business plan for dog walking service

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How to Start a Dog Walking Business

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If you’ve ever dreamed of spending your day in the fresh air, surrounded by furry, four-legged co-workers, then you’ve likely wondered how to start a dog walking business. After all, starting a dog walking business is just about the opposite of your typical office job — you get to spend time outside, stay active, and of course, hang out with dogs all day. What could be better than that?

You might be wondering how to start a business that makes enough money to be sustainable, or how some of the specifics of getting your dog walking business off the ground. Starting a dog walking business isn’t always a walk in the park (sorry, we couldn’t resist), as there are plenty of financial and risk-related considerations that should be taken into consideration.

As with any kind of new entrepreneurial endeavor, there’s the matter of building and nurturing your clientele as well as growing your profits to keep things afloat during the rocky first few months. Plus, you’ll need to think about some factors specific to the dog walking business, such as driving to your customers and buying supplies like waste bags and treats.

Learning how to start a dog walking business can definitely be worth the effort, though. Besides the obvious perks (dogs!), it also provides a ton of freedom and flexibility. So, are you ready to start your dog walking business? In this guide, we’ll detail how to start a dog walking business, from the licenses and insurance you may need to obtain, to the financial solutions that can help make your dream possible.

How to start a dog walking business: A step-by-step guide

It might sound silly to wonder how to start a dog walking business, but it’s not as simple as lacing up some sneakers and hitting the road. As with all other kinds of entrepreneurial endeavors, there’s a lot to consider before diving in.

You’ll have to make the same financial considerations as you would with any other small business venture, and will most certainly have to juggle administrative tasks alongside your daily walk schedule. Let’s dive into what you need to know before starting your dog walking business.

Assess the local dog walking business landscape

You’re probably familiar with the idea of “supply and demand,” and it applies to just about any industry. In this case, the demand for a business in a specific area or specialty helps determine how much supply there should be.

Services in higher demand can charge their customers more, so long as there are more customers than companies. On the other hand, if there are too many providers serving too few clients, each provider ends up lowering prices in order to maintain a competitive advantage for the smaller pool of clients.

What does this have to do with walking dogs? Everything, if you want to start a successful dog walking business. Be sure that your target market isn’t already saturated with dog walking companies–otherwise, you may find yourself struggling to find clients and set yourself apart from the other, more-established companies while also turning a profit.

Develop a business plan

Even the most straightforward new businesses can benefit from having a comprehensive business plan. After all, you wouldn’t build a dog house without blueprints. The same idea holds true for your new dog walking business. Drafting a business plan provides you with a framework for your company to follow, and can help you determine the right strategies to help it grow in those crucial first few months.

Learning how to write a business plan doesn’t have to be daunting. All you need to get started is:

A clear idea of what you want your business to be

A sense of what kind of competition you’ll expect within your industry and area

Plans on how you’ll organize your business (especially if you plan to hire other walkers or administrative staff)

Ideas about what services you’ll offer (in this case, you may also consider including house-sitting or boarding services to your walking services)

Marketing and promotion plans to help you drum up business

Financial projections (including the cost of your services as well as expected revenue

Including a business plan as you start your dog walking business may seem like overkill depending on how big you want your business to be. Creating a plan in the early stages can, however, prepare you for growth down the line. It’s also better to draft a business plan now, rather than after your business takes off and you have less time to devote to the task.

Secure the necessary business licenses

Almost every municipality and state requires companies to have business licenses before they can operate lawfully. That’s true for big corporations as well as individuals and solopreneurs. Even if you want to start a dog walking business that is just you and your furry friends, you’ll still need to register with your local governing body in order to make sure that what you’re doing is above board and lawful. In most cases, you can get by with a relatively straightforward business license.

For example, setting up a sole proprietorship is simple and easy to operate, although it offers fewer protections than other business entities, such as a limited liability corporation (LLC). LLCs, unlike sole proprietorships, help separate an individual from his or her business.

