How to Start a Dog Walking Business in the US

Starting a dog walking business is a relatively straightforward and low-cost way to enter the pet service industry. However, like most businesses, you need to do a lot of planning before starting. It takes more than just being a pet lover; you'll need to combine your canine-loving spirit with marketing strategies, business tactics and budget planning.

Is starting a dog walking business profitable?

Yes, starting a dog walking business is profitable and here is why:

On average, dog walkers charge $20 for a 30-minute walk, with dog walker income ranging from $10 to $35 depending on location, number of dogs, and type of additional services rendered. Based on the average cost for dog walking, if you worked (or walked in this case) 40 hrs/week for 52 weeks, you'd make $83,000 per annum.

Another way of predicting if a business will be profitable is to determine if it belongs to a thriving industry. The pet industry, currently at a market size of $100 billion, is expected to reach nearly $300 million by 2030. This is due to increased new pet parents, per-pet spending, and favorable demographics. The average household spending on pet products and services, previously at $980 in 2020, is estimated to reach $1909 by 2030.

Now, your question might be — won't inflation, recession and rising interest rates limit the willingness to spend on pets? Research shows that the pet economy displays inelasticity; that is, their demand and related revenues continue to grow despite inflation driving up the prices for pet products and services.

So, if you're a dog enthusiast with a flair for entrepreneurship, a pet walking business can be profitable.

Why should you start a dog walking business?

Asides from the favorable pet industry projections, starting a dog walking service allows you to turn your passion into a business venture. Here are some benefits of setting up a dog walking business:

• Relatively low start-up cost: To start a dog walking business, you might not need a commercial space, and that saves you cost on rent or lease. You'll require little to no overhead expenses, as some clients will provide you with their supplies, such as leashes that suit their pooch better.
• Recurring Revenue: pet parents would prefer to rehire dog walkers that they and their canine buddies are familiar with. So, as long as you render quality services and leave your clients satisfied, you can guarantee recurring revenue for your dog walking business.
• No Requirement for a Formal Education: unlike other pet industry-related sectors like the veterinarian, you do not need a formal education to become a dog walker. What you need the most is your love for dogs and proper business planning.

Starting a dog walking business also comes with its share of challenges. Here are some of the drawbacks to expect:

• Schedule Flexibility: since most clients require dog walking services at specific times, like when they're at work, you have to ensure your schedule is flexible enough to accommodate that. This means you must put your client's scheduling into consideration before planning your leisure and working hours.
• Competition: the dog walking niche doesn't require an extensive budget or a formal education, making it easier to enter. As a result, there is probably a dog walking business in your local area already. Stiff completion is difficult to overcome, but it's doable with great branding and marketing skills.
• Unforeseen Circumstances: you have to always plan for unexpected situations; some dogs are overly active and would constantly break free from their leash, which could pose a problem for you, the dog, and passers-by. Also, you have anticipated the possibility of a sudden change in the weather, like getting an umbrella ready for when it suddenly starts to rain.

Note: Most clients care deeply about their dogs, and they instinctively look for certain personalities in their dog walkers. Most successful dog walkers display personality traits such as social responsibility, openness, agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness.

What are the start-up costs for a dog walking business?

The start-up cost for a dog walking business ranges from $2,000 - $5,000. These costs may include setting up a business name and structure, license and permits, insurance, business cards and brochures, website setup, initial marketing, supplies, treats, and pet first aid class.

The ongoing cost for a dog walking business is also minimal. While you might have to restock on dog treats, most of your initial purchase should last many years. Your expenses will likely go toward insurance, fuel, and vehicle maintenance. These costs depend on your location and the broadness of the areas your services cover.

Financing your start-up opportunities

There are several funding opportunities available for small businesses.

As a dog lover, starting a dog walking business can be super exciting. Don't let funding be a stumbling block; good funding options are available. You can check out our guide on securing a loan for your small business. Also, if you're interested in learning more about business grants, which you won't have to pay back, you can read more about small business grants in the US.

How to start your dog walking business

Here are some of the initial key steps to follow when starting a pet walking business:

Research your market

Researching your dog walking industry is essential when it comes to understanding what services are in demand. The internet is a very useful tool for this. You can carry out market analysis and analyze your competitors for gaps while perusing the Web space. Here are some questions to have in mind when researching:

• What is the average hourly rate in your target area?
• What areas like parks and beaches do dog walkers cover?
• Are group walks in demand, and if so, what additional charges do they attract?

Tip: A great way to gather vital information for your market research is to conduct one-on-one interviews with pet parents.

Do you need a certification or training to start a dog walking business?

Licensing and certifications when it comes to dog walking depend on your location. Small towns, suburbs, and rural areas may not require a dog walking license. However, densely populated areas like metropolitan areas and larger cities probably need a permit.

Using New York as an example, you must have a Small Animal Boarding Establishment Permit to walk dogs as a professional. This permit encompasses other forms of pet care business as well, including dog sitting, grooming, and training.

