How to Start a Dog Walking Business

1. Make sure it’s right for you

Walking dogs for a living may seem like a dream job, but there’s more to it than simply spending sunny afternoons strolling along with well-behaved canines. 

Before jumping in headfirst, consider: 

• Your physical fitness. Dog walking often means walking, hiking, and running with one or more dogs at a time, as well as lifting them into and out of vehicles. You may also need to carry an injured animal if they get a thorn stuck in their paw or are stung by a bee.
• Climate. Dogs don’t only need to be exercised when it’s sunny. Many pet owners will expect you to walk their dogs no matter the forecast, so think about whether you want to be out in the rain or snow for half the year, especially if you live in a particularly inclement area. 
• Experience. It’s not enough to have had a pet dog or two growing up. Dog walking means you’ll need to handle dogs of varying temperaments and behaviors. Some are calm and gentle, while others are reactive and excitable. Aside from managing different personalities, you’ll also need to be aware of canine body language and how to correct misbehaviors calmly and safely. 
• Your availability. Many dog owners want someone reliable and consistent who’s available to walk their dog once or twice a day while they’re at work. Is your schedule flexible enough to accommodate regular midday, early morning, or evening walks? Make sure you have the availability to commit to a routine that works for potential clients. 
• Your communication skills. Dog walking involves managing multiple clients at a time, sometimes in the same time slots. You’ll need strong communication and organizational skills to stay on top of your daily schedule and optimize routes, coordinate with pet owners, and manage the needs of each dog. 
• Liability and risk. Walking other people’s dogs for a living comes with risks. For example, they can be injured, get into altercations with other dogs, or slip a leash and run off. If something happens while the dog is in your care, you may be liable for vet bills, damages, or legal action. Having pet business insurance and solid contracts offers some protection, but you still need to be prepared for stressful situations, especially since you’ll be responsible for your clients’ furry family members. 

A dog walking business can be a great option if you have experience with dogs, a flexible schedule, and the capacity to handle unexpected or stressful situations. But if you have limited availability, don’t have much hands-on experience with different dog personalities, or you don’t have the budget for a good dog walking insurance plan, it may not be a fit.

2. Gain experience

If you don’t have much experience walking different dogs, it’s worth taking some time to build up your skills before starting a business. 

Volunteer at animal shelters or doggie daycares, and consider taking a few training courses to ensure you’re comfortable with: 

• Different dog breeds and sizes
• Various temperaments and personalities
• Single dog walks and group walks
• On-leash and off-leash dogs
• Handling multiple dogs at a time
• Canine first aid

Or, if you want to start even smaller, offer to walk dogs for friends and family members at a discounted rate to test the waters.

It can also be helpful to shadow an experienced dog walker to see how they handle different breeds, dynamics, and clients. That way, you get a realistic picture of what it looks like to not only manage dogs but run a service business.

3. Choose your services

Dog walking services seem pretty straightforward on the surface, but they can include a variety of options, such as: 

• Walking, hiking, and running
• Pack walks
• Dog park visits
• Group and individual options
• Pet sitting
• In-home food, water, and medication
• Pick-ups and drop-offs
• Training
• Grooming
• GPS tracking 
• Photo, video, and route notifications and updates
• Transport to doggy daycare, vet visits, or training
• Customizable packages

What you offer depends on how much time you have, the clients you want to attract, and the level of service you’re prepared to provide. You may need certifications for some services, like grooming or training, so if you don’t have that already, you may want to start small and expand as you gain new skills. 

For example, you could start with individual walks and in-home pet sitting, then add pack walks or off-leash park visits after completing a dog training course and getting your canine first aid certification. 

If you aren’t sure what to offer, take a look at competitors in your service area. Are there any gaps you can fill? Is there a niche market you can leverage, like specializing in reactive or timid dogs? What are the most common services other people offer? 

Pro Tip: Certain services, like transporting dogs in a vehicle or off-leash sessions, come with more liability. Before setting anything in stone, talk to a dog walking insurance provider to see how much coverage you’ll need based on the services you plan to offer.

4. Figure out costs and get funding

Once you have a feel for the services you want to offer, it’s time to calculate how much money you’ll need to get started. Price out:

Overhead costs, like:

• Business insurance
• A business license
• Professional licenses and permits, like animal handling certification, animal transport permit, or animal care business permit, depending on your state and local requirements
• Marketing and advertising
• Pet first aid training
• Website hosting
• Training and certification renewals

Operating expenses, like:

• Dog treats
• GPS tags
• Vehicle maintenance
• Extra leashes, collars, and waste bags 
• Fuel for driving to clients’ homes
• Online booking software 
• Invoicing software
• Payment processing software
• First aid and cleaning supplies 

Your budget will depend on the services you offer, the area you plan to work in, and what your clients need. 