An LLC helps you keep your personal finances separate from your business. They also help you establish distance between yourself and any legal issues your business might experience. This is particularly helpful for dog walking businesses: If an issue were to arise with your clients’ beloved pets, you could be personally liable without the right business entity in place.

If you’re not sure what kind of corporate entity you think your dog walking business might need, it’s never a bad idea to consult a small business attorney who can help you weigh the pros and cons of each. You’ll have to pay a bit more for the additional help than you would by going it alone, but you could stand to save significant money in the event of a problem down the line.

Get the right insurance

Most small businesses need some form of insurance–be they small home-based businesses or manufacturing enterprises–and a dog walking business is no different. In most cases, the more liable your company is to have something break, for someone to get hurt, or for something to go awry on your property, the more likely you are to need comprehensive business insurance to cover your business in the event of an issue. Even if your state or town doesn’t require you to have certain kinds of business insurance, it’s still a good idea to consider this added protection.

When you’re dealing with animals, as is the case in a dog walking business, the need for insurance becomes even more important. For starters, you’ll likely want to look into a solid general liability plan that can protect you in case of any damages incurred while on your client’s property (or on anyone else’s property during a walk).

You’ll also want to think about personal and commercial property insurance to cover any losses (or damages) in the event that Fido goes off the leash and causes damage to you or your business property. Last but not least, you’ll also want to get animal bailee insurance if you plan to transport dogs in your car, or if you decide to add animal boarding to your services.

This is not a comprehensive list, nor is it meant to provide any advice on which insurance you should buy. Be sure to check with a legal professional, insurance specialist, and any local governing bodies to make sure you have all the coverage you need before you start your dog walking business.

Market your business

Even after all of the planning and logistics have been tackled, you’re only halfway done with the work that it takes to start your dog walking business. You’ll still have to market your services in order to gain new clientele.

The good news is that marketing your small business doesn’t have to cost a lot in order to be effective. This is particularly true for dog walking businesses, where word-of-mouth marketing can be more valuable than paid promotion.

Creating a small business website is a good first step to launching your business. This should include things like information about yourself and your experience, the area where you’re operating, pricing, and methods for prospective customers to get in touch with you. Building a simple website is often inexpensive and easy to maintain, and can do you a world of good as you build a reputation for your company.

Small business owners often overlook their ability to influence word-of-mouth advertising. This is particularly important for small businesses like the dog walking industry, since people prefer to go with the recommendations of their friends and family when entrusting the care of their beloved pets. Offering a customer referral program can also help incentivize happy customers to recommend your services by rewarding them with pre-determined perks, like free walks.

How to start a dog walking business: The financials

Although starting a dog walking business may seem like an endeavor that doesn’t have high startup costs–after all, don’t you really only need a good pair of walking shoes?–you may find that some extra cash is necessary to help get your business off the ground or to help it expand. Here are some small business loan options that can help your business.

Small business administration (SBA) loans

Whenever the topic of small business loans come up, SBA loans are sure to follow. That’s for good reason: SBA loans are a great option for qualifying small businesses. They often have lower interest rates than regular business loans, come with longer repayment periods, and may even provide higher loan amounts than their peers.

Given that SBA loans come with such great perks, they’re also highly competitive and require an extensive amount of paperwork during the approval process. Even if you don’t end up getting an SBA loan, it’s still worth going through the application process in most cases. You’ll be fully prepared with the information you need when seeking out alternative financing options for your dog walking business.

Business auto loans

If you need a car or vehicle to transport the furry clients of your dog walking business, you might want to consider a small business auto loan. Auto loans help small businesses get the cash they need to purchase a vehicle, all while typically coming with a lower interest rate than they’d get for a short- or long-term loan that isn’t tied specifically to this purchase.

Borrowers will approach lenders for a business auto loan once they’ve found a specific vehicle (or vehicle type) that they wish to buy. If approved, the lender then provides the cost of the vehicle, and the borrower pays back the loan plus interest.

