RJ H.
I’ve just set up on Pawshake and the…
I’ve just set up on Pawshake and the experience is generally good but there are some niggles. As a walker, setting up the account was pretty time consuming but once set up, I managed to connect with two regular clients very quickly. The downsides are that there is no option to offer 1 hour walks - which seems completely daft. Most of the dogs I will be walking are going to be large, active breeds and owners do not want half hour walks- they want the option for an hour or longer. I do find the UX a little confusing - for example the add on service function does not make clear if the client pays the price you add for the add on or the total. For example, if I charge £10 for half an hour and select to add on a charge for travel it is not made clear if I need to add the total cost or just the travel which Pawshake will then calculate at the end. Also, it seems impossible to appear in search results for neighbouring towns. I am happy to travel up to 20 miles but only appear in our small town’s search results, despite changing my settings to allow for travel. I did contact support but their explanation was not clear. Why would you not allow walkers to specify the towns they are happy to work in and for searchers to search by distance? It doesn’t make any sense. The other gripe is how long payouts take. I completed a walk on Sunday and did not receive the funds until the following Tuesday - so just about 9 days. This seems woefully long to wait - I may as well have asked the client to pay by cheque. It’s a good site to get up and running as a new dog walker to get your first few clients but the niggles don’t make it easy or enjoyable to use.
Response from pawshake.comJul 30, 2026
Hi RJ, Thank you for taking the time to leave your review and for sharing such detailed feedback. We're pleased to hear that you were able to connect with two regular clients quickly and that Pawshake has helped you get started as a dog walker. Regarding walk lengths, as outlined in our Help Centre, you're welcome to set your walks at whatever length you wish and charge accordingly. Our standard Dog Walking service is based on a 30-minute walk, but many sitters simply price that service at the rate they feel is appropriate. If you wish to offer longer walks, our Add-On Services feature was specifically designed for this purpose. Add-ons can be used to extend booking lengths, add travel charges, or account for additional requirements, and they can be added at any point before the booking is confirmed. On the topic of search visibility and travel distances, our research consistently shows that most pet owners prefer sitters who are local to them. While we appreciate that you are willing to travel further afield, we also need to consider the needs of owners and the sitters who are based in those areas. Owners often prefer nearby sitters because it makes regular care arrangements, meet & greets, and last-minute bookings much easier to manage. You are welcome to increase your service radius, but in practice owners are generally less likely to contact sitters who are located outside their local area. As for payouts, payments are processed as quickly as possible once a booking has concluded. In most cases, payouts are released within 2–3 business days after the service ends, allowing time for any booking adjustments or issues to be raised by either party post-service. From your description, it sounds like this may have been a last-minute booking that was paid for shortly before the service began. You see, funds must first settle into our secure escrow account before they can be paid out. Depending on the owner's payment method, this settlement process can take up to 3 business days and can be further affected by weekends and public holidays. Once released, payouts then need to settle into your own bank account, which typically takes a further 2–3 business days depending on your bank. We appreciate your feedback and will continue working to improve the platform. Thank you again for giving Pawshake a try, and we're glad to hear it has already helped you build your client base. Kind regards, Pawshake Support