Most dog walking business startup costs range between $500 and $2000, depending on the location, services, insurance, supplies, required permits, and marketing. 

For funding options, you can explore: 

• SBA loans through a bank, credit union, or online lender that’s partnered with the United States Small Business Administration
• A business line of credit or a business credit card from your bank
• Small business loans from banks
• Grants like Jobber Grants for small businesses and startups

5. Set prices

Calculating your costs gives you a starting point for pricing. It’s important to ensure your rates cover your expenses and turn a profit. 

Get a baseline for your pricing by: 

• Researching the market. Check out competitor rates in your area, ask friends and neighbors what they would pay, and ask others in the industry what they charge. Remember to factor in your location and whether you’re filling a gap or serving a niche. 
• Check pet care apps and websites. Apps and websites like Thumbtack and Rover can give you an idea of which services are popular and how much people are charging for them. And taking a look at reviews will give you an idea of how you could position yourself to charge more, like if customers tend to praise great customer service, easy online booking processes, or service providers with special qualifications.
• Considering your customers. Who is your ideal client, and what’s their budget? Some pet owners may pay more for someone who has formal training and first aid. Alternately, those on limited budgets may prefer basic, straightforward services for a lower cost. 
• Add up your costs. Get accurate, comprehensive numbers for each of your one-off and recurring costs so you know how much you need to make to be profitable. 
• Choose a pricing structure. You can charge hourly or per dog walking service, depending on your preference. Hourly rates give you flexibility to cover unexpected delays like traffic or extra clean up, while flat rates make it easier for clients to budget. 
• Factor in travel. Driving time eats into your working hours. Consider charging more for clients outside your preferred service area and incorporating mileage in your pricing. 

Pro Tip: Once you have a few jobs under your belt, use job costing to see if you’re charging too much, too little, or hitting the sweet spot. That will ensure you make any necessary adjustments before they impact your bottom line. 

How to calculate an hourly dog walking rate

To calculate an hourly rate for your dog walking services: 

• Add up your total monthly business costs
• Determine how many hours you want to work each week
• Multiply that number by four to get a monthly total
• Divide your monthly costs by your working hours
• Add your desired profit 

For example, if your monthly costs were $1200, and you wanted to work 80 hours a month (20 hours a week), you’d calculate the following to determine the minimum you need to charge: 

$1200 / 80 = $15 per hour 

Any amount you charge on top of the $15 per hour would be profit. 

A healthy profit margin for a dog walking business usually ranges from 30-60%, meaning you would end up charging between $20 to $25 per hour.

How to calculate a flat rate for dog walking

To calculate a flat rate, you need to: 

• Add up your monthly costs and expenses
• Estimate how many walks you’ll do each month
• Divide your monthly costs by the number of walks
• Add profit

For example, with monthly costs of $1200 and an estimate of 100 walks per month, you would use this calculation: 

$1200 / 100 = $12 per walk

That’s the minimum you would need to charge to break even. 

For a healthy profit margin between 30 and 60%, you would charge between $16 to $19 per walk. 

Keep in mind that this number is impacted by the number of walks you complete. So, if you only book 75 walks in a month instead of 100, your profit for each walk will go down as you compensate to cover costs. 

Pro Tip: Flat rate pricing works well for packages like price bundles and good, better, best pricing. See what services your clients typically book together and roll them into a package to increase the value of each job.

6. Make a business plan

Once you’ve decided on the services you want to offer, determined costs, set prices, obtained funding, and gotten a feel for the competition in your area, it’s time to make a plan. 

It’s good practice to either outline this information in a formal business plan or keep a digital summary you can refer back to as your business grows. That way, you can see what your initial goals were, review progress, and make changes and adjustments to your strategy as needed. 

A business plan can also help you secure funding, set business goals, plan marketing campaigns, and stick to a budget. 

Your business plan should cover: 

• Your business name and the services you want to offer
• A description of your target customers
• Your pricing structure and pricing list
• Your startup and ongoing costs
• A marketing plan
• Business goals
• Basic financial projections (like how much you plan to make and spend initially)
• An operating plan, like your service area, and any field service management software you might need

7. Formalize and register your business

With a plan, services, and pricing in mind, you can make your business official by: 

1. Registering your business

To register your business, you’ll need to name your business and choose a business structure, such as a sole proprietorship, corporation, or LLC. 

