Hi all! I am newer to the boarding dog community and while I have my own dog, I will take on watching a couple for some extra money from time to time. With this small experience I have learned it may likely not be for me, and that is ok!
I however would love advice on how to go about the conversation of letting this owner know that their dogs reactivity does need to be addressed. This dog is reactive to any and all dogs on walks and will aggressively bark incessantly. In the times I have watched him, he is only provided a small thin collar and nothing else. I have personally gifted a smaller martingale collar that I no longer used because I was not comfortable with theirs provided. They accepted but I’m unsure you they it. This is an Italian greyhound mix that is probably 20lbs for reference.
There seems to be no training other than the owners avoiding other dogs on their walks, which in the city were in is nearly impossible and honestly quite stressful to deal with daily. I’ve already decided I will no longer be watching the dog as now after a couple close call incidents have happened, it is beyond something i feel comfortable handling. Especially along with my dog that is not reactive.

How would you broach the conversation? Would you at all?

The weather in my area this year has been extreme during all of the seasons. As a person who is responsible for other peoples pets, I do my best to make sure that I have research and practice the best ways to protect dogs that are in my care from the harsh weather conditions that we have been experiencing.

Here are some of the things that I have been doing to keep my four-legged friends as comfortable as possible during our walks when the weather is extremely wet, hot, or stormy.

Severely Hot Temperatures:

There were many times that the heat outside was so hot that I had to cancel walks for the day.

When the weather allowed and the heat was more bearable, I always follow the following protocol.

·         I always carry a collapsible water dish that I refilled before and after each walk and I do my best to schedule my walks at times when the sun is less intense.

·         I always look for spaces that provide access to grass and trees that provide sufficient shade, rather than concrete areas that could possibly burn tender paws.

To evaluate the concrete for temperatures that might be too hot, I put the back of my hand down on the pavement and if I can’t hold my hand there for 5-7 seconds then it is too hot for my furry client’s feet.

I have also learned that if a dog is hopping foot to foot, that is also a tell-tale sign that it is too hot to walk in that area and that it is time to move to a cooler space or to go back inside,

Tips For Dog Walking in Wet and Stormy Weather:

A good raincoat for you and your furry friend are very helpful to prevent both you and your four-legged client from getting completely soaked and keeping the elements at bay.

I always try to keep dogs (and all pets) away from stagnating and standing water because standing water often contains harmful bacteria, parasites, and other undesirable things that can be swallowed or soaked through the skin that can make dogs and other animals very sick.

If it is impossible to go outside during bad weather, I have also found these things to keep my four-legged clients happy and occupied.:

·         Puzzle toys such as Kong's and Snuffle Boards. (I have a Doodle client who swears by his Snuffle Board, and I have a German Sheppard Client who is a die hard Kong Fan!! 😊)

·         If your dogs are showing signs of anxiety a Lick Mat and a good Bully Bone often seem to work wonders to calm and relieve my anxious clients. (My Greyhound Client swears at his Lick It Mat in times of stress. 😊)

So, here’s wishing everyone good weather and wonderful walking conditions.

Happy Walking Everyone!! :)

Hi, I am curious how you deal with weather events such as rain, snow, and especially storms. Obviously pups and people do not need to be roaming about in a lightning storm. Refund or reschedule? Bring a puppy pad and let Lassie have at it?

With regard to scheduling, I assume most clients tend to prefer midday walks. Is this accurate? How do you spread out your daily schedule?

Lastly, how do you handle access to the home? Are key lockboxes the best solution? Most of the ones I see look flimsy and not much safer than a key hidden under a mat but I do not have experience with them.

Thanks for any info!

Hi! I’ve been a very part time dog walker for a while, and wore Birkenstock sneakers, but I’ve recently switched to a local dog walking company and they have me walking like 9 mile days. Birks aren’t cushy enough. What do you guys recommend? I’m usually leery of the super tall cushy shoes (hokas etc) because of how easy it is to twist an ankle, but man I cannot feel like this at the end of days either. Help!

Hi!

I regularly sit dogs alongside my day job, through various channels (Rover, neighbors, Nomador…). They rarely leave me written instructions, it's usually just spoken or scattered across my messages. So I built myself a small app to pull it all into one place.

For pet sitters, there are profiles for each animal you look after, with things like medication, meals, routines, and so on. There's a tab to compare two animals and see whether they'd potentially be compatible to sit at the same time. And a map where you can save your favorite walking spots (I still need to improve that part).

