Last updated: September 17, 2025
How to start a dog walking business
A professional guide
For years, I’ve received emails from people either asking for a job or how they can start their own dog walking business. In 2011, I wrote this guide, and have added to it over the years. There’s so much info here, it really is the ultimate guide to dog walking!
This post contains some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Contents
Introduction
The chances are high that you own a dog. In that case, you’ve no doubt been out walking at your go-to place and seen the local dog walkers arriving in their vans, taking their group out for a walk, and wished you could do the same. Spending time outdoors with dogs and getting paid for it seems almost too good to be true. Especially if you’re not happy in your current job.
Dog walkers are popping up everywhere, and all share the dream of finally earning a fair wage, in proper working conditions, and doing something they love. There’s plenty of work out there, and you can be successful even with little to no funds to invest, but you must be 100% committed to make your new business work!
To make sure your business doesn’t fail in the first few months, plan how you will pay your bills while you build a client base. If you have a partner or family that can support you, that’s great. But if not, consider looking for evening and weekend work to bring in extra income while leaving the daytime available for dog walking. An evening job like a takeaway driver is ideal.
Set Your Dog Walking Prices
The first thing you should do is research your local dog walkers. So get on Google and Facebook and find all your local dog walkers in your area. Find out how much they charge to walk dogs, and what services they offer. Areas vary slightly, so London prices are different from the rest of the UK, and even one town can have different prices from the town next to it. Find the average price the locals are charging and set that price as yours. For example, walking a dog for an hour where I live is around £14+ in 2025 (more in places like London), with discounts for secondary dogs from the same home – you will need to confirm the dog walking prices in your local area. Dog walker’s earn around £25,000 – £30,000+ for full time work on average.
There are two types of dog walks – group and solo. Most people are happy to get their dog walked in a group, so they get to socialise and play. You can charge more money for a solo walk, but you get paid way more money walking six dogs in a group than one dog on its own.
A couple of group walks a day can be enough for a dog walker to make a living. Some do just that – it makes for an ideal job for those who have kids and want to work during school hours. So what is the main reason someone hires a dog walker? Answer: They’re usually at work or have plans during the day. I didn’t know this when I started, and I just hoped someone would pay me to walk their dog. I didn’t even consider the motivation of those that hire a dog walker. Who wants to give their money away, after all? Most people like walking their dog. So, for most people, hiring a dog walker is a necessity because there’s no one else at home to do it.
And because the most common need for a dog walker is that the owner is at work, nearly everyone wants their dog walked in the middle of the working day. Not 9 am, just after they’ve left home, and not 5 pm when they’re on their way back. So the lunchtime period is peak working hours for a dog walker. You may only manage two walks at that time (an early lunch walk and a late lunch walk, e.g. 11 am & 1 pm).
You will earn most of your money for the day during lunch, so you can’t do solo walks or offer any other service during this time – that time is for group walks only. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do solo walks. You may get asked to do walks by people like the elderly and the disabled who don’t mind what time their dog gets walked during the day; as long as they get walked – you can fit them around your schedule. But solo walks tend to be done more by those just starting with time on their hands, while the established dog walkers tend to stick to group walks only. For example, I walk three group walks a day, and then I’m done.
You’ll be surprised how much time it takes to pick up and drop off dogs. Taking three groups of dogs out for a 1-hour walk takes me around 6 hours – half my working day is spent collecting or dropping dogs back home in a small area. Dog walkers are always racing against the clock, so working in a small area is always advisable.
Pet Services to Offer
The most popular services are doggy daycare, dog boarding, and cat visits outside of dog walking. Doggy daycare is taking off nowadays. Dogs come to stay with you for the day (or half-day) while their owners are at work, with the option of a pick-up and drop-off service available.
I don’t offer daycare, but it’s a significant rival/addition to dog walking and growing by the day. You can charge quite a bit more for daycare, but someone will have to be at home to look after the pups if you are out dog walking. Some dog walkers offer this service, and some folks provide daycare exclusively.
There are dedicated premises for larger daycare centres that also hire staff. When looking for a dog walker, clients will sometimes look for those who can board their dogs, too – this is quite important to some, but it’s not a deal-breaker. People like to go on holiday or the odd weekend away, so having a dog walker that can look after their dog is a big bonus, plus boarding pays well (£20-£30+ per night, per dog).
In the summer months and school holidays, a dog walker’s wage can almost double with the addition of the boarders, but it can be hard work. Expect to wake up to ‘accidents’. Several dogs living with you can bring a lot of dirt and fur into the house and along the walls – your once beautiful lawn is now scorched with urine, plus if they’ve never stayed before, it can take a day or two for them to settle in.
