Dog Walking Jobs

Jobs : Animals

by G.H. 1188 views

Dog Walking Jobs

Walking dogs can be an excellent source for extra money, as a part time or even full time job. It's also relatively easy to get started. There are no education requirements, licenses or certifications needed to be a dog walker although if you are working for a business that provides dog walking services you may have to meet certain requirements to qualify for that position. This article will focus more on building your own dog walking business and the basics of how to get started.

Having a successful business will require more than just a good leash and a simple walk of the dog around the block. First you should have a love for dogs and, at the very least, a general understanding of how to control a dog while on your leash. While you are not training the dogs per say, knowing how to use positive reinforcement and behavior correction will make your job easier. This will be even more crucial if you are handling more than one dog at a time. Take the time to educate yourself on basic animal sciences, dog behavior and read books on dog training.

Being timely and organized will be an important aspect of this business. Your clients will expect you to arrive and return on time and ensuring their animal companions are receiving the exercise they need. As your business grows you will need to make sure you are not overlapping your clients in a way that prevents you from making your next appointment. Be sure to account for travel time from one client to another. Being late to pick up a dog or missing appointments can hurt your business significantly.

Avoid being overwhelmed and start small by reaching out to family, friends, co-workers or other networks you may have and let them know of your dog walking services. Get a feel for handling the dogs you are working with. Pay attention to the time you spend for pickup and returns. As you develop a system you can begin to expand your business and walk more dogs. You can advertise by putting a job post on Craigslist. If you can, pin up flyers at your local grocery store or coffee shop. Mention your services to local veterinary clinics, pet stores and canine daycare providers.

Set a standard fee for your services. Consider moderate discounts for multi-dog residents or multiple neighbor walks or even multiple walks of the same dog in a day. Offer multiple walk durations such as 15 minute walks and 30 minute walks. Typically dog walkers are currently charging anywhere from $10 - $20 per 15 to 20 minute walk and $20 - $30 for a 20 to 30 minute walk. Having a thought out and consistent pricing structure will make the bookkeeping side of the business much easier.

Now let's do some math to make this more fun. Let's say you charge $10 per walk and are able to walk 16 dogs every weekday, 261 of them, for a year. We have $10 x 16 dogs per day which equals $160. Then take $160 x 261 weekdays and that equals $41,760 per year. That's not too bad of a salary for only walking 16 dogs a day during the week. Finding 16 dogs to walk is also very reasonable to find in high dense populace areas. Beyond the financial portion, this is a very rewarding business. You are offering a service to the wellbeing of the dogs you walk and the owners of those animals. This helps prevent stress and bad behavior in some dogs. You too will be getting ample amounts of exercise during the walks. This career, if a right fit for you, can be a win-win situation.

I think it's important to mention the responsibilities that come with this job. You are handling other people's pets and, in some cases, their companions. Treating and handling these dogs with care and respect is important. You can refuse to walk an aggressive or unruly dog. It's better to find a new client rather than risk injury to the dog, you or another individual. When the dog is on your leash they are your responsibility.

