Barkly Pets Review: Legit Dog Walking App?

In 2018, the Google Play store released 6,140 new apps every single day, ranging from games to weight loss apps – even dog walking apps, like Barkly. But of course, there’s bound to be scammers taking advantage of people.

So you might be wondering, is Barkly Pets a legit dog walking app, or just another scam?

Thankfully, Barkly is not only a legitimate app, but a good one, too. They only charge a 3% credit card processing fee taken from their dog walkers’ pay. On top of that, they have stellar reviews from dog walkers and pet owners alike!

In this article, we are going to go over all the ins and outs to see if there’s any red flags you need to look out for, and whether or not you should get involved with them.

Barkly Pets Overview

Barkley Pets was founded in January of 2015 by three friends and Washington D.C. residents: Chris Gonzalez, Dave Comiskey, and Jim Camut. 

These three founded the company as a solution to their own problem of having trouble finding last minute care for their pets. 

With availability in multiple cities across all 50 states (including D.C.), Barkly’s available for a lot of people, as opposed to their better-known competitor, Wag, which is only available in 43 states. 

One notable accomplishment this company boasts is that, in 2018, they won the Grand Prize of the Pet Care Innovation Prize. 

This included $10,000 from Purina and a dedicated booth at the Global Pet Expo, courtesy of the show organizers at the American Pet Products Association, which gave them instant exposure.

Something that makes this company different from their competitors, like Rover, is that Barkly Pets pretty much only offers dog walking. 

While that does mean that there aren’t a variety of caretaking options available, it does have a positive aspect. They’ve successfully honed in on one aspect of pet care and provide excellent service in that one area.

What Are Their Requirements?

To get started working with Barkly Pets, you just have to sign up and download the app for iOS or Android, pass a background check, have your references and credentials verified, and pass some assessments. 

It might sound like a lot, but Barkly wants to make sure they have walkers that already have some experience with pets and a passion for them. By having a more stringent application process, they’ve been able to avoid the negative experiences that are currently haunting their competitors.

You’ll also set up a direct deposit if you get approved, because this is how you’ll be paid. 

One thing they do to ensure the most comfort for the pet owners is the ability to request a lockbox for their home. 

This way, pet owners will not have to leave a key or leave their door unlocked for a walker that needs to enter their home if they’re out of town. It’s also a safety feature, because the only people who receive the code are workers who have confirmed the walk for that day. 

The other thing that provides comfort to the pet owners is the required background check combined with checking all their previous references. 

This means that not only will the workers have to be free of criminal history, but it ensures that they don’t have any negative experiences with other people’s pets in the past.

Can You Really Earn Money With Barkly Pets?

If you want to get your foot in the door with the dog walking business, Barkly would be a great company to start with.

They offer much more earning potential than others because of the fact that workers get to set their own rates and they don’t take a percentage from that. The only percentage you would lose is a 3% credit card fee to cover their costs of the transaction. 

This means that if you charged $20 for a 30-minute walk, you would be receiving $19.40, whereas if you charged the same amount with Rover, you would only be receiving $16. 

So, if you were to do two 30-minute walks per day, five days a week, you could walk away with $194 extra per week, making it a great side job!

Here’s a helpful video from Barkly Pets itself, that shows you how to build a more profitable dog walking business if you want to increase your earnings:

What Are Dog Walkers Saying?

Barkly offers another bonus on top of the fact that they offer higher earnings than their competitors, and that’s their overall outstanding reviews.

Companies like Wag and Rover have so many problems with pets getting injured or killed, and they’ve both been involved in lawsuits. With that, it’s reasonable to assume that Barkly would have a similar track record, too. However, that’s not the case.

Dog walkers have often raved about the great flexibility of schedule and pay. Even dog walkers who have worked for multiple apps state that it’s the “best dog walking company” to work for.

Pet owners are echoing those praises with their own, saying that they’re “the best of the dog walking apps.” Owners claim Barkly’s workers provide excellent service, and that their customer service is “top-notch” as well.

One positive aspect held by both parties is that they love that dog walkers get to keep nearly all the money they get paid, as opposed to a portion of the pet owners’ money going to some big corporation.

Is It A Scam?

No, Barkly Pets is not a scam.

They do what they say they are going to do and provide excellent service while doing it. They have very good reviews, especially given the fact that they have had no problems with pets getting injured or killed.

What I Like

• You make your own rates
• They only take a 3% credit card processing fee
• They have very good reviews

What I Didn’t Like

• They only offer dog walking services, not dog sitting or boarding
• It’s not as well known as their competitors

Summing It Up

All in all, Barkly Pets is a legit dog walking app. Not only that, but I think they’ve soared leagues above the competitors. Pet owners do not have to be worried about their dog being the next one to get injured or killed by the walkers of this company. 

The workers are satisfied and the owners are pleased, and this all makes for a very good company.

If you want to work for Barkly Pets or use them to walk your dog, that’s a personal decision. Hopefully this article helps you in making an informed decision.