My life is dedicated to helping dogs while remaining compassionate to the wide variety of dog owners.
Note: This post has been expanded to an ebook on how to start a dog walking business. My ebook is guaranteed to be the best resource available for starting a dog walking business!
A step-by-step guide on how to start a dog running or dog walking business
I quit my job as a newspaper copy editor and page designer in August 2008 to start a dog running business.
I now have time to walk and train my mutt Ace as often as I want. My “jobs” consist of Fargo pet sitting, dog walking and dog running. From time to time I foster dogs. I also write and maintain this dog blog.
Quitting my job at The Forum newspaper was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Here are just a few reasons why I’m glad I quit my job to start a dog walking business:
1. I’m doing things I love.
2. I have more freedom.
3. I’m not wasting my life away at a desk.
4. I am never bored.
5. I hang out with dogs.
6. I take vacation whenever I want.
7. I don’t have to ask permission for anything.
8. I haven’t been sick in more than 17 months.
9. No one tells me what to do.
10. I’m not helping someone else get rich.
I could go on and on about why you should quit your job (you probably should), but I intended this post to be about how to start a pet-related business. Since my business is primarily dog walking and dog running, that’s the example I will use. I will use dog walking and dog running interchangeably throughout this post.
Anyone can start a dog walking company. There’s no secret on how to do it. I’m here to make it even easier.
How to start a dog walking business:
1. Don’t worry about money.
If money is your primary concern, then you shouldn’t start any kind of business.
If you do start a dog walking business, there will be people who will make comments like, “Is that really a good idea?” or even flat out, “How much money do you make?”
Unfortunately, others will judge your success based on your salary and not by your happiness. Don’t fall into their trap. Expect people to take their insecurities out on you, because they will. Most of them won’t even realize they are doing it.
When I quit my job, not all my friends and family members supported my choice. Most of them voiced no opinion at all, seemingly hoping I would forget about the idea and get a “real job.” I was lucky to have a very supportive boyfriend who was basically begging me to quit the job I hated. Thanks, Josh!
I would have been laid off by now had I stayed at The Forum newspaper. Instead, I got out of there on my own and now I’m doing something better. Think of it this way, what would you do if you were “laid off” today? Might as well get started on your dog walking business plan.
2. What should I charge for dog running?
I charge $25 to walk or run a dog for an hour in Fargo and $18 for a half-hour walk or run. Dog runners in other cities are able to charge as much as $50 for a half-hour. On the other hand, there are students in Fargo who charge $5 for a half-hour walk. I know my service is worth more than this.
If someone is not willing to pay me $18 to run her dog for a half-hour, then she doesn’t appreciate my value and is not worth my time. I am an experienced dog trainer and athlete and people are getting the best possible service in Fargo when they hire me as a dog runner. My clients know that. More information about what to charge for walking dogs is available in my dog walking ebook.
3. Start walking shelter dogs.
I began volunteering to walk dogs with 4 Luv of Dog Rescue in Fargo long before I started a dog walking business. This gave me extra experience walking and running the strongest, worst-behaved dogs you can imagine. I also had support from the rescue volunteers. Dog rescue and dog shelter workers and volunteers are the most hardworking, passionate people out there. I need them on my side.
4. Find one person who believes your dog walking service is valuable.
If one person thinks you’re the greatest, they will tell others. This will give you confidence, and at least you will be getting paid for something you love. Starting out small will give you a sense of whether or not this is something you truly want to do.
I found a couple people in my apartment complex who were in need of a dog walker. These neighbors of mine worked 12-hour shifts and were leaving their dogs home without a bathroom break. When they saw my fliers, they were thrilled I could walk their dogs for them. I didn’t even have to quit my job. Sometimes I walked these dogs on my days off. Sometimes it was before work. Sometimes it was on my break.
5. Believe you are an authority on dogs.
It takes more than an animal lover to be a dog runner. I have lived with sporting breeds my whole life, and I worked at a boarding kennel throughout high school and college. I took my golden retriever through formal obedience training and trained my out of control mutt into a decent pet. I consider myself an expert on dog behavior. That’s why I started this dog blog.