Apart from group dog walking, dog boarding and doggy daycare, all other services are just pocket money, and if you don’t fancy them, then it’s ok to forget about them, and that includes pet sitting.
But what is pet sitting? Do you know? I’ve been doing this for fifteen years, and even I sometimes wonder. Is it cat visits or dog sitting in the owner’s home? Is it dog boarding in your own home or looking after small furries? Well, it’s all those things, actually and more. Technically, pet sitting is an umbrella term for caring for a pet in either the client’s home or your own. Some think it just relates to pet care in the owner’s home. It’s a vague term, and because of that, I don’t like it, as it can mean anything to anyone. So if you do promote ‘pet sitting’ as a service, then describe clearly what it is you’re offering potential clients. I prefer to be more exact in my descriptions and only list actual pet sitting services I offer, e.g., cat visits, dog boarding, etc.
But whatever pet sitting services you choose to offer, describe clearly what each service is in layman’s terms and don’t just assume clients will know, as most won’t be sure.
A visit to feed the cats while their owners are on holiday.
Choosing A Business Name
There’s more to think about in a business name than you might think. If you plan to work alone, a more personal business name may suit you better as pet care is very personal. I’m known locally as Jamie, the dog walker, and people recommend using that term, so if I needed to start all over again, that could be a suitable business name.
There has also been quite a benefit of using your location in your business name. It made it much easier to rank in Google search. Around 2011-2012, just after I started, if you Googled for a dog walker using my location, it would be my website, and all the directories my business was listed on, that took up the whole first page. But now, I only appear once, like most others do, with maybe my Facebook page listing. Google has changed a lot since those days. Google keeps tweaking its algorithms to improve user experience, so there is a chance that adding your location to your business name may become redundant.
If I planned to start a pet business and hire helpers as it grew, calling my business “Jamie’s dog walking” doesn’t make much sense. Nor does it to offer other pet services, like cat visits and small animal boarding. So for those with ambitions and plans of hiring staff, a less personal, more inclusive name is better. For example, if I started again and wanted a team and offered a spectrum of pet services, a business name like “Bishopton Pet Nannies” would make more sense. It includes the location and the term “pet” rather than just “dog” but also has the plural “Nannies,” letting people know there is more than just me working there.
Since pet care can be so personal, some people won’t use businesses that hire staff. They want to choose their pet person and have them walk their dog or care for their pet. Also, those who hire staff can struggle to keep them for long. It pays poorly, hours are low, and it isn’t as fun as it sounds. Yet, because of the appeal of working with pets, businesses never have trouble getting new staff. Still, their clients have to get used to a new dog walker becoming common every so often.
After four years, I hired someone as I found myself overbooked and told some clients their dogs would get walked by my new helper, and most were ok. But some didn’t like the idea of someone they didn’t know or trust walking their dog or coming into their home. So what I learned is that if you hire help and then pass some clients onto your team, it can make some clients feel disgruntled: the agreement of terms has now changed.
So my advice is, if you get a helper, then give them the new dogs to walk, not current dogs. New clients will be happy to have your helper walk their dog from the start.
Get a Canine First Aid Certificate
Being a professional dog walker is a huge responsibility! I often get told I’ve got a dream job and that it’s easy, and at times it can be, but I’m responsible for the life of another person’s pet, and I’m always aware of that! When walking one dog on a lead, it’s a carefree walk, but when I’m walking six dogs off the lead, I am 100% focused and alert, on the lookout for problems and potential issues at all times.
You’ll learn to anticipate problems before they happen. If you have a dog that always runs over to greet other dogs, it’s up to you to spot that dog before yours does and respond accordingly. If you have a male that doesn’t like other males, you need to see that other male first and move away or distract. If there’s a dog owner with a dog on a lead, you can often tell by their body language if the dog is friendly or not and keep your dogs from getting too close.
Walking lurchers and other fast dogs, I’ve seen how quickly they can run and have worried about them breaking a leg. I always thought I’d try to splint their leg, assuming it was the right thing to do, but after an excellent canine first aid course, I learned that if a dog can walk on three legs, there’s no need for a splint. In fact, a splint can add extra weight to their broken leg and cause further harm. I bought a pet first aid kit and a brilliant first aid book to fall back on. It’s a great buy, packed with everything you need to know and a real alternative to a first aid course. I also have a handy canine first aid guide you can check out.