Business line of credit

Sometimes small business owners need access to additional cash on a revolving basis. Say, for example, that you know you’ll have a few miscellaneous expenses coming up as your dog walking business expands. You may not need a pile of cash all at once, and would certainly prefer not to pay interest on money you’re not using.

That’s where a small business line of credit comes in handy. Lenders provide borrowers with a capped amount of cash from which they can draw for as long as the line of credit is active. Borrowers only pay interest on the money they’ve drawn from the line of credit, and can borrow money several times throughout the life of the line of credit.

Small business term loans

Perhaps the broadest, all-encompassing lending products out there for small business owners are business term loans . These loans allow borrowers to access a predetermined amount of cash to pay for anything business-related, all while agreeing to pay an interest rate over a certain amount of time in exchange for the money.

If you have general needs in starting your business, term loans can help you get access to capital. Be aware though that short- and long-term loans do tend to come with higher interest rates than business auto loans, a small business line of credit, and SBA loans.

The bottom line

You might be surprised that starting a dog walking business takes some planning and preparation. But when you’re starting your own business you need to make sure it’s set up correctly and legally, and that you’ll be protected if any accidents occur down the line. Additionally, taking care of animals comes with its own set of considerations.

Luckily, as long as you cover all of the right elements of starting a dog walking business–from securing the necessary licenses and insurance to finding the right financing–you’ll be on your way toward bringing home the bacon. If the dogs don’t eat it first, that is.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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How to Write a Dog Walking Business Plan [Sample Template]

A sample dog walking business plan template, 1. industry overview, 2. executive summary, 3. our products and services, 4. our mission and vision statement, 5. job roles and responsibilities, 6. swot analysis, 7. market analysis, 8. our target market.

Being a dog walker is one of the easiest jobs anyone can start up- especially as the start-up cost is quite low. Even though, this is basically a new area of business that doesn’t have stiff major competitors, there are still competitors all the same. The competition available is most likely those within the same locality, and anyone looking to stay above competition would have to consider sweetening the services offered to dog owners.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

10. sales forecast.

Our goal is to grow Pet Nation® Dog Walking Services Co. to become one of the top 10 dog walking services company in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Smethport – Pennsylvania but also in other cities in the United States of America.

Pet Nation® Dog Walking Services Co. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

12. our pricing strategy.

We are aware that there are some clients that would need special assistance for their pets, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such clients’ needs.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

One of our major goals of starting Pet Nation® Dog Walking Services Co. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

Pet Nation® Dog Walking Services Co. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

More on Pet

How to Start a Dog Walking Business

A complete guide with all the resources you need to start your own dog walking business - Updated for 2022!

Starting a new dog walking business can be very exciting and a little overwhelming. There is no denying the appeal of running your own business, being your own boss, and spending your days enjoying the company of dogs and pets. Deciding to start your dog walking business is a big step all in itself, but the followthrough is crucial when starting your new pet care company.

There are lots of iterations of dog walkers in the industry today. They range from large online companies using gig workers via a mobile application to deliver on-demand services, companies with large teams operating across several states, local pet sitting and dog walking companies that specialize in a single city, and even the teenager down the street that walks dogs after school.

This guide is for anyone interested in starting their own dog walking or pet sitting business. It includes all the resources you’ll need to get up and running. The guide consists of practical knowledge that we have collected from years of working in the pet care industry, and with thousands of dog walking and pet sitting businesses. This is the most comprehensive guide to starting a dog walking business that you will find online, so feel free to jump around and discover the articles and lessons that are most useful to you. Also, remember to check back, because just like the dog walking and pet care industry, this guide will always be evolving.

Starting Your Dog Walking Business

Understanding how a professional dog walker operates and runs a business will be incredibly valuable when planning your company. Here is a list of several key ideas that you should familiarize yourself with as you plan how to start your dog walking business.

1. What Does a Dog Walker and Pet Sitter Do?

2. what services will you offer, where will you offer them, and how much will you charge, 3. startup costs for your dog walking business, 4. creating your business: name, logo, and website, 5. creating your business: contracts, procedures, and policies, 6. software and tools for your business.

