How Much Does a Dog Walker Cost in Victoria, BC? (2026 Guide)
In Victoria, BC, the price of a dog walking service varies significantly depending on what you’re looking for – a simple walk around the block, a leashed group walk, or an off-leash pack adventure. For an off-leash pack adventure, Social Dogs Club charges $40+tax. For a full day adventure, they charge $55+tax. Plain and simple.
What dog walking costs in Victoria in 2026
There’s a lot of dogs in Victoria, BC. Of all sizes, breeds, temperaments, ages, energy levels, and needs. One thing they all have in common? They require mental and physical stimulation to live satisfied, relaxed lives. How they get that stimulation might be different. Here's the average cost of most dog walking services in this city, so you can make an informed decision.
ON-LEASH
Some local professionals specialize in on-leash walks and others, like Social Dogs Club, offer on-leash private walks as an accompaniment to regular off-leash adventures. Rover and similar apps only offer private walks.
OFF-LEASH
There is a wide range of pricing, with some service providers requiring minimum weekly bookings or offering quantity discounts based on how many walks per week you book. Social Dogs Club is the only dog walker in Greater Victoria that offers full day outings — two off-leash outings broken up by an air-conditioned rest and water break, for an affordable, outdoor alternative to doggy daycare.
Hobby walkers might prefer cash or payment through Rover, with a portion of your dollar going to the corporation. Most professional walkers have their own customized apps and will bill you through them. Social Dogs Club bills you once a month through our app – owners automatically receive an invoice at the end of each month, which you can easily pay via credit card in the app or e-transfer directly to us. We make it as easy and clear as possible.
What affects the price of a dog walk
There’s a lot of pet care providers offering dog walks in Victoria, but not every service is the same. Neither is the price. Let’s break it down.
Hobby walkers vs. professional dog walkers
Apps like Rover and community forums on Facebook are full of hobby dog walkers. There’s no harm in that! Especially if you need support on a tight budget and your dog is well behaved and easy to manage. You are likely to find a slightly cheaper service offered on these apps, as the walkers don’t have professional training in dog behaviour or canine first aid.
When you hire a professional dog walker, you will pay more than you would a hobby walker. This is because you are paying for someone with training, experience, safety protocols, insurance, reviews and understanding of dog behaviour. You can place your trust in professionals knowing that your dog is in safe, informed hands when they’re out with their walker.
Group vs. private walks
Whether you go for group walks (also known as pack walks) or private walks is an individual choice based on your dog’s needs. Seniors, reactive dogs or dogs working on their recall might do best on a private walk. High energy dogs, working breeds or puppies might do best in pack walks.
Private walks are often pricier than group walks. Most private walks are offered on-leash only — Social Dogs Club offers private walks on a by-request basis dependent on walker availability. Group walks can be on- or off-leash – usually each service provider specializes in one or the other. At SDC, we offer off-leash adventure-style walks – running, jumping, and swimming over exciting terrain deep in the forests of Victoria. Learn more about our walks here.
What "a walk" actually means
“A walk” can mean a lot of things. A 30-minute neighbourhood sniff walk versus a 2-hour off-leash adventure are completely different experiences for your dog. Know what you’re choosing ahead of time.
Pickup and drop-off
Before booking a service, double check whether pick-up and drop-off (and any other extras) are included in the price. Some service providers charge puppy rates, out-of-service-area rates, and weekend and holiday surcharges. At Social Dogs Club, pick-up and drop-off is always included and the price you see is the price you get.
What should be included at any price
In our opinion, whatever you pay, a professional dog walking service should come with all four of these:
A commercial walkers license. In the Capital Regional District, commercial dog walkers need to be licensed and off-leash walkers need permitted access to each of the trails they use. If a walker can't tell you which areas they’re licensed to walk, that's your answer.
Insurance. Accidents happen, even with the best precautions and training. Proper pet care insurance protects your dog, other dogs, and you. All proper walkers should be covered by ProFur.
Canine first aid certification. A pet care professional needs to know what to do in the event of an emergency. Especially when deep in the forest with multiple dogs and little cell service. Check to see that your dog walker has their Canine First Aid training (look for the DogSafe or Walks N Wags logos on their website).
WorkSafeBC registration. A walker who protects their own staff properly is a walker who runs a real business with protocols and accountability.
Social Dogs Club holds all four: CRD licensed, fully insured, DogSafe first aid certified, and WorkSafeBC registered. If you're comparing walkers, make sure they tick these four boxes at the minimum.
Is a dog walker worth it?
Let's do the honest math. At $40 per walk, two pack walks a week costs $80 — about $335 a month plus tax. You’re investing in your dog’s health and longevity. It's worth asking what you're actually getting.
We can only speak for ourselves. At Social Dogs Club, each off-leash pack walk is an hour (or two, if you’ve chosen a Full Day Adventure) of off-leash running, swimming and socializing with their well-matched pack. Plus pick-up and drop-off. That’s at least 1-2 hours of your day that you get back, plus the full day afterwards that your dog will be calm, relaxed and curled up by your feet.
For most working owners, the answer isn't walks or nothing — it's whether those two or three days a week of deep exercise buy you a calmer, more settled dog on the other four. In our experience, they do.
FAQ
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Most dog walkers in Victoria price per walk, not per hour. Expect around $35–75 for a standard on-leash 60 minute walk, and $30–45 for off-leash pack adventures.
Because walk lengths vary so much, comparing per-walk value (what your dog actually does out there) is more useful than comparing per hour.
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Usually yes. Most services charge an added fee for a second dog from the same home.
Social Dogs Club offers a multi-dog discount, since two dogs from one household share a single pickup and drop-off. Ask us at your Meet & Greet!
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Yes. You typically pay less per dog while your dog gets more time out — usually 1+ hours in a pack walk versus 30–60 minutes on a private.
While private walks make sense for dogs who need one-on-one attention; for social dogs, pack walks deliver more value per dollar.
Social Dogs Club provides Pack Walk Adventure for dogs throughout Greater Victoria, Saanich, and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Our off-leash pack adventures are specifically tailored to meet the physical, mental, and social needs of active dogs of all shapes and sizes. Founded by Jake Le Roux in 2023, SDC is licensed, insured, first-aid certified, and locally owned and operated. See you on the trails.