I recommend the great First-Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats
On my first day back dog walking after completing a first aid course, I felt more in control and relaxed than ever. Knowing how to perform CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, treat a cut or wound, or handle a dog that collapses with a seizure gave me confidence to manage situations until I could get the animal to a vet.
With experience, I’ve learned that it’s usually the same dogs that injure themselves repeatedly, not random members of the group. It’s always those super-driven dogs that run the most, getting sprains or even becoming hypoglycemic! I explained this to the editor of Country Walking magazine when I helped him write an article about hiking with your dog.
Hypoglycemia occurs when a dog’s sugar levels drop after pushing themselves too hard—I’ve seen it happen within 30 minutes of a walk. They become lethargic and dizzy, which can be dangerous, so I always carry honey in my first aid kit just in case, though it’s rare. It’s happened to me twice, always with dogs that chase every ball, pursue everything, and go as fast as they can—you have to be their brakes because they won’t stop. Working breeds are often the culprits.
A simple precaution is not to push a dog harder than it’s used to. Let them play, have fun, and tire themselves out, but in moderation. My own dogs can go all day because they’re accustomed to it, but clients’ dogs may only get one big walk daily, so I give them time-outs during high-energy walks. The last dog that went hypoglycemic tried to keep up with my Springer pup, and I ended up carrying a 30-kilo dog back to the van. But, as I said, it’s not common, and you may never encounter it.
Dog walking isn’t all the “sunshine and rainbows” some think it is and can be stressful at times, but learning the skills to handle potential situations will make your life easier, reduce anxiety, and could be the difference between life and death for the pet you’re caring for!
Get to know a dog behaviourist! They’re often easy to find on Google in your local area, and understanding dog behaviour is highly beneficial for a dog walker. Even if you’ve only owned a dog or two, it makes a big difference. If a dog is misbehaving, it’s easy to reinforce that behaviour and make it worse. Understanding why a dog acts a certain way can help you manage the dogs you walk. For example, how would you handle a new dog joining the group if one of your current dogs doesn’t like it or if there are group dynamics issues? The dog behaviourist I work with has written for my website and given me insights into dog behaviour I couldn’t have learned on my own.
How to Walk Multiple Dogs At Once
You learn when you can let a dog off the lead with experience, but I can offer some great tips and advice on when to let the dog off the lead for the first time. Some dogs will happily walk with you off the lead on their first walk and come to you when you call them but not all!
Puppies are generally the easiest. Second to pups are the dogs familiar with getting walked by different people or have had a dog walker in the past. But the older the dog gets, the more time it can take to adjust to new things. So older dogs that have never had a dog walker usually need the most time – but that is not always the case.
You might be on a group walk with the new dog on the lead, and it shows signs of wanting to play with the group – this is a good sign but not enough. They might be keen on their pack mates, but they must also be keen on you. If they’re not, they won’t come back to you, respond well to your commands, or let you come close enough to them to put them back on the lead.
So you are looking for signs that they are comfortable with the other dogs and, more importantly, happy with you. Warnings that tell you they must stay on a lead are:
- They are not pleased to see you when you arrive
- They are not happy with you in their home
- They won’t take a treat from you (at home or on a walk)
- Or they do take a treat but spit it back out
- They respond poorly to your commands/ignore you
- They are nervous around their new group mates
- They are not keen on you touching them while they are on lead
The last sign is vital. If dogs don’t like you touching them while on a lead, you will not get anywhere near them if you let them off, so you must keep them on.
Thankfully, trust builds quickly, and dogs learn that it’s a walk, and they get to go back home afterwards, so it might be scary at first, but they soon get used to it. If they have a good time, it can take just a couple of walks, but if you’re unsure, keep them on the lead until they get to know you better. Again, the older dogs are more prone to this than the younger ones (not always, though).
If you get a nervous dog, it generally just takes a few walks with the same pack for them to relax soon. However, if you have an unsure dog, it’s crucial that you become Mr/Miss Chilled. No drama, loud voices, nothing that makes them think being walked by you or being in the group is wrong – make it a great thing!
Just finishing a group walk and heading back to the van.
Dog Walking Tip: When out and about and meeting people walking their dogs, chat with them as human and not as a potential client. Don’t try to be a salesperson trying to get work, forcing your business cards down their throat. By just being friendly and chatty and without any agenda you build trust among people and should they need a dog walker they will choose you. Why? Because you are someone they’ve gotten to know, a nice person to chat to and someone they trust.
Becoming A Responsible Dog Walker
Control is what dog walking is all about and the most important thing to remember. Being in control is the number one rule. It’s more important than giving the dogs a good run and play. More important than letting them pee and poo. If you’re in control, dogs are safe. If you’re not, then they’re not.