You probably already have a decent idea of what a professional dog walker does , but many other considerations might not be as apparent. Above all other things, a professional dog walker is responsible for the safety and well-being of any animal in their care. This means being insured and bonded by a credible insurance company. It also means knowing how to handle pet first aid and emergencies .

You might think that taking care of pets for a living is a dream job, and it absolutely is, but there can also be a lot of challenges that come with starting a dog walking business. As a dog walker, you will always have a changing schedule and be working in different locations. On any given day, you might be out on multiple long walks, visiting different homes across town, and handling phone calls and bookings from clients. Every day will look different and present new and exciting challenges.

No matter what you are doing on any given day, it's important to stay professional. That means always showing up on time and professionally completing the agreed-upon services. You'll be like a mail-carrier, rain or shine; the job must get done! Having a pet care company will also involve working irregular hours and often holidays. Holidays are usually the busiest times of the year for pet sitters and dog walkers.

There is definitely a reason why people prefer having a local, reliable dog walker over using a novelty cellphone app. After all, pet parents trust you with their most beloved family members and expect professional and responsible pet care.

• What Does a Pet Sitter and Dog Walker Do?
• Your Definitive Guide to Pet Sitting Insurance
• Pet First Aid for Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters

What pet care services you offer, where you offer them, and how much you will charge are the core components of how your business will operate and make money.

What You’ll Offer

Deciding which services you will offer is an essential part of starting and growing your dog walking or pet sitting business. It really comes down to what type of animals you want to care for and what resources you have available. Do you want only to walk dogs ? Can you do overnight stays at a client’s home? Will you take care of cats ?

We recommend keeping services as simple as possible. It can be easy to get overexcited and offer all kinds of services like cat sitting, dog running, dog walking, pet sitting, evening sitting, early morning walks, night walks, etc. You can always add more services later. Focus on being the best you can at what you offer.

While it's always better to keep it simple, you should still offer the services that suit your business and your goals the best. Here are some ideas for services to offer:

• Dog walking
• Dog running
• Dog park visits
• Pet sitting for any animal type or time duration
• Overnight stays
• Emergency visits
• Medications and/or vitamins administered as needed
• Cat litter cleaned
• Plants watered (indoor and outdoor)
• Mail and newspaper collected
• Pet waste clean up
• House and home security checks
• Individualized, customized dog (and cat) exercise programs
• Pet food pick up and delivery
• Pet wedding attendant
• And much more

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Where You’ll Offer Your Services

Deciding where you will offer your services  is a vital ingredient when starting your dog walking business. Where you live will be a significant part of deciding where to provide your dog walking services. If you live in a big city like Los Angeles or New York, it won’t make sense to try and services the whole city. You want to spend your time taking care of pets, not driving across town all day. A lot of dog walking companies will take any client who wants to hire them when just starting their business. Overextending yourself will only leave you exhausted and stretched too thin. The best way to grow your service area is organically. Start small and grow with your clients’ needs and your own capabilities. You might quickly realize that it’s time to hire additional walkers.

If you live in a more rural location or small town, it might make sense to service several areas and zip codes. Always make sure you are calculating travel time and additional expenses when taking on new clients. It might seem like a good idea to accept any job you can get when starting, but as we mentioned above, it might stretch you too thin and impact your ability to provide exceptional service to clients you already have.

You’ll also want to  consider your competition  and where they are offering services. Market research will be beneficial in deciding on your service area. If you live in a densely populated area with lots of demand (and little competition) for pet sitting or dog walking — you might service a smaller area like your neighborhood. If you see demand decrease and the supply (the competition) increases, you may need to start expanding your service area. Please do your research to see what the competition is like and what areas they are servicing. Maybe there is an underserved area nearby that has a high demand for pet care services. Understanding what other companies are providing can also  help you decide what services to offer .

