How to Start a Dog Walking Company
A dog-walking business is great for teenagers, retired persons or anyone looking for a way to earn extra money. Of course, it's best to pursue this endeavor if you have experience with dogs. You should know about their needs and about the challenges that could be involved in taking care of them. This business model can also be expanded and turned into a full-time business pursuit.
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Instructions
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Create a company for your business in the legal sense. This means choosing a business entity such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation, as well as a business name. If you decide to organize your dog-walking business as an LLC or a corporation, you will need to set up your business with your state by filing articles of incorporation or organization and paying a filing fee to your state. Most states do not have formal filing procedures for partnerships and sole proprietorships.
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2
Identify areas in your community that have a high dog population. You can generally do this by walking and driving around your community and making observations. Identify any areas that appear to have "professional" residents or people who might need your services. These areas might include upscale neighborhoods and gated communities. The key to generating business is to locate individuals who can afford the luxury of dog-walking services and are short on time.
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3
Have business cards and fliers printed at a local print shop or through an inexpensive online service. Include the name of your business, your contact information, prices and the services that you provide. Hand out multiple cards to each person you already know and any new contacts that you meet. Inform them about your business, the services that you provide and your prices. Ask your contacts to spread the word about your new business to anyone they think may be interested in your services (i.e. anyone who owns a dog). Mail or place fliers or brochures in the mail boxes of the potential clientele that you identified in Step 2. You can also hang your fliers on community bulletin boards throughout your community and place an ad in the local paper for increased expose and visibility.
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References
- Photo Credit dog walking image by Jana Lumley from Fotolia.com
