How To Become A Professional Dog Walker

How to Become a Professional Dog Walker

Do you love pets? Are you passionate about their care and well-being? Do you enjoy spending time outdoors and being on the move? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then a career in professional dog walking might be perfect for you!

As former pet care professionals, we can confidently say that very few things in life bring as much joy and satisfaction as spending quality time with a sweet and loving pup. The fact that you can turn spending every day with them into a paid job is an incredible feeling that we’ll never forget. If this sounds like something you're interested in, keep reading!

In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about becoming a professional dog walker, including tips on how to get a job with an existing pet care business, as well as guidance on how to confidently start your own dog walking company.

Why Become a Dog Walker?

There are so many great reasons to become a professional dog walker! As we have already touched on, if you’re someone who enjoys an active lifestyle and spending time with animals, there’s no better job to be doing day after day. However, there are plenty of other reasons why dog walking and pet sitting can be such a rewarding career path.

We all know pets are a big part of many people's family – in fact, a recent survey shows that 66% of U.S. households have a pet! Inevitably, those pet parents will need someone trustworthy to give their pets care or attention while they’re away – whether they're on a business trip, vacation, or just long shifts at work. While many people rely on friends, family, or neighbors to look after their pets, more and more people are turning to professional pet care businesses for their dog walking and pet sitting needs. And it makes a lot of sense! Pet care professionals often have more experience than a friend or neighbor and can look after pets that may need more demanding care. For example, if a pet requires insulin shots or is leash-reactive, the professional assigned to you most likely has relevant experience with this type of care, giving both the pet and the client more peace of mind than someone untrained or unfamiliar with such situations.

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Pet care businesses are typically bonded and insured, which can protect clients in the event something goes wrong, such as if something is stolen, property is damaged, or if anything happens to their pet while under the company’s care.

With so many potential clients out there, professional dog walking can turn into a lucrative gig. On top of having the opportunity to do something you’re passionate about, you could also make some good money. Check out our blog on How Much Do Dog Walkers Make? to learn more!

Becoming a professional dog walker also means you’ll have a lot of independence when it comes to completing your route. Also, most of your client communication will be limited to texts, in-app communications, or phone calls – which is great news if frequent face-to-face interactions with customers isn’t your strong suit.

Whatever your reasons, if you’re passionate and dedicated to delivering the best experience to the pets under your care and their owners, the life of a professional dog walker could be just what you’ve been looking for!

Requirements for Becoming a Dog Walker

While there’s no formal education requirements to become a professional dog walker, there are a few specific key skills and qualities that you’ll need to help you succeed in this field. Some of these include:

• Love of Dogs: You should genuinely love dogs (and all animals, really) as well as enjoy spending time with them before deciding to become a professional dog walker.
• Love of the Outdoors: Dog walking can be a physically demanding and sometimes challenging job. You will spend a lot of time outside and will have to withstand inclement and less-than-ideal weather conditions like rain and snow. It’s important to make sure that this is something you would be comfortable and willing to take on and that being outdoors is something you really enjoy.
• Time Management: As a dog walker, you must be able to efficiently manage your time. Between walking your dog clients within their prescribed timeframes, traveling between different residences, and handling the backend aspects of your business, there’s a lot you’ll be juggling on a daily basis! Luckily, some great tools (like dog walking software) are out there to help you!
• Attention To Detail: Pet parents can have very specific requests or requirements when it comes to the care of their pets. Depending on a pet’s medical history and current health, they may also have special needs or instructions that are important to be done. Therefore, you must be able to carefully read and follow directions to provide a safe, secure environment for the pets in your care. Dog walkers can often be the first ones to notice any issues or changes in behavior regarding their furry clients, so identifying any physical changes or health issues is a fundamental skill so you can report anything you notice to the owners.
• Communication Skills: Good communication is key – not just with pets, but with the pet parents, too! Forging a strong bond with your clients and how you connect with them and their pets will set the tone of your relationship and determine whether they keep returning to book further services with you. Efficient and effective communication is vital to help things run smoothly. While all interactions between you and your clients are important, an excellent post-visit update is integral to building the relationship between you and a client. Be sure to include photos and be specific in your notes!
• Patience: Dogs can be unpredictable, so it's essential to have patience and be able to handle unexpected situations calmly. Especially with dogs that are leash-reactive or have higher levels of anxiety, it's crucial to be able to keep yourself steady and put them at ease ensuring the dog, yourself, and others are safe.
• Reliable Transportation: Depending on your location, it may be important to have a dependable car (or a bike) so that you can efficiently travel from one client to the next.

