dog walking as a way to make extra cash?

[Leigh 87]

The rich families I know who get help with their dogs, enlist the services of a professional company. The less rich would either trade with their friends/relatives, or enlist the services of the neighbourhood kid for very cheap.

 

Well, it doesn't hurt to try your luck I suppose, but when are you going to see your bf and family if your weekends are busy again? It's unlikely that all these families will be wanting their dogs walked at the exact same time, so you'll probably be working throughout the day if you want any sort of significant income (if you get clients). Also you are very unlikely to be paid as much as the professional companies (who tend to offer packages).

 

I see no harm in putting in effort, but I suspect you are underestimating the effort needed and overestimating the pay... again.

 

 

 

 

oh I don't expect to get any clients.

 

I am only doing it because it will be a very pleasant surprise if I did get anyone interested.

 

Deff not expecting anything to come from this. But I am giving it a whirl anyways because I believe in trying anything to put yourself out there.

[Leigh 87]

I think you need to do some checking out first as whether this could work

• are there already plenty of dog walkers in the area?
  

When I googled it no not in the exact suburb.

• do you need to be insured? It is a legal requirement in the UK for dog walkers to be insured in case the pet in your care injures someone or damages property etc.
  

I would cross that bridge IF I got a client, which may not even happen yet. No matter how professional the flyers looked.

• Will someone trust you - a stranger - to come into their house to walk their pet whilst they are out of work?
  

I am renowned for being extremely polite (all employees I have ever had gave me that feedback) and respectful. I believe I come across as very honest and trustworthy. Others have given me this feedback.

• Many, including me, would want to go through a company or use someone who has been recommended by word of mouth.
  

Hence why people starting out don't normally get looked into; people with more experience keep in business and newcomers seldom get a shot unless they go do a qualification.

 

However, there is a cert 4 in vet nursing I could do online in my uni break which I would enjoy and bare in mind one day if I am still passionate about the dog walking idea.

 

Would you take someone more seriously if they had a professional looking flyer and a cert 4 in vet nursing? And I have one good reference available don't forget of a dog I used to walk every week (of a good friend) who would deff rave about how good I was with his dog.

• I would also feel very iffy about someone who has just dropped a flyer through my door and only has a mobile number (i.e. no landline which would give some indication of permament location)
  

Well I am not giving the family I live with address as they would want their privacy protected. I would just say " in the ___ area"

• are there any local parks you can get to without a car?
  

Yes.

• have you really got the time and capacity to take on more commitments?
  

I have time to start walking once a day for one hour and if I dog sat on weekends I could study during the day and relax; dogs do not need to be constantly fed and walked for 24 hours straight.

 

I would not take on more than ONE walk per day for one hour duration. Which is what I am about to dedicate to exercise/jogging as it stands. Without dogs in tow....

 

 

 

This prob wont yield any results. I am just going to try it out anyway just incase by a slim chance my flyer falls into the right hands at he right time.

[iris219]

I think it's a great idea Leigh. Lots of people need dog walkers, but even more need pet sitters. I'm not sure you'll have time for this though.

 

I pet sat in college. I did this for years and I really liked it because I could do it in addition to school and waiting tables. I had no real experience when I stated and I wasn't insured. Do you know what to charge? If there are professionals in your area, you will want to charge less.

[MidwestUSA]

However, there is a cert 4 in vet nursing I could do online in my uni break which I would enjoy and bare in mind one day if I am still passionate about the dog walking idea.

 

 

I'm just curious what a cert 4 in vet nursing is, and how anything with animals can be learned strictly online. Is it like a vet tech? You don't need that to walk dogs, but as some here have said, you should probably carry some liability insurance. Have you thought this out (another online course when you haven't started your degree) or are you just brainstorming?

 

If a dog breaks away under your care and is killed in traffic, can you afford the legal issues?

[preraph]

They're going to want you to walk the dog when they need it, not probably in your 2-hour window. Usually, it's working people who want it done in the middle of the day while they're at work.

