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I had a dog walking business several years ago, but I had to stop doing it since I worked at another job full-time and dog walking required more time than I could give it. Starting such a business can be rather simple depending on what your plans are and why you are wanting to do it. If your plan is to make tons of money and you don't care for dogs much then don't bother. The owners can tell if you really care for dogs or not. Money can be made if you do it full-time and pay others to help as the business increases.

First and foremost you must love dogs and understand them. Realize they are not just customers making you money. The dogs are precious beings that deserve love and attention. Many owners will request you to take their pet on a walk during the day while they are at work and many times several times a day while they are on vacation. Therefore, be sure to handle the amount of responsibility that comes with it.

You will want to have insurance and be bonded. Pet owners feel more comfortable with someone that is bonded simply because if they pay you up-front then they know they will be able to get a refund from the bonding company if you happen to run off on them. Basically, it makes them feel reassured that you are a legitimate dog walker. Being insured will help you with any possible problems you may have regarding various things that could happen with the pets you are walking while they are in your care.

In order to begin getting customers you must advertise. The more you advertise the more chances of you getting phone calls from potential customers. You must be confident with your information and don't be shy about bragging about your credentials and/or knowledge. Dog owners will be more willing to hire someone who stands strong in confidence and knowledge than someone who shows hesitation and insecurity.

Always keep logs of customers. Have information regarding their pets will help you remember not only the pet's names but the owners as well. This will help you build a good relationship with your customers and it can lead to recommendations and more calls for dog walking. You will also want to write down how much you charge your customers. As your business grows you do not want to raise your prices as high as you may decide to charge your newer customers.

Keep records of payments and how your customers pay. As you begin to hire people to work for you it will be important to have records of how your customers choose to pay so there are less problems. Building a staff that is reliable, trustworthy, and caring may be hard to come by so you will also want to keep tabs on them by contacting the customers they have serviced.

Finally, keep in mind that you are going to the customer's house instead of them coming to you. Therefore, you will want to make sure you charge them enough money that will make it worth your while. Always spend enough time with the dog to make sure they don't end up making a mess in the home. And be avaiable as much as possible for your customers.

Having plenty of advertising, being bonded, keeping records, giving yourself enough time to spend with the dogs, and developing a strong staff will bring success to your dog walking business. You may also think about where you live and how popular dog walking is in your neighborhood. For instance, Los Angeles or New York City will be much easier to develop your dog walking busines as opposed to Houston or Phoenix. In smaller towns or cities you will simply have to spend more time and money on advertising.

Learn more about this author, Laura Hageman.
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