Now that I run dogs, people trust that I am knowledgeable about dogs’ needs. I don’t let the dogs run out in front. They are always at my side. I work on basic obedience and manners, but most of all I give the dogs a good mental and physical workout. I know how to control large dogs that pull, jump or want to attack other dogs. I’m comfortable running with two or three dogs, but I also know and admit my limits.
6. Advertise your dog walking business.
I did some advertising that worked and some that didn’t. The best advertising is word of mouth and getting support from local rescues and dog businesses and town. I hang fliers at the dog park and at a few businesses like our training club. I drop off brochures and business cards at certain veterinarians’ offices and grooming shops in town. These are mostly to catch a few new clients here and there. The best advertising is word of mouth.
Don’t waste your time on newspaper ads. They are overpriced, and people don’t read the paper. I bought a few one-inch by one-inch classified ads to run every day with a small photo for $140 a month. I got very little return from these ads. Instead, it’s worth it to set up some free Craigslist ads. My Craigslist ads are very simple and redirect people to my web site. I’ve had a lot of success through Craigslist without spending any money.
7. Create a dog walking web site.
You need a dog walking web site to be taken seriously as a dog walker. For a couple bucks and less than an hour, you can set up a WordPress blog template and turn it into a basic web site. There are plenty of computer nerds willing to help if you ask.
Put some photos and information about yourself on your site. Be honest and personal. Don’t hide behind words like “we” or “our company.” This won’t impress anyone. If you’re the only one involved in the business, then say so.
8. Don’t worry about taxes right away for your dog walking business.
The IRS is not going to kidnap your first born for not reporting the $100 you made during your first month of dog walking. Just chill out about taxes and wait until you have a substantial amount of money coming in. If you need help, find a professional in your area who can answer all your tax questions.
9. Get some pet sitting insurance once you have a few clients.
There are several companies out there that offer insurance for dog walkers and pet sitters. Don’t worry about insurance immediately, but do so once you have a handful of clients. Insurance is very affordable and runs around $200 per year. It’s worth having in case a pet causes bodily injury or property damage while under your care.
10. Create a liability form for your dog walking business.
I will not run someone’s dog until they have signed my liability form that states the owner is responsible for providing ID tags and vaccinations. The owner is also responsible for any damage the pet causes on or off his or her property. I also gain permission to take the animal to a vet if necessary. More information can be found on creating dog walking business forms in my ebook.
11. Create a good contact form.
All of my clients fill out a form that includes information about their dogs such as allergies, aggression issues, old injuries, medications and emergency contacts. See my post on dog walking business forms for more info.
12. Create a business card and logo for your dog walking business.
I hired a graphic and web designer to design my logo and dog walking business cards for a reasonable fee. Then I printed my cards at Kinkos. This was convenient, but you can also have cards printed with online companies for a quarter of the price. I designed and printed my own brochures, but I recommend paying a designer to do that as well.
13. Outlast your competition.
Most people who start a dog running business will give up within a month. The rest will give up after six months. It takes a lot of time and work to gain enough clients to feel and be successful. The job itself is hard work. Those who can maintain a successful dog running business are the people who give 100 percent and truly believe in what they are doing. Whoever works the hardest will gain the most clients and be successful.
14. Admit if you are athletic or not.
I never thought of myself as an athlete, but I am. I swam butterfly and freestyle sprints in high school. I played rugby for eight years. In college, I began running six days a week and later started running half marathons.
I am not a fast runner. My average pace is about a 10-minute mile. But what I can do is run forever. I am the toughest person I know. I run outside when it’s –20 degrees or colder. I run when it’s 90 degrees and humid. I run in the snow, the rain and the wind. I run when I’m in pain.
There’s nothing wrong with sticking to strictly dog walking, but it’s a lot better for your business if you can offer dog running. Can you run 10 miles without stopping? Can you handle 30 miles in a week? 50 miles? Have you been running for at least a few years?
15. Offer many services, and be creative. This is your dog walking business.
Be flexible and think about the variety of services you can offer and what you’d like to offer. You can always make changes later on.
I offer pet sitting where I visit pets in people’s homes. I allow dogs to stay in my home overnight or for dog daycare when it works with my schedule. In addition to dog walking and dog running, I simply let dogs out to go to the bathroom when their owners can’t make it home from work.
