Would You Make a Good Dog Walker?
5 Questions to Ask Yourself to Find Out
If you're thinking of starting your own dog walking business, then the first thing you will need to ask yourself is whether or not you will actually be a good dog walker. It is, after all, the center of your prospective career change. Fortunately, there are some further questions that you can ask yourself to find out if dog walking really is the right choice for you.
Question 1 - Are you a punctual and trustworthy individual; that is, are you reliable? This is an extremely important issue and you need to give yourself a very honest answer when you ask yourself this question. Remember, as a dog walker, your clients will be allowing you to enter their homes unsupervised, and then taking your dog from the house. They are relying on you to be on time to have your dog out and home within a certain time period. They need to know that they can trust that you will do what you say you will be doing.
Question 2 - Do you know some good dog-friendly areas where you can walk the dogs safely, even taking them off-leash if possible? It's important for you, as a dog walker, to know the local laws about having your dogs on a leash and where they can be taken off-leash. If there is a dog park in the area, do you know the rules there and are you comfortable following them? If there isn't a dog park nearby, do you know where you can walk the dogs as an alternative?
Question 3 - Does the safety and happiness of the dog come first? Remember that when you're a dog walker and you have the dogs with you, the dogs come first. Know the names of all of the dogs, get to know their personalities, and get to know which other dogs they agree with the most. Most dogs like walking in groups, but there are some that will object. Make sure that you know the legal limit to the number of dogs you're allowed to walk at any given time. Bring supplies with you such as leashes, Frisbees, water, and balls. Don't forget the stoop and scoop bags!
Question 4 - Are you prepared to walk no matter the weather? Rain or shine, you will need to be there for those dogs. If it's unbelievably hot or incredibly cold, the dogs will still need to get outside, if only to do their business. This being said, your walks should take the weather into consideration. If it's too hot or cold, you will likely have to keep the walk very short or you'll risk heat stroke or frost bite for the poor pooches. While most dogs are just fine walking in the rain, you will need to make sure that you have the supplies (such as an old beach towel) to properly dry the dog off after the walk so that he or she doesn't leave a dirty, wet trail everywhere he or she goes at home.
Question 5 - Can you provide quality customer service? As much as you'll be dealing with the dogs the majority of the time, you will also be communicating with their owners. You need to be prepared to provide great customer service to maintain the trust you have earned and to keep your client happy over time.
Walking dogs can be a very rewarding business as long as it is the right one for you. Get to know yourself and how well you suit the job before you dive right in.
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Dog Walking Forms