Are you considering a career in dog walking? It’s an excellent way to spend your days, and we’re here to help you succeed!
Dog walkers help to look after dogs by providing care and regular exercise. Many dog owners use a dog walker at work or cannot do it themselves due to other obligations. If you’re considering becoming a dog walker, you probably have many questions, particularly about how to get clients and continue to get clients, and you might be surprised to learn that it’s not as complicated as you may think.
In this article, we discuss what a dog walker does and how to build a successful business as a dog walker, including how to reach new clients, any additional responsibilities of a dog walker and anything else you need to know to get going as a dog walker.
It’s All Savvy
We would also like to introduce ourselves at It’s All Savvy because we provide intelligent appointment scheduling and business management software for individuals and businesses. Lucky for you, we now have Savvy Pet Walkers, an easy-to-use appointment and management system designed especially for dog walkers.
What does a dog walker do?
Of course, the main expectation is to walk dogs, but is there anything else to be aware of? Well, most owners don’t want to pay someone to take their dog out for a quick 10-15 minute bathroom break; they want someone to walk their dog so when they’re at work properly, they know their precious pup is getting some good quality exercise and lots of fresh air.
Deciding how long to walk a dog
As a self-employed dog walker, it will be between you and your clients how long or how far you walk the dog, and it will depend on the breed of dog too. Most dogs need around 20-30 minutes of daily exercise, and smaller dogs may not need as much exercise as larger dogs. Many dog owners charge by time rather than distance; for example, you could offer your clients 20, 30, 40 or an hour walking time and charge a set price.
Other responsibilities
In addition to walking the dog, you will be responsible for the dog’s care and well-being when looking after them. Depending on the agreement with the owner, it could mean going to their house to ensure the dog has food and water before or after taking them for a walk and reporting back to the owner on their dog’s well-being. It’s a lovely, personal touch to send pictures to the owner for their peace of mind, and so they know you are doing a great job at looking after their beloved pet.
Expanding your dog walking business
If you want to expand your dog walking business, you can take other avenues. Consider dog boarding or pet sitting so you can look after the owner’s dogs while they’re away from home. Dog boarding entails a pet carer taking the pet from their home and looking after them in their own home or suitable facility. A pet sitter is usually someone that looks after a dog in the owner’s home.
Before doing this, ensure you understand dog sitters’ licencing rules and invest in excellent kennel software.
Marketing and advertising
To get new clients, you need to sell yourself and go beyond asking your friends with dogs if you can provide them with your services, particularly if you want to make good money. Here are some great examples of advertising your services and gaining more clients.
Dog walking leaflets
Introduce yourself to potential customers by creating a simple leaflet that advertises your services and provides them with your contact details, website and social media page. Visit your local pet shops, grooming parlours, vets, and popular dog walking parks and talk to potential clients.
Networking
Get involved in the dog community, including other dog walkers. Don’t be intimidated to introduce yourself to your competition. People in the same profession often know each other and pass clients on to people in their circle if they can’t fulfil a customer’s request. Not only this, but it will give you a clear picture of the dog walking situation in your area, so you can be prepared about what to expect.
Other dog walkers can help you with your pricing structure and recommend the right insurance and other tools and equipment to invest in.
Create a website
Creating a website shows potential customers that you’re a serious dog walker. A website doesn’t have to be anything ultra fancy and high-tech, so don’t worry if this isn’t your thing. There are plenty of website platforms out there that are easy to use and help you to create professional-looking websites. A website should include the following:
- Contact information
- Prices
- Availability
- Services
- Reviews
- That you’re insured
- Information about you
- Qualifications and experience
Social media is your best friend
The 3 most popular social media platforms to make yourself known as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and we recommend you use all of them.
You can set up a dog-walking group and a Facebook business page to network with potential clients. There are plenty of ways to use Facebook for marketing, both free and paid for ads.
Use a professional marketing service
Using a professional marketing service is really beneficial to any business. Digital marketing agencies, like Creative Marketing, use innovative and professional techniques to help you stand out from the crowd and get ahead of your competitors. A professional marketing service can help you shout louder about your dog-walking business and improve your online presence.
How to run a successful dog walking business
Here are some helpful tips to get you started to ensure you have the best chance of running a successful dog-walking business.
Planning and scheduling
Walking more than one dog at a time is in your best interests as the time spent will be more profitable than walking just one dog at a time. It is recommended to walk no more than 4 dogs at a time. If you have a dog in your care that isn’t good with other dogs, consider charging more if the owner wants you to walk their dog independently.
This means you will need to plan and schedule dog walking appointments carefully. You will need to book dogs together that need walking for the same amount of time, and either select dogs that are within walking distance from one another, or you’ll need to know how to travel safely with a dog in a car.
Here is where Savvy Pet Walkers, the easy-to-use appointment management system, can help. Our innovative system, designed especially for dog walkers, can help you manage customers and their pet details and handle appointments, billing and contracts all in one place. We’re also excited to announce the launch of Dark Savvy, dark mode for Android.
Interpersonal skills
Not only do you need to be able to embody a dog whisperer, but people need to feel a connection with you to trust you enough with their beloved pet. Good interpersonal skills will help you build a rapport with dog owners and ultimately result in more clients. Being polite and friendly and showing genuine interest in dogs is essential. You must also be an excellent communicator so your customers are clear on billing and appointments.
Experience with animals
Before embarking on your dog walking journey, you must get experience working with dogs. Dog walking might sound simple, but dogs have their own personality, and each breed has different temperaments. It shows you’re taking your job seriously if you have some background knowledge of different breeds, techniques on how to calm anxious dogs, and safety tips when walking dogs. You’ll need to get to know each dog you walk and build a good relationship with them. Learn what each dog responds well to and things to avoid.
Benefits of becoming a self-employed dog walker
It may seem like a lot of work to start with, but there are so many benefits to becoming a self-employed dog walker, and it’s a career that many people dream of. It gives you the freedom and flexibility to run your own business in the good old outdoors with beautiful furry friends; what better way to spend your days?
- Set your own hours
- Work with dogs every day
- Easy to build clientele
- Great for exercise
- Reduced stress levels
- Health benefits
- Uncapped earning opportunities
- Walk multiple dogs at once to boost profits
- Easy to schedule regular dog walks
- Low start-up costs
- Excellent earning opportunities
The list could go on. If you prefer being outside and living an active and healthy lifestyle rather than sitting at a desk all day, becoming a self-employed dog walker could give you the freedom, flexibility and lifestyle you have always dreamed of.
To get your dog walking career off to a great start, visit It’s All Savvy, Savvy Pet Walker to invest in an appointment and management tool that will give you the professional edge and make things easier and more manageable. Our services continue to innovate the dog care industry, so you can be sure that your business is in safe hands with us.
For more information on how to run a successful dog-walking business, see our other posts:
How to find the best point-of-sale solution
Happy dog walking!
