How to Make Money as a Dog Walker

Do you love dogs and love spending time with them? It’s a known fact that more people than ever are dog owners. Dogs are now taking a much larger role in the family and the household than in the past when they were kept outdoors or in a kennel. It’s also a known fact that more households are two-income families with both members working all day and not much spare time. Where does this leave the dog?
The dog is cooped up in the house all day, left in a kennel or tied to a cable for hours on end. This is unfortunate but, in many cases, this cannot be helped. If there were an alternative, most of these dog-lovers would take it. You can be their alternative and make money doing it! Imagine making money doing something you’d love doing for free! More people than ever today are willing to pay someone to walk their dog when they’re unable to do it for themselves. Dogs needs exercises and you can be the one to provide them and their owners with what you need.
Setting up your dog-walking business is very easy. If you have access to a computer you can make up brochures or business cards. Make attractive ads advertising what you’ll do for their dog: walking, grooming or just spending time with them. Make sure you put all your contact information on the advertisements such as name, address, phone number and even your email address, since most people spend a lot of time online. You may even want to tell them you provide references.
Wondering where you’re going to get references? If you want to make money walking dogs, you probably love dogs and enjoy being around them. If this is so, there are plenty of people that are aware of this and may be more than willing to give you a referral as someone they’d trust with their dog. Check with your local veterinarian as he/she may be willing to give you a good referral or even write you a letter of recommendation. Your veterinarian may even be able to give you names of people that are in need of your services.
Check out the Competition
Ask around and see if there are others that are making money dog walking. If so, you can get an idea of what to charge for your services as different areas may require prices. If there are others doing this in your area, you may want to speak with them to get some tips on different potential customers. They may have more than they can handle and be willing to share the load or give you referrals.
Advertising
Advertising is a must when you’re starting off your dog-walking business. Give out your business cards to everyone you know and ask that they spread the word. Hang your brochures in any places that allow this so people can see that you are available and know how to contact you. You may want to go to hotels in the area (pet-friendly hotels) and let them know of your services or ask if you can leave your brochures with them for visitors that have dogs that may need your service.