How Much You’ll Charge for Your Services

How much should you charge for dog walking and pet sitting ? Price is often a deciding factor when clients are looking to hire a pet sitter or dog walker. It is also likely to be one of the first things that a potential client will look at when visiting your website. That is why you need an easy to understand pricing structure. Make sure your prices are clearly stated on your website and are easy to understand. You will be more reliable, and clients will know what to expect, which leads to fewer misunderstandings about rates.

Time To Pet has created several free calculators to help you calculate your rates based on where you live and what services you offer.

The key ingredients for deciding what to charge:

• What services will you offer? Remember to try and keep it simple. It could be as straightforward as offering 30-minute, 45-minute, and 60-minute walks. Then you could also provide home visits for the same amount of time and the same rate. If you see another type of service gets requested often, then you can easily add it to your list of offerings.
• Where are you located? Where you live is a very significant factor in deciding what to charge for your pet care services. Using our  calculator tool , you can see what the average cost for services are in your area. You most likely do not want to be the cheapest service around, but you want to remain competitive.
• What is your competition charging? Do your research. Look at your competition and see what others across the country in similar-sized cities are charging. Check out our  free rate calculators  for help coming up with rates for different services. It’s also a good idea to decide how you will position yourself compared to your competitors. Will you be a luxury service? Do you have special medical qualifications? Do you offer extra value with a software like Time To Pet?
• What are your expenses? If you have any employees or workers other than yourself, you will need to account for their pay. You should factor in labor, insurance, gas, marketing, materials, and any other miscellaneous expenses. Your profit is not what you make from each event, but rather your revenue minus your expenses. Make sure your rates cover your business expenses with something left over for profit.
• How much do you want/need to make to sustain your workers and business? This can be one of the most overlooked aspects of setting your rates. You need to make sure that at the end of the day, your business is generating enough profit for you to have a sustainable business.
• What Services Do Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers Offer?
• Cat Sitting Tips
• Where Will You Offer Your Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Services?
• Understanding the Competition
• The Ultimate Guide to Setting Your Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Rates
• Time To Pet Service Rate Calculators

3. Startup Costs for Starting Your Dog Walking Business

How much will it cost to start your dog walking business ? Luckily, starting a dog walking business is relatively inexpensive compared to starting other businesses like opening a restaurant. It’s possible to get started for less than $500 if you are really operating on a shoestring budget.

Costs of starting a dog walking business:

• Registering Your Business as an LLC or DBA— $10 to $500+

When starting out, you'll need to decide which type of legal structure your dog walking business will be. The two most regularly used structures are LLC (Limited Liability Company) and DBA ("Doing Business As"). Both structures allow you to operate your business under a name other than your legal given name. You can also open a bank account under the name of your business.  Legalzoom  has more info on both types of business structures--after a little research, you'll be able to decide which is right for you. The cost will vary depending on the type of business structure you choose and where you live. An LLC will be more expensive, but it will also provide more liability protection.

• Opening a Business Bank Account — $0 to varies

It's probably a good idea to have a separate bank account for your dog walking business. It will help you keep track of expenses and account for taxes at the end of the year.  NerdWallet  has some helpful info on choosing the right bank account. The  Small Business Administration  also has a lot of useful information on the subject.

• Obtaining a Business License — $0 to $400+

Depending on where you live, you may or may not need a business license. The  Small Business Administration  has helpful resources for what you might need in your state. You'll also need an Employer Identification Number (EIN). It's free to register for an EIN on the  IRS Website .

• Joining Professional Organizations — $0 to $300+

Joining a professional pet care organization is definitely not mandatory. Still, it can provide you with many benefits when starting your business. The two most prominent organizations are the  National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS)  and  Pet Sitters International (PSI) . Membership fees and application fees vary. Both organizations also offer  certifications for professional dog walkers and pet sitters. . 

• Obtaining Professional Pet Care Insurance — $129+

Having dog walking insurance  is an absolute must. It will protect both you and your clients. It can also be a deal-breaker for pet parents when booking your services if you don't have it.

