Dog Walking?

Question

Help! How should I start a dog walking service? My flyers are pathetic, my supplies are low, and I'm running out of inspiration.

My service shall be called "Pooches on Parade," but I don't have a catchy slogan to match it.

In addition:

How much should be charged?
Where can I make a good logo, for free?
Whats the best way to advertise?


Any ideas!?

Answer 1

i am one of 2 employees at a dog walking/sitting service. We've had luck with placing magnets ( home-printer stickers on sheet magnets and cut at home too, fairly cheap) that we've placed at vet clinics/animal shelters/trainers. Yard signs placed at entrances to subdivisions have gotten some response too.

We are in the st louis area, and we charge 15$/half hour for most visits and a surcharge for houses more than 15 miles away.

At the shelter i used to work at, we paid a tatoo artist to draw up our logo- good job and reasonably cheap! Then we just took the art to a t-shirt shop and they used it to make shirts for us. Could do the same thing at a sign shop too.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Well, I think you should charge based on what the owner wants. Like...do they want a 5 minute walk for their dog, or a 15 minute walk? Charge something like: $5 for 15 minutes. (Because really, you can't charge that much to walk a dog.) You can make a good logo in your Paint program easily with some practice. (Photoshop is great, but it's expensive if you don't already have it.) The best way to advertise might be to put flyers up in community areas...maybe a grocery store that has a bulliten board, or even on telephone poles! Or if you really wanted to take the extra time, you could go door to door handing out flyers.

Hope this gave you some ideas. =)

Answer 3

I have a dog walking service called Furry Friends and i made my own logo. or u can print a pic off the internet. I had bandanas made for the dogs i walk, and i had special leashes made witth the business name on it. I also got a wind suit made with the business name and logo and phone number on it so when i walked the dogs, people knew what i was doing. If you have a cell phone, make your answering machine recording for your business. I hope this info helped. Good Luck!

Answer 4

I would post flyers as you are doing. Place an ad in the local newspaper. I think what you charge will be based upon what you feel is fair for the size and training of the dog.

Answer 5

Make flyers on your computer. Keep it simple and find clip art that works for you. Charge maybe $5.00 to$10.00 for a half hour walk. Give the flyers out to anyone you see with a dog, and leave them at vets and groomers offices (but ask nicely first). Give a copy to your neighbors and ask them to refer you.

Answer 6

Take advantage of online business directories like BookMyCity, Yelp, etc. They're free and great for exposure. You'll want to make sure that people looking for dog walkers in your area see your name everywhere.

Answer 7

just make some fliers to discribe what do and then make a card for pepole to know who u are and how much u what to be paid and how old u are and how long u can handle the dog(s).