Running a dog walking business is no walk in the park—from adverse weather conditions and last-minute cancellations through to chasing invoices and keeping track of marketing and finances.
However, providing you have done your homework and keep your eye on the ball, you can enjoy a very lucrative career as a dog walker that pays the bills while enabling you to do something you love.
To help you prepare, here is our guide to the six difficulties faced by dog walking businesses and how you can overcome them.
- Not everyone loves dogs
Yes, it is an unfortunate case that you will encounter many people on the streets who simply don’t like dogs. Some of these people will seize any chance to share their negative opinions of pets and, specifically, dogs. Even when you’re walking pets in a council-approved off-leash area, they may have words to say about the fact you’re walking the animals off a leash and make an unwelcome remark when your dog does potty. Even though you are technically on a public pathway and not their driveway, a dog-hating person might even yell at you for daring to walk a dog outside their house.
2)Unpredictable weather
Working as a professional dog walker can be particularly challenging over the winter months. However, the winter (and adverse weather conditions, in particular), may offer you a great opportunity to bring in new customers. For instance, dog owners who detest taking their canines for a walk in the cold and dark may opt to outsource the task to a professional dog walking agency.However, the downside of this is that you will be the one having to walk dogs in the bitter cold!
Additionally, many people decide to travel throughout the winter in an effort to escape the monotony of short days and chilly nights and find some sunshine. Again, a great opportunity for your business.
Even though the summer is undoubtedly the best season of the year for dog walking businesses, there are still challenges you need to be aware of. When it’s 40 degrees outside, the dogs in your care are at risk of dehydration, burnt paws, and exhaustion. As such, you will need to carefully manage the care you provide in such conditions.
- Challenging clients
Dealing with challenging clients on a regular basis can be very stressful. Some demanding clients might expect you to answer calls during non-working hours. Others may cancel your services for a day without prior warning, leaving you with lost revenue and no means to cover it.Other customers may never pay on time, meaning you have to spend your valuable time chasing invoices. Yes, there will be many instances of clients who make operating your dog walking business much more difficult than it needs to be.
The harsh truth is that running a dog walking business involves much more than handling dogs; you will also need to handle people. It all comes down to developing a rapport, keeping your word, setting clear boundaries, demonstrating empathy, and devising solutions that are beneficial to both you and your client.
- Loss of a major client
You could lose a client for a variety of reasons. Perhaps he or she relocates, their dog passes away, or they decide to work from home and no longer need your services.
Sadly, losing a client can be extremely damaging both financially and emotionally, regardless of the reason. For this precise reason, having a financial cushion in place is beneficial. While you seek new clients to cover the lost revenue, you can use the buffer to maintain your income.
- A dog becomes unwell or has an injury in your care
A sick dog can be difficult to deal with. In addition to being stressful, a dog with an upset stomach can cause a lot of mess and require several poop pick-ups during a walk. Additionally, depending on your arrangements, the pooch may have an accident on your client’s carpet, in your house, or in your car.
Another risk you may encounter is a dog sustaining an injury while in your care. Who will be responsible for the vet bills? To reduce the risk this poses, it is worthwhile researching dog walking liability insurance.
- Inability to provide services
To operate a successful dog walking business, you will require a certain level of physical fitness. However, what happens if you have an accident or fall sick and are unable to work? This kind of unanticipated event could bankrupt your company financially.
You can safeguard yourself against unforeseen occurrences and uncontrollable events by purchasing personal accident insurance. Keeping your firm afloat or seeing it sink into oblivion may depend on how you manage your income flow while you get back on your feet.