 

One caution: Dogs can snap leashes, and if you lose someone's dog, they will kill you. I know I would. My small dog has broken a leash and gotten away from the veterinarian. Another dog of mine broke a leash and got away from me. These were good solid leashes I couldn't have broken with all my might, but a dog can do it somehow. They can also surprise you and just pull the leash out of your hand and then take off if they see a squirrel.

 

You also have to deal with not letting the cat out, not letting the dog out when you first open the door, etc. As experienced as I am handling animals my whole life and was once a bonded professional dog sitter, these things have happened to me with my own dogs, once with a new dog that bolted right through me and just recently with my own sweet dog, who wanted to go get into my sister's van outside.

[Glinda.Good]

Well it would be a new level of stupid if an owner very well knew they had a dangerous dog and then hired a person to look after it/walk it.

 

 

No it wouldn't. It happens ALL THE TIME. I'm not a dog walker but work with dogs. This is a true fact.

 

You might want to look into liability issues, also. You might be liable if a dog in your care does harm or damage. Also you need a good contract spelling out your responsibilities in case of loss or injury of a dog while in your care.

 

You might turn out to be very good at this job, but I think the advice to contact professional dog walkers and maybe spend a day with one of them is good.

 

And I have a feeling you will have an indignant reaction to having to deal with dog poop.

[pink_sugar]

I think the difficult part as with any business is establishing clientele to really make some money and that can take time. I wanted to do dog walking for a bit but you'll probably need to find a friend to do it for first so you can have a good reference to provide.

[rester]

I know a few people that make their living as pet sitters. They don't do it for the money, and they don't make much. They do it for the love of the animals. Their wealthy clients know them very well, and the client base is mostly word-of-mouth referrals that took years to develop. Their entire life is based around these peoples' pets. If one of their clients needs to go on vacation or away on business, the pet sitter is there. Christmas, New Years, and other holidays. The pet sitter is there taking care of other peoples' pets. People pay for the reliability and dependability of the pet sitter, which means that the pet sitter is mostly on-call 24-7, 365 days a year. These pet sitters also walk dogs, but it is not the base of their business.

 

That said, it can't hurt to put up some flyers. Just be aware that it may not be as easy as you expect. None of the pet sitters I know have clients that only want their dogs walked. They are full service pet sitters and walk dogs as one small part of that business. They also have full insurance in case they need to bring a pet to the vet (and yes that has happened many times, and they have had to fork out hundreds if not thousands of dollars, not knowing if the client will reimburse them).

[rester]

 

If a family that can afford dog minding/walking are going out of town on a whim or there is an emergency of sorts, perhaps they will see my flyer and think " okay that looks professional and the girl looks nice, what cute pics of her and the dogs, I will give her a call since we are desperate for someone THIS weekend"

 

Rather than look for more options, a family that is desperate NOW will, maybe, take the first option, give me a call and if I sound nice enough some people would take the fastest option that looks attractive enough to them at the time).

 

It is just down to chance. If my flyer falls into the right hands at the right time I will have one client. If they like me and my services I could have more clients.

 

I could take a year just to get one client. Maybe a young professional man wanting to get away but not sure about his dog - perhaps he hasn't sought out dog minding services before and he sees me attractive flyer and thinks " well it is cheaper than a kennel!"

 

 

I don't want to discourage you, but this is not the way I've seen it work. People with money and pets establish their pet sitters/dog minders from the start. They do not grab flyers in emergencies and leave their pets with strangers. Maybe some do, but they are probably not the clients you seem to be seeking. Wealthy people have reliable, dependable pet sitters that are always there for them, and they may have one or two back-ups. These are not off the street people. They are people with space to take in pets at the drop of a hat, or be able to spend a couple hours a day with someone's pet. Smart people with pets plan ahead for these situations and generally have their sitters ready for emergencies.

 

The best way I've seen people get into this is referrals from other pet sitters that have too much on their plate. It's very insular. You need to make contacts before getting work, and it can be a LOT more work than putting together a flyer and crossing your fingers. Again, I hate to be discouraging, but you need to think about how much work you are willing to put into this before you get your expectations up.