There are a few different options for dog walking insurance, but the four primary providers in the United States are:

• Pet Sitters Associates  — Offering a variety of different coverages for pet businesses. The basic coverage starts at $190, with all sorts of add-on policy options for different specialties like pet grooming, dog training, and boarding.
• Business Insurers of the Carolinas  — An insurance provider for PSI and NAPPS members—you must belong to one of the organizations to be eligible for their coverage. Business Insurers of the Carolinas offers General Liability and Bonding specifically for pet care businesses.
• Kennel Pro  — Offering comprehensive dog walking insurance and various other types of insurance for pet care professionals.
• Pet Care Insurance  — Offers several types of insurance for dog walkers, pet sitters, and groomers. The dog walking insurance starts at an annual cost of $129.

• Building a Website— $15 to $50+

A website is essential for your dog walking business. Most clients will  search for local dog walking services online . Think of your website as your digital storefront and local listing page. Your website is often the first thing that clients will see and what they will base their first impressions on.

If you have some experience building a website, it can be relatively inexpensive to create a site using  WordPress . There are also some very user-friendly website building tools like  Wix  and  Squarespace . They cost a little more but will allow you to quickly build a professional-looking site. We have a great post on  what information to include on your website  if you need help getting started.

• Creating Marketing Materials — $10+

Sometimes old school is the best school when it comes to marketing. Creating business cards and  flyers  is a relatively economical way to advertise in your area. One of the biggest companies that can make marketing materials for you is  Vistaprint . They offer lots of templates and can create flyers, business cards,  magnets , and much more. Also, make sure to create your free listing on Local Pet Care , a new resource created by Time To Pet to connect pet parents with local pet care pros!

• Taking a Pet First Aid Class — $50 to $200+

Becoming knowledgeable about pet first aid is definitely a good idea. Pet First Aid and CPR skills can prove incredibly useful in emergencies. Pet parents will also appreciate knowing their pups are with trained professionals.  Pet Tech  offers a lot of classes and resources for pet first aid. You can visit their site to find local classes near you. If you are interested in taking an online pet first aid class,  PetProHero  has lots of options. Time To Pet also has a great blog post with more information on  Pet First Aid for Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters .

• Dog Walking Supplies — $5+

It's best to start with just the basics like a leash, collapsible water bowl, dog treats, and some poop bags. After some time working in the field and going on dog walks, you'll quickly learn what supplies you need. The is no need to pack a whole pet store into your trunk when just starting out.

• Dog Walking Software — Time To Pet Free Trial

When you start with just a few clients, it might not seem like you need dog walking software. However, if you plan to grow and are looking for an efficient way to manage your business and keep track of client information, dog walking software will be essential. It's also an added bonus for pet parents if you have an easy-to-use app that allows them to book services, make payments, and receive visit repots from their phones or computers. Check out  Time To Pet on a 45-day free trial  to see how it can help your business.

• The Costs to Start a Pet Sitting or Dog Walking Business
• Understanding Pet Sitting Certifications
• Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Insurance
• 10 Must-Have Website Pages
• Local SEO for Your Dog Walking Business
• Advertising with Magnets
• Using Flyers to Grow Your Business

Your name, logo, and website are how customers identify you. They’ll be a representation of the personality of your business. This is your chance to get creative! Feel free to get silly (we’ve seen a lot of pet-related puns, trust us), or keep it cool, calm, and collected—anything goes, it’s your company. Just make sure that your name, logo, and website are all incredibly user friendly and easy to remember. We have a helpful Academy Lesson with some practical tips and resources for creating your dog walking logo and website.

Choosing a name for your dog walking business can actually be harder than it sounds. But it doesn’t need to be! Here are a few things to consider:

• Do you plan to provide just dog walking or cat sitting? If so, pick a name that describes what you offer.
• Are you going to be providing upscale pet care services?
• Are you going to be the biggest and the best?
• Do you ever hope to expand to other markets?
• Do you want your customers to hear your business and think, “What a fun company!”?
• Maybe you have veterinary and medical animal care experience?
• Do you want to be playful?