You have to be able to control the dogs you walk, and what that means is that dogs off-lead should stay close to you, come when called, and be focused on you. The easiest way to control dogs is to be the centre of attention and even give the dogs a job to do. That might mean using a ball to keep the focus for some, retrieving things from the water for others or just having playmates.
However you do it, the dog must know that being with you is better than being away from you. Else, they are likely to entertain themselves. What’s happening over there may look a lot more fun. That means they are running away to greet other dogs, that means they are following a scent they’ve found, that means you are not in control. Being the centre of attention is the number one mega secret of being a good dog walker. Unfortunately, not many dog walkers understand this, so I’ll repeat it, you are the centre of attention.
It’s more fun for dogs to be with you than away from you – play with them – entertain them – talk to them, don’t ignore them – give them a job to do – remember that, and you will be doing well! If all else fails, they go on the lead. As I said, I’ve said this to many dog walkers who can’t stop their dogs from running off. Still, they don’t seem to get it for some reason, and eventually, most of their dogs end up permanently on lead.
Dog Walking Tip: For new dogs it’s important to post photos to Facebook that same day (if possible). You can bet your bottom dollar that your new client will be visiting your Facebook page aplenty that first day because they want reassurance and most are anxious when a stranger takes their dog out for the first time. Posting photos to Facebook is an ideal way to reassure new clients and to not do so can cause resentment and potentially the client finding a more reassuring dog walker.
Introducing New Dogs To The Group
Try to know as much about the new dog before you walk it. Are they dog-friendly? If not neutered, does it get on well with other males? If it’s a female, is it spayed? Are there any breeds they don’t like or anything you need to be made aware of? If you want, you can organise for the owner and dog to join you for a walk with your group so they can meet first.
Sometimes owners won’t tell you what you really should know because they are counting on you to walk their dog, but there can be signs that can give you insight if you look closely. For example, if they have a bungee lead, they might not be good on a lead. This can also be true if they use a harness or head collar. If they have an extendable lead, the dog probably doesn’t get off the lead much. Find out why.
Outside, where dogs can run free and have plenty of room, they can ignore the other dogs if they’re not happy in their company. But in the vehicle, dogs won’t ignore each other. So any problems will surface in the vehicle. New dogs always need to be placed in a separate area from the rest – this is why you need a minimum of two spaces in your vehicle.
Usually, dogs are fine, young puppies are always good, but the most likely scenario you’ll find is from the males and non-socialised dogs. Unneutered males don’t always like other males, especially complete males, but this isn’t always the case. Some males do need neutering, but haven’t been, and they can cause problems with other males, harass and get too personal towards the girls and cause trouble.
Some dog walkers (not many) only walk female dogs because of this. If you have a complete female, you’ll have to let the owner know that you can’t take them on group walks when they are in season. However, you might be able to offer a solo walk, which would have to be on the lead. Suppose a dog hasn’t been socialised enough at a young age. It really might not like being in proximity to other dogs in the vehicle, but a separate area can remedy that. Y
our dogs must be dog and people-friendly! Most dog owners will tell you their dog is friendly. Whether they are or not is another matter. If their dog doesn’t want anything to do with other dogs but doesn’t go for them, you may expect to hear that it’s friendly! Dog walking can be pretty funny that way, and some owners are, let’s say, very loyal towards their dogs.
So, unless it’s a puppy, you will have to find out what the dog is like. You could have a fantastic team filled with lovely sociable dogs having a great time together, all under your control. Then you bring in a new dog that profoundly changes the dynamic of that walk for the worse.
For me, dogs that cause problems in the group are the worst part of dog walking. Suppose I come across a dog that doesn’t fit in enough because it’s too hard to control or not friendly. I will let the owner know that it’s not working out and end that dog’s time with us – for the good of the group walk.
Regarding new dogs, it should only take a couple of walks for you to get a good idea of how that dog is and how it gets on with the pack. Even after one walk, you should have a reasonable idea.
Dog Walking Tip: When approaching a person walking with their dog, look at the body language of the dog owner to find out if that dog is friendly or not. If the owner is relaxed chances are the dog is friendly, but if they react and then put their dog on a lead, call it in, tense up, stop, then act accordingly and you’ll avoid any issues.
Get Pet Business Insurance
You need dog walking/pet care insurance; there are a few dedicated pet insurance businesses around. Pet Business Insurance and Cliverton are the two most popular. It should cost about £15–£20 a month. Pet insurance covers things like the locks of owners’ homes in case you lose their keys or they are stolen and also covers vet costs if a dog gets injured on a walk. Also, insurance will generally (or optionally) cover other services like dog boarding, daycare, pet taxi, etc. I’ve had emails often in the past from dog walkers unable to get their vehicles insured for dog walking – not many insurance companies want to take us on. So if you are having trouble, try Hastings.
