Earning an income from dog walking
If you have a good rapport with dogs and would like to work with them as a career then the increasing numbers of people who go out to work all day will work to your benefit. Often people who work long hours are too tired or simply don’t have time to walk their dogs when they get home. If you advertise a local dog walking service then they will be happy to take you up on the offer.
Start by deciding which hours you are willing to work and how much you would charge for a walk and then advertise in local shop windows and newspapers as well as on the internet. Getting yourself a qualification in basic dog first aid will make you more appealing to clients and once you have a few customers you will find that, if you keep them happy, that word of mouth will expand your business.
Pick out some different length routes that you can do with dogs, which you can talk to your prospective clients about. Also make sure that you ask whether their dog has any special requirements and how he reacts to other dogs. Depending on the size and strength of the dog that you are walking you may be able to cope with several dogs at a time and your customers might welcome this extra social interaction for their pet.
To earn some extra income you could also do some pet sitting at your own house. This is where customers drop their dog off at your house on their way to work and you care for the dog during the day. You will need to ensure that you have dog accessories such as food and water bowls and a dog kennel to make the dog feel at home as much as possible when he’s with you.
