When the Tail Wags the Dog: What I Learned Walking 84 Dogs in 70 Days

I made a little over $1,500 using the Wag! dog walk app. Was it worth it? I’ll let you decide!

Selfie of author on a dog walk booked through Wag!

“Ding!” You know exactly what that noise means. You’ve been waiting for it. The screen is in front of your face before you realize you’ve reached for it. You tap the screen, and the choices appear in front of you. You know you don’t have much time: every second you pause to think is a potentially wasted opportunity. How many countless other people are looking at their screens at this exact moment, trying to beat you to the punch. Don’t. Mess. This. Up.

Welcome to the adrenaline rush of the on-demand gig economy! Specifically, the on demand dog walk feature of the Wag! app. When a dog walk request push notification appears, opening the Wag! app to request the dog walk basically feels like playing a casino slot machine in app form. It’s a completely legitimate and legal way to make (taxable) money in exchange for walking another person’s dog, however, it requires constantly checking your phone to try to book a walk usually within a few moments’ notice.

The Wag! app offers a variety of services, including boarding dogs in your home and dog sitting in another person’s house. For those unfamiliar with the dog walking gig work…