You have to register with the HMRC when you start your dog walking business, this is so you can pay taxes on your income. You can earn around £12,570 a year before you have to start paying tax. By law, you have to keep your financial records up to date—what’s coming in, what’s going out—so an accountant is worthwhile and quite cheap. But it’s quite easy to do yourself. Taxes are done online every January on the HMRC website, and you are paying tax for the previous year.
Using either spreadsheet software or a notepad, write down every time a client pays you, whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly for each month—this is your incomings. For your outgoings (keep your receipts), you are looking at fuel bills, van insurance, dog walking insurance, boarding certificates (if required), mobile costs if you have one for your business, and any items you need to buy, e.g., dog leads, cages, etc. So it’s not complicated. Online HMRC will only ask you for your incoming total and the outgoing total for the year and then work out what you owe in tax.
Some people will be entitled to Universal Credit too (I was), so check into that as the income can really help when you start. You might want to get a business bank account too. They are similar to your personal bank account, but you keep it just for business. It makes it easier to keep track of your incomings and outgoings and doesn’t cost anything.
Since you are generally given a key to the owners’ home while they’re away, it’s best to have a certificate showing you have been police checked (DBS/CRB check) and have no criminal record. Letting strangers into their home alone is a big deal for most people, which is why dog walkers rely so heavily on recommendations. If a friend or someone they know trusts you, they are far more likely to choose you than someone they know nothing about. Disclosure Scotland is a government-run organisation and can offer disclosure certificates to anyone in the UK. You can also Google search to find other services that offer this.
Dog Walking Tip: In case of emergency, you can take the dog to any vet (meaning the closest at hand), not just their registered vet. All that vet needs to know is what clinic the dog’s registered with so they can get their info. Vets will also treat injured wild animals should you come across any.
Marketing your business
If you want an online presence, a Facebook business page may be all you need. But a website can also help. Those who don’t know of any dog walkers will likely Google for one and find local businesses (and their websites) listed. Register on Google Business. Doing this will list your business on local search results and Google maps – a must-do action, and it’s free!
I got my website with One.com and have been with them since 2010, and I think it’s about £20 for the first year and they have a super easy to use website builder, so it’s very easy to make a website. Half of the people that contact me come from my website, the other half from Facebook, so it pays for itself easy.
Custom Clothing
Just like getting stickers for your vehicle helps promote your business wherever you go, getting your brand on your clothes does the same thing. When I started dog walking I got my logo printed on hoodies, and it was the first thing I did after making my website. It really helped promote my brand while out dog walking. If you want to get clothing (t-shirts, hoodies, jackets etc) with your own logo or want to use loads of free artwork I made, go here!
I get my embroidered clothing from Clothes2Order.
Dog walking forms
Protect your business with three key forms, available in my Dog Walking Form Book and Pet Sitting Form Book:
- Dog Walking Contract: Outlines terms, compensation, and liabilities.
- Veterinary Release Form: Authorises emergency vet care.
- Pet and Owner’s Information Sheet: Details pet health, behaviour, and contacts.
Download free form templates below to ensure professionalism and safety.
- Free Dog Walking Contract
- Free Vet release Form
- Free Pet and Owner’s Info Sheet
- Free Pet Sitting Form
Learn More
This article is a segment from my book: How to Be a Dog Walker – A Pocket Guide, on Amazon. Read the rest, there’s loads more still to learn!
Love the video – perfect pack of happy hounds. ?
Hi Jamie. Great site! What a resource 🙂 I wonder if you can offer some advice please. I’m at my wits end with my last and existing dog walkers seeming to think it’s acceptable to return my dogs absolutely filthy. I have 2 long haired GSDs and I accept in winter weather they get a bit mucky, but I always take them through a river on our walks so the majority of mud is removed . I am lucky I have an outhouse for them to “self clean” in but tonight I’ve got in to a dog I left clean this morning who is now caked in mud virtually to the shoulders. Apart from the obvious inconvenience, this means he can’t go anywhere in the house apart from the kitchen, that the kitchen will now be covered in mud and require cleaning, that the dust from the mud will permeate onto the surfaces etc etc. Basically she’s saved me the job of walking only to give me 4 or 5 new jobs to do when I get in from work plus a poor dog who has to be confined to the kitchen. I’m getting an outside shower tap put in but am I wrong in finding this unacceptable from the dog walker and how do I approach her about it? The last walker I had quit on the spot in a huff when I asked if it were possible to walk the dogs somewhere less muddy. They don’t seem to have any concept of the extra work it causes a client to return a filthy dog not seem to think it’s part of their job to return the dog in the state it went out with them. Your thoughts are appreciated.