There is so much more I could say about a dog walking or pet sitting business. My best advice is don’t copy everything I’ve said or everything someone else did. Use your own ideas and creativity.
And don’t skimp on running shoes.
Good luck with starting your own dog walking business! Check out my dog walking book for more information! It’s the best resource on how to start a dog walking business.
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i am wondering how you wold make dog walking cards to give to your nabers to walk ther dogs?
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I had business cards designed by a professional designer and printed them at a Kinkos
wow. this post was so incredibly helpful. thank you, lindsay. i just got laid off a couple of months ago, i volunteer for a rescue org out here in LA and i’m thinking, i must do something with dogs. thinking a dog-walking/running biz is the way to go. (p.s. i swam in college, but i was no sprinter
Best of luck to you with your business!
Hey Lindsay,
I really enjoyed reading your blog. I teach kindergarten but have been thinking of starting to walk dogs on weekends and in the summer for now. I want to offer dog walking/rollerblading. I currently rollerblade with my own dog (big dog) and he loves it and I feel confident on the rollerblades. I am however stuck on what to charge between two different options.
30 min walk: 10.00 or 15.00
30 min rollerblades: 15.00 or 20.00
60 min walk: 15.00 or 20.00
60 min rollerblades: 20.00 or 25.00
And 5.00 for each additional dog in the same family.
Which do you think sounds best? At first I was thinking the lower prices, but now I am leaning more towards the higher of the 2. It’s just that I would like to make it affordable, but at the same time, worth my while, but not too expensive that people won’t call. Especially since I live in Phoenix and summers get VERY hot.
Oh and I have researched the area, there is not much competition, but what there is is charging at least 15 and 20.00 per visit.
Thoughts?
Thank you so much!
Definitely go for the higher end. You want it to be worth your time, and you want to find clients that appreciate what you are offering enough to pay the higher amount.
I like your out look i am trying to do this to
Awesome!
Lindsay,
Thank you for this. While I’m not starting a dog walking business my husband and I have started our very own farm. It’s an infant farm that one day we hope will support ourselves and members of our community. We’re like you, young professionals who really don’t want to spend the rest of our lives sitting at a desk doing something we don’t love. We’ve got a bit to go (with the drive to pay off the land before quitting our jobs) but I believe in us and he believes in us, which is really all that matters. Reading your words today was especially nice. I so enjoy when I see you’ve posted a new blog, I don’t know why it took me so long to read this page, but I’m glad I did.
Congratulations to you. And yes, we support you…all the way from Pacific Northwest
Thank YOU for writing your blog! You inspire me! I want to own my own farm/ranch some day. I don’t see myself making a living off the land, but it is the lifestyle I want. I hope to make a living through writing. My fiance went to high school in Washington and has family in Northern California and the middle of Washington, so we love visiting the Pacific Northwest!
im 14 and just started walking i started walking dogs for the rspca with my mum since i was six and now want to start a bisnes doing it and i just want to know what to put on my flyers
thankyou loved reading ur web page
Put your business name and contact info like phone number and email. Maybe a picture of yourself with a dog. Also some benefits to hiring a dog walker.
My dog Zeke is a three year old mix of pitt and something else. He is a smart dog and a very loving dog. He gets excited when i walk him at birds, squirrels, and gophers. He also gets aggressive with most that are unknown to him. While he has never been allowed to fight at all we arenʻt sure if he is dangerous but he seems to have the confidence and the hostility to maim or kill. He weighs about 80 lbs. And has the look of a pitt except his neck is longer and his snout is longer. He is black and white – we have both had a thought that he has some boarder collie in him but donʻt know because he is a rescue dog with no momma at 5 weeks. We love him and i just want to have him not disgrace his breed with several convictions and then a final third strike so to speak. PS He tries to listen when i am commanding him to “stay” but seems he cannot help it. But more often he behaves even if he has a hard time of it but then he smiles at me wagging for acknowledgement. Help?