    • Dog Walker/ Pet Sitter
      Metropawlitan PetSitters Arlington, VA, USA
      Be comfortable with groups of dogs and be skilled in animal behavior * Be able to provide references and pass a criminal background check * Demonstrate a keen ability to handle multiple tasks and ...
    • Dog Walker (Rose Hill)
      Kate's K9 Pet Care Rose Hill, VA, USA
      Create a safe and positive walking environment for our client's dogs * Provide detailed and attentive care for our client's cats and other small animals (guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, etc
    • Dog Walker (Southern Alexandria)
      Kate's K9 Pet Care Alexandria, VA, USA
      Create a safe and positive walking environment for our client's dogs * Provide detailed and attentive care for our client's cats and other small animals (guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, etc
    • Mid-Day Dog Walker--Retirees
      Saving Grace Pet Care Washington, DC, USA
      As a dog walker you can be. You will also have flexibility and independence! And...exercise and good vibes will be built right into your day! We are looking for a pet sitter/dog walker to add to our ...
    • Mid-Day Dog Walker--Stay at Home Parents
      Saving Grace Pet Care Washington, DC, USA
      As a dog walker you can be! We are looking for a pet sitter/dog walker to add to our ever-growing employee team who is interested in making up to $1000 a month loving on pets in Capitol Hill, DC. For ...
    • Dog Walker, Cat sitting
      Doggywalkercom Arlington LLC Arlington, VA, USA
      We are looking for a dog walker and a cat sitter who loves animals and had experience & acknowledge of how to take care for pets. If you like walking alone with a dog, and every type of weather ...
    • Dog Walker/Pet Sitter
      Puppy Luv Pet Services Arlington, VA, USA
      Dog walkers are responsible for providing exercise for their client ' s dogs each day. Walks usually run in 15-60 minute increments. Dog walkers often are also responsible for checking the dog ' s ...
    • Mid-Day Dog Walker--Freelancers Wanted
      Saving Grace Pet Care Washington, DC, USA
      Dog walking might be a great fit! We are looking for a pet sitter/dog walker to add to our ever-growing employee team who is interested in making up to $1000 a month loving pets in Capitol Hill, DC
    • Dog Walker (TUE-THU)
      Wanderpups Washington, DC, USA
      Professional dog walker * The position has a flexible schedule (you will provide/update us weekly), but we would prefer candidates that are consistently available to work Monday through Thursday ...
    • Dog Walker
      Wanderpups Washington, DC, USA
      Professional dog walker * The position has a flexible schedule (you will provide/update us weekly), but we would prefer candidates that are consistently available to work Monday through Thursday ...
    • Mid Day Dog Walker--Capitol Hill
      Saving Grace Pet Care Washington, DC, USA
      Saving Grace Pet Care is looking for an experienced Dog Walker. Candidate will visit the homes of clients to take dogs out for exercise and, on occasion, provide their meals as needed. The ideal ...
    • Dog Walker / Pet Sitter
      MAKA DOG PET CARE LLC Mount Vernon, VA, USA
      Dog Walkers | Pet Sitters 路 Mid-Day Shift (Consistent availability for a minimum of 2 hours between 10AM and 4PM) A POTENTIAL PURRFECT FIT FOR: 路 Retirees 路 Stay-at-Home Parents 路 Military ...
    • Dog Walker / Pet Sitter
      MAKA DOG PET CARE LLC Franconia, VA, USA
      Dog Walkers | Pet Sitters 路 Mid-Day Shift (Consistent availability for a minimum of 2 hours between 10AM and 4PM) A POTENTIAL PURRFECT FIT FOR: 路 Retirees 路 Stay-at-Home Parents 路 Military ...
    • Dog Walker | Pet Sitter
      FETCH! PET CARE GROVETON - MT VERNON Woodbridge, VA, USA
      Dog Walkers | Pet Sitters 路 Mid-Day Shift (Consistent availability for a minimum of 2 hours between 10AM and 4PM) A POTENTIAL PURRFECT FIT FOR: 路 Retirees 路 Stay-at-Home Parents 路 Military ...
    • Dog Walker/Pet Sitter
      The Grateful Dog Walkers LLC Lutherville-Timonium, MD, USA
      The Grateful Dog Family is growing and looking for new team members. We are a premium dog care company that services the Baltimore County area.If you love dogs as much as we do and have experience ...
    • Dog Walker
      Metropawlitan PetSitters Arlington, VA, USA
      Do you enjoy spending time with dogs and cats? Have you ever had a yearn for a career in animal care? If you enjoy spending your days being active outdoors and can handle varying weather conditions ...
    • Dog Walker (Lorton/Southern Alexandria)
      Kate's K9 Pet Care Lorton, VA, USA
      Create a safe and positive walking environment for our client's dogs * Provide detailed and attentive care for our client's cats and other small animals (guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, etc
    • Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters
      Metropawlitan Pet Sitters Arlington, VA, USA
      Do you enjoy spending time with dogs and cats? Have you ever had a yearn for a career in animal care? If you enjoy spending your days being active outdoors and can handle varying weather conditions ...
    • Pet Sitter / Dog Walker
      Your Pet AuPair Bel Air, MD, USA
      Looking for a dog walker to add to our ever-growing 20+ employee team who is interested in loving up on pets on a daily basis. For every member of our amazing team, we provide: * Competitive ...
    • Dog Walker
      Your Pet AuPair Bel Air, MD, USA
      Your Pet AuPair is looking for awesome Dog Walkers. They will visit the homes of clients to take dogs out for exercise and, on occasion, provide their meals as needed. The ideal person for this ...
    • Dog Walker
      Pet Fit Ellicott City, MD, USA
      Professional dog walker, working primarily Monday to Friday, with most walks occurring between 10am - 3pm. Our next staff member must be available on Monday. Compensation: $15 - $16 / hour $250 ...
    • Dog Walker
      Pet Fit Howard County, MD, USA
      Professional dog walker, working primarily Monday to Friday, with most walks occurring between 10am - 3pm. Our next staff member must be available on Monday. Compensation: $15 - $16 / hour $250 ...
    • Dog Walker
      Pet Fit Catonsville, MD, USA
      Professional dog walker, working primarily Monday to Friday, with most walks occurring between 10am - 3pm. Our next staff member must be available on Monday. Compensation: $15 - $16 / hour $250 ...
    • Do You Love Animals and Are Awesome? We're Hiring!
      DoggyWalker.com Alexandria, VA, USA
      We are currently hiring midday dog walkers and pet sitters (who we call pet caregivers) for new and returning business in these neighborhoods: * Old Town 22314 (2 positions) * South Arlington 22202
    • Experienced Pack Walker
      DogWalkingDC Washington, DC, USA
      We are currently seeking an experienced pack walker in the Dupont and Logan circle area of DC. Pet ... Walk multiple dogs at one time * Check that pets have ample water supply and refill as necessary
    • Concierge at 1221 Van (Monday-Friday, 3pm-11pm)
      JBG Smith Washington, DC, USA
      Connect residents with high-end services that are available in the community including the best dog walkers, personal trainers, and farm fresh deliveries. * Develop an in-depth knowledge of the ...
    • Part-time Concierge at 13|U (Saturday-Sunday, 3pm-11pm)
      JBG Smith Washington, DC, USA
      Connect residents with high-end services that are available in the community including the best dog walkers, personal trainers, and farm fresh deliveries. * Develop an in-depth knowledge of the ...
    • Direct Support Professional $20.00/HR (CNA/CMT)
      Community of Infinite Possibilities Support Services Jessup, MD, USA
      She is fully reliant on a motorized wheelchair 95% of the time and utilizes a walker only in her ... Comfortable with dogs (she has a dog and is on the list to receive a service animal) PRIMARY JOB ...