How much would you guess I earn?

[Dogladyloveswine]

I took redundancy from a very corporate job a few years ago. Very respectable job title with a big company.

I decided to have a go at home dog boarding. So I look after dogs in my home for people who don’t like kennels. I also do a bit of doggie day care. It’s all just in my house.

It obviously doesn’t carry the same respect that my corporate job did! You don’t need any qualifications.

If you had to guess, what would you think I earn a month?

Well done OP, I love it.

There's some movie - not a very good one as I recall - where the actress leaves her corporate lawyer job and becomes a dog walker. I can picture her walking with about 8 dogs. Total rubbish of course but your real life description is great.

It doesn't surprise me that you're making a good living - and good luck to you.
The dog business is huge in the UK now, in every sphere, so tapping into that is going to be lucrative.

That's fair enough but wouldn't work for us. I couldn't limit my lifestyle and hinder my freedom for a dog.

Ooh I dont know - £12k pa? I guess it depends on how much you charge per dog.

Ha - I was way out! That's a great salary 👍

I usually have about 7 a day, which will be a mix of day care and boarding. On a quiet day 2/3. On a busy day 10/12.

Ignore the haters op, it’s my dream job I love dogs - good for you!
how much do you charge ? Do you live in a wealthy area ? Do you have your own dog/s too? I’m keen to know more !

Young ones are far more interested in playing with each other. Older ones just sleep. Most of the dogs are middle aged or older, so there's not much play really.

It would genuinely be my worst nightmare, especially dealing with the poop. I think you deserve every bit of your earnings & more.

God, can you imagine how much faeces you'd have to deal with? Rather her than me.

This is great to know OP. Thanks for the thread.
we are actually considering this at some point in the future. How many dogs do you look after? Is that your earnings after tax etc?

It’s a great salary and it’s great the business is working for you.

I wouldn’t be over joyed that my dogs were only walked once a day though when paying for a service (obvious exceptions for older dogs etc).

The licence has plenty of rules SunnySideChaos

The thread is very much Look at me. See how much I earn by doing a " menial" job.
The use of the terminology " menial" work is actually really quite offensive.

I’m genuinely pleased for you. How brilliant, gives us all hope (well some of us, clearly others just like to snark)

Do you pay tax?

Trying to answer all questions. I've been doing this now for 10+ years, but I had customers from day 1 - there is a huge market for it. I don't take on any new dogs now, and I must have turned away over 100 people looking for care.

There are so strange people on this thread op, lol. I think it sounds great - it obvs suits you and you earn decent money doing it. You are defo fulfilling a need, a good dog sitter is worth their weight in gold to us dog parents as you will know.

I normally have 7 here. I brush them if they need it. They all do get along, but I vet them first to make sure they are not aggressive. Obviously we've had the odd fight, but less than 10 in 10 years, I'd say. Because I've been doing this so long, the dogs are now all familiar with one another. People tend to have set months they go away, so it's the same dogs coming in the same months, iyswim.

What do your neighbours think?
Does your bin get filled up?

Approx 1k per dog per month , so it depends how many dogs you’re licensed to board , assume average is 4-5 so £4-5k peak season .
Boarders near me are approx £35 a day so assume day care is prob the same .
Edited as just saw you board 7 😳, you must have a huge house !

I don't have a van. Customers deliver their dogs to me, and collect them afterwards. You could do it on the side I guess, if you worked from home. But on a much smaller scale.

I have a friend who does this. I was shocked how much it cost,a relative is on holiday,£50 a night. The friend limits overnights to 3 dogs, never walks more than 6,that's the amount her van holds, proper police quality. She had to do training,30 sperate modules, not just related to dogs. Emergency first aid, psychology. The third party liability insurance is very high. She dooesn't ever leave the dogs unattended. She is the only person apart from my dks I would leave my dogs with. Certainly not alone while someone sauntered off to the pub.

I think it depends what you mean by ‘earn’. Is that your turnover or is that what you draw out as a salary each month?

For example, Dh has a business with a £60k a month turnover. That’s what people pay him every month. That isn’t what he ‘earns’ though because he has vendors to pay and insurance and staff costs. His actual salary that goes in the bank is probably closer to £4000 ish depending on the month.

That said, though I have a dog, I’m not sure I like dogs enough to have other people’s in my house and have my life dictated by their needs. At least my own I can leave at home for the day if I need to.

My friend started this an over a year ago and is doing really well but she is considering giving it up because she says she has no life. Her weekends and summer is completely taken over by the dog boarding because it’s usually her busiest time. It causes a lot of tension between her dh and herself because she wants to accept the work but he wants his weekends to himself.
Do you find this to be the case for you too?

Also you say you walk the dogs once in the morning? Is that it? My friends walks the dogs twice a day as I have always done for my dogs.