Hey, thanks for commenting.
I’m lucky I walk at a river so can always get the dogs in to clean them up, but I’m lucky that way. But yeah it’s fine to want them clean when they come back and I always make sure mine are as clean as poss ( I even have a pump shower in the car, just in case). Dry is another matter… but clean, yeah!
An outside tap is a brill idea. On the odd occasion I’ve been somewhere where there is no water and a dog has rolled in poo or filthy I’ve taken them to my house or another clients whose dog I’m dropping off and hosed them down there.
But I dont think there is any easy way to go about it except to just come out and say that you don’t want your dogs to come back into the house filthy and that if they are wet then you can leave a towel out.
Or….
In fact, I’d ask what they thought so you don’t risk getting them offended say something like, “Hey, Steve, we are planning on decorating the house soon and as you know the mucky pups are happiest when they are filthy. I’m getting a outdoor tap installed soon but have you got any ideas to clean them up after a walk? Your input is much appreciated as always, S Addis”
Hope this helps..
Jamie
Thanks Jamie 🙂 I’ll have a think – one of my thoughts was to mention the outside tap n invite her to use it if any of her other dogs need a quick rinse ahead of taking them back to their owners, so similar to what you mentioned you do! I think the real issue is that as a group dog walker she’s spreading herself a little thinly so is dashing between clients to pick up n drop off after a walk so doesn’t build in the time to cover off the maintenance side of a walk.
Thanks for your advice. Appreciate you taking the time 🙂
That sounds a good idea, once the tap is installed there is really no reason for your dogs to come home dirty. Many dog walkers do overstretch themselves, either too many dogs or working in too large an area. So see how it goes, they will either use it or they wont, then it’s up to you what you do next.
Hi Jamie
What an amazing resource your site is! I note your comments: “If you have a male that doesn’t like other males then you have to see that other male first and move away or distract.” and this was what I always had to do with my dog – not just with other males. He just didn’t like other dogs and they didn’t like him. Sadly I lost him in October 2015.
So, my question is what do you do if someone’s dog attacks one of the ones you’re walking, despite your best efforts to move away from the situation? This is one of my concerns when thinking of setting myself up because I was in this position with my dog.
Thanks so much for this site!
Best wishes.
Hi Jamie
I truly mean this, thank you so much. I have read and re-read your blog and all the comments too. I am so excited. I have two large doggie daycares near me but have decided to still take the plunge. Who dares wins lol
I am taking it slow because I am a little bit impatient and tonight is my first mail drop ( my daughter does a paper round so no extra fuss)
I have printed your basic dog contract out and I wondered if you could advise me what to say in a pet information sheet and owners sheet that you mentioned in the contract.
I am sorry if you have already answered this question and I have missed it.
Again thank
Kelly
P.s love your photos too
Hey well done.
Pet info sheet is just info about the pet: it’s age, breed, what vet it goes too, any medical conditions etc. Just info on the pet. The Owners sheet is contact details, address phone ect. They can be merged together or even merged with dog walking contract.
Get ready to fight. Hope you got a website, google business listing, nice facebook page etc etc. Lots of work out there!
Jamie
Hi Jamie
Thank you for your reply. And thanks for your advice. It really means a lot. Especially your stories about when you first started out.
I designed my website watching a you tuber and working with a word press and I am working my paws off networking and tweeting. I set up google biz too. I have taken your advice on everything.
I would love your feed back regarding my site and Facebook page. (I hate Facebook) and I know it a means to a end. I am having problems paying for ads because my biz is not verified. I don’t know how to do this because I use my mobile number and do not have a business utility bill. I will get there eventually but its frustrating .
I will be honest, I was a little cheeky and used bullet points like yours on my service page. Sorry ? But the rest is all my own. I didn’t want others to think I copied them. I wanted it to be original and fresh.
Regards
Kelly
P.s sorry for the long message
Bullet points are good as people don’t read they scan (cause we lazy when we use the internet) and bullet points are easy to scan.
You’re the second person in two days to ask me to look at their website and both of you have a page for services and another page for prices. Imagine if Amazon had a page for a product and you then had to click on another page to find how much it cost? Merge them!
