Dog walking emerges as profitable line of work in Ho Chi Minh City

The work can bring in a steady and surprisingly healthy monthly income, with dog walkers typically spending a few dozen minutes per session walking, feeding, and playing with the animals.

“Nhung, where are you? Sugar, come here. Get ready to eat and go downstairs to meet Thong,” called out Hoang Thi Mai, a 70-year old resident of Thu Duc Ward.

After filling the food bowls and water dishes for her two seven-year-old dogs, Mai clipped on their leashes and led them down to meet Vo Quang Thong, 28, who has been working as a dog walker for three years.

Mai shared that she hesitated for a long time before deciding to hire a professional to care for and train her dogs.

At her age, with her children away at work all day, managing two energetic dogs on her own had become overwhelming.

“I thought about it very carefully,” she recalled.

“I’ve raised them since they were tiny. They sleep in the house with me, and wherever I go, I think about them. So when it comes to anything related to my dogs, I’m very cautious. I don’t just hire a service because it exists."

Her main concern was health.

As the dogs grew stronger and more active, she no longer had the stamina to walk them daily, train them or handle unexpected situations.

Hiring a service costs more than doing everything herself, she said.

“However, I see it as paying for peace of mind,” she shared.

The monthly expense is not small, but in return her dogs are exercised properly, fed on schedule and most importantly, better behaved and more obedient.

Walking dogs takes real skill

As Mai lives in an apartment complex, Thong carefully fits muzzles on Sugar and Nhung before leading them out.

Once they reach a quieter area, he removes the muzzles and lets them play freely.

Having walked together for two years, the dogs are no longer anxious.

They trot ahead while Thong keeps a firm grip on the leashes, following closely behind.

“This is a service, so everything has to be done properly,” he said.

“Dog walkers have to keep public areas clean along the route by not allowing them to defecate anywhere.”

On one walk, the route stretched nearly two kilometers.

About 500 meters in, Sugar suddenly stopped by a tree. Recognizing the sign, Thong pulled out a waste bag and gloves, carefully collected the feces, tied the bag, and disposed of it in a nearby trash bin.

“It’s also a way to train pets to defecate in the right places,” he explained.

The dogs that spend most of the day indoors are easily excited by everything they see outside.

They sometimes even provoke other dogs, requiring his full attention at all times, Thong said.

“These are beloved pets. If they get so much as a scratch, it’s a big problem,” he said.

“If they’re tired, we stop. If it’s hot, I find shade. If it rains, I even carry an umbrella for them."

High demand, not enough professionals

The job may look niche, but Thong said walking dogs for several clients a day is normal, especially during holidays when owners travel and the workload spikes.

This year, he expects to return to his hometown only on Lunar New Year’s Eve, or February 16.

“There are still so many bookings,” he said.

“People travel, or have relatives visiting, so they leave their dogs with me all day."

After returning Sugar and Nhung to their owner in Thu Duc, Thong quickly headed to An Khanh Ward for another appointment with a foreign client.

The dog, a Husky named Rupert, belongs to a Canadian expatriate, and the session requires English.

Thong repeated the command ‘Sit down, Rupert’ several times in Vietnamese, but the dog looked puzzled.

Only when the owner spoke in English did Rupert immediately obey.

David Miller, 42, the owner of Rupert, said hiring a dog walker was essential for him.

“I love my dog, but language and lifestyle differences cause a lot of trouble,” he said.

“I don’t know the roads well. Every time I take him out, I worry about traffic or what to do if something goes wrong.”

At first, Miller searched for parks and exercise areas for dogs through expatriate groups, but they were not always convenient or suitable.

Asked what matters most in this line of work, Thong paused before answering simply: “You have to love animals.”

He previously worked at a pet shop.

Customers first came in to buy food and accessories and later asked him to help care for their dogs and take them out on busy days.

After learning about the term ‘dog walking,’ he joined a company run by a foreigner and has stayed in the profession ever since.

Phan Thi Thu Nguyet, 26, who owns a pet shop in An Khanh Ward, said that the biggest problem is not a lack of customers but a shortage of skilled dog walkers.

“At my shop, I often have to walk the dogs myself,” she said.

Many employees quit after being assigned to aggressive dogs and suffering bites.

“They don’t know how to approach dogs or read their body language,” she explained.

Accidents are the biggest risk, she stressed, adding that large, strong dogs can be especially dangerous.

Holiday rates rise

During the Lunar New Year holiday season, service prices typically increase 20-30 percent due to heavier workloads and limited staff, said Nguyet.

Full packages that include boarding and daily walks can cost several million Vietnamese dong for the entire holiday.

“It’s not price gouging.”

She explained that the responsibility is huge, and if a dog gets sick, stops eating or becomes stressed, the owner calls non-stop.

Both Thong and Nguyet said the income from dog walking is far from modest.

Each session lasts 30-45 minutes, with fees ranging from VND100,000 (US$3.8) to VND200,000 ($7.6) depending on the breed and distance.

On busy days, Nguyet handles five or six sessions in a row, earning a solid sum, sometimes topped off with unexpected tips.

“Once, a client went on a long business trip and asked me to provide full care,” she said.

“That week, my wages plus tips were almost equal to a whole month’s office salary."