Jun 4, 2026
New York-based engineer Coby Goodhart has some big clients, providing clean energy advice to the Department of Energy and C-suite executives and consulting on multi-million dollar projects.
The 28-year-old also has some big (and small) furry clients thanks to Goodhart Dog. Co., a lucrative dog-walking business he launched last year.
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Goodhart told People magazine the side gig brings in $6,000 a month and “north of six figures” a year. How does he balance a full-time engineering job with his doggy side hustle?
“It’s a lot, but I genuinely love it,” he said.
He walks dogs in the early morning before his day job starts, walks more on his lunch break and hits the pavement in the evening to do more. He also walks dogs on weekends.
Goodhart hired another walker to assist while he’s “on the clock.” Together, they walk up to 20 dogs a day.
Here’s how he’s grown his business into a six-figure success story.
Building a reputation as a luxury dog walker
As with his engineering job, Goodhart works with an exclusive clientele — in this case, dogs in Lower Manhattan. Like Winston, a Yorkshire Terrier featured in his Instagram feed.
He charges different prices based on dog size and behavior as well as location and when the dogs are to be walked.
“It’s a luxury service, so I price accordingly and make sure every client feels that in the experience,” Goodhart told People.
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He promotes his business on social media and face to face on his walks, handing out business cards to doormen.
“They know everyone in the building and are incredibly well-connected.”
As a result, he’s built a positive word-of-mouth reputation as well. His clear love of the dog-walking job and his luxury marketing have helped contribute to his financial success.
According to the New York Times, quite a few dog walkers in New York earn over six figures, like Bethany Lane, owner of Whistle and Wag, who charges clients more than $35 an hour and walks dogs full time.
“If I would have told my younger self I can make a living caring for dogs, I never would have believed it,” Lane told the Times.
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Still, these wealthy dog walkers are an exception to the rule. According to Indeed, the average dog walker makes $19.89 an hour.
And turning dog-walking into a full-time, six-figure job requires a big commitment — in terms of hours spent walking dogs and managing the business
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What it takes to be a dog walker
If you’re considering hanging up your hat at work and picking up a leash to become a full-time dog walker, it’s a good idea to consider what’s entailed.
Time to Pet notes that you need to actually love dogs and being outdoors in all kinds of weather. You might need wheels to take dogs to places they can run.
“Rain, heat, cold, the dogs still need their walks,” Goodhart notes.
It’s a good idea to be bonded and insured with liability insurance to cover yourself in the event of accidents or injuries involving the dogs.
You need to be as good with people as with pets, to maintain your clients. Stay on top of every dog’s medical history and needs — and report any concerns to owners.
If, after considering all these things, dog walking excites you as much as it does dogs themselves, then you could turn your own pet project into a business.
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Laura Boast is an Associate Editor with Moneywise.com and a lifelong content creator who has reached international audiences at Discovery, CBC, Blue Ant Media, Bond Brand Loyalty and more.
