how do i start a dog walking business?

Question

how do i start a dog walking business?

Answer 1

You definitely need insurance and hands on experience in walking difficult dogs (volunteer at a shelter); you also need to know what to do if an aggressive dog that is off leash tries to attack your client's animal (check into some animal behaviorist - not obedience - classes).



There are a lot of other things you should do as well - I'd contact the Small Business Association in your area and get some advice.

Answer 2

You are effectively starting your own business so yes you will need insurance and agreements for owners to sign.



Im not 100% sure on the cost of insurance for this type of business, you would in all honesty need to seek professional advice not just listen to us lot on here.



Starting the business up isn't that hard, you need to create an eye catching fl-yer, poster and or business cards and basically promote your business - you could post flyer's through doors - do not what ever you do just hand them out on the street, if you do and people throw them on the floor it will be you that gets in trouble for littering.



Good luck and i wish you every success



xx

Answer 3

There's no way you can train a puppy in a couple of days. Sorry. Training any puppy takes a few weeks at least. That's just for basic potty and chewing training - obedience training like "sit", "stay", "heel" etc will take even longer. Read here https://tr.im/nuwH0



Do not rush your puppy when it comes to training. He won't learn effectively and at the end of the day you'll just have a puppy that's highly confused and will only do what he's supposed to half the time.



Besides, after he's trained, you'll still need to spend time walking him, feeding him, cleaning up after him, grooming him and bringing him for his regular shots at the vet.



If you have a hectic job schedule, it's best to maybe return the puppy politely. Dogs need a lot of attention at a young age, and shouldn't be left alone in the house for long periods of time - not only because they will chew up your things, but also because it can be quite psychologically damaging to a puppy.



This is why people shouldn't be giving away pets as presents.

Answer 4

There is no "certification" for dog walkers. Check with your local government as to what you need to run a business legally. There are non-profit organizations that will help small business owners for a nominal fee. The main things you should know are... 1. How to catch a dog if it gets loose. Leashes can break and collars can pop off! 2. How to treat a dog for injuries or illness in an emergency. Where is the nearest vet or emergency clinic and how will you get there? 2A. Know the breeds that you are walking - pugs and bulldogs can have severe respiratory problems on a hot day. 3. Can you get bonded or insurance to protect yourself if one of your client's dogs is lost, injured or killed while in your care? What if a dog you are walking bites someone? 4. Be careful about taking keys to your clients' property to walk the dog when they're not home - if something goes missing, you'll probably get the blame. Being sued is an expensive nightmare - even if you win. Make sure that if you charge and collect sales tax you turn it in to the government - it's a major felony if you don't and they take it a lot more seriously than failing to report some of your income. You may not make as much working for someone else, but your boss will have most of the headaches!

Answer 5

I was going to but decided not to but first u need to make signs, post them,and hand out business cards to houses. U don't need an insurance. Also make a sight on the internet with ur name address and phone number

Answer 6

Put posters up around where you stay and around town and it will advertise yourself x

Answer 7

Go around a park asking people if they need a dog walker. If they do give them a card with your phone number on it.



These may help:

http://www.dogwalkingnow.co.uk/

http://dogwalkingjobs.co.uk/

Answer 8

You should probably check out www.petsit.com or www.petsitters.org many pet sitters also offer dog walking as one of their services. To start you might offer to walk a neighbor or friends dog for free so they can be a reference for you. Then the easy thing to do to get start is to make flyers or even have doorknob hangers made and go and put them on peoples doors. You will need a phone line for business many recommend getting a second land line but you could use a cell phone until you felt your business was big enough.



You will need Liability Insurance and Dishonesty Bond. The DB basically protects you if you have an employee that robs a client’s home. Who ever does your DB will reimburse your client and DB will then go after the thief to recoup the money. With out a DB and this happened you’d have to pay it out your own pocket. There are some other insurances that you can get and its recommend when your business grows more such as Life and Disability , Workers Compensation (if you hire people). The prices varies if you become a member of PSI or NAPS they have good deals for people who are members in regards to getting insurance.



http://www.petsitterinsurance.com/psi/bond.asp



You will make more money if you eventually have employees but to start out unless you have a friend who wants to do this too you don’t really need to worry about hiring anyone. Even then you have two options you can hire someone as an employee or Independent Contract the books I mentioned below will give you more insight into each one and you can decided which is best for you.



I read in the paper a lady who brings in 100 grand a year walking dogs and she was not from NYC or one of the places you’d think dog walking would bring in a lot. It did not say how many people worked for her but I doubt she was bringing in that much a year with only herself walking dogs and I think she’d start her biz in 1999 so 10 years. Dog walking or any service of pet care can be very lucrative profit even more now that people are starting to realize how important it is for dogs to be walked daily. It takes time to get there and really just depends on how many clients one has, and even how many employees they eventually have working for them. Again hiring employees or IC’s where the business gets a cut (i.e. 5 to 10%) of their money you will make more then just by yourself. There are places where you likely to see results faster.