Some dog walkers choose a sole proprietorship if they don’t plan to hire employees or prefer to work solo. But a corporation or LLC can offer additional protection that others find helpful, especially if they offer services that come with more risk or plan to hire employees eventually. 

For example, both a corporation and an LLC can protect your personal assets in the event of a legal dispute. 

Once you choose a name and structure, you can register your business and obtain a business license and any required permits through your county or city clerk’s office. 

After you have a business license, you can register for federal and state taxes. 

2. Acquiring insurance

The next step is to get pet business insurance. What type of insurance you need depends on the services you offer, but you may want to consider: 

• General liability insurance: Protects against basic property damage or third-party injuries while on the job. 
• Professional liability insurance: Covers you if a client claims your services caused harm or a pet was injured while in your care. 
• Workers’ compensation insurance: If you have employees, this covers wages and medical expenses if they’re hurt on the job, like if they get bitten. 
• Commercial auto insurance: If you use your vehicle for commercial purposes, like picking up or dropping off dogs. 
• Bonding: Protects clients if you fail to deliver on your contract or they suffer harm due to your negligence, such as losing their house key, leading to a theft. 
• Pet insurance: Some pet care insurance providers offer pet insurance for dogs in a dog walker’s care, protecting you if a dog gets injured or catches an illness while in your care.   

3. Setting up operations and workflows

Getting set up on the admin side of things is essential to running an organized business. To start, you’ll want to: 

• Open a business bank account to keep your personal and business assets separate
• Set up a business phone number and email address
• Get any software or tools you need for online booking, invoicing, payment processing, or marketing

Field service management software like Jobber can help manage your dog walking business by making it easy for you to schedule jobs, invoice clients, and process payments all in one place. 

And, you can scale up as your business grows by leveraging email marketing campaigns, automated review collection, and referral programs. That way, you have the software you need now, and as you bring on new clients and add more services.

8. Make a dog-walking contract

Because you’ll be responsible for people’s pets and have access to their homes, you’ll need to have a solid contract in place that includes: 

• Client information, like their name, address, phone number, and email
• Pet details, like name, age, breed, health concerns, needs, allergies, etc. 
• Service details, such as what you will provide
• Vet information and authorization for emergency vet care
• An emergency contact
• Details and requirements for entering a client’s home, like how to handle keys, security codes, etc. 
• Your fee and exactly what it does and doesn’t cover
• What the owner’s responsibilities are, such as ensuring the dog is available at the specified time
• A cancellation policy
• Liability and insurance disclaimers
• A place for you and the client to sign your agreement

Since dog walking contracts need to cover a lot of bases, it can be helpful to have a lawyer draft a standard version you can use across different clients. While it is an upfront cost, it’s a good way to protect yourself and your business while clarifying expectations and responsibilities with clients from day one.

9. Find your first clients

When all of your legal, financial, and business ducks are in a row, you can start searching for your first clients. 

To attract new business, try: 

• Making a website to establish an online presence
• Telling friends and family members about your services
• Offering a small, limited-time discount 
• Posting in local Facebook groups and on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor
• Printing flyers to post on community boards, at dog parks, and in vets’ offices
• Making a Google Business Profile
• Asking happy customers for reviews and referrals
• Networking with other pet professionals like groomers, dog sitters, trainers, and staff at pet shelters
• Setting up a Facebook business page and posting helpful content to build trust and visibility
• Wearing branded gear on walks, like a t-shirt with your logo
• Use a lead generation platform like Thumbtack 

READ MORE: Facebook post ideas for service business owners

10. Grow your business

As you gain experience and grow a solid customer base, you’ll start to identify ways to grow and expand. For example, you might decide to: 

• Hire employees or subcontractors to handle more clients or serve a larger area
• Expand your services to offer new things like grooming
• Add more animals, like cats or exotic pets
• Travel to other states or countries to offer pet sitting while owners are away
• Learn new skills and get new training and certifications to stand out against the competition
• Raise your rates as demand increases  and you gain more experience
• Use software like Jobber to streamline operations and scale without increasing your workload

Jobber can automate administrative tasks that eat up your time as your business grows. Use it to manage customers, oversee jobs, automate marketing, and stay organized as you go from dog walking newbie to top dog.