Your biz name means nothing to me. What do you do and where? That is what should be in your heading. If I want a dog walker in your area then I want you to tell me you do that. As a lazy internet user you have 2-3 seconds to convince me else I’m hitting the back button and looking elsewhere.
“Dog walking services – for all your dog needs” Is too vague. I dont want to think, you have to lead me by the hand cause online that’s what I expect. Most potential clients have no idea how dog walking works so you gotta tell ’em. Tell em exactly what you do, where you do it, how it works.
Contact forms should be on every page as you don’t know what page a client will be on should they decide they want to contact you.
It may sound pedantic but the Contact Us menu should always be last, simply cause that’s where visitors expect to see it.
Look at your competitors site. How long does it take you to decide if you like their site or not? 2-3 seconds? That’s how long you have too, for potential clients to decide if they like you or not.
Do you know about page titles and meta descriptions? I dont think so. Google uses them to help determine what a web page is about yet your own homepage page title is “Front page -“. Google needs to know what you do and where and your current title does nothing to help so you make it hard for yourself to rank on Google.
Google also uses your meta description to determine what a web page is about… you dont have one on your homepage.
Fix those things (or not) then get back to me.
Jamie
Hi Jamie
Thanks for taking the time and I have listen to your honest feedback. I will endeavour to do as many of the changes as I can to the best of my ability.
Regards
Kelly
Ok cool. I loved building my website, learning how do it,it was so much fun. Btw, the slider/carousal you have on homepage has been shown to be bad for business….
http://searchengineland.com/homepage-sliders-are-bad-for-seo-usability-163496
Im looking to start doing this when daughter syarts school. Its been really helpful with what i need and can earn.
We already have an ebay shop that my hubby does along side his full time. Thank you. X
Thanks Tracey. Good luck!
Hi Jamie,
Wonderful blog. Truly a rare gem and full of useful help and tips.
A couple of things:
1) how many of your clients stick long term? I would ideally like the vast majority to be long term.
2) How much holiday time do you take a year? I’d thought 2 weeks throughout the year would be enough, so long as I gave people enough notice. What time of year are no-gos for holidays in your opinion (and which are the best?)
3) I live in a pretty similar area to you (Northumberland – coastal, sparsely populated). I’m worried about my geographical range being too far spread out – I thought of just offering 2 types of walks, one budget one, and one half an hour one to limit travelling 20 miles round trip to get the two clients that want an hour walk – have you any advice to lessen the burden? What sort of areas did you focus on? Big towns?
4) Do you tend to take your dogs to remote places where you know there’s a small chance of you being bothered by other walkers?
5) Lastly, what’s the most popular walk length? I thought it would be half an hour due to most people’s budget. Or maybe I’m wrong.
Sorry for all the questions, but I’m so excited about being able to start dog walking this September. I’m lucky enough to work for a company where I can switch my hours to working evenings and weekends while I build up enough clientele to go full time, so the pressure is off a bit. The thought of being out in nature and working with dogs for a living instead of being cooked up in an office all day fills me with joy.
Hey Brett,
Yeah, most dogs are long term. You may get the odd request over holidays if dogs go to live with relatives but it’s not that common. So far I take a two week break over Christmas and New year, I find that a good time as most people are off during that time anyway and I’ll give a couple of months notice but clients are familiar with that so they expect it. I would recommend at least two holidays a year though, another holiday just before the School summer holidays is a good time.
My area has around 25,000 people but also around 15 dog walking businesses – it’s crazy but the work is there. My own village has a population of just over 5,000. I wouldn’t offer cheap walks, in my opinion, if people need a dog walker, they need a dog walker.
I look for quiet areas, yeah, the country, the beach early in the day. People make things harder, kids, picnics, all things that make life a bit harder for a dog walker, so the quieter the place the better. I’m not bothered by other dog walkers, they are more understanding, it’s the public that makes things a bit harder.
1 hour walks is all I do. I wouldn’t make things complicated. I offer 3 group walks a day, all 1 hour long and that’s it.
Since you are starting in September, get your website made now, get your listing on Google now. Google doesn’t like new businesses or websites so it may take a while for you to rank. Just put a notice on your website that you are starting in September and offer contact details etc. It would be great that your website ranked high on Google and your business was known as you started rather than a long time afterwards.
That’s great, thanks for the reply. I’m a little worried by how long it *can* take to get the business to the point where it’s earning you decent money. You say in your blog that your business only really took off after 3 years. Do you think there was any reason for that, anything that slowed you down? And do you have any advice on how to get the wheels turning a bit quicker? Thanks 🙂
Hi Jamie,
Your blog is great and so informative.