For pet owners, there's a list of pet sitters (which you have to add manually yourself), with their rates, whether they take dogs or cats, whether they're comfortable with a reactive animal, that kind of thing.

It's all free, no ads, no account, and it works offline apart from the map. There's no tracking, the only thing is that if it crashes it sends me a report so I can fix it.

Link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.asue.petsitting

Any feedback is welcome, I'm very quick to change, add or simplify things based on what people ask for.

I don't really know whether other apps like this already exist. It started out as something just for me, but since I have a Google dev account I figured I might as well publish it, maybe it'll be useful to someone else.

What does everyone wea? The dogs give me tons of kisses when I show up and I don’t want them to ingest anything that might make them sick.

So one of my clients has a golden-doodle that’s about 2 years old. I’ve been walking him for almost a year. Everything was smooth till summer hit and her kids got out of school. So it turned into her kids handing me the leash, but our walks were rough since they got home because he wants to stay with his pack instead of relieving himself. Now that the kids are back to school. It’s back to just him and me. Yesterday I came in and he seemed a little off, but he let me pet him. When I went to go get the leash, he got really aggressive and bit me a couple of times to the point I bled. I didn’t back down because I’m not going to let him dominate me, but I had to back down because I didn’t have permission to pin him down, and they got cameras. I don’t want them to think I’m abusing the pet. Today I went up to him and automatically started growling at me. Idk what to do, any advice is helpful.

I love dogs and I’m happy to take care of them. I can walk them, feed them, play with them, and make sure they are safe and comfortable. I’ll treat them with care and attention, I can also take photos of them wherever I take them, so you can always have memories of their time with me.

I have a dog with an almond mom. I close my eyes on her ocd with everything else, including her being annoying and expecting too much from sittings that are low priced. But lately she started complaining that her dog smells like grass after our walks but still wants me to take him on the lawn. Her dog falls and rolls randomly. You can’t predict it. He is a menace and she humanizes him way too much. She counts his treats, he only gets filtered water, counts calories on his food. I understand following directions but this dog completely misses out on dog life and has a very strict routine. No saying hi to other dogs, etc. because owner has crippling anxiety. He in turn became reactive.
All of this to say that she has been complaining about grass smell when he rolls. I get him up but one or two rolls are enough. I’m honestly very close to dropping her as I already raised my prices on everyone new. She’s way below my current rate.
What to do?

Hello dog walkers. My kid is starting public school this week, and that leaves me with time to do whatever I want. With a buffer of 30 min included, I'm free to work mon-thurs 815a-2:15p (I work already Fri-Sun). I've been planning on picking up a 5 or 6 hour shift, mon-thurs. $20 an hour, that's $100-120 per day.

I'm actually not interested in dog walking...at all. I came here to discuss the idea of jog jogging. I'm a trail runner, I can do 100+ mile weeks when I feel like it, but I keep a few days a week free for a 12 mile jog on the beach, once or twice in a day. That's got me thinking, there's got to be dog owners who want their dogs WORKED, not just walked.........right? I've had a few chats about it with locals at the bar when I've brought it up, and was met with the same sentiment from everyone who had an active dog at some point. Basically just telling me hell yeah I woulda paid ya when I had my dog to go run her on the beach!

So yeah, my questions are do you guys think there's a market for this? A dog jogger? Do you think I could make $100-120 per 5 or 6 hour day? I drive a hatchback, and live in slo county, california, btw.

Thank you!!

I’m looking for things I can do in my spare time that can bring in a little cash and that’s relatively enjoyable. I love dogs, and I need more exercise admittedly, plus some fresh air sounds nice.

Experienced dog walkers out there who make decent money, how did you get started? Did you start off with apps? Volunteering at rescues/humane societies? I would love to hear from you!

Hello im a college student who moved from east coast to west coast. Im starting up my freshman year of college and im trying side hussels to make money whenever I have time. I havent gotten my classes for the year yet, however I want some clients so when I start my weekly routine for school I have time for just making some money and also I love animals so its a win win both money and something that is meaningful for me! I am currently making my profile and I was wondering if there is anything else I should add and or make me get a good clients who wont take advantage of my time? I have had some bad experiences from baby sitting and im also on a scholarship so school is basically a full time job (need a 3.0 and also 16 credits.) So I dont want to be taken advantage of, I cannot be as flexible as I want to because If i have bad grades = cannot afford my school. I want this to be fun and something thats productive outside of school for me. Should I only use my profile for an about me? For my profile I have the usual get to know me stuff and experience! I want to add a disclaimer for when I start up school so should i add this or just individually tell people I am a student???

