Many people are drawn to the appeal of owning their own business – and rightly so! They can be their own boss, set their own hours, and enjoy other perks. One of the business opportunities with low startup costs is dog walking. Learn how to start a dog walker business and hit the ground running with these 10 simple steps.
I’ve also compiled a list of resources for you for further learning if you decide a dog walking business is right for you!
What is a Dog Walking Business?
Professional dog walking companies offer services to customers involving walking their dogs on a leash for the purpose of exercise and enrichment when a pet parent is not able or does not have time to walk their dog(s) themselves. These services are offered at a cost to pet parents.
Benefits of Owning a Dog Walking Business
Owning a business can be exciting but owning a dog walking business could be even more enjoyable! To determine if this is the right move for you, let’s weigh the pros and cons.
First up are the benefits of owning your own dog walking business.
- Being around dogs – The most obvious (and best) perk!
- Set your own hours – You can choose to work whichever days and hours you please. Just remember – this is an hourly job, so if you don’t work you don’t get paid.
- No corporate environment – No boss or corporate rules and culture to adhere too.
- Exercise – Not only will you be able to get your cardio in while earning money walking dogs, but the pups will appreciate the exercise too!
- Fewer startup costs than other businesses – The costs to start a dog walking business are much lower that starting many other kinds of businesses.
- Recurring revenue – Once you build up your client base and have appreciative, trusting clients, they will keep coming to you for dog walking services.
- Multi-dog walks – You’ll get additional income in the same amount of time for one walk when there are multiple dogs being walked.
- Low risk – With low startup costs and few operating expenses, there isn’t much risk associated with starting a job walking business like there is in other fields.
- High hourly pay – The national federal minimum wage in 2022 is $7.25, but the hourly cost of a dog walker can be 4x that amount or higher.
Let’s take a closer look at that last benefit – the cost of dog walking services!
Average Cost of Dog Walking Services
I’m sure you’ve been wondering, “how much is dog walking?”
Well, let’s cover that now! It’s important to know the standard dog walking costs so you can get an idea of your earning potential.
The average cost of dog walking in the U.S. ranges from $20-30 for a 30-minute walk, and between $30-45 for a 60-minute walk. You can also offer valuable add-on services (like administering medicine or in-home pet-sitting) to your customers to help bring in additional funds.
The cost for dog walker services can also depend on where you live. According to 365 Pet Insurance, some states (like New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaii) might charge more per hour for dog walking.
Disadvantages of Dog Walking Business
Owning your own business can be difficult at times, but when you know some of the disadvantages and challenges up front, they can be easier to deal with when you’re faced with them.
- High-maintenance dogs – Not all dogs are relaxed, calm, and easy on a leash. You may experience dog reactivity, leash pulling, or other undesirable behaviors.
- You’re completely on your own – Until you have enough business to hire another staff member, you’re responsible for all the dog walking, paperwork, invoicing, etc.
- No pay on the days you don’t work – With a dog walking business, you’re only paid when you perform a service for your customers – there’s no salary safety net.
- Weather – Dog walking appointments typically happen rain or shine (unless there’s lightning or the dog is afraid of thunder), so get your raincoat ready!
- Accidents may happen – As responsible as you may be, some things are just out of your control and accidents can still happen. This is why insurance and bonding are absolutely necessary for the protection of you, your business, and your customers.
Do You Need a License or Certification to Run a Dog Walking Business?
Before we get into the license and certification requirements for business owners, let’s first talk about the difference between the two.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a license is granted by a governmental agency, which provides legal authority to work in an occupation. There is usually a degree or passing grade on a state-administered exam needed. Whereas certifications are awarded by a nongovernmental body and are not legally required for an occupation. These are usually given after the participant demonstrates the competency needed to do their work.
Laws and regulations vary by state, so you’ll want to research business requirements in your state to find out if a license or certification is required for you to open a dog walker business.
Though federal and state guidelines around dog walker businesses are few, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with local laws in your area and what’s required to start your dog walking business.
Thimble provides some insight into license and certification requirements for a few of the larger U.S. cities, including New York and Chicago.
Regardless of whether you need a license or certification to do business in your state, securing an insurance policy is a must. We’ll cover that shortly!
10 Steps to Start a Dog Walking Business
One of the easiest ways to become a dog walker and promote your services is through a site like Rover. Select the become a sitter with Rover.com option, select the services you plan to offer, complete your profile, and wait for approval from Rover (usually within 10-20 business days).
But if you’d prefer to go entirely out on your own without having to rely on and give part of your earnings to another company, here are 10 simple but important steps explaining how to start a dog walking business.
