The Dog Walker's Startup Guide

Book excerpt: Written by a dog-walking pioneer, this book provides all the information anyone would need to start up his or her own dog walking business. Presented in twelve well-defined steps, the author's action model incorporates everything from business basics to the fundamentals of animal psychology. Supported by a strong website and ancillary materials including a training DVD, the book will appeal to those seeking financial freedom at the end of a leash. FROM THE BACK COVER: WARNING: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! Known to cause side effects such as happiness and fulfillment According to many experts, dog walking is currently the fastest growing area in the professional pet care industry and it shows no sign of slowing down. More American households have dogs than ever before! Whether you have been dreaming of escaping the 9-5 grind, or just love dogs and want to work with them, this book will help you take this growing industry by the leash and profit from it. This easy to follow step-by-step guide to starting your own dog walking business teaches: * How to assess the number of clients you ll need to meet your financial goals using case studies and formulas that work (page 12) * What services will creatively sell your business and lead the competition (page 16) * How to create a winning web presence that promotes customer confidence and sells your business 24 hours a day * How to create a professional welcome packet step-by-step (page 31) * How on-the-fly photo updates can enrich your service by promoting human interaction and involvement, leading to more referrals and additional income from advertising (page 124) * Professional advertising strategies revealed in detail and highlighted with examples that will quickly turn your business idea into profit-making reality (page 53) FROM THE AUTHOR: A dog walker's job, focus, and service is very different than a pet sitter's, and the hours are much more conducive to stay-at-home parents, students, and retired persons. The bulk of a dog walker's work happens between the hours of 10am and 3pm. However with puppy-care, and a 3x per day schedule, you'll be starting a bit earlier and finishing a bit later. Dog walking is also a great way to supplement a dog training business! Dog walking is a Zen-like business model, provides a steady predictable income, and your customer base is much, much larger. Dog walking is for the most part recession proof. American households with dogs have increased exponentially. According to the APPA pet-related spending in 2008 will likely exceed $10.5 billion. We aren't going to get rid of our pets, and we aren't going to stop working and commuting. Therefore dog walkers will still be needed, even in a down economy.