Although training isn't mandatory, it is essential to be properly educated on how to work safely with canines. Asides from technical schools that offer certificates in dog walking, you can also gain experience from dog trainers and local dog shelters. Cities like San Francisco require proof of relevant training as part of your dog walking qualifications.

What are the regulations you need to know to start a dog walking business?

The rules and regulations for a dog walking business can differ from state to state or city to city. Failure to adhere to some of these rules could cause the authorities to revoke your license.

Therefore, it's crucial to research the regulations particular to your target location. Here are some common rules you need to be conversant with as a dog walker:

• Restrictions on the number of dogs you can walk at a time.
• Hefty fines for failure to pick up dog poop in public spaces.
• Dogs should wear collars with the name and address of their owner.
• Privacy when it comes to divulging customer personal information.

Setting up your dog walking business

Now, let’s get into the detailed steps of how to get your dog walking business up and running.

You need to register your dog walking business for it to be recognized by the government as a legal entity. But before that, you need to decide on a business structure for your dog walking business. The most common business entities include sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

You must also decide on the dog walking business name, which can sometimes be tricky. This is because you want to pick a name that best reflects your brand identity while ensuring it's unique (another entrepreneur hasn't used it).

Next up is getting federal and state tax IDs. You'll require an employer identification number (EIN) for major processes in starting and growing your business, including opening a bank account and paying taxes. Some states require you to have state tax IDs as well. Your business structure determines what taxes you pay and how you pay them.

If you're starting a dog walking business by yourself, one of the taxes you must pay is the self-employment tax. You do this by filing form 1040 (schedule) with the IRS.

Pricing and means of transport

Determining the value of your services and figuring out you'll get around is part of what you want to sort out while starting your dog walking business.

Your pricing will majorly be influenced by your location and the number of dogs being walked at a time. Before you set up pricing, you should consider factors such as:

• The hours you'll be working
• The average dog walking price of your competitors
• Special requirements from clients like pet sitting or grooming.

For transportation, the kind of vehicle you need also depends on the location (i.e., the distance between the areas covered) and the number of dogs that will be transported at a go. You can use your car for a few dogs but might need to buy or rent a van if the number of dogs increases.

Preparing a contract for clients

You should have a concrete dog walker business contract that details your business relationship with your clients. The agreement will include what's expected of you as a dog walker and your clients as dog owners. Here's a list of things to have in your dog-walking contract:

• Stipulated time for walls and how often
• If the dog would be walked alone or with other dogs as a group
• Restrictions on the number of dogs per group walks
• Payment terms, including the amount and schedule
• Necessary input from clients, such as getting dogs vaccinated and providing things like name tags, leashes, collars, etc.

How to grow your dog walking business

The importance of marketing in growing a business can't be overestimated. It's how you build a brand and how clients get to know and trust your business. Marketing goes beyond mere dog walker advertisement and extends to the quality of your services.

The good news about marketing a small business like a dog walking venture is that marketing doesn't have to cost too much to be effective.

In most cases, impressing your clients encourages them to do word mouth marketing for your business willingly. Other offline marketing you can invest in include designing a logo and distributing flyers to local businesses in your target location. Most clients are more likely to choose businesses they are more familiar with.

For online marketing, the Internet has proven to be invaluable when it comes to connecting small businesses with potential clientele.

You can create awareness about your business and engage clients by taking advantage of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. You should also invest in an official website optimized for keywords centered around dog walking so your business turns up on searches. A website is essential because it serves as the repository for all your online marketing.

Another way to make your business stand out is to niche down. Specializing in walking a particular dog breed, like pit bulls, would make their owners give your business priority. Most clients want to feel like your services are specifically tailored to their needs.

Starting a dog walking business is not your only option

Yes, starting a business can be exciting, but it can also be challenging, and that part is what scares most entrepreneurs. However, there are other ways to become a business owner, like buying an existing dog walking business. Some of the benefits of purchasing an existing dog business include:

• You'll significantly cut down start-up time.
• You'll be inheriting an already established brand and customer base.
• It's easier to secure business funding.

Buying an existing business is a good alternative to starting one, but you can't just jump in without knowing how it works. Therefore it is essential to educate yourself on how to buy an existing business before committing yourself to the whole process.

The journey to starting and running a successful dog walking business begins with all the steps discussed above. A quick checklist for starting a dog walking business in the US include:

• Ensure you have funding and a business plan in place.
• Research your market and competitors.
• Get training and qualifications.
• Get appropriate liability insurance.
• Register your business.
• Decide on a pricing model, mode of transport and prepare client contracts.
• Create your website.
• Invest in dog walking equipment.
• Pay attention to your marketing so you can grow your business.

Remember, with enough passion combined with a well-executed business strategy, you can own a successful dog walking business. If you've read through our guide and still have questions, you can contact us for more support.