With many dog owners having their own jobs to handle, they can’t take the hassle of walking their dogs. This is one of the reasons pet-walking business is on the rise.
The very first and important thing is qualifications. The ones that will really enhance your standing in comparison to others are first aid and animal behavior courses. These on your CV will assure the owners that their pets are in safe hands. Apart from this, the (obvious) prerequisite is: loving dogs. You can’t start a ‘dog’ walking business if you hate dogs. The other thing you need to be adept at, is handling these dogs and making sure they behave. You should have strong nerves and confidence to handle a dog for situations like other dogs attacking your dog or vice versa.
The initial investment in a dog walking business is not that huge. However, you need to get a CRB check before you start it. The areas that can cost you money are dog training courses. These can really help you and boost your knowledge about how to handle those furry friends. Some dogs can be very aggressive and it will help you a lot to start learning on how to handle these situations. Apart from this, if your clients live far away from where you live, you might need transportation to and from their house.
There are many advantages to starting this business. You won’t be bound by a nine-to-five schedule. You get fresh air and exercise and get to see your furry friends while you do your job. The cons include working in all weathers, and dealing with exuberant dogs.
You need to have specialist insurance before you commence your business activities. This insurance covers your public liability as a legal requirement. You need to have ample cover for your needs which may include liability, property damage, lost or theft of keys, and transit and custodial responsibility.
As far as the CRB checking is concerned, though it may not be a legal prerequisite, it sure is essential. This boosts your reputation as a dog walker and ensures your clients about your credibility. When you are in a dog walking business, you need to handle you clients’ keys sometimes and pick or drop dogs whilst the owners of the house are out. So some clients may ask for you to get a CRB check.
Other things you need to consider are the knowledge of walking areas that are far from roads and traffic. This reduces the chances of your dog running in to traffic and the jeopardy resulting from it. Also, you need to have permission from the owner of the dog before you open the leash of the dog. This is because the insurance will not cover you if you don’t. also, make sure that the dogs you walk are perfectly safe and vaccinated. Diseases can spread from one dog to the other. To ensure safety, make sure the dogs are up to date with their vaccinations.
All in all, a dog walking business has a whole set of prerequisites stated above. It would really help you if you followed these for these will make your life easier as an owner of the business. Happy Dog Walking!