I live in the South of England and ready to start but I have no experience at all building a website. I contacted onecom as you mentioned but it seems you need to be fairly savvy on the computer. Do you recommend a company that can build the site which I could blog from add photos to?
Do you know if wordpress would be a good start?
Thank you
Jayne
Hi Jayne,
Nah, you don’t have to be savvy at all. One.com has a website builder to make it very easy AND a Blog option if you want it. I’d defo give that a try and if you need any help then send me an email but I think you should be able to manage most of it yourself. Tbh, if you want someone to build you a site for you that lets you post pics and blog then that will take a lot more work as they are gonna have to teach you how by using the back end of the website and this all gets complicated. But a pro website would look good, but may cost a few hundred.
I’d start by using the website builder and built in blog function One.com has first.
Jamie
Hi Jamie,
Great blog, it’s really helpful to find everything you need to know in one place. I do have a few questions. When taking on a new dog do you get the owner to sign a contract if so do you have a template ? You mention about getting a disclosure check done how do you go about this ? do you just register your company and then contact the dbs and ask for the check? When you get a new set of keys how do you mark these so you know who’s they are. Sounds like a silly questions but I assume you can’t mark them with the address so how do you know who’s is who’s ? Thanks Hannah
Hey Hannah,
Yeah, basic contracts are at bottom of post (just before the comments). Check the post about a Disclosure, there is a link you can click, I think it’s an image link. I dont understand this question, “do you just register your company and then contact the dbs and ask for the check?”.
I attach all client keys to one large carabiner – that way I don’t lose any. You can use Key Ring Tags
to identify clients dogs – attatch one to each key!
Thanks Jamie, I think I’ve managed to find the answer. I was unsure whether you had to register your business with HMRC before you could apply for the disclosure.
Thanks
Hannah
Oh, no you apply for disclosure anytime.
Thank you soo much Jamie. I’ve just officially started my business “Tails of Love Pet care” on Valentines day!
Wasn’t actually sure on the best way to start and while googling I stumbled about this. Best reading for my business. Thank you so much for the advice and tips!
I’m actually going to get some leaflets done only because I used to work at a printers and I can get them done for next to nothing.
Just 2 questions I like to ask. Whats the best way to get found on Google? At the moment I’m really find it hard just looking myself let alone a potential customer.
Second, I was even thinking of doing a loyalty scheme but wanted to ask, do you think that maybe too cheesy?
Thanks for all your help.
Steve
Have you added your business to Google? Get a free Yell.com account too as that should help you rank on Google a little as it verifys your addy.
Clients tend to be loyal anyway as it’s about trust. What kind if thing were you thinking?
Jamie
Thanks for replying Jamie. Yes, I’ve added my businesd to google businesses a few days ago but barely appears when I search for it.
Haven’t done yell. Will do that shortly.
In terms of loyalty, I was offering free walks and boarding.
Did Google send you a postcard to verify your addy? Takes a couple of weeks usually. Is it here (https://www.google.co.uk/business/) you registered?
Nah, don’t bother with any free stuff. Once the owner trusts you and they know that you know their dog and more importantly the dog knows and trusts you they wont go anywhere else.
Oh and add your address to your website
Thanks Jamie. Yes Google did send through the postcard and it is registered with online. Still hard to find but will slowly get there. Going to take a while before I’m started to be found with “Dog walker near me” searches ect.
I look forward to getting my first full time dog!
Did rethink about the loyalty scheme and I decided to remove it.
Thanks for your help and I wish you all the best. If I’m ever in Bishopton, I will pop by and thank you personally.
Steve
Is Brighton & Hove in your meta title? I dont think it is, I think you’ve made it just “Tails of love” I’d maybe change it to “Tails of love – dog walking for Brighton & Hove” and see how that does.
Have you got a Google page?
When I started I gave discounts, usually it was taking the second dog for free – whatever just to get some extra cash, but when I got busy I grudged the loss of money so you’ve done the right thing. It will work for you, it’s just about time now, so prepare for the future and make sure you get paid what you are worth and not undercutting your services.
Ah. Thanks. As you can tell, I maybe young (ish) but my computer knowledge isn’t as what it used to be. Meta titles changed.
I haven’t got a google account but I’m guessing I should set one up.
Yeah, I decided that it was best to use what I got than giving away too many free stuff. I’ve gone out on longer walks with my dogs (with owners permission) as its a great way to meet people when you have a few dogs.
Thanks for taking your time to help me. Means a lot to me as I’m sure your a busy man!
Now just give a month and see what Google makes of it.