 

Also, most pet sitters I know that do well have pets of their own, which is partly how they made their connections.

[sweetjasmine]

I know very well what a pain in the @ss dogs can be but I cannot imagine not loving every dog I come across to pieces.

 

I work in the veterinary field. Literally NO ONE I work with loves EVERY dog they come across to pieces. That's extremely unrealistic.

 

I doubt an owner would be stupid enough to get a person to walk their dog if it was a very dangerous dog....

 

You can doubt it all you want, but it happens pretty often, and many people who own aggressive dogs either make excuses or don't even realize how bad their dog is. We've had clients insist we work with their snarling, snapping dogs without muzzling them because they don't believe in muzzles or whatever. And there's the occasional client who will say things like, "It's your job to get bitten."

 

perhaps he hasn't sought out dog minding services before and he sees me attractive flyer and thinks " well it is cheaper than a kennel!"

 

Have you researched how much kennels cost in your area? The kennel I've left my dog in is part of one of the hospitals owned by my company, and the regular rate (ie, without employee discounts) is $20/day, including food and regular walks. I can't imagine trusting anyone who would charge me LESS than that, especially when the hospital has medical staff on hand during the day.

 

However, there is a cert 4 in vet nursing I could do online in my uni break which I would enjoy and bare in mind one day if I am still passionate about the dog walking idea.

 

Being a vet tech is a demanding, difficult job. I'm not too familiar with the vet nursing system in Aus, but even at the level you're talking about, vet techs are required to place IV and urinary catheters, draw blood/urine, administer IV meds, and monitor patients under anesthesia, and these skills aren't the kind you can learn online. I looked briefly, and two of the programs I found for an online Cert IV are 2 years long (how long is your uni break?) and require you to be employed in a vet clinic for a minimum of 15 hours a week. Are you really planning on doing all of that to try to walk some dogs on some weekends?

[Glinda.Good]

Just be sure to educate yourself thoroughly before you jump into this, or any other new time and energy commitment. I would say to gather information and talk to people who do this in your area for at least 2 weeks and pay close attention.

 

I have no idea about your part of the world, but around here in populated urban areas, there are actual companies that you can work for as a dog walker, or an employee in a "doggy day care." The employer handles the insurance needs.

[CarrieT]

Here in San Francisco dog walkers have to be bonded and carry massive insurance due to the potential mishaps...

[anne1707]

This prob wont yield any results. I am just going to try it out anyway just incase by a slim chance my flyer falls into the right hands at he right time.

 

Leigh

 

In response to the answers you gave my points:

 

-I would not be interested in someone looking after my pets if there flyer did not specify any insurance details or registration with some recognised body

-you may well be polite but that is the art of the best con man. Polite does not mean honest and trustworthy

-surely by the time you have done the online vet tech course, you will be starting your uni studies and will not be able to do the dog walking

-a reference from a good friend counts for nothing at all to me. They are biased for a start. References from totally independent clients are what I would be expecting to see

-I totally agree that you cannot use your employers address on your flyer but that still means you will appear not "settled"

[Leigh 87]

Some very good points.

 

I am going to adopt as many of those strategies as possible. Before even thinking about starting.

 

I guess I cannot just start.. I need to ask a proffessional if I can please shadow them for a day and ask them a few key questions. I would need insurance and first a client base that would bring in enough money to compensate for the insurance.

 

In the meanwhile should I just target working class families and make a professional flyer and just see if anyone will give a newbie a chance to mind their dogs?

 

I do come across as honest and reliable as well as polite.

 

I would invest in a heavy duty dog leash of my own. I know very well of the perils of... Losing a dog potentially. I would draw up a contract before taking on any clientele.

 

All I can say about owners and their dogs who are vicious: a lot of the time, nasty people breed a nasty dog. And I do believe an owner is a moron if they own a vicious dog and expect people to care for it without it wearing a knozel. No intelligent person who was a nice person person would permit that. It's pretty dumb

 

Luckily the pit bull and staffy dogs my old..man friends had, were gentle giants. The pit bull was an utter soon it was adorable.

