12 Jobs Your Pet Can Have

Pets are family, which is why they get spoiled with all the treats and toys they could want. When you get home from school or work, they’re the first to greet you at the door with their tails wagging. You couldn’t imagine life without them, but what if they could do more?

People search for pet jobs all the time. It’s adorable to think about your dog doing a job every day, especially if it could make you some extra cash.

Depending on your pet, you could find a way to get them trained and hired at something they love.

Check out these twelve jobs your pet can have. Think about their personality and what they love to do. You’ll find the right job for them and potentially make some extra money at the same time.

1. Emotional Support Animal

Receiving emotional support while you’re struggling can change your perspective on life. While family and friends will always want to be there for you, pets can step in and help too.

Whether you need help or want to give help to others, your pet can become an emotional support animal.

Talk with your primary care doctor to get a written recommendation for your pet’s certification.

Once you get that, you can get an official certification that means your pet can follow you into no-pet spaces like apartments and airplanes.

One thing to note is that dogs can complete emotional support training to help the public, but cats cannot qualify for public emotional support because they don’t train as easily.

2. Pet Product Model

There are a few ways to make your pet a model, but the first step is to find an agency.

Pet modelling agencies exist everywhere because there’s always a need for pet models in commercials, TV shows, and movies.

As their modelling career takes off, teach them tricks and skills to land them bigger jobs.

3. Viral Social Media Star

It’s almost impossible to plan a viral moment, but if you create an Instagram presence for your pet, it’s possible to achieve it.

Once your pet goes viral from a funny video or picture, it can guest star on other accounts and get sponsorships from major brands.

Start today by posting pictures and gaining followers to start your pet’s social media career.

4. Pest Control Specialist

If you live out in the countryside, it may be in your best interest to train your dog for pest control to help detect bugs inside and outside.

After they complete their training course, they’ll recognize issues like bedbugs and termites before they become a problem and cost you hundreds of dollars.

5. Drug Rehab Animal Partner

You may want to make a difference with those in recovery from drug addiction. Your pet can step in and help.

Dogs, cats, and other animals train as rehab partners all the time to reduce stress, anxiety, and other symptoms people often feel during recovery.

They rebuild a sense of trust that’s lost in addiction and get people on their feet after some of the hardest times.

6. Yard Debris Cart Driver

Big dogs helped cart things throughout history, so why not get help from your own? Using carts of gradual sizes, your dog will help cart around things like yard debris when you clean up your property after a big storm. The extra help makes all the difference, especially if you have a large yard.

After a major event like a hurricane, your dog can help out the town. One dog with an affinity for sticks helped clean up fallen branches after a hurricane swept through their town.

Every little bit of help makes a difference, especially if your dog is trained to pull a cart of debris.

7. Household Cleanup Crew

Your dog naturally runs to grab their favorite toy when it’s time to play and that same instinct can help with household cleanup.

Treats and lots of petting will teach them to grab loose toys around the home and deposit them where you want them stored.

More advanced canine experts can put pillows back on the couch or drag their dog bed back into place.

8. Hunting Retrieval Helper

People bred Golden Retrievers and Labs for retrieval, specifically for activities like hunting. If you enjoy hunting, your canine companion can join a training course so they help you find whatever hunt.

After they complete their class, they can even go on to compete in test levels and score big for different titles.

9. Nursing Home Visitor

If your dog is calm, patient, and full of love, they’re perfect for the role of nursing home visitor.

Check with the nursing homes in your area to see what their qualifications are.

They may need proof of vaccinations, a specific kind of harness, or even required training before your dog can enter the facility.

You can also check with a pet therapy program in your area to complete the training before reaching out to nursing homes. This gives you a better chance of getting accepted.

When your dog visits a nursing home, they’ll bring joy and comfort to individuals who may be sad and lonely. It’s an unpaid gig that may ultimately be the most rewarding.

10. Truffle Hunting Expert

You might be one of the many people who enjoy finding truffles in the wild. Dogs can help with that.

If they complete the right training, breeds like Beagles and English Springer Spaniels can sniff out truffles quickly before most people find them.

Pigs used to be the animal of choice for truffle hunting, but they loved to eat them as soon as they dug them up.

If you want to go all out for your truffle hunting expeditions, look into raising a Lagotto Romagnolo. It looks like a poodle, but it was bred specifically for its nose because it has a more powerful sense of smell. They’ll help you hunt truffles and never try to eat any, although they should get a treat now and then for a job well done.

11. Professional Lobster Diver

Is it hard to keep your dog out of the water? Your natural swimmer might be the perfect candidate to become a professional lobster diver.

As long as your dog loves to swim and is big enough to grip a lobster in its mouth, you can train them to catch lobster starting in your backyard.

Hold one of their favorite toys just under the water so they become comfortable dipping their face under to grab it.

As they get better, pull the toy down deeper so they learn to dive in the shallow end of a pool or lake. They’ll transition to live lobster in no time and earn an active role in your fishing expeditions.

12. Artist-In-Residence 

What would happen if you gave your pet a paintbrush? They might swipe it across a canvas a few times or step in paint and walk their little paws across the paper.

Pet art has a huge presence online, especially if your pet already has a social media following.

After you paint-proof your floor or room, let them have a go with some non-toxic paint to see what they make. Remember to keep an eye on them so they don’t eat the paint instead.

Try Out Different Roles

You wouldn’t want to do every job in the world and neither will your dog. It’s important to try out different roles with them to see what they enjoy the most. Take them on visits to nursing homes or put them in training classes. They’ll find something they love that you love too, whether or not it ends up making you extra money.