Zeke is a three year old mix of pitt and something else. He is a smart dog and a very loving dog. He gets excited when i walk him at birds, squirrels, and gophers. He also gets aggressive with most that are unknown to him. While he has never been allowed to fight at all we arenʻt sure if he is dangerous but he seems to have the confidence and the hostility to maim or kill. He weighs about 80 lbs. And has the look of a pitt except his neck is longer and his snout is longer. He is black and white – we have both had a thought that he has some boarder collie in him but donʻt know because he is a rescue dog with no momma at 5 weeks. We love him and i just want to have him not disgrace his breed with several convictions and then a final third strike so to speak. PS He tries to listen when i am commanding him to “stay” but seems he cannot help it. But more often he behaves even if he has a hard time of it but then he smiles at me wagging for acknowledgement. Help?
So as i am not too use to this kind of e-com let me clarify that Zeke is only aggressive with other dogs that are strangers to him. And i believe pitts to be worthwhile dogs that just simply need real and proven dog training methods because when they act out well they are good at defending and attacking people or dogs and were originally bred for that. I do not believe these beautiful animals should be killed off. I love my dog Zeke very much and know now that i am and always was a dog person. I need to learn proper technique to not let the slathering beast within get to where he has tasted blood or he may turn all bad. Even if he would still love me. Love you for giving me confidence in doing what i like: one on one walking the dogs(i walk three dogs several times a day over strenuous terrain up hills ect. In this country small town in northern cali. Advice on training – or do i really just wallop him once hard and thatʻll do it (as many say so about pitts)?
Zeke 3rd & final – you need to know that when he doesnʻt back off as i am strongly urging in every way possible he seems to fight with everything he has to get at the dog he is furious at and doesnʻt even seem to feel pain (spiked choke collar full size doesnʻt matter when he is in this state- but does enable me to subdue his attack. He has on three occasions gotten other dogs his size or larger on the ground and seem to be going for thier belly with his teeth but was pulled back before he got his teeth into them. Now i donʻt take him to dogpark like we use to and i donʻt waste time allowing him around where another dog is. Yeah, itʻs that bad. hope itʻs not too late to really train him and make up for just having him be a family dog. He kust needs or needed a disaplined training program – but i want to do right by him. Thank you
Mark, your dog needs a consistent, calm and loving leader. I hope you will treat him right. I would suggest taking him to a group obedience class where he can learn to focus on you while walking along other dogs.
Hi Mark,
I am a dog walker in BC and have worked with a few aggressive dogs, including a Belgian Malinois who used to have a similar problem. (she now walks like a pro and ignores any aggressive or barking dogs etc along the way)
You have to learn to recognize your dogs behaviour BEFORE he goes into the attack mode. There are subtle clues that let you know your dog is going into aggression mode before he actually does. His ears will per up and stiffly point at what he is aiming his aggression at, he will stare with his eyes in a very focused way, and he may even close his mouth and tense his jaw, or lift his tail and stiffen his back. You want to snap him out of that behaviour before it escalates and he actually goes into attack mode. Rather than bracing yourself and holding the leash as he tries to drag you along in his attack, give a quick snap on the leash, you dont want to pull so hard that you take his head off but you do need to get his attention, and pull him off balance. If he doesn’t snap out of it you have to be a little tougher.
If he is numb to the leash you can back that up with a bump of your foot to his side or hindquarters, it doesn’t have to be hard, its just to redirect his attention and snap him out of attack mode. What you want to do is first give a firm tug on the leash, and if he does not instantly respond, then back it up with a bump with your foot (or hand) right away either on his hip, hindquarters, or side. Chances are if he’s never been tapped on his side he’s going to be distracted because he’s not used to it. Make sure you get him BEFORE he goes into attack mode though, as you don’t want him to turn his aggression back on you.
If it makes you feel more confident you can look at putting a muzzle on him while in training so you don’t have to worry about anyone getting a bite. The more confident you are the more your dog will respect you as a leader and listen to you on your walks.
As your walking you want to never let his shoulders pass infront of your hips. Having him behind you tells him that you are the leader and he will learn to trust and respect you and eventually learn that you will protect him and he does not need to get aggressive to protect his pack.
I strongly reccomend you find someone in the area to help you train your dog because the last thing you want is for him to actually harm someone elses dog, or worse! A human or a child could be harmed in the process, which would end in either a law suit, or your dog being put down.