Let’s dive into those 10 steps now!
Form a Legal Entity for Your Business
Opening an limited liability company (LLC) or other type of business entity for your dog walking business may not sound like the most fun or glamorous step, but it’s exciting if you think about it – it’s the first step toward becoming a business owner!
The main types of business entities you’ll want to look into are sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. But just starting out on a smaller scale, you’ll most likely want an LLC. Forbes Advisor is a great resource to help you understand how to go about creating an LLC.
Next, brainstorm and develop a list of business name ideas. You’ll want to check to see if those names are available or already taken by another business.
The best way to learn if your preferred business name is available is to do a business entity search within your state. You will also need to make sure your preferred domain name is available in the event you decide to create a website for your company. Don’t forget to check social media too!
Remember, if you determine a license or certification is required in your state to operate a dog walking business, be sure to check that off your list too!
Apply for an EIN for Tax Purposes
Next, you’ll need to apply for an EIN through the IRS website. Good news – getting an EIN is free!
Unfortunately, we have to talk about taxes too – womp, womp.
The type of business structure you choose will impact how you pay taxes. And there’s no one better than the IRS to explain the five general types of business taxes.
Secure Business Insurance
If you own a dog walking business (or even if you’re an independent contractor working for a company like Rover), you’ll need general liability insurance. This will protect you and your business against any accidents, injuries, or damages that occur while dogs are in your care.
You’ll find that not all insurance companies offer dog walking protection, but there are several who do (like Pet Care Insurance, Next Insurance, and Thimble).
Bonding, which provides your clients compensation in the event damage or losses occur, is also important.
It’s not required everywhere, but even if bonding is not required in your state, it’s still good to have and it shows dedication, professionalism, and appreciation to your customers.
Define Your Business Offerings, Hours, and Pricing
Now that most of the legal stuff is behind us, let’s focus on more of the fun steps to getting your dog walking business started!
First, what services will you offer your customers? Some dog walking services are standard, while other offerings may be considered add-ons.
Standard Dog Walking Offerings:
- Dog walking
- Dog running
- Dog hiking
- Emergency vet visits (if required)
Add-on Dog Walking Offerings:
- Administering medications if needed
- Pet transport to vet appointments
- Training (if you’re experienced in this area)
- In-home pet sitting
- Pet waste clean-up (during in-home pet sitting)
- Overnight pet sitting
- Pet food pick-up and delivery
- And more – get creative!
Next, decide on your hours of operation. Will you only work weekdays? What hours will you work? Will you accept pets during the day in the dead heat of summer? Maybe you only offer dog walks in the morning and evenings during the summer.
There is a lot to consider here but remember – this is your business! You make the rules 😊
Another important decision in this step is to set pricing for your services. Know that the cost for dog walker by state varies, but with a little online research in your area, you should be able to identify competitive rates that are fair for you and your customers.
You can develop various pooch packages for customers to choose from too! For example, you might want to offer a bundle of 10 walks for a 10% discount. Another example is pet parent who have multiple pets that need walking. In this instance, you may offer one dog walked at full price, while any additional dogs are added on at a discounted rate of 50%.
Create Your Business Docs and Policies
Dog walking contracts for new customers are essential to protecting your business and keeping your clients informed.
Though there are contract templates available online, consulting with a legal professional will remove any questions and ensure your contract document is complete and comprehensive.
You should also get your terms and conditions and privacy policy in place. These will be included in your contract but are also needed on your website.
Software and Tools for Your Business
To simplify your life as a business owner and make your customers’ lives easier, you’ll want to look into dog walking business software options for appointment booking and accounting.
Booking Software:
- Scout ($25 per month)
- Pet Sitter Plus ($30 per month)
- Time to Pet ($40 per month)
Accounting Software:
- Zoho Books (free option for businesses with <$50k in revenue)
- FreshBooks (starting at $4.50 per month)
- Intuit QuickBooks ($15-30 per month)
Claim Your Online Business Listings
An easy way for customers to find you is by performing a “local dog walking services” or “dog walkers near me” Google search. But if you haven’t claimed your listings on sites like Yelp, Google, and Bing, you won’t show up in the search results.
Don’t miss out on easy marketing – claim your business with these search engines.
Your business may already be listed (from setting up your business entity), or you may need to create it. Each site linked above lets you search by your business name to find out and take the next steps to claim it and complete your business profile!
Have a Website Created
Your website is a great place to display your service offerings, hours of business, customer testimonials, and more!
