How much should I charge for dog-walking?

Question

I'm thirteen years old, do you think people will trust me with their dogs since I'm not professional or anything?
I will TRULY appreciate ANY kinds of advice about dog-walking for profit.
(advertising, insurance???, making a good impression, how much time i should walk the dog, how far, etc.)
I've had a labrador-retriever before, but she passed away last summer. So...i've had experience.
thank you so much.

Answer 1

what is minimum wage where you are? $5.25 or $5.50 an hour sounds right to me. as for insurance...you might want to talk with your parents AND potential customers about that. as for how long and how far. that will depend on the dog bred, and the dogs age and health. the owner would know best how far and how long their dog(s) might need to be walked.
make sure you take a plastic bowl and water with you in case the dog is thirsty, and maybe even talking with your local SPCA or Humane Society about learning proper dog walking care before you start. the SPCA is ALWAYS looking for ppl to walk their shelter dogs! *i work there i know*, it of course is not a paying job, but you would learn some information about walking a dog before you commit to a customer...AND you'd be giving some of your time to a shelter dog that needs some exercise! that's how i started before i took a job 10yr ago at the SPCA..i was walking dogs in Jr.high and high school then after graduation they offered me a part-time job while i went to college...i ended up staying on.

i also walked dogs for some neighbors while i was in school, the SPCA volunteering taught me a lot about what breed of dog likes LONG walks, and what breed likes short walks. have fun w/it!

Answer 2

Any responsibly person would not get you to walk their dog if it had a tendency to bite so your safety should be OK. Never go through to their back yard always get them to bring the dog to you. Give your parents the address of where you are picking the dog up from and the route you will take the dog on. Only walk one dog at a time and never bigger than you can handle. Not many people have time to walk their dog so try doing a survey asking how much they would pay and how long for. I am starting a business in dog washing and have been looking in local papers to find dog walkers to recommend to people. so try doing the same and ring them to find out what they are charging.

Answer 3

You just need to stress less. People wont expect you to have any experience. For advertising i say just printoff some flyers and put the up around the local shops because you would only walk dogs localy. Saying something like: DOG WALKING: Cheltenham dog walker $5 per dog for half an hour to an hour
Walk the dog for half an hour to an hour just down the local beach or something close. the dogs wont be vicious or they wouldnt let you walk them. Pick the dog up with your parents just incase. One of my friends is 15 and she walks all of the dogs in the neighborhood everyday after school and she has been doing it for a while so i think its a great idea. Goodluck i hope it all works out for you.

Answer 4

My Dog Walking Business~
Steps to a successful dog walk~

Set an inspiring goal and purpose for the event.
Take care in selecting a date and place.
Prepare attractive printed materials.
Don’t set (or imply) a donation limit in the flyer.
Encourage larger donations.
Think BIG.
Get the flyers out there.
Get the flyers out there early. *preferably 4-5 weeks.
Plan festivities.
Publicize the event broadly.
Thank everyone.

Things needed:
Trash bags for poop.
Hand Sanitizer, Soap, Lysol.
Emergency Leash
Bug repellent
Cell Phone
A Watch (Attractive One)


RESPONSIBILITIES:
Make sure that where you walk the dog you make friends with a worker of that committee.
Devise and arrange a plan for emergency coverage with an ambulance, fire and police in Walk area. Arrange for emergency communication system; phones, walkie-talkies.
Complete a schedule for the dog walking service.
Oversee clean-up and trash removal. (You may want to solicit the services of a trash removal company.)
Send post-Walk thank-you notes to appropriate people.

Preferred Price:
$10 every 15 minutes. (Do not include on flyer).

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How much should I charge for dog-walking?
I'm thirteen years old, do you think people will trust me with their dogs since I'm not professional or anything?
I will TRULY appreciate ANY kinds of advice about dog-walking for profit.
(advertising, insurance???, making a good impression, how much time i should walk the dog, how far,...

Answer 6

Where I live dog walkers charge $3 per walk and it is for about a 10 minute walk.

Advertizing is usually by word of mouth and referresl and within the same neighborhood. Make sure your parents are aware of which neighbor you are walking for, they approve of it and where you walk

Answer 7

i think walking other peoples dogs is a great idea!! u keep fit and give other people time to do what they need to do. odgs need to be walked and some people just dont have time! as for how much.. i dont know where u live but im in australia and id say $15.00 for half an hour sounds fair to me. good luck!

Answer 8

I think you should charge about 1-5 bucks each dog or $5.00 per hour

Answer 9

Probably not. They may think you are too young. Suppose the dog runs away from you and you and he gets hit by a car.

Answer 10

you should charge a can of cream cheese per dog so c squared pg equals 8 dollars per dog - im 13 2