Try to stay calm and controlled. Patience and repetition is key! and if you get lost along the way read a few of Caesars books, he really understands dogs and is a huge help.
I hope this helps!!
-Renata
Hi Lindsay,
I used to be so scared of dogs since I was small. 10 years ago, I lived with my friend who had 2 collie dogs called Benny and Glinny which made me feel more comfortable with dogs because they were nice dogs and I was confident that I would not be attacked by them.
Later on Benny was put down and a few years later we had Molly as a puppy to join Glinny. Molly was adorable and I had connection with her whilst Glinny was very gentle and subdue ( Glinny died 2 years ago ). At the moment Molly is a teenager, I have not been around her for about 5 years now but every time I meet her, she would greet me with excitement ( I am not sure if she could remember me after 5 years not seeing her ).
I am now very interested in starting up this business but I am not sure if other dogs will be as nice as Benny, Glinny and Molly.
However, I would really love to give it a try.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Kind Regards,
Angela
Most dogs are friendly but also hard to handle on the leash and very excited. You may want to try walking some of your friends dogs or a variety of shelter dogs to see if it’s something you enjoy.
Hey,
I just started a dog walking business. I’m only 14 and I’m worried I might not get clients. I am an athlete, a runner a matter of fact, and I am in love with dogs. I started this because I wanted to raise awareness that you don’t have to love dogs to respect that they’re lovely. I also wanted this for my dogs, so they could socialize and bond with others. But, I’m really not sure if people would want to hire me. Should I keep trying?
You won’t know until you give it a shot! It took me a few months to get a few regular customers. Word of mouth works wonders but it does take some time.
i am 11 years old and i want to start walking dogs .i want to start with my neighbors two godg baby and lulu.
Best of luck to you!
To morrow my mom is taking to to a pet grooming stoe so I can walk their dogs I will have so much fun I hopE it’s funny because I have a pet cat. But he does not want to step foot Out the house thank you Lindsay for your support
Let me know how it goes!
Hi I’m eleven almost twelve I want to start a dog walking buisness but scared people wont take me seriously I have a boxer who I paralyzed and walk him in a wheel chair but some people don’t know that and I own a golden retriever who I have never let him in danger or let him loose do u think I could. Manage a buisness I saved up some money for extras so what would I need to buy please answer back
All you can do is give it a shot. I would make some fliers or business cards to hand out or hang in local dog-related businesses like grooming shops or vets offices.
Hello(:
your Website has really helped me out.. I am 14 years of age and i am just about too start dog walking.
but could you give me a little more of a helping hand please..i was wondering if i have 2 dogs out at the same time and they decide too fight. what should i do, and do you think this is okay for a small village flyer;
Large dog/per hour-£10
medium dog/per hour-£7
small dog/per hour-£5
Would you say that is good for my first couple of weeks i have so many questions for you:) But that’ll do for now, please reply Thankyou(:?
I would do the same price for all dogs, regardless of size. Larger dogs are not necessarily more work. Just charge your highest price for all sizes. That sounds like a reasonable price to start at.
Number 8 and Number 9 really made me feel better. I’ve been working with dogs for 4 years in the boarding/ daycare aspect. Lately, the stress of working with only young dog lovers and, not very knowledgeable ones (knowing how to deal with basic obedience and even moderate behavioral issues) has taken its toll. Working for someone else puts a strain on my flexibility and makes it hard to pursue private dog training consults (I intern for a well know dog trainer in my area) Not to mention I miss the pride and challenges I gained, in handling under-socialized guests with great success; something I greatly miss in my current cage free kennel job.
Deciding to take the leap and branch out on my own, the only thing I was concerned about was start up money, taxes, and insurance. Seeing someone else with experience saying, don’t worry about it right away, is putting me at ease. It makes it easier to focus on building the clientele. Thank You!
For those who do read the comments… Definitely follow the liability form, and even a basic behaviors form, its a step you definitely wouldn’t want to skip. I have a client whose dog is perfect, but I found out the hard way (several months in) that he really wasn’t all that perfect. He almost got hit by car chasing a motorcycle (which apparently turns him into Cujo for some reason) Had I had the client fill out a dog behavior from, I would of known from the get go. Dog is totally fine, by the way, he didn’t get hit, just almost.
