed cats and give dogs belly rubs. So people hire professionals. Reliable, rain or shine, on-the-spot professionals who walk, feed, cuddle and sometimes even dress the pets for Instagram photos.

These jobs can be competitive. If you want to make the big bucks, you have to do more than stroll around the block. There’s GPS tracking, photo updates and fancy services like “puppy yoga sessions”. Yes, I said yoga. Some walkers are even trained in animal CPR, which honestly makes me wonder why humans don’t get the same VIP treatment.

Oh, and can we just talk about how these walkers are living the dream? Imagine being outdoors all day, sure, maybe dodging the occasional squirrel chase and actually enjoying life instead of sitting in a stuffy office. One dog walker in Melbourne said the job was like therapy. She gets to hear birdsong, feel the sun on her back (when it’s not raining), and build a bond with the dogs. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here wondering if I’ve chosen the wrong career path altogether.

If you’re thinking, this is too good to be true, go ahead and Google it! There’s a story from Business Insider that breaks down how these New York walkers make all this money. You have to build trust, manage multiple clients and sometimes deal with pets who are, let’s face it, bigger divas than people.

But hey, if you love animals and don’t mind the occasional muddy paw or drool-stained shirt, this could be your golden ticket.

Here are the platforms to advertise your service with. For other countries, please google online platforms for similar services.

United States

1. Rover (rover.com)
2. Wag! (wagwalking.com)
3. Care.com (care.com)

New Zealand

1. PetBacker (petbacker.com)
2. Kiwi House Sitters (kiwihousesitters.co.nz)
3. Mad Paws (madpaws.com.au)

Australia

1. Mad Paws (madpaws.com.au)
2. Pawshake (pawshake.com.au)
3. Aussie House Sitters (aussiehousesitters.com.au)

UK

1. Tailster (tailster.com)
2. Rover (rover.com/uk)
3. Pawshake (pawshake.co.uk)
4. BorrowMyDoggy (borrowmydoggy.com)
5. PetBacker (petbacker.com)
6. DogBuddy (Now part of Rover)
7. Holidog (holidog.com/uk)
8. Petsitter (petsitter.com)

Who knows if you live in any of these countries or your country, your next walk could lead to six figures, sunshine and a wagging tail.

Give it a go, you never know.