 

Starting out, I could do a few things......ring around and gain a session with a professional business where I essentially do a day of assisted work experience. This could take months to find a willing participate.

 

Then I will go about creating the flyer. I will advertise weekened dog sitting for a reduced rate the professional dog minding businesses charge.

 

Thirdly, there is no harm in asking for some volunteer dog walking in my local area

area. I want to lose weight and walk every day as it stands.

 

In the coming months before Christmas I will try to do all of those above steps.

 

And whoever said they suspect I would be indignant about picking about dog crap should out a sock in it. You don't know me so shut up. Me wanting minumum wage in my other thread is not indicative of a pampered princess. I happily worked 7 days a week and work 5 days a week by choice when I could live rent free.

[rester]

For what it's worth, the going rate in the SF bay area is about US$25/hr.

[Leigh 87]

Ok guys, I have decided this is more of a long term venture... This is something I feel strongly about as a way to earn some extra pocket money in the future.

 

For now, I am still slim but I would like to be 125 lbs and get back to my slim and fit weight. I will sign up to the closest dog shelter and walk the dogs a few days a week for an hour at a time.

 

The dog shelter can potentially offer me a reference. I will strive to be on time, reliable and good at the dog at hand, which could get me a glowing reference.

 

Better still, I will get a lot out of it... I want to foster dogs one day once I have my own home, so not only is this a great way to get exercise in, but I get to play with and walk dogs and bring some light about to their potentially numbered days.....

 

I will first start with shelter walking/volunteering. I will then spend time trying to make contacts in the industry and plead for work experience and some advice. I will come across as professional and just as well as I can and hope to make a contact.....

 

 

 

 

 

How does that sound? Instead of daily walks alone, I could start walking with dogs for am hour every 2nd or 3rd day at the most local shelter?

 

Then after I gain some experience I can try to make a contact in the industry?

 

I am a pretty nice woman and to be honest, if I was running a business I would feel flattered that someone wanted me to lend them a little of my expertise. I have time for people though, I am aware I will take some time to come across a kind and willing professional within the industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is just something I am looking into now, that could very well make me a bit of extra cash in the future, in addition to my 9 to 5 job I end up with (likely as a case worker as that is the lowest paid job new grads get interviews for).

 

 

I would really love to not only have a 9 to 5 job one day, but also do weekend dog sitting.

[Leigh 87]

For what it's worth, the going rate in the SF bay area is about US$25/hr.

 

As much as I loved SF when I visited, I am residing in Sydney Australia. SF was the most similar American city to Sydney out of the ones I did visit though!

 

Sydney is one of the worlds most expensive cities. I am aware of the most expensive suburbs... Bondi, a flat right smack bang in the CBD, Vaucluse..... apparently Mossman.. Double Bay is no longer one of the most expensive areas (I grew up there to some extent as two of my aunts lived there and we went every year and I spent a lot of time there back in the day when it was the most expensive area).

 

My bf lived in an area where Nicole Kidman's parents lived actually, obviously a still affluent area, and my bf got a surprise when his mate came knocking on his door saying " hey the Kidman's have asked our families over for dinner, as a way to get to know the neighbours better".

 

My suburb is more like..... the Kidman's suburb.. not the most affluent or expensive but you MUST have a couple of million bare minimum in order to buy a house!

 

People living in my area are very comfortable and could afford a dog kennel.

 

Maybe after I get started with the dog walking volunteer style work, I could start in the more western suburbs where people are not necessarily earning over 50 K a year each (but would need to earn more if single).

 

 

When starting out, which will take the rest of this year just gaining dog walking experience and finding an industry contact (it could take into next year who knows), should I:

 

a: target all areas and hope for the best or

 

b: target the less affluent, more rough areas for my dog minding services since I cannot dog walk as the transport there would off set the 20 or so an hour I could get for the walk. However, 80 for a weekend dog sit would be worth it.

