About Dog Walkers
A dog walker takes dogs outside, providing exercise and companionship to the animals. She then is paid by the dogs' owners for the service. The dogs are always leashed. In some locations, dog walkers are required to have a license and an animal first-aid certificate.
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Considerations
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As a professional dog walker, a person must behave in a business-like manner toward their clients and in every aspect of their work. Aside from being personable to clients and friendly to the dogs, he must have an accounting system in place and obtain all of the licenses or other legal necessities.
If the business expands and grows, the owner should consider hiring employees as more dog walking jobs are obtained. The business would also do well to expand by adding other services, such as dog bathing/grooming, training, manufacturing/selling dog treats, doggy day care, dog taxi and dog sitting.
Function
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The dog walker's function is to relieve the owner of some of the responsibilities that are required to keep his pet healthy and happy. Many times a pet owner works long hours or has other obligations, keeping the dog inside or crated for long hours. Dogs must have exercise, fresh air and companionship. The professional dog walker can step in and handle these responsibilities for the owner.
Another instance in which a dog walker can take over during the owner's working hours is when there is a new puppy in the house. Puppies have small bladders and need to be let out to urinate. They also need constant human interaction. A dog walker is just the person to handle these daytime duties. -
Expert Insight
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Knowing dog breeds, their attributes, personality traits and health problems is important. The professional dog walker needs to be able to talk intelligently with the owner about the pet. He needs to be educated in how to walk dogs properly and know about different kinds of collars and leashes required. He will need to know how to handle more aggressive dogs and others that are introverted in nature. The dog walker needs to be trained in animal CPR and first aid. In effect, he needs training in many areas so that he can call himself an expert.
Time Frame
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The professional dog walker should have rates set for different walking time frames. Many dogs are happy to walk around the block a few times with other dogs. However, there are also quite a few dogs that require special services. Perhaps a dog must walk alone. Another dog may need one-on-one play, during which the walker will throw the pet's ball in the backyard. Some parts of the service may vary from just walking dogs. The business owner must charge fees according to the services rendered. He must be fair to both the client and his business. As the saying goes, "time is money."
Warning
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It can be a big misconception that a dog walker's job is simple and anyone can do it. However, the dog walker must take the time to learn his craft and then charge accordingly. This is not a job for a child to make some extra money, but a serious business.
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Resources
- Photo Credit dogwalker at Flickr