I agree, getting pet sitting insurance is important, as is having a liability form for each customer to sign.
Hi Lindsay,
Thank you so much for this article! I have always had a love of animals for as long as I can remember! I’ve been thinking about starting my own pet sitting/dog walking business and eventually dog training but I have received much encouragement. People have been saying that its not a good idea in this economy. Someone else said be prepared to never take a vacation and work 7 days a week 365 days a year. Thank you for being positive and giving me hope that I can actually acheive my dream!
No problem! Good luck! I take about three weeks off per year and definitely do not work every weekend. You can pick your own schedule, and people are always looking for quality pet care in “this economy.”
I’m so glad I came across this! I’ve been on the search for a new job for quite some time now and have never been able to figure out where my passion lies as far as a career is concerned. But after reading this I can’t believe it never occured to me to combine 2 things that I love- exercise and dogs! My question to u tho, is where do I get the liability forms and behavioral questionaires and such? Are those something I can find and print online somewhere or do I need to hire a lawyer or something to right them up for me?
I made my forms myself, and I offer them for sale on my site. You could certainly hire a lawyer to help you, although it is not necessary. Definitely get some pet sitting insurance, too.
Hi Lindsay,
I love reading your blog! I got laid off almost a year ago. The market right now still tought. I recenlty moved to California I live in apartment building I notice almost everyone owned a dog must of the people are business people. So, after reading your article I might start my on dog walking business. I have being doing some research on pricing, and services around this area. I even spoke to the building Manager about leaving my business cards on the front desk or the mail room and they told me it was fine. So, please wish me luck in my new adventure. You are 100% correct at the biginning is hard, but like any other business is always like that.
p.s.
Even our building have a dog park.
By the way we owned a dog a bassat Hound.
Best of luck to you with your new business!
Hi Lindsay,
Thanks for this terrific blog! My daughter is 13 and very responsible. She wants to start a dog walking business this summer and our condo complex is full of dog owners who work long hours. I am very supportive about this but I’m nervous about her having to have keys to her customers’ homes. Is there any way around this? What advice can you offer? If she does take their key, I’m nervous that if anything is misplaced by the homeowner, their thoughts might go to her.
I don’t see any way around it unless the customers are at home when your daughter walks the dogs. They could also give her a garage key code or something like that. Or leave a key in the mailbox, which opens up the same set of issues.
Hello:
I have been researching this business and have a couple questions:
Do you think this industry is already saturated?
What business forms do you include in your kit?
What if I purchase the book first and then decide I’d like the one-on-one help?
It’s definitely not saturated.
The kit includes a liability form and info with contact questions for customers to fill out.
If you want the one-on-one help later, you can purchase that and I will refund you the cost of the ebook.
Thanks for your interest, and best of luck to you if you decide to start your own business!
Lindsey,
I currently have a full time job and no significant other to support me while I start my own dog walking business. I want to start it and hire walkers until I get to the point where I am making enough to quit my job.
What are your thoughts on starting the business while working full time?
Thanks,
Debbie
The hardest part is most people will want their dogs walked during normal business hours, which is probably when you are working. It can definitely be done, just takes dedication on your part.
Lindsey,
I don’t plan on walking the dogs myself. I am going to hire walkers. I have a full time job and want to do this on the side.
I use to walk dogs in college so I’ve done it before.
I wanted to see what you thought about juggling this business with a full time job.
Thanks,
Debbie
If you are prepared to have two full-time jobs then it should work just fine. It will take a lot of time to advertise, market, manage employees, maintain your web site, bill customers and so on. You can certainly do it, but not if you are thinking it will be an easy side job. It will be a full-time job, even if you are not doing the actual walking.
Hi Linday:
I am considering your Dog Walking Business Starter kit, so I have been composing questions for you. I have a list that I’d like to address before I get my business started and I know it won’t take more than 20-30 minutes tops. And then I know once I’ve started I’m going to have a whole host of questions to ask you–and I know you said I could email at any time after the initial contact. But in the interest of time, my question is, can we split the initial consultation into two 30 minute increments? I would want to schedule the first consult right away, and the second probably for a month or so down the road. Would you consider this?