[rester]

The shelter walking/volunteering is an excellent idea. You will make contacts while at the same time figuring out if this is something you want to pursue further, with only your time invested in it. Good luck!

 

Edited to add that if you planning on targeting a specific location, why not stick close to home? That's generally what the people I know do. They charge extra if they have to travel outside a certain area. They spend a good part of their day driving from client to client.

Edited June 26, 2014 by rester

[Glinda.Good]

I agree, the shelter thing is a great idea. You'll be dong a good thing for the dogs and getting experience.

 

Leigh. I have a warning. People who say they "love all dogs to pieces" need to be especially careful.

 

Not all dogs that bite do so because of bad owners. Dogs are beings with "personal space." Folks that "love them to pieces" tend to get inside that inappropriately and are at risk for being bitten, especially if they get their face up close to a dog's face.

 

Good luck with the dog walking, the dogs will thank you.

[anne1707]

I agree. Working at the Shelter is an excellent idea. You will get the experience, they can provide references, you can work there on more flexible arrangements than if you were the sole dog walker for one or two families. You can find out basically whether this work is something you really do enjoy before you put a lot of time and effort into leaflets, etc.

 

Just to add - just because someone is less wealthy, it does not mean that they care about their pets less. So don't assume you can start in working class neighbourhoods on the basis that they will not have the same requirements for a dog walker as wealthier clients would.

[Leigh 87]

Alright,

 

I will contact the most local dog shelter in my immediate area tomorrow.

 

I will start out trying to walk the dogs twice a week in my spare time.

 

I do want to get into the habit of walking daily but depending on how close the local shelter is I may only have time to walk the dogs once or twice per week if it takes me more than say 15 mins to get to the shelter and back again...... I will have to factor in petrol money or train fares I will have to fork out if the shelter is too far to walk to.

 

At end of the year I will see if I can get some dog walking under way. I am determined to be reliable and punctual so I get a good reference at the shelter. THEN if all goes well I will create flyers.

 

I will probably have to just commit to dog walking for a year or so and save up some funds so I can afford the specific insurance dog walkers need and that the clients would look more favourablly upon.

 

It will take time and there is no rush..best I can do for now is volunteering at the local shelter...

[Leigh 87]

To add,

 

I am very cautious and apprehensive about new dogs and even dogs I know.

 

I love dogs but I am also scared to just go up and get all close and personal to then.

 

I just enjoy seeing them wag their goals and pant. I only "cuddle" The dogs I either own or know well.

 

I wonder what happened to my two dogs with my ex.

[Leigh 87]

Well I came I applied for a position of being "trained" to be an advanced dog handler and walker. Which yes I realise is not all cute dogs and fun. It would be hard, I would get bitten and I would have to work hard and learn to enjoy it opposed to just getting to walk cute, fluffy fur balls.

 

The position involves 4 hours of walking 4 days a week from 10 until 2;30, the only time I am available during the day.

 

I don't study until September remember.....

 

I prob wont get it though but I applied anyways:lmao:

[MidwestUSA]

Well I came I applied for a position of being "trained" to be an advanced dog handler and walker. Which yes I realise is not all cute dogs and fun. It would be hard, I would get bitten and I would have to work hard and learn to enjoy it opposed to just getting to walk cute, fluffy fur balls.

 

The position involves 4 hours of walking 4 days a week from 10 until 2;30, the only time I am available during the day.

 

I don't study until September remember.....

 

I prob wont get it though but I applied anyways:lmao:

 

Don't you pick up the kids at 2:30? I thought there were tasks you were expected to do around the house after you dropped them off in the morning - I think you mentioned putting laundry away or something.

 

 

No harm in checking it out of course. And no, you won't necessarily get bitten; I'm sure the goal is to learn how to avoid that!

[Leigh 87]

I will keep checking for companies that are willing to take on new trainees.

 

I'll actively looking and walk dogs at a local animal shelter in the meanwhile. I get exercise and experience. Two birds with one stone.

 

I've also asked the patisserie if they would give me a reference so that I can apply to closer stores(they have stores in most suburbs).