On top of the questions above, you also want to make sure that the name is available and that the domain name for an accompanying website is available. It’s also a good idea to make sure all the social media handles on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are available.

If you are still feeling a little stuck with choosing a name, definitely check out our guide to naming your pet care business .

Like your name, your logo will be on your website and marketing collateral, so make sure it represents your business. If you don’t have someone on your team that can make a logo, there are tons of great resources online like  Fiverr  and  99designs , where you can get affordable graphic designs made.

There are endless numbers of companies and freelancers that can create a website for you, but if you are a little tech-savvy and feeling adventurous, there are a few very easy to use website builders available. Sites like Wix  and  Squarespace use drag and drop style website building tools that make it easy to build a professional-looking website for your dog walking business. Here is all the information that you should have on your website :

• About Us Page
• Services Page
• Service Area Page
• Reviews or Testimonials Page
• Policies Page
• Contact Page

These don’t each need to be separate pages, but you’ll definitely want all this information available on your website, along with lots of opportunities for pet parents to contact you and book services.

• What Should I Name My Pet Sitting Business
• Choose Your Business Name from the SBA
• Business Name Generator from Shopify
• Does My Pet Sitting Website Need a Blog?
• 7 Blog Ideas for Your Website
• Creating a Website and Logo for Your Dog Walking Business

Your contracts, procedure, and policies will help define the type of dog walking business you are. Having very clearly stated policies and agreements will help you avoid potential confusion and make your dog walking company more professional. Having well-defined policies and procedures will also make your life easier in what can be an often hectic industry.

Dog Walking Insurance

Having dog walking and pet sitting insurance is an absolute must. We have a thorough guide to help professional pet sitters and dog walkers with the process of getting insured and bonded .

Dog Walking Contracts

Your dog walking contracts should include:

• A Service Agreement will describe all the services that you will provide to a client. You will clearly outline everything that you will offer for each dog walking client. For example, this could be a simple visit, a 30-minute walk, a hike, a run, or an overnight stay if that is a service you plan to offer. The Service Agreement will clearly define what a customer can expect from your dog walking business. It will also detail your terms and policies. Every client will need to agree to your terms and policies before you provide them with any services. Here is a sample service agreement .
• A Vet Release Form is designed to provide your business with the authorization to seek medical care for the pets in your care in case of an emergency. This document should include some terms (which may be similar to terms in your service agreement) that clearly outline your procedures in emergency cases. Time To Pet has a sample  Veterinary Release Form  you can review.
• A Key Handling Form is essential when you are dealing with lots of clients with lots of keys. You are responsible for making sure that their homes are locked and that their keys are taken care of. We have a great post on key management for ideas on how to efficiently take care of your pet parents’ keys. We also have a sample key handling form .
• A Payment Authorization Form is definitely important for when it’s time to take payments. After all, getting paid is a pretty essential part of running a business. The payment authorization form should provide clear instructions to your clients on how they can pay their invoices. If you require a credit card on file and will be charging that card for the client, you should be very clear in explaining it. We have a sample  Payment Authorization Form  for you to review. As with all of our sample agreements, this is just for educational purposes. Please have your attorney review all of your contracts and agreements before finalizing these documents.

Cancellation Policy

With all the different moving parts of life, you have to be adaptable. There will always be the occasional cancellation for your dog walking services—sometimes at the last minute. While not a big deal, you need to make sure that you have a policy in place, so there are no questions or confusion about what should happen if a customer needs to cancel. It’s important that you are still compensated for your time and expenses if they cancel at the very last minute.

We have more information in our blog post on  Setting and Enforcing Your Pet Sitting or Dog Walking Cancellation Policy .

Meet and Greets

The meet and greet for dog walking services give new clients the opportunity to get to know you and your company. They are often the first, and sometimes only, time a pet sitter or dog walker meets their clients in-person, so making a good first impression is especially important.

The meet and greet is the perfect time to go over all of your company’s policies and have new clients sign your contract. You’ll often have at least one phone call before the meet and greet to set expectations for a visit.

