Starting a dog walking business is a great example of how to turn something you love into a business. If you have a passion for working with dogs, you may just have found your calling. Before you set up your dog walking business, there are many things you’ll need to think about.
Walking dogs for a living isn’t just about finding a few dogs to walk. If this is something you’ve been thinking about, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of setting up your business. Here are some steps you should take to get up and running.
Experience
Before you set up your own business, it will help to get as much experience with dogs as possible. Owning your own dog isn’t enough to give you a well-rounded experience. All dogs and all breeds are different so the more you spend time with different dogs, the easier it will be when you start offering your services.
You can start by offering to walk your family and friends dogs or volunteering at dog shelters. You can also research the different behavioral patterns of different breeds to build up your knowledge.
Learn The Law
It’s essential that you research the law on walking dogs and owning a business that allows you to work with animals. You may need to apply for a license, depending on which area you’re working in. There may be a set number of dogs that you’re allowed to walk at one time or a set number you can travel in a vehicle with.
Knowing these details will ensure you can keep yourself, your business, and the dogs you work with safe. It also means you won’t be subject to any fines because you weren’t aware of the regulations.
Mobile Payments
Walking dogs for a living means you’ll be on the road a lot. It may involve picking dogs up from their home and returning them after a walk. It can be tricky to keep track of invoices and customer payments if you’re not at a computer screen.
This is where invoice apps and contactless card readers come in handy. Just a simple tap of a card and your customers can pay on their doorstep, making it convenient for everyone.
Be Realistic About Costs
As in all types of business industries, it takes money to make money. Don’t be fooled into thinking that there won’t be any business costs for walking dogs. Most dog walkers need safe transport for carrying animals which can be a hefty up front cost.
In addition, you’ll need to pay for any required licenses and memberships to trustworthy organizations. You may also need to pay for a police check so dog owners know you don’t have a criminal background. You should also purchase dog leads, toys, and treats in case they’re needed on walks.
Image by Megan (Markham) Bucknall
Terms of Service
Your customers should know exactly what to expect from your services. Each agreement should be written down for your customers to refer to. For example, you’ll need to be clear about the length of each walk and what days you operate.
You should also have a pricing system that is clear to understand. Over time, you may want to develop your services by looking at home boarding or dog grooming. When this happens, your terms of services should be updated.
Building a Brand
The more customers you take on, the more important your brand will become. You want people to remember your brand for all the right reasons. Good time keeping, excellent customer service, good value for money. These are all things that will make your brand stand out to your customers and beyond. It’s much more than a logo on your advertising material. Your brand should be the reason your customers keep coming back to you.
Traditional Marketing
Dog walking is one of the very few businesses where traditional marketing still works. Using advertising methods like word of mouth and flyers through doors is a great way to reach your audience. Since your customers are going to be in the same locality, advertising costs will be relatively low. It won’t take long for family to tell friends and pass the word around. It will be important for you to organize your time well when this happens so you know how many dogs you can fit into your schedule.
Starting a dog walking business is a great example of how to turn something you love into a business. If you have a passion for working with dogs, you may just have found your calling. Before you set up your dog walking business, there are many things you’ll need to think about.
Walking dogs for a living isn’t just about finding a few dogs to walk. If this is something you’ve been thinking about, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of setting up your business. Here are some steps you should take to get up and running.
Experience
Before you set up your own business, it will help to get as much experience with dogs as possible. Owning your own dog isn’t enough to give you a well-rounded experience. All dogs and all breeds are different so the more you spend time with different dogs, the easier it will be when you start offering your services.
You can start by offering to walk your family and friends dogs or volunteering at dog shelters. You can also research the different behavioral patterns of different breeds to build up your knowledge.
Learn The Law
It’s essential that you research the law on walking dogs and owning a business that allows you to work with animals. You may need to apply for a license, depending on which area you’re working in. There may be a set number of dogs that you’re allowed to walk at one time or a set number you can travel in a vehicle with.
Knowing these details will ensure you can keep yourself, your business, and the dogs you work with safe. It also means you won’t be subject to any fines because you weren’t aware of the regulations.
Mobile Payments
Walking dogs for a living means you’ll be on the road a lot. It may involve picking dogs up from their home and returning them after a walk. It can be tricky to keep track of invoices and customer payments if you’re not at a computer screen.
This is where invoice apps and contactless card readers come in handy. Just a simple tap of a card and your customers can pay on their doorstep, making it convenient for everyone.
Be Realistic About Costs
As in all types of business industries, it takes money to make money. Don’t be fooled into thinking that there won’t be any business costs for walking dogs. Most dog walkers need safe transport for carrying animals which can be a hefty up front cost.
In addition, you’ll need to pay for any required licenses and memberships to trustworthy organizations. You may also need to pay for a police check so dog owners know you don’t have a criminal background. You should also purchase dog leads, toys, and treats in case they’re needed on walks.
Terms of Service
Your customers should know exactly what to expect from your services. Each agreement should be written down for your customers to refer to. For example, you’ll need to be clear about the length of each walk and what days you operate.
You should also have a pricing system that is clear to understand. Over time, you may want to develop your services by looking at home boarding or dog grooming. When this happens, your terms of services should be updated.
Building a Brand
The more customers you take on, the more important your brand will become. You want people to remember your brand for all the right reasons. Good time keeping, excellent customer service, good value for money. These are all things that will make your brand stand out to your customers and beyond. It’s much more than a logo on your advertising material. Your brand should be the reason your customers keep coming back to you.
Traditional Marketing
Dog walking is one of the very few businesses where traditional marketing still works. Using advertising methods like word of mouth and flyers through doors is a great way to reach your audience. Since your customers are going to be in the same locality, advertising costs will be relatively low. It won’t take long for family to tell friends and pass the word around. It will be important for you to organize your time well when this happens so you know how many dogs you can fit into your schedule.
If you’ve found this article helpful, why not take a look here for more career and business ideas.
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