Many individuals in the UK are tempted to start their own dog walking business. A successful dog walking business can be incredibly lucrative for those who are willing to put in the work, build trust with their clients, and foster positive relationships with the dogs they walk. A professional dog walker will usually be self employed and therefore in charge of their business entirely. They’ll need a strong business name, the right pet business insurance in place and will need to be willing to work hard to make their dog walking business a success.
It’s possible that local dog owners will have other dog walkers to choose from, too, as dog walking businesses are more popular than ever. It’s your job to outperform your competitors in unique ways, and once you have an established dog walking business, keep up your reputation to ensure you’re always busy.
With that said, owning a dog walking business isn’t easy. You can’t just start walking dogs for money without any preparation. There are certain risks involved in starting a dog walking business and you need to be prepared for them so you don’t get caught out by them in the future. Thankfully, our guide today will show you all the common pitfalls of starting a dog walking business and, more importantly, how to avoid them altogether.
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What Are The Risks/Disadvantages Of A Dog Walking Business?
A dog walking business doesn’t have to be your sole income – many dog walkers are starting their business on the side of their main income, so it’s worth considering just how committed you are to the business and your aims for it. Regardless, the following are risks you might want to consider, whether turning to dog walking full time or for extra income on the weekends/in the evenings.
First off, consider the practicalities of the business. You’ll first need to be in close proximity to your clients. Local dog owners will be your main clients, so make sure there are plenty in your area. Away from that, consider how much time you can dedicate to the business and when. Most dog owners will need a dog walker to help them out in the week whilst they’re working – mornings and afternoons typically. Are you available during these times to make the most of your customers’ needs?
Another practical point to consider is how you’ll manage with the dogs. You must be a dog lover to be considering this business anyway, but do you have the strength to manage larger breeds or are you going to have restrictions on dog sizes you’re willing to walk? And will you be taking multiple dogs at a time to maximise profits? Or a single dog at a time? These are all things to think about before you even begin.
Other risks to consider include the dogs themselves. What if you encounter potentially dangerous dogs? Could you handle them effectively and keep their behaviour in line? You might want to consider taking classes before you begin to ensure you can effectively monitor and control a dog’s behaviour for maximum effect.
Later we’ll cover a list of common risks and pitfalls and how to avoid them as a new dog walking business. Learn as much about these as possible to maximise your success when you eventually start out. Before we start considering those risks, let’s first look at the chances of them occurring to reassure you and prepare you for the business you’re considering starting.
How Likely Are These Risks To Occur?
Without proper preparation for starting your dog walking business, it is, unfortunately, extremely likely that you’ll face some of the risks we’ll cover below.
As with any business, before you start out it’s vital that you research the industry and get to know the problems your dog walking business could experience. To help, we’ll look at some of the key risks below, but more importantly, how to minimise those risks.
Minimising Dog Walking Business Risks
Unruly Dogs
Being eager to land new clients is good, but be careful to meet the owners and their dogs before accepting their business. An unruly dog can be dangerous to you, the public, and your business so it is in your best interests to get to know the dog first and be discerning about which dogs you take on. Even if it means losing business.
Whenever possible, you should offer a trial period or test walk to check how the dog responds to the lead, various commands, other pedestrians, and other dogs. You can also put a clause into your contract stating that if a dog is unmanageable then the contract can be terminated. Wirral based dog walker Eleanor Murray from Peninsula Paws recommends taking dogs locally during their trial period to ensure they are not too far from home, should they need to be returned for their or your own safety.
Where You/Your Clients Are Based
Dog walking is all about repeat customers. If you are looking to let your business grow then taking on multiple clients on a single day who live far away might be fine when you are starting out, but it limits your options as your business expands.
Set a geographical boundary and separate areas to different days so that you can easily group clients. This allow you more time for multiple clients and minimises travel.
Not Understanding The Law
Most businesses require some level of insurance to protect both the business and the client. When it comes to dog walking, there are inherent dangers associated with working with animals as well as a heightened risk of something happening to your client’s asset – in this case, their highly valued dog.
The proper insurance is required in order to protect yourself should something happen – but also to reassure your clients, too. Not only is it the law to be protected as a professional dog walker, your clients will expect you to be fully insured, too. We’ll talk more about insurances for a dog walking business below.
Not Knowing Recommendations And Precautions
Another key issue is that often new dog walking business owners don’t actually understand the key recommendations and precautions before diving in and starting a dog walking business. Narps UK, the National Association of Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers UK, offer training courses and guidelines for dog walkers to ensure they are properly prepared to start a dog walking business.
NarpsUK sets the national standard, so by following their guidance and advice, you’ll start your business off right from day one, ensuring you are operating safely, efficiently, and legally.
Some of the core advice includes:
- Having prior experience with animal care
- To only ever use reward-based training and NEVER be violent towards an animal
- Always meet owners in advance and explain the contract they are agreeing to
- Stick to a maximum of walking only four dogs at a time
- Always dispose of dog poop correctly
- Check with local authorities to get the necessary permits and permissions
- Ensure you have the relevant DBS clearance to work with a range of clients
Failing To Create A Contract
Starting informally can feel like a sensible thing to do – after all, you’re new to this and you haven’t ironed out all the details yet. However, this is a risk you should never take.
You need to have a contract in place from day one of working with any new client – even if your first clients are friends and family. This protects you from harm, prevents disgruntled pet owners from complaining about you not meeting expectations, and protects you if you don’t get paid for the work you’ve completed.
By creating a contract with every new client, you’ll establish boundaries with your clients and set expectations for both parties. Knowing what to expect from each other upfront is the key to a happy client/business relationship.
Some things you will want to include in the contract are:
- The cost of your service
- The length of time/distance you will walk a dog
- How many dogs are involved in each session
- Acceptable reasons for termination of the contract (for both parties)
- Penalties for misinformation about a pet (such as recall ability or the extent of their training)
- Who will supply dog walking equipment and how damage to equipment is dealt with
- Policies on letting dogs off lead
- Where the dogs will be walked
- If you will walk the dog the entire time or transport them in your car to an appropriate environment
Protecting Yourself Against Risks When Offering Dog Walking Services
Dog Walking Insurance – Public Liability As A Minimum
Public liability insurance covers your business in the event of it causing injury or property damage. For instance, if a dog were to scratch a child, or chew on a fence post, and your business was sued for it, your insurance would cover the damages. Public liability insurance will also cover any injury to a pet in your care. This is especially important if you plan on taking dogs to places where there might be misbehaving dogs or if you plan to take the dogs in your care off lead where they could potentially be hurt.
Personal accident cover is also recommended when working with animals. If a dog becomes frightened or anxious it may bite, and you could end up losing business or being seriously injured. If you underestimate the strength of a dog, you could also get dragged, resulting in injuries. Having personal accident cover will help you cover any costs incurred because of injuries you sustained while working.
Other Dog Walking Insurances
- Employer’s liability insurance – this is a legal requirement if you employ anyone else for your business
- Stock insurance – necessary if you plan to use your own equipment, including crates if you are driving the dogs to dog parks, leads, treats, toys, or any other equipment you use for your business
- Legal expense insurance – covers you if a lawsuit is brought against your business for any reason
Final Thoughts
Starting a new dog walking business is an exciting time, so if you’re considering becoming a dog walker for a living, then you should allow yourself the time to be excited.
With that said, you must remember that starting any business comes with risks, and it isn’t enough just to be an animal lover. You need to be prepared for all eventualities and ensure you have protected yourself and your business.
Hopefully our post today has proved useful to you in your new business endeavour. Remember to prepare beforehand and put in the work upfront, and your dog walking business will surely become a success.
