Dog walking

[autumndream]

After the events of this year I'm reassessing my life (like many people are).
I've decided I want a career change! I want to be a dog walker! Has anyone else totally changed career and done this and can give me some pointers! Literally have no clue where to start!
I'm normally out for hours anyway with my own crazy cocker and I'm already self employed so I already know about that side of things (tax etc). Thank you.

It’s not as easy and stressfree as it seems! Although it can be a lovely job.
Some observations-
You could be doing a lot of driving- depending on where your clients live and how quickly you can establish suitable groups close to each other. Many of the DW I know are on pick ups for an hour, walking for an hour then dropping home another hour, then starting again for the next walk. This means that 3x walks a day, although more profitable is exhausting. Add in a muddy walk and you need an extra half an hour at the end of the walk to wash and dry the dogs.
Most DW walk a group of 6 dogs- you need to establish groups that work well together so you don’t have any fighting or personalities that clash. This can take time so your business could take a while to be profitable while you do separate walks before you are able to build safe groups. You need a decent vehicle- I know a couple of DW who have Ford Galaxy type cars with crates but can only take a limited number of larger dogs. Most have a van which can cost £0000’s to properly crate.
Generally daycare and boarding is more profitable as it cuts down the driving- the obvious downside of this is that you have dogs in your house 24/7! No lay ins or days out!
Finally, CV19 has effected lots of DW in a big way- people are working from home and most of the DW I know have lost about 50/60% of their business- either clients cancelling altogether or
Cutting down from everyday to 1 walk a week for socialisation rather than necessity!
I’m sorry to sound so negative- there are a lot of lovely things about being a DW but I’ve seen so many people thing it’s a lovely break from an office job, only to find the driving/freezing cold walks and controlling a group of 6 random dogs too much- sometimes ending very badly!
I would recommend finding a DW you could help out for a while to see if you like it. They tend to be a friendly bunch.
Good luck!

Thanks for your help!
The driving and car isn't a problem as I'm a mobile hairdresser at the moment so I'm used to driving here there and everywhere and I have a big car already that fits in all my equipment.

A big career change then! Make sure you sort liability insurance first if you decide to go for it!
You should be able to find client contracts online- just make sure you read them carefully so you are covered as best you can be x

Oh yes course I'd make sure I'd have all the right insurance and dbs checks etc.

See if you can find a local DW group on FB, you’ll probably get some good advice.
Also look at how much the average cost per walk is and work out what you would make in a range of scenarios, maybe something like- (based on my local average of £12 per walk)
If you are full and doing 3 walks per day- 18 dogs that’s £216 per day for around 9 hours- based on worst case scenario that each walk is 3 hours from picking up to dropping off last dog.
You can play with the numbers to figure out how many dogs you would need and your maximum driving time to make the £ that you are looking for!

Yes good idea!
I do know someone that I could potentially ask to help and go out with for practise, sounds like we will be locked down again in Jan so if we are I could be having a whole month off work anyway so could do with filling my time doing something 🤣

Yes it’s looking likely isn’t it! Wishing you lots of luck, and again, I hope I haven’t sounded too negative, I just know how hard it can be! Equally it can be so rewarding so good luck!

No definitely not, there's negatives to all jobs, hence why I want to stop what I'm doing at the moment 🤣.

Just my experience of using dog walkers:
I’ve used 2 different dog walkers. They both charge £10 a walk and take 3 dogs in the group unless they have another person with them and take 6 dogs. There is a big franchise near me where they take 6 dogs per walker. I wouldn’t use them because I think 6 dogs is too much for one person.
Both of ours have a van with crates inside. Dog walking is big business where I live so I think they are only doing picking up for half an hour or so and the walk is at least an hour. The main one I use also does dog boarding in her house which is £23 a night. The reason I use her is she is great with the dogs and genuinely loves my dog. I wouldn’t send him off with someone who didn’t seem that bothered.

Yes 6 is def too much I'd only take 3 at a time. I genuinely love dogs (more than people) and as I said in my post I already have a cocker so I have to take him out rain or shine and I love being out whatever the weather.
I know it's hard work and there's going to be bad days like any job. The aim is for this time next year to be a dog walker 🤞🏻

I'm a dog walker.
I specialise in walking gundogs, but do take on other breeds.
I only walk a max of 3 dogs at one time. For mine & the dogs safety.
I have Insurance and a DBS check. Canine First Aid is a MUST!
First Aid kits to carry in your car/ van.