How To Get a Job Working at a Dog Walking Business

If you’re interested in becoming a dog walker, but aren’t keen on starting your own business, looking for a job at an existing dog walking business may be the option for you! Here are some simple steps you can take to increase your chances of getting hired:

1. Gain Experience: If you need to gain experience working with dogs, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter or offering to walk the dogs of your family, friends, or neighbors. This will give you some hands-on experience and help you build up some of the skills you need in the field (see the section above for more information).
2. Get Certified: While certification is not required to become a dog walker, it can definitely help you stand out from other applicants. Look into education and certification programs offered by organizations such as the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters or Pet Sitters International, that help you learn more about pet care, pet safety, and more. You can check out our guide to Understanding Pet Sitting Certifications for more information to help you decide if getting certified is the right choice for you.
3. Create A Resume: Put together a professional resume highlighting your experience and skills. Make sure to include any relevant certifications or training that you have completed. You can also tailor your resume to reflect the job you are applying for – if the job post mentions reliable transportation as a requirement, be sure to include that on your resume. Additionally, you should always include a cover letter. While they may seem outdated, a well-written cover letter should highlight your strengths and can make a memorable impression on potential employers.
4. Apply For Jobs: Look for job openings at local dog walking businesses and apply for any that match your qualifications. You can also reach out to companies directly to inquire about job opportunities. Local Pet Care is a great place to find pet care businesses in your area!

How to Start Your Own Dog Walking Business

If you are interested in starting your own dog walking business from the ground up, there are several steps you will need to take in order to do so. We already have an extensive guide on How To Start A Dog Walking Business that is a great place to start, but we have highlighted a few of the most important steps here:

1. Learn What a Dog Walker or Pet Sitter Does: Before you decide to jump into the pet care industry, it's crucial to understand everything that goes into owning and operating a pet care business. There’s a lot of responsibility and details to consider when starting a dog walking business and caring for pets.
2. Determine What Services You Will Offer: You may want your business to focus solely on dog walking, but you can also consider branching out to cat sitting, pet sitting, hiking, and many other types of pet care services.
3. Review The Costs To Start A Pet Care Business:: While starting a dog walking business is not overly expensive, there are some costs you should be aware of to prepare yourself. Check out our blog, linked above, for a great breakdown of some of these costs.
4. Develop A Business Plan: A business plan is essentially a roadmap for your business, helping you define your goals and should include information such as your business name, logo, website, agreements, your target market, pricing, and marketing strategies.
5. Get Insured: As a dog walker, it is essential to have liability insurance to protect yourself, your business, and your clients in case of accidents or injuries. We also recommend looking into getting your business bonded, as well. Being both bonded and insured can bring your clients a lot of reassurance and give your company’s reputation a big boost.
6. Review Tools to Help: Nobody starts a dog walking business because they love invoicing or scheduling. Check out software like Time To Pet, which provides different tools and features to help you automate the administration of your company so that you can spend more time focusing on the part of the job you love – walking your dogs!
7. Build A Client Base: Getting your first client can be tough. Some ideas for getting your business off the ground are advertising your services through social media, flyers, and word-of-mouth referrals. You can also offer discounts to new clients to encourage them to try your services.

Becoming a professional dog walker can be an exciting and fulfilling career. If you have a deep love of animals and the perseverance to weather the elements to care for them, you should absolutely consider pursuing your passion. Whether you work for an existing dog walking business or start your own, following our tips, advice, and suggestions outlined in this post (and the others we’ve linked to) will get you on your way to becoming a successful dog walker. Welcome to the pet care industry!