A dog walking business could be the answer for you

Currently 0.0/5 Stars.
1
2
3
4
5

Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)

Written by Floella McFee

The first thing to do is list reasons why you would want to start a dog walking business: a love of dogs; enjoyment of great out doors; the need to be active in your work rather than sitting in an office all day. The second question: Are you physically fit enough to do all the walking? It's no good starting a business if you aren't up to the physical tasks involved. Finally do the research! There are plenty of pet trade magazines and publications on the web to help with this. Most importantly research your potential client base: is there need for your dog walking service in the local area?

What is a Dog Walker?

The answer to this question is unsurprisingly simple: a dog walker walks dogs. There are a myriad of reasons why dog owners cannot find time to do this themselves: busy lifestyles, ill-health, even disabilities may prevent owners from personally exercising their dog. However, it is easy to confuse a pet sitter with a dog walker: a pet sitter's responsibilities usually are much wider including feeding, administering medication and attending to a pet's general house needs. A pet sitter's clients will not just be dogs: their charges could include cats, rabbits, birds, in fact anything that is kept as a pet.

The Legal Side of Business

When setting up a business it best to understand the type of business that you will be running: as most dog walking business are solo affairs, then it would be wise to research being a sole proprietor. If you intending to involve anyone else then will they are a partner or an employee? What about protecting your personal assets in case of failure? In this case you might consider a Limited Liability Company. Other legal requirements might involve contacting your local authority as you may need a licence, or to register. Of course good insurance is a must.

Administration

Finally there will be all the paperwork. Your administration will need to be kept in order. Reports and records of client details are all necessary; as well as contract details, particularly in relation to the services that you offer and the rates that you will charge for those services. There may also be emergency details and pet-care information to be considered. It will also be wise to remember that all this will have to be taxed, and so your expenses will all have to be kept up-to-date! As long as you have done your homework you should have many years of gainful and hopefully fun employment!

Conclusion

A dog walking business is a wonderful idea for any person who is active, and hopefully, likes animals. You will be rewarded for doing a job you like and for being out and about rather than for being behind a desk. However, you should always remember that it is a business, and you should treat it as a business. You should maintain a professional manner, and be ready to fulfil all of your commitments, irrespective of other considerations such as bad weather. If you can do all of this, then you could be looking at a successful and rewarding business.