Thank you! Yes I'd def do a first aid course I'd be too nervous otherwise 🤣.

My friend was a dog walker, who did individual walks, which people with perhaps elderly /nervous / lairy dogs really appreciated, so she was hugely in demand.

The problem that she had was entirely of her own making though. She's such a lovely person, who makes connections and friends with everyone, and sadly some people then took the piss. She used to get paid in cash or by cheque weekly - this was in the days before we all had mobile banking - and people just didn't pay her sometimes because they "forgot". This then meant that she couldn't afford to do her shopping when she'd planned - not sure Tesco would be so understanding if she "forgot" to pay for her food!

Sometimes it would be a week before they'd pay, but she still went and walked the dog every day because she didn't want them to suffer!

So this is my long-winded way of saying, maybe think about having a procedure in place for that kind of situation?

Oh and one good idea I remember she had was to have a key safe, and each key to have a ring with just the dog's first name on it. And also keep details of each dog's vet, any health issues, etc.

My friend loved doing it, but sadly had to give up through ill health.

Best of luck OP.

Oh trust me I would have a tight terms and conditions! Being a hairdresser I've seen it all over the years! I'm very likeable and bubbly but I don't take any crap and my clients know not to take the piss otherwise i'd sack them.

There are so many hidden expenses with dog walking so do cost it carefully.

You car will have to be crated especially if you are mixing dogs from different household - usually an insurance requirement. Most large cars will only get in 3 crates with the back seat down - will this be enough?

Our council only allows 4 dogs to be walked together for a commercial dog walker so this will of course impact on profits. tbh many clients will not want the dogs walked in bigger groups than this anyway.

You will need dog tags with your details on them as many owners still do not have the tags and if you are responsible for the dogs when out this is your legal requirement.

You need equipment to clean dogs on their return - depends where you walk but may need a portable pressure washer and towels.

Insurance check out cliverton - is essential

Most people want the dogs walked in the lunchtime slots so again this cuts down on the amount of dogs you can walk so dont cost out a full day walking as thay may be harder to do.

Pick ups and drop off take longer than you think but again area dependent, we are rural and the dog walkers spend half the time driving to the time they are walking approx.

Do not take on any clients until you have a deposit or week paid in advance, also make sure you have detailed terms and conditions eg cancellation policy, notice of change in walks etc.

You will need to walk every dog you take on individual to start with as owners lie, do not recognise issues with their dogs. You may not change for the initial walk with client so needs to be costed.

You need to have experience with various types of dogs and dog body langauage and matching them into the right walking groups. This unfortunately will not be location dependent so again can push up your costs.

Equipment, walking boots clothes for all weathers, towels to clean dogs, at the moment with covid individual leads (that are yours ) for each dog. Covid also means leads, towels, crates need to be cleaned after each session. The costs add up.

You will not be rich and probably have many of the issues you have with mobile hairdressing eg the clients. It an also be a lonely job, many hours on your own.

It is not an easy way to make money.

I'm already used to cleaning everything in between clients anyway, I'm under no illusion that it's all easy but it's time for a change.

I live being on my own, I def won't be lonely

You sound really nice OP, and it's good that you've already got experience of some of the potential "issues" so I'm sure you'll be grand.

At the end of a walk with my dogs, I often console myself with the thought "a muddy dog is a happy dog" so I wish you many happy muddy walks in the future!

I’d definitely prefer someone with some experience of dog handling and obedience training and dog behaviour qualifications walking my dog. I believe the Kennel Club run accredited schemes for dog trainers, I don’t know if there would be something suitable for a dog walker?

That's fine if that's what you want in a dog walker but I'm not trying to be a trainer or a behaviourist

Thank you @CarrieMoonbeams

The thing about not being a trainer or a behaviourist I totally understand. However a dog walker does need to know about training. This kicked off a bit last time it was mentioned in the Doghouse .

You do need to be able to train the dogs you are walking to be able to walk with the group and recall to you and also walk well on a lead if you are walking a groups of dogs. I agree you do not have to train others to do this but you do need the knowledge yourself.

