Business License

Do I Need a Business License?

Most people are very confused about this. Dog Walking does not require a trade business license, but most states will require you to register your business with the state. To find out what your state licensing agency requires, visit the Small Business Administration's list of states and click on your state. This will take you straight to your state's business website. Once you are there, browse around to see what sort of licensing they will require of you. It is usually fairly easy to find this online, but if you are having trouble finding it, just find a phone number and give them a call. They will be able to tell you all you need to do to become a legal business entity.

Toronto will soon be requiring all walkers to obtain a permit for dog walking.

In the UK, some areas will require you to hold a license if you walk more than 4 dogs. The license is free of charge. Visit http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/Home/EnvironmentandTransport/Dogs/dogwalking.htm for more information.

When you register for your business license, they will ask you what sort of business entity you will want to register under. There are a few options: Sole Proprietor, Partnership, Limited Liability Company and C or S Corporation.

In the next installment, we will talk about what each of these mean and which is the best for you.

Have a wonderful day!

Rates and Services

What to Offer and What to Charge?

Now that you have the knowledge about what a dog walker does and you have chosen a business name, it is time to write down exactly what you will offer and what you will charge.

Get out a piece of paper and start writing. What do you want to offer? Do you want to start out with just single dog walking? Will you offer pack walking? Will you offer pooper scooper? Will