Certifications

Becoming a certified dog walker is not a requirement for starting a dog walking business, but it could definitely be something you want to pursue. Having an accredited industry certification can demonstrate that you are committed to your craft and to upholding specific professional standards. Obtaining a certification can help you learn relevant skills and training that you may not have achieved otherwise. It can also be a great marketing tool.

A few benefits of being certified:

• It shows your customers that you take your profession and the welfare of their pets seriously
• Some certifications allow you access to resources and communities that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to access
• Certifications like First Aid and CPR can be critical and even help you save a pet’s life. For more information, please take a look at our blog post on  Pet First Aid for Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters
• Being certified can help you stand out from your competitors
• Continually learning about your industry is a great way to stay on top of new trends and grow your business
• The Complete Guide to Dog Walking Contracts
• Setting and Enforcing Your Cancellation Policy
• Mastering the Meet and Greet
• Understanding Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Certifications

Sure, you’re going to need a leash and some poop bags to start your dog walking business, but what other tools do you need? We’re so glad you asked! Dog walking software just so happens to be one of our favorite things to talk about.

Time To Pet was created by former dog walkers and pet care pros that wanted to develop better tools that did everything they needed while working in the field, taking care of lovable pups. Dog walking software will not only save you time, but it will help you to manage and grow your business as well.

Dog Walking Software

Having the right dog walking software will make your life easier, provide a better experience for your pet parents, and help you grow your business.

What is Dog Walking Software?

In it’s simplest form, dog walking software is a field management tool that allows you to perform  Scheduling ,  Invoicing ,  Client Management , and  Staff Management , all while out taking care of your four-legged clients. These are just a few of the basic features that dog walking software might offer. Time To Pet has the most advanced version of these features and many more!

Why Do I Need It?

We have a great post with 5 ways dog walking software improves your business . In brief, it helps build customer relationships, saves you time, helps get you paid on time, prevents more mistakes, and increases productivity. Time To Pet also offers a client app that helps even the playing field between your new dog walking business and the big tech, Uber of dog walking companies.

Okay, I Need It. But How Do I Get Started?

If you haven’t already signed up for our free trial , definitely go ahead and take it for a spin! If you’ve already gone through the free trial and are thinking about signing up, feel free to take a look at our blog post on what to expect from the Time To Pet onboarding process .

I’ve Got It. Now What?

Our very own onboarding manager at Time To Pet has written an awesome blog post about how to announce your new pet sitting and dog walking software .

Accounting Software

Quality accounting software will organize your financials and make running your business easier. Getting set up with accounting software like QuickBooks Online will help save you time and stay organized. As an added bonus, Time To Pet supports QuickBooks integration to streamline the accounting process in real-time.

• What is Pet Sitting Software?
• 5 Ways Pet Sitting Software Improves Your Dog Walking and Pet Care Business
• What to Expect from the Time To Pet Onboarding Process
• How To Announce Your Pet Sitting Software
• Accounting Software 101 for Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Businesses

Are You Ready to Start Your Dog Walking Business?

Yes, you definitely are! Hopefully, this guide has inspired you to take the first step in starting your own dog walking business. Having all the information from this guide at your fingertips should take a lot of the stress out of the planning process.

Once you hit the ground running, make sure to check back on this guide every so often. We will be continuously updating it with new and relevant information. And as far as resources from Time To Pet go, this is just the tip of the iceberg! We are always improving and adding to our Blog , Time To Pet Academy , and Email Courses . Our goal is to provide the very best resources to help dog walkers and pet sitters start, manage, and grow their pet care businesses.

Signup for our 14-day email course for more useful information about starting your dog walking business.

All the Resources for Starting Your Dog Walking Business:

• 5 Tips for Getting Started with Time To Pet

Make sure to check out our Time To Pet Academy and Blog for more great resources.

Time To Pet is modern pet sitting software trusted by over 3,000 of the world’s most successful pet sitting and dog walking companies. We help pet care professionals start, grow and manage their businesses.

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