Have you been considering starting your own business? Do you love spending time with animals, especially dogs? When you have extra time, are you content spending hours at the local dog park with your own dog? If so, you might want to consider starting your own dog walking business. There is an ongoing need for pet related services, especially dog walkers, presenting you with the perfect opportunity to build a successful business. This guide will provide you with information on how to start your own dog walking business.

It is important that you know the clientele you will be catering to before you begin organizing your business. This will help you determine everything from what additional services to offer to how you should go about marketing your new business. Are most of your clients:

1. Business professionals that are working all day?
2. Stay at home parents that are unable to allot time for taking the dog out each day?
3. Elderly people that can no longer walk the dog on their own?

Knowing your clientele will help you better understand what services you will need to provide. Although you may be starting a dog walking business, chances are you will be adding to the services you offer as you build your business.

Once you know the clientele you will be servicing, you should start checking out the competition. You can do this by searching for dog walking businesses online or in the phone book. Make a list and check these businesses out. See if they have websites. Considering calling them and posing as a potential customer to find out the related services they may offer and what they charge.

When you begin setting up your business, there are a few important issues you should address:

1. Will you be working alone, or will you hire a few people to assist you
2. How much do you intend to charge
3. Will you do group walks or spend your time with one or two dogs belonging to the same owner
4. Will you have certain places you will walk the dogs, or will you travel to a variety of settings
5. What services other than dog walking will you offer or be willing to add
6. What type of transportation will you be using for the dog or dogs

Starting a dog walking business is just like any other business. You will need to obtain a license and insurance in order to legitimize your services. Although you will not need to procure a trade business license, you will need to register your business with your state. Every state has different requirements regarding business registration and licensing, so you will need to do some research to find out what the state you live in requires. A list of each state's business website can be found here.

Insurance is necessary in case something happens while you have a client's dog in your care. It will cover something as simple as you breaking something in their home, or if their dog is in an altercation with another canine at the neighborhood dog park. Most clients will want you to be insured in case something should happen. There are various companies offering pet insurance, including pet sitting associations such as Pet Sitters Associates, which offers general liability insurance as part of its annual membership fee.

Once you have set up your business you will need to start promoting it. This is very important when you first start out. Consider investing in business cards, fliers and your own website. You can utilize these services to promote yourself by:

1. Posting fliers around your neighborhood and in the areas you intend to service. Offer discounts on these fliers for first time customers or for referrals.
2. Hand out your business cards and post them to bulletin boards at local pet supply stores, veterinarians and groomers. Hand them out at the dog park too.
3. Utilize the internet. Advertise all the pertinent information on your website, and then publicize your new business in chat rooms and on discussion boards.

Starting a dog walking business is not only a great way to make money, but fun too! Why not earn your income spending time with animals you love? The above guide is a great place to start as you learn how to start building your own dog walking business.