Actually, that is what most people do. That works for me! I’m pretty flexible. It makes sense that you would have questions right away and then more a bit later on as you get your business going.
Do you think that I can walk dogs when I’ m almost 12?
Sure. Why not?
Do I need to have at least 18 years and have a permit for people to hire me?
No. Some people will want you to be able to drive, but some won’t care.
O,ok Thank You.
I am a 15 year old girl and was looking on how to start a dog- walking business just for the summer to make some extra money on the side. Is it really necessary to pay taxes, and make liability forms and if it is how do you? I am planning to charge like $20 for an hour and $10 for half an hour per dog. Is that a good price? I just would like some general advice.
All of those questions are answered in my ebook. I would direct your tax questions to an accountant in your area.
I am 12 and am trying to start a business of dog walking. Many of the people in my village are elderly and still have dogs. Do you think I have a good chance of starting a successful business? I made a website including all information but have not yet put it on the internet. I used to have a dog all my life until last year so i have a lot of experience. (Included on website) I have not yet made business cards or flyer’s but for my website I used a software on my laptop called Serif WebPlus and I made it completely free.
The reason I am trying to start this business is that no one in my family works for money so we are scraping all the money we can. My mum said that if I get enough money, I can buy a dog of my own. I adore dogs and even when I am at a friend/family’s house and if they have a dog, I spend more time with the dog than them. It’s the best decision for a job because if you love taking care of dogs, you are doing what you love, and earning money for it!
I have a question though… When you started as a small business, how much money did you make a week? Thanks and it was lovely reading your blog.
I did not make a lot of money at first, but now that I have plenty of established customers I am making plenty. I wish you the best if you do decide to start your own business. You will start small, but if you offer a good service your business will grow.
Thanks for the info you shared. I’m seriously considering starting a dog walking business (no running for this gal!), and you gave me much to think about. And you make me think that I can actually do this.
Will probably purchase your ebook to give me even more info, and the contracts which I know are so important in any service business.
Again, thanks for sharing your business insight with us. I find it very helpful!
No problem!
For years I have considered doing this, and opportunity has presented itself to me. The time is perfect, but I have one question before I purchase your Ebook. How do you take vacation or if you get sick a day off? Dogs are depending on you to be there. I am the type of person who will drag herself out of bed with a 102. fever on a below zero day if a dog is depending on me to go to the bathroom. I do not want to have to do that, but what else can I do? Thanks so much for your advice
If I am sick, I simply call and cancel my regular dog walking appointments. People understand. If I am sick and I have pet sitting visits that day, I will still go to those since the owners are out of town.
I purchased your ebook last night and I am very disappointed. Not at all worth $17. Perhaps $5, but not $17.
I think for a person who is very young or who might have zero business experience then there may be some minor value, but your ebook offers nothing helpful for a person who is looking for the type of usable business information that one pays for.
I found most of the info it did contain unhelpful and that which sounded like it could have some value–such as business forms–was NOT included, one has to purchase your ‘kit’ to obtain that.
I’m sorry I took a chance on your sales puffing and that you do not offer a money back guarantee.
While I am quite confident that you will delete my comments and not share them with your potential customers, I felt compelled to make them anyway.
What information would you have liked to see in the ebook?
Hi I’m only 13 but I need a summer job but love dogs and am home all day I would like to start walking dogs but only in my apartment complex my parents doubt my ability to be stern because I melt in any cute situation and my ability to save money for flyers and treats if you could give me some pointers it would be great thanks.
Andrew C
Just introduce yourself to each dog owners and say you are offering dog walking/pet sitting. You can print out fliers at home with your name and phone number and hand them out. Shouldn’t cost you anything. If you don’t have a printer, you could go to the library and print pages for about 10 cents per page.
Hi Lindsay,
I just moved into a new neighborhood, and I really love dogs! This past week I lost my dog to cancer. My mom said she isn’t ready for a new dog. So, she gave me the idea of of starting a dog walking business! I’m 13 and I really don’t know how to start! Is it really technical with the taxes and things like that? Or is it simple? But this helped a lot! Thank you for using your time to write this! If you don’t mind could you help me a little? Thanks!