This step does not need to be expensive. If you’re familiar with building website and can handle this step on your own – great! Some of us (I’m raising my hand over here!) may be “technically challenged” and need help with this.
Thankfully there are companies out there like Wix and Squarespace who make creating a website super simple! And you can connect your Mailchimp account to your site to start capturing leads and growing your email database.
There are also sites out there like Fiverr and Upwork full of freelancers ready to take on your website project for a much smaller rate than marketing agencies would charge!
Develop a Marketing Strategy
You don’t need to be a marketing expert to create your new business’s marketing plan. There are free templates you can download from Excel or HubSpot. Just customize the fields to your liking and start completing each section.
You’ll feel so accomplished after creating your marketing plan, and it will serve as a guide for promoting your business!
Consider the following questions to help you determine the right strategies, channels, and tactics for your marketing plan, and make sure any goals you add are S.M.A.R.T.
- Who is your target customer? Are they a certain gender or age? Where do they reside?
- What is your unique selling proposition (or what sets you apart from other dog walking businesses)?
- Will you market on social media? If so, on which platforms? How many times per day/week will you post?
- Where else will you promote your business?
- What are the marketing materials needed? Will you utilize flyers, digital ads, or events to spread the word about your business?
- Do you have an email marketing database to capture customer data so you can email newsletters and coupons in the future? If not, check out Mailchimp, which offers a free basic plan!
- Will you offer a coupon of some sort to users who visit your website?
- Will you partner with other businesses to help promote each other’s services?
- How often do you plan to offer discounts? Should any promotions be planned around holidays?
- Will you offer your customers a discount when they refer a new customer to your business?
Start Promoting Your Business
Now that your business entity has been created, your website is up and running, and a marketing plan is in place, it’s time to start promoting your new dog walking business to bring in your first customers.
Here are a few promotional ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
- Tell your friends, family, and neighbors about your new business
- Add a wrap or promotional magnets to your car
- Carry out targeted, local social media campaigns
- Network at local dog-focused events
- Place an ad in a local coupon pack mailer
- Ask your local shelters if they will hang your flyer
- Partner with dog groomers and boarders to co-promote services
Optional Steps
The following steps can make a positive impact on your business, but they are not required.
- Open a business bank account and credit card – This can help to keep your business and personal expenses and income separate and makes things much simpler when tax season comes around.
- Find an accountant – If taxes aren’t your thing, outsource it! Of course, the accounting software mentioned earlier in this article is helpful to have and will keep you more organized.
Build Up Customer References
Regardless of what kind of marketing you do and how many campaigns you run, nothing beats customer testimonials! Prospective customers would rather hear what others have to say about your business and the quality of your services than what you’re saying about it yourself.
Remember to ask customers to leave you a review on Yelp or Google (or Facebook if you’re using that platform). The more positive reviews you have, the more trustworthy your company will seem to others!
Additional Resources on How to Start a Dog Walker Business
If you have questions, want to do some additional reading, or need to look into certification courses, I’ve compiled some resources here for you.
Top-rated Books on How to Start a Dogwalker Business:
- How To Quickly & Easily Start Your Very Own Dog Walking & Pet Sitting Business Within 7 Days (Kindle)
- Suburban Dog Walking: How to Start, Develop and Grow Your Own Dog Walking Business (Paperback or Kindle)
- Walk Yourself Wealthy: The Quick, Easy, and No BS Guide to Transform Your Passion for Pooches into an Insanely Profitable and Fun Dog Walking Empire (Paperback, audiobook, or Kindle)
- How to Start a Home-Based Pet-Sitting and Dog-Walking Business (Paperback or Kindle)
- How to Start a Successful Dog Walking Business in 10 Easy Steps (Paperback or Kindle)
Online Courses on How to Start a Dogwalker Business:
- How To Start a Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Business in 7 Days (Udemy)
- Professional Dog Walker Training Course (Udemy)
- Learn How to Start A Dog Walking Business in 2022 (Udemy)
- Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Business 101 (Universal Class)
- Start a Pet Sitting Business (ed2go)
- Dog Walker Certificate Course Online (IAP Career College)
Conclusion
Before making any major life changes or investing in a new business, be sure to do plenty of research to confirm it’s the right path for you. This will also help you understand all steps and costs involved so you can create your timeline and minimize any major surprises that may pop up along the way. You’ll want to weigh the risks of dog walking business ownership with the benefits as well. There is a lot to consider!
Now that we’ve gone through the 10 steps showing you how to start and how to promote dog walking business, are you ready to jump in? I’d love to hear what you’re planning in the comments!