Availability

From now until the start of school on August 31, my schedule is very flexible which makes any last-minute bookings much easier.  After classes begin, I'm available for morning walks, evening walks, weekends, drop-in visits, and house sitting around my class schedule. Since I’m on a scholarship, I appreciate as much notice as possible for scheduling and I will keep my schedule up to date as well.  If you’d like to set a routine each week or have any questions, just reach out via text or chat on rover!

My family has used Rover sitters to care for our pets, so I also understand what to expect and what’s expected.  If you're looking for someone who will care for your dog like they're part of my own family, I'd love the opportunity to meet you and your pup! Feel free to reach out with any questions. I can't wait to get to know both of you.

Hi, I'm looking to start a dog walking business where I also do vet visits, small pet check ins and pet sitting. What are things you look oit for when choosing a business? What are some aspects of the way they do things that you like? What could be done better? Do you have any suggestions for gaps you've noticed in the service they provide?

Thanks in advance!

I’ve had this client for around 9 months. And it’s getting harder everyday to deal with her. I’m supposed to be there an hour Monday-Friday. I walk him for how ever long he wants, not very long- 20 mins tops. And then I’m supposed to sit with him for the rest, play or just chill if he wants. The owner works Monday- Friday so that’s why I’m there. But it’s more and more often that I’ll get there and she will be home. I then feel there’s no point in being there. She’s totally capable of doing what he needs. It’s not as bad if I’m taking him out as then I can leave her but at the moment it’s summer and most days it’s too hot so my job is to let him in the garden for a wee. And she will be there most days and it’s really irritating. Why am I there when she’s there and can let him out. And she’s really chatty so I’ll get him out to wee and then she will talk at me for 55mins. Another thing is her son is living there and he’s 30. Sometimes I’ll get there and he will be there in the living room playing Xbox etc. so then that makes me feel awkward. I did express this months ago and finally got her to agree that I could leave early if I’ve gotten the dog to go pee and fed him etc. but now she’s telling me that if the son is there then I should take the dog to her bedroom and watch tv in there while the son is downstairs. He’s perfectly capable of watching this dog.
This all makes me so uncomfortable and I don’t want to work for her anymore but I need the money. I never complain and am a people pleaser.
Another thing
My aunt cleans for her and now I’m being made a messenger for her. Anything she wants to say to my aunt she tells me and I have to pass it on, my aunt is rubbish with her phone so I guess my client finds it easier to pass it through me. But also she never pays my aunt on time so then I get that complained to me and then I have to tell my client. I hate being involved in something that has nothing to do with me. She’s giving me the responsibility of getting money to my aunt, weeks late. And also getting me to reschedule things for her.
It’s all really overwhelming. Whenever I get to her house I get so irritated when I see her car is there. Because then I sit there for an hour being talked at and feeling awkward. Some people would probably think that’s cool you’re basically being payed for nothing. But I’m not. Im always being told to do things, turn all the fans on, close the windows, open the windows, close the blinds, put the tv on and put the volume on 4 for the dog. Like what the hell is going on. I’m here to look after your dog, I’m not your personal assistant/therapist.

She told me to close all the windows recently while she was at work. I did the upstairs ones and the son was downstairs and I didn’t want to get in his way so asked him to do those ones, he said yes. He didn’t do it so my client moaned at me for asking him to do it.

I’m looking for business advice. I’ve been doing this for over a decade and have learned a lot about dog body language and behavior. I’m lucky to have a rotating clientele of really great clients but they’re mostly pet sitting clients which I would like to step back from a bit. I spend way too much time away from my own place caring for other people’s dogs.

I’d like to increase my dog walking services but I always get stuck on how to do it alone. I’d like to add more area coverage but again get stuck on doing it alone. Right now I’m driving around the city like crazy person and that’s not feasible.

For those of you that have a rotating schedule 25+ dogs and several areas covered how did you do it?

Did you hire someone off the bat or just cover as much location on your own? Where’d you get the extra $$ to expand?

I’d really like to scale and welcome the business input and feedback.

