If you fancy yourself a lover of dogs and want to turn your fondness into a lucrative side hustle, then you’ve come to the right place. Starting a profitable dog-walking business is, without a doubt, one of the best ways to do it. Really, this is one small business idea that requires very little initial investment, and the ongoing overhead expenses associated with being a pro-dog walker are pretty small.
Just a word of caution, though: you don’t want to get into this line of work unless you have a genuine connection with animals. You can’t expect to thrive as a dog walker if you don’t at least have some experience with caring for and handling canines. While you might assume that dog walking is a walk in the park—pun intended—it does come with its own unique set of challenges.
Multi-tasking and knowing how to manage multiple dogs in public is critical. But if you’re up to these challenges, here’s how you can get started.
The Basics
If your aim is to start a successful dog-walking business, you should ideally live in a neighbourhood with a lot of dog owners. It also doesn’t hurt if that neighbourhood happens to be on the wealthier side.
Your clients should be within walking distance of your home. Although you could potentially drive, that wouldn’t be nearly as efficient unless you manage to build up a client base in one location. Your goal should be to walk multiple dogs at a time. It’s common for dog walkers to work with as many as four dogs at a time.
When you’re first getting started, however, it would be best to limit yourself to just two dogs per walk so you can get used to the process as you increase your client base.
Get Incorporated
Legally speaking, you don’t need any kind of licence or certification to be a dog walker. That being said, by getting incorporated as an LLC, you’ll be doing yourself a favor come tax season.
Additionally, you’ll be taking on substantially less risk as a small business owner. Don’t worry about getting a business license until after you’ve established yourself a bit and have a good feel for your operation. You can wait until you have a thriving dog-walking business before getting incorporated.
In fact, many people start doing this casually before creating a legitimate business. However, keep in mind that creating an official business will undoubtedly help you land more clients. While dog-walking certifications aren’t necessary, they can provide you with a level of legitimacy that gives clients confidence in hiring you.
Furthermore, an official website and social media pages can help spread the word and make you look like a dog-walking professional that dog owners would feel more comfortable entrusting their pets with.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short
Pricing is going to depend on a variety of factors—namely, how long you’ll be walking the dogs, how much other dog walkers charge in your area, and what type of additional services you offer, if any.
Generally speaking, for a 30-minute walk, you should charge at least $20, while an hour-long walk should be priced somewhere around $30. Yet again, this is where market research comes into play. If dog walkers in your area are charging substantially more or less than the figures mentioned, you’d be wise to adjust your rates accordingly.
Supplies and Expenses
Dog owners should already have most of the things you need to walk their pets. But even so, it’s not a bad idea to invest in a few extra leashes, collars, and doggy clean-up bags for emergencies. You may also want to invest in a variety of dog treats, which will surely come in handy throughout your dog-walking career.
If you get really serious about your dog-walking business, you may want to consider insurance. This comes in handy if any of your clients’ dogs end up getting injured under your watch. The most common kind of injury is an attack from another dog. While you should work hard to familiarise yourself with the needs and cues of your clients’ animals, accidents can happen.
And again, this is one more layer of professionalism that gives clients confidence in your services. Fortunately, dog-walking insurance is pretty affordable. It should only cost you somewhere between $200 and $300 a year for all the coverage you’ll need.
Marketing Yourself
Even though you could probably do quite well for yourself simply by printing up a few fliers and posting them around town at places like community boards, grocery stores, and telephone poles, your best bet is to advertise on social media platforms and digital marketplaces.
Create a dedicated social media page for your business that incorporates all the information your clients will want to know. Tell them about your experience, rates, and any other services you might offer, such as grooming or pet-sitting. Last but not least, don’t forget to provide all of your contact info.
The Bottom Line
Dog walking is an incredibly lucrative side hustle. It’s not for everyone, especially if you don’t like animals, but if you think you’ve got what it takes to handle several dogs at a time, then you should definitely give this business idea a try.
Many dedicated pro-dog walkers make up to $40,000 a year doing what they do. Even if you only do it part-time, you can easily make $500 to $1,000 a month while getting some good exercise in the process.
