Hey, I don't know that much about dog walking services but i'm thinking of starting one so I don't have to be away from my dog for 9 hours out of the day. So do you guys have any ideas? Would you pay $10 to have your dog walked 1 mile? I've got a lot of it figured out, but I need some ideas...I'm kind of wanting to make this a full time job so I can be with my puppy and go to school. If you have any questions you want to ask, please contact me on Yahoo messenger, or if you ask it on here, then keep an eye open because I will respond to it quickly.
2007-01-20 12:14:19 · 10 answers · asked by apbtlvr 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I'm in Oklahoma and i'm fixing to move to the city to be closer to the school I go to...I think if it was available, it might have a high demand. One mile would take about 25 to 30 minutes, with a dog, I think. I can walk a mile in...I think 22 minutes was my time in JROTC, something like that. But you think I should charge by time instead of miles? It would end up being $10 per half hour. Would you pay that?
2007-01-20 12:25:02 · update #1
Actually sweet heart, it's not day dreaming. I can actually turn this into a business. At $10 rate, if I walk 5 dogs, that's $1400 a month, which is enough to cover my expenses and then some. So before you start cutting people down for thinking about actually having time to be with their animals, do the math.
2007-01-20 13:22:10 · update #2
And you need to learn how to spell.
2007-01-20 13:23:11 · update #3
sweet - thank you for your input. I have thought about a lot of what you've mentioned and am still looking into it.
misbehaving - actually, I have. Thank you though.
2007-01-20 14:13:52 · update #4
There is a lot to think about when it comes to dog walking services.
Most dog walkers are insured and bonded in case of an accident involving the dog while walking or in their home. I think having insurance being bonded for this type of buisness is good because it can be quite risky (even though it seems harmless the dog can attack, get a broken leg, fall, etc).
Also another thing to keep in mind is supply and demand. How much people need the service and how much they are willing to pay. The area in which you live, do people frequently take business trips? Do they work long hours? WIll they actually need a dog walker.
Traveling. How much you are willing to travel to walk the dogs. If you will be willing to drive to different houses in the city you live in as to just in your neighborhood.
Also what makes you different from the other dog walkers in your area (if any). What extra services will you be willing to do at what cost.
How much experience you have with animals and knowledge. Will you be able to dispense medication if the owners request it. How much experience and knowledge do you have with dog sickness/illness. In case of an emergency who would you contact? The nearest vet that you will take the dog to?
I would not have a dog walker simply because I have no need for it. I'm a full time student so I am with my dog 20 hours a day mostly and she's small and doesn't like to be walked by strangers.
My boyfriend's family on the other hand do have a dog walker and they are pretty expensive here. The prices they charge are reasonable because they do travel around (drive around) to different clients. They walk the dog and do services at no extra charge. Plus they have to be able to pay for the cost of being insured and bonded.
If you are really serious about dog walking then you should try looking into getting insurance. You should talk to animal trainers, vets, do research in the area in which you are about to move if people have a lot of dogs, the housing the live in, the income, the possible lifestyle in which they live. Look up the competition (or possible competition) in your area to see if there are a lot of dog walkers.
You should do budgets to see if you will be making a profit or actually losing money. It's more risky than a person would think. Good Luck.
As for the cost it depends on the cost of living in which you live compared to the prices of simliar services. Dog walkers here don't walk their dog a mile, they are more of a timed service. They charge for 30 minutes of walking, or 15 minutes of walking as to how many miles.
2007-01-20 13:47:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The price you charge for a professional service, with someone who has knowledge, is self employed and has insurance ( because you certainly need it) depends on costs charged in your area and what it cost for you to do it........there are many people starting dog walking however it is not a way of earning money without doing correctly and any professional dog walker who pays their self employment tax is very likely to report you to the inland revenue if you aren't registered as self employed, because it is an unfair advantage and against the law.....and what will you do if you are badly bitten by the dog you are walking or another dog attacks the dog you are walking and it needs vet treatment, it is in your care and you are responsible for the bill, not the owner or the dog causes an accident and do you know enough about dogs behaviour, or for example what the first signs of a torsion looks like so you can save a dogs life........you need insurance
2016-05-24 02:34:26 · answer #2 · answered by Elizabeth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
about 15
2007-01-20 12:19:10 · answer #3 · answered by lightgrenade91 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also think it depends on the demand in your area. I lived in a neighborhood when i was younger. I would walk the neighborhood dogs for about 1/2 hour and they would usually pay me $5. I think it was mostly because i was a kid, about 10. I didn't ask for money, but i guess they appreciated it enough to pay me $5. So i think $10 would be reasonable.
2007-01-20 12:27:10 · answer #4 · answered by Stark 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I charge $25 for 30 minutes for one dog and $10 more for each additional dog.
2007-01-20 13:36:46 · answer #5 · answered by belle 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I looked into this type of service...and, with any service is is all about supply and demand...so to answser how much...it depends upon where the client lives, if you have to travel, if you can book your clients correctly, so you are not all over the place...
and, you have to think of fleas, and poops, and dogs not getting along,,then insurance, just in case one of those uppity clients dog..who is of course through breed, and, you by mistake didnt watch the german sheppard, then turned your back..and, the german sheppard was humpping the through breed...you got to think...is this gonna be worth it?
i dont think so...unless your in a neighborhood, and do it as a hobby. find a secure job...we all have to work..dont day dream about not working...it dont cut it in the real world...
2007-01-20 12:29:00 · answer #6 · answered by Winters child 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would'nt pay anything because no way under Gods blue sky are my dogs going to be handled by a stranger.
I've evan switched vets because the stupid tech took my dog to weigh him in another room and yelled at him repeatedly because he'd not get on the scale or once she finally managed to jerk him onto it would'nt sit still.
Dogs are animals and should never at any time be trusted not to bite whether it be out of fear or anger or because they're in pain.A smart person walks his own dog rather than setting himself up for a lawsuit.
Did you figure that into your plan?`
2007-01-20 13:53:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I guess it depends on where you live and what the demand is. I live in the country, so have no idea, but I have heard of people in NY and such paying big bucks for the service....good luck!
2007-01-20 12:17:03 · answer #8 · answered by vomdeitrichgiants 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would pay $15.
2007-01-20 12:17:22 · answer #9 · answered by monkey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe you should charge by time....not miles.
2007-01-20 12:18:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