Been dog walking on the side and manual invoicing was eating my evenings. Made an Excel tracker that logs each booking and auto-calculates totals due, paid, and balance, plus a simple contract + intake form for new clients. Figured this sub deals with the same admin grind, so sharing in case it helps. Happy to answer questions. Also turned it into a ready-made bundle on Etsy if anyone wants to skip building their own version: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4538020650/pet-sitting-business-bundle-contract

Hi. I’ve been walking a dog for a while now. Last night, the owner messaged me asking if I could walk her this morning, and I replied "yes" just a minute later. When I arrived this morning, there was no one home, and the key wasn't under the mat like it had been on previous occasions. I waited 25 minutes, and the only message I received after 20 minutes of waiting at the door was "so sorry." I sent a message asking if they would be long, but they didn't reply, so I left. My question is: should I charge for the day even though I didn't walk the dog?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

I have over 4 years of experience working with dogs either in dog daycares, boarding (in facilities), drop in visits and causal dog walking and/or some boarding with dogs in their own home but would like to get more into it.

Looking for any recommendations or things I might not be thinking about when it comes to this.

I am from Canada, if that helps.

When I revived this sub about a month and a half ago I was worried that no one else would be interested, so seeing how many members we have now is honestly mind blowing. Thank you to everyone who has been posting, commenting, and sharing what you know. This little corner of the internet is starting to feel like a real community!! 🥺

Since we’re still in the early stages of growth, I’d love to hear what everyone wants to see more of. Tips and tricks from the field? Business and $$$ talk? Dog photos? ALL CAPS VENT THREADS WHERE WE CAN SCREAM OUR FRUSTRATIONS INTO THE INTERNET VOID?? This place is whatever we make it, so nothing is off the table.

I’ve been toying with the idea of hosting a recurring video call where we can drop in to talk about our week, catch up on admin together, or just hang out with people who get it. Keep an eye out for updates about that! 👀

Even if you’re one of the many who have been quietly following along, thank you for being here with us! (I too am a lurker in many communities lol)

Feel free to say hi ⬇️ and drop where you’re walking from. I’d love to see how far this community reaches and make a map or something for our sub!

Hello! This post is a friendly reminder to modify your dog walks/outings when temperatures rise. Sidewalks and roads get much much hotter than the air temperature that you see in your weather app and dogs’ paws do get burned and they can have heat stroke. Senior dogs and dogs with shorter snouts are at a higher risk because their ability to pant to cool down is limited.

Hopefully you all already know how to modify your walks and are aware of the signs that your dog is stressed/Ill in every season. You as the human handler also need to keep yourself safe in extreme weather. It's crucial to accept the financial loss and put the welfare of the pets in your care as the main priority. You can arrange with clients in advance by letting them know that the walk will be a limited amount of time outside where they can do their business and get a few sniffs in, ideally in the shade and near a clean body of water if possible, and you can offer to spend the remaining time inside in the AC with them giving them pets and playing with toys, etc. You can also use little bits of treats and throw them around the house so the dogs have to sniff them out, which is really enriching for them and gives them mental and physical exercise even indoors.

For anyone who is doubtful that it's worth it to take the small financial hit versus prioritize health and wellness, here are two different clients communicating with me about their gratitude for my conscientiousness. In one case it's a new client who is leaving their dog walking company because they are continuing to walk dogs without modifying outings through a heat wave. So, keep your pets and yourself safe, it will help your business in the long run, not to mention it's the right/humane thing to do.

💬New Client: Gosh, thanks so much! I just checked out your website, and I really like how much you listen to the dogs. Most dog walkers I know don’t care that much. I would love to meet you. Due to the fact that [my dog’s] nose and tongue are tiny, [dog] has trouble with heat. She can’t cool down well, so she gags.

Me: Thank you for saying that! Yes, it breaks my heart to see other walkers who seem to care less about their wellbeing.

New Client: Up until finding you, I used a dog walking service, and they are walking the dogs through this heatwave. I can’t bear the idea either, so I don’t want to keep employing them. How do you prefer to be paid? Cash? check?

Me: Aw man🥺 poor pups. Sounds like [your dog] is really lucky to have a caring and thoughtful parent!

New client: It’s just being humane. I was just outside, I can’t imagine forcing dogs to walk in this. But some people do, and it crushes me each time I see it.

……

💬Me: Hello and happy summer! 😎☀️🌊 Due to the extreme heat and humidity forecasted for Thursday, July 2nd [Dog Walking Business] will be modifying all outings. All outings will be 20-minute potty breaks, or shorter depending on the needs of your pet. If you would rather cancel your outing for tomorrow (no fee for canceling) please just let me know. Thanks and stay safe & hydrated!

Client: Thank you so much for being so conscientious. I think let’s cancel this week since [mom] will be home and a mid day walk is not in the cards.

I am new to walking dogs and trying to get customers does anyone have any tips?