How to Start a Dog Walking Business

Walking dogs is a great career option to pursue if you’re an animal lover who’s interested in running a pet care business. In this article, we’ll break down all of the things that you’ll need to consider before you become a business owner so that you can start getting paid for going on walks in parks with your new furry friends.

Understanding the dog walking business market

Before you invest your time and money into starting a new career, it’s important for you to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. That means you’ll probably want to research industry statistics for pet care services to make sure that this is a viable career path for you to follow.

According to market research reports, the “demand for pet grooming, boarding, training, and walking are at an all-time high due to rising pet ownership.” That said, you might want to keep in mind that COVID-19 could potentially change the way the pet care industry operates in order to continue upholding safe social distancing measures.

Determining your business structure

If you want your new endeavour to start out on the right foot, you’ll need to start by choosing the right business structure. Here’s a brief explanation of each of the four most common business structures. Most dog walking businesses fall under sole proprietorship or incorporation.

Sole proprietorship

This structure is best for businesses with only one owner who makes 100 per cent of the decisions.