I would not worry about taxes or anything like that for now, not until you’ve made at least $600. But if your parents are concerned about taxes, this would be a simple question for an accountant. I would just print out some fliers and introduce yourself to various dog owners. Hang your fliers in the areas where dog owners visit in your neighborhood. Offer to check on dogs when people are out of town, too.
Okay! Thank you so much!
I really love animals, but my new puppy Buster is a monster and gets on my nerves a lot. I need some tips. He bits and scratches and pees in the house, and he is almost 6 months! We have pee pads for him but he never uses them. Help!
You could start with the tips in this post: http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/01/09/how-to-train-a-puppy/
I would consider obedience classes.
Thanks so much for the information you provided. I got the idea of starting up a dog walking business and later possibly expanding into pet sitting . I do work a full-time job Monday- Friday; I figure that I could walk the dogs after getting off at 4:30 pm and on the weekends to start out. There appears not to be too many of these type of businesses in the Memphis area so hopefully all will go well. Some of the suggestions you made I had already began working on as far as advertisement but it felt good to read your information and know that I am on the right track!
Question…..did you find much support from local businesses such as pet stores,
vets, etc. in allowing you to post fliers in their buildings?
Did you
Some were supportive, some were not.
Hi Lindsay! Ideally I’d like to quit my job and start a doggie daycare, however that will be much more expensive then starting a dog walking service. My question is how did you pay your bills the first few months? Did you live with your boyfriend at the time you quit and he made enough to cover you guys for a few months until you got going? Or did you save up a few months rent and utilities before quitting so while making next to nothing you could still pay?
-Elizabeth
I little of both. I lived with my boyfriend at the time. He had quit his job about six months earlier and I had helped him cover his bills. So he helped me when I quit my job, too. However, I did have a few month’s savings in the bank that got me through OK. My cost of living at the time was also pretty low. No car payment. Cheap rent, etc.
hi i am only eleven is that a good age to start
Sure, why not?
ok, I need to do this. I’m not a good runner, but I love biking, and I know from “the Dog Whisperer” that there’s a special attachment that you can buy for your bike that keeps dogs strictly at your side at a safe distance from the wheels. mostly for medium to large dogs of course, but I there’s a park nearby where I live as well and I could easily walk smaller dogs around the running track there for a while too. this would solve all my issues with no one hiring me for a second job. almost a year now I’ve been practically begging people to hire me as a second job, as my first one only gives 12 hours a week, with early morning hours. I’ve got the rest of the day with nothing to do, so this, this is perfect. I can get in shape and have fun with dogs and have a little extra money coming in. I should be buying the book soon!
I hope you start your own business! Best of luck to you!
Hi Lindsay
I am 14 and I am thinking about starting a dog walking buisness so I can get a bit of pocket money. I love all animals especially dogs and they seem to love me as well. What do you think I should do to get started and how much do you think I should charge?
I think your blog is great by the way and I think that is a really good idea for dogs and us as their carers to bond.
Print out fliers and hand them out to dog owners in your neighborhood or hang them at local businesses within walking distance from where you live. I would also offer pet sitting for when people head out of town for the weekends.
Ok thanks for the advice Lindsay.
What certifications, if any, did you obtain when you first started your own dog walking services? I have seen Pet CPR/ 1st AID, National Association of Pet Sitters, and several other things. I know one should want to “brand” oneself to the best of one’s ability. However if one is on a budget, what other necessities do you think is necessary outside of fliers and business cards? I want to have as much good and pertinent information on the fliers as possible but not go overboard.
I recommend carrying pet sitting insurance. That’s all you need.
I have a couple of questions, though “I address this in my book” is a perfectly fine answer. 1. What do you do if it rains unexpectedly on a walk, and now you have to return a wet (possibly muddy) dog to a spotless home? and 2. As you gain more experience and credentials, your service is more valuable than before, but you’d probably lose old clients if you raise the prices. Are your prices set in stone from the beginning?
I address these further in my book
I walk in all weather – rain, snow, ice, heat, cold. I cancel if it is lightning at the time of the walk, though.
I raise my rates every 18 months or so. No big deal.
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