You will need to decided on prices most people probably charge by how long the walk is i.e. 15 to 25 minutes - 30 to 40 minutes - 45 to 60 min etc



You would also have a contract drawn up for your clients. If you regularly walk someone’s dog (i.e. every MWF you walk the Jones Black Lab Max) then you will likely be provide with a key to their home so you will want to make sure you have it store in a safe place and that only you can identify. Never except a client who hides their key i.e. under a rock this is very dangerous you don’t want to be responsible for someone seeing your fetch the key or put it back.



Before you take on a client you will want to meet them and their dog(s) to see if you’re comfortable with the dog. You will want to ask the owners how the dog does on walks do they walk calmly, do they pull a lot etc. You might even ask the owner if they would come with you while you take a test walk around the block. Remember you don’t have to take on every potential client if you feel uncomfortable with that dog or even the owner then you just don’t take them on. Only walk as many dogs as you feel you can handle.





To walk dogs at your local shelter would give good experience since there are all kinds of dogs that you would walk from easy to difficult. You can also see some of the issues some dogs might have. Its also good if you have not already to start walking daily yourself.



Some books you might consider reading are Pet Sitting for a Profit and How to start a home-based pet care business ,2nd



Yes you will have to pay tax if you plan on this being your only income and it would be a business. You might also check out - Small Time Business Operator, 10th Edition: How to Start Your Own Business, Keep Your Books, Pay Your Taxes & Stay Out of Trouble (Small Time Operator). You can even have anything you purchase in regards to your business deducted as a business expense.



It might be wise to get some part time job either during the evenings or night to supplement your income until your biz gets off the ground more.

Answer 9

Its important not to rush into this.



First make sure you can walk comfortably yourself, without a dog.



When you feel you are ok walking, try talking a walk with a lead in your hand. Try to imagine what it would be like with a dog attached to it?



After 2 or 3 years of doing this, ask yourself: "Do i like dogs?" If the answer is "Not as much as Dolphins" you're ready for the real thing.



Then, just walk around the park and the dogs should come to you.

Answer 10

Dogs are "in" these days. The pet industry is huge and only getting bigger and more lucrative. Dog walking is one aspect of this growing business. Here is how to get a start.



Step 1-Gather references for the dog walking service. You should have prior experience taking care of dogs before emBARKing on this venture. Ask the owners of the dogs you have taken care of for written recommendations and ask them if it is acceptable to them for you to provide their contact information to prospective clients.



Step 2-Get a billing system up and running. In the beginning you may think your billing method does not have to be structured or sophisticated, but you watch, business will build up and you will need to stay on top of clients and their payments. Excel and Quicken are two good programs to utilize. Quicken will help you (Quick Books) with taxes, workers comp, and other issues that may arise as your company grows.



Step 3-Seek legal advice. Many dog walkers perform their services under the table. While this is very lucrative and provides less of a paperwork hassle, it can be a bad choice. Walking dogs carries liabilities. You are responsible for the safety of an owner's dog-you want to make sure your company, and not you, personally, are liable in the event of an accident. If you employ other walkers you must have worker's comp. Ask your lawyer about the best way to go about setting up the business as legitimate.



Step 4-Get the right equipment. Dog owners will generally supply leashes and harnesses for their own pet, but you never know what will happen along the way. Always have extra leashes, harnesses, collars. Always have water and treats on hand for your dogs.



Step 5-Learn the streets. If you do not already know your territory, study a map of the streets on which you will be walking. You should not be distracted while you are walking the dogs-looking at a map can mean a misstep for you and/or Fido.



Step 6-Advertising is good, but word of mouth is the best. The pet community is very tight. Provide satisfied clients with your business card. Offer referral incentives to current clients (free dog walks, etc) to generate even more business.



Step 7-Dress appropriately. Dress in layers so that you can be prepared for any change in temperature or weather pattern.



Step 8-Lastly, hire help. The only real way to make money in any industry is to have people working FOR you. Hire reliable and honest workers who have experience with dog walking. Remember, you are only as good as your weakest employee. Be VERY discriminate when hiring. You are entrusting the lives of loved pets with these people.

Answer 11

Pocket money yes.

Living ?

You've going to be walking a very very great number of dogs just to break even.

Answer 12

i don't think you will make enough money to even bother starting the business up, much less getting insurance

Answer 13

send a letter to the council and promote urself if they say yes

Answer 14

for a living?



you better move to Manhattan

Answer 15

no