Chartered Financial Analyst specializing in sole proprietorships and service-based business finance.
Find out how many dog walks you need to complete each month to be profitable. Enter any three variables—Monthly Fixed Costs, Avg. Price per Walk, Avg. Cost per Walk, or Breakeven Walks—to solve for the fourth.
Dog Walking Breakeven Calculator
Dog Walking Breakeven Formula
The breakeven formula for a dog walking business finds the number of walks (Q) you must complete for your revenue to cover all monthly fixed and variable costs.
Q = F / (P – V)
Solve for Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
F = Q * (P – V)
Solve for Avg. Price per Walk (P):
P = (F / Q) + V
Solve for Avg. Cost per Walk (V):
V = P – (F / Q)
Variables Explained
- Monthly Fixed Costs (F): Your total, recurring monthly overhead (e.g., business insurance, pet sitting software, marketing, phone bill).
- Avg. Price per Walk (P): The average price you charge for one dog walk (e.g., a 30-minute walk).
- Avg. Cost per Walk (V): The average cost directly tied to one walk (e.g., gas/transportation, poop bags, treats, payment processing fees).
- Breakeven Walks (Q): The total number of walks you need to complete each month to reach $0 in profit.
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What is a Dog Walking Breakeven Point?
A **Dog Walking Breakeven Point** is the exact number of walks (Q) you must perform each month to cover all your business costs. It’s the minimum number of sessions needed to not lose money. This is the most critical calculation for setting your prices and determining how many clients you need.
**Fixed Costs (F)** are your consistent monthly expenses, whether you walk one dog or fifty. This includes your business liability insurance, bonding, monthly fees for pet sitting software (like Time to Pet or Rover), marketing (e.g., website, business cards), and your business phone bill.
**Variable Costs (V)** are the costs that occur *only* when you perform a walk. The biggest one is transportation (gas and vehicle wear-and-tear). Others include poop bags, treats, and credit card processing fees (e.g., 3% of the walk price).
The **Contribution Margin** (P – V) is the profit from a single walk that goes toward paying your fixed costs. If you charge $25 (P) for a walk and it costs you $5 in gas and supplies (V), your contribution margin is $20. This calculator finds how many $20 “profit chunks” you need to cover your total fixed costs.
How to Calculate Dog Walking Breakeven (Example)
Let’s calculate the breakeven point for a solo dog walker.
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Identify Monthly Fixed Costs (F):
Your business insurance is $50/mo, booking software is $30/mo, and marketing/phone is $20/mo. Your (F) is $100.
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Identify Avg. Price per Walk (P):
You charge a flat rate of $25 for a 30-minute walk.
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Identify Avg. Cost per Walk (V):
You estimate gas, bags, and treats cost about $5 per walk.
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Apply the Formula: Q = F / (P – V)
First, calculate the contribution margin per walk: $25 (P) – $5 (V) = $20.
Next, divide the fixed costs by this margin:
Q = $100 / $20 = 5 -
Conclusion:
You must complete only 5 walks each month to cover your fixed business costs. Every walk after the fifth generates profit (before your personal taxes).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Track your mileage for one week. Divide your total miles driven for walks by the number of walks. This gives you “miles per walk.” Then, use your car’s MPG and the current gas price to find “cost per walk.” Example: 50 miles / 20 walks = 2.5 miles/walk. At 25 MPG and $4/gallon, that’s `(2.5 / 25) * $4 = $0.40` in gas per walk.
If you pay your IC walkers a percentage (e.g., 60%) of the walk price, that 60% payment is your largest **Variable Cost (V)**. Your (V) would be `(60% * P) + Gas/Supplies`.
Yes. Since these fees (e.g., 2.9% + $0.30) are tied to each sale, they are a **Variable Cost (V)**. You should add this to your other variable costs. A $25 walk (P) with a 3% fee adds `$25 * 0.03 = $0.75` to your (V).
Enter your (F) (e.g., $100), (V) (e.g., $5), and your target number of walks (Q) (e.g., 40 per month). Solve for (P): `P = ($100 / 40) + $5 = $2.50 + $5 = $7.50`. You must charge an average of at least $7.50 to break even at 40 walks.