Keeping the books in a pet sitting business: what to record and when

What to take away

A pet sitting business runs on small transactions: a 30-minute walk, a weekend overnight, a holiday drop-in. Each one leaves a record if you write it down that day. Miss a week and you are rebuilding from memory.

This guide lists the seven records a pet sitting or dog walking business should keep, what goes in each, and when to write it. It is general business information, not tax or legal advice. For US federal rules, check IRS guidance. For Canadian rules, see the Canada section below. Talk to an accountant.

The seven records worth keeping

Visit log. One line per visit: date, client, and pet. Add arrival time, departure time, services performed, and the walker or sitter. Write it before you leave the driveway, not at the end of the week. A filled line reads: 2026-03-14, R. Alvarez, Biscuit, 08:05 to 08:35, 30-minute walk, walker J. Lee.

Apps built for the trade, such as Time To Pet and PetPocketbook, stamp a check-in time, so a client asking why a walk ran short gets an answer from the record.

Client file. Owner name, address, phone, and emergency contact. Vet name and number, plus vaccination dates. Feeding instructions and medication schedule. Also the signed service agreement. Update it when the pet's needs change, not at renewal.

Payment record. Every invoice, deposit, e-transfer, and card payment, matched to the visit it covers. Note the payment method and the date it cleared. Wave, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks all track payments.

Expense record. Receipts for leashes, waste bags, treats, and crates. Keep receipts for cleaning supplies and equipment bought for the business. Keep the receipt even when the amount feels trivial. Expensify's free plan includes 25 receipt scans a month, and Wave and QuickBooks both attach a photographed receipt to the entry.

Mileage log. Date, start point, end point, and distance driven between clients. A trip between two clients is a business expense. The drive to your first visit from home usually is not, and your accountant can confirm the rule for your situation. A filled line reads: 2026-03-14, 123 Oak St to 45 Pine Rd, 3.2 miles, between client visits.

MileIQ and Everlance track drives automatically. The IRS standard business mileage rate was 70 cents a mile for 2025.

Payroll file. For every sitter or walker you pay: hours worked, rate, amount paid, and the date. Keep it separate from the visit log so you can check one against the other. Holiday weeks can push hours past what you budgeted.

Insurance and permit file. Your care, custody and control policy, your general liability policy, and any municipal permit. In the United States, permit rules vary by city and county, so check with your local clerk or small business office. Renewal dates belong on a calendar, not in a drawer. Coverage for a one or two person operation typically runs a few hundred dollars a year per policy.

When to write each one

In Canada, the CRA default is six years from the end of the last tax year to which the records relate, with exceptions for disputes and property not disposed of.

The IRS records guide publishes a plain-language guide on what records a small business should keep, which is a useful cross-check if you also file in the United States. It lays out the general three-year rule and the longer period for employment tax records.

Canadian rules differ. See the Canada section below for GST/HST registration, CRA retention, PIPEDA, and Toronto permits.

Where the money goes, side by side

Figures are typical ranges as of 2026, not quotes. Ask the vendor or your accountant for current pricing.

Keeping client data straight

Client files hold addresses, alarm codes, and vet records. No single US federal law covers this data for a small pet sitting business, but state laws and your own promises apply. Store files in one system you can export, not across three apps and a notebook. Back up that system somewhere other than the device you carry.

Test the export before you need it. If you cannot pull a full client list and visit history into a spreadsheet, you do not control your own records. The pet sitting software and KPI guide covers what to look for in a scheduling and invoicing tool, including export formats and reporting.

For the security side, the CISA small business guidance covers password hygiene, backups, and phishing. The NIST Small Business Quick-Start Guides walk through a basic risk assessment in plain steps.

Reconciling once a month

Pick one day a month. Open the bank statement and match every deposit to a payment record and every withdrawal to an expense or payroll entry. Anything unmatched gets a note and a follow-up. Wave and QuickBooks both import bank transactions, which cuts the matching time.

The visit log is your check on revenue. If the log shows 240 visits in March and the payments cover 210, you have 30 visits to trace. That gap is easier to find in April than in December.

Canada: GST/HST, CRA, and Toronto permits

The CRA sets Canadian tax rules. The GST/HST small supplier threshold is generally $30,000 in taxable supplies over four consecutive calendar quarters. The tax rate varies by province, and the threshold changes over time. Confirm the current figure on the CRA's GST/HST registration page or with your accountant before you register.

For Canadian tax records, the CRA default retention period is six years from the end of the last tax year to which the records relate. Keep records longer if they support a dispute, an insurance claim, or property that has not been disposed of.

Under PIPEDA, you are responsible for protecting client information and for telling clients how you use it.

In Toronto, dog walkers need a permit under Municipal Code Chapter 349.

The CRA publishes its own per-kilometre rate each year for vehicle expenses.

Common questions

How long should I keep client records?

The IRS generally requires records supporting a return to be kept for three years from the filing date. Employment tax records run four years. Keep client files longer if a dispute or insurance claim is open. For Canadian rules, see the Canada section above.

Do I need to charge GST or HST?

In Canada, the GST/HST small supplier threshold is generally $30,000 in taxable supplies over four consecutive calendar quarters, and the tax rate varies by province. The CRA publishes the current figure and the formula on its GST/HST registration page. Once you approach it, register rather than waiting for a letter. Your accountant can confirm the timing.

What if a walker forgets to log a visit?

Log it the same day from the app's check-in timestamp or the client's message. A late entry with a note beats a blank line. If it becomes a pattern, the visit log is the record that shows it.

Which tools keep these records?

Wave, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks handle bookkeeping and payments. Time To Pet and PetPocketbook handle scheduling, visit timestamps, and invoicing. MileIQ and Everlance track mileage. The cost table above lists typical prices.

Can I keep everything in a notebook?

You can, but you will spend hours transcribing it at year end. A spreadsheet or scheduling app with an export function costs less than the time.