I guess it is like me saying to you well I can wash my own hair and cut my fringe so I can be a hairdresser - you know full well that is not the case.

You may walk your own dog but you do need knowledge and be able to train other dogs to walk in your group. What do you do if you have one reactive dog? what do you do if one of the dogs humps the others? what do you do if they all get together in a group and take no notice of you whatso ever, what do you do if you meet other dogs who bundle into your dogs?

You need to have an uptodate first aid certificate etc.

There are loads of dog walkers who do not have this experience and they are the ones who do not survive. Somuch work is generated from word of mouth a lot from dog trainers who know the dog walkers and dog walking clients.

I’d be more comfortable with someone that was experienced in dog behaviour and could read my dog and understand and sort out any behavioural issues while he is out with god knows who’s dogs. Not that he has any behavioural issues but I would expect you to be able to recognise any problem behaviours and prevent my dog from being exposed to them. I guess that would be covered by knowing which dogs to put with which. For example, he’s a big black Labrador and I’ve had so many people tell me that their dogs are frightened of black labs because some idiot owner has let their lab bounce all over their dog in the past. Other dogs sometimes react to him. However he’s a big scaredy cat and would run a mile if another dog squared up to him. I wouldn’t want him being scared by fear aggressive dogs. I appreciate that’s not a common problem but you’d need to be able to reassure me that you’d be able to manage it.

Sorry, I probably sound really precious. I once had someone try to convince me that she could walk my dog for me. She was a dental nurse that had never even owned a dog. Absolutely clueless. And she was tiny, he’d have pulled her off her feet.

Hello OP - I'm a dog walker and started up in February after 10+ years in retail :)

Dog walking is a very unregulated industry. You don't need any qualifications, experience or even insurance to set up business (not that I advise doing that - I'm just setting the scene). However, it's not an easy way to make money and I'd advise being aware of the pitfalls as well as the benefits before you decide to go for it.

I would say that anyone setting up needs to have some basic qualifications in dog behaviour, training and first aid. Personally, I'm fully insured, and I have canine first aid and dog behaviour qualifications, too. My next step will be to do some dog training classes, but with COVID this has all been put on hold temporarily.

In some ways it's the best job in the world, but it's not always easy and you have a lot of responsibilities and decisions to make every day to keep yourself and your dogs safe. Some things to think about are:

1 - whether you're truly happy to walk in all weathers, including 50mph winds, rains and storms. It can be utterly grim out there in the winter months - especially if you have 5-6 hours of walks booked in!

2 - are you going to do group or solo walks? Groups are where the money is, but they're a lot more work than solos - you have to look at whether the dogs will get along, whether they'll go off-lead, whether they can walk nicely on a lead (and if not, can you teach them) and how you'll transport them all safely.

3 - what you'll do if a dog becomes sick or injured? I've only been open for ten months, but I've had a dog cut their paw whilst out with me, plus another who was physically sick too. Do you have enough knowledge to treat them or would you need to get them to a vet? If they need a vet, what will you do with all the other dogs in your care?

4 - what will you do if a dog in your care bolts, gets into a fight, injures another dog or, heaven forbid, bites another person? As the walker, you are liable if the dog is out of control, and any dog can spook or get frightened. Knowledge of body language and behaviour is very helpful here!

5 - be prepared for busy and quiet times. It's not a career that brings in consistent money. Some weeks I'm slammed and bring in nearly £500, and others I'll earn £20 a day, if that. Do your outgoings and lifestyle support those kind of fluctuations in income?

6 - what will you do if you're sick or injured and can't walk the dogs? Is there another walker who can help you out, for example, or maybe a family member? My husband is covered on my insurance and has filled in for me a couple of times (with clients consent, of course).

7 - make sure you have contracts in place with your clients. You need to know everything about your dogs, from their diet, to allergies, to behaviours - likes and dislikes, how they walk on the lead, are they on medication, can they go offlead (always get the owners written consent for this), what vet they're registered with etc etc.

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk off the boards, and best of luck with whatever you decide! :)

These are all things that I'm already thinking about, i know a couple of people that already do it so may ask them if I can join them on some days so I can see exactly how they run their day. It's not something I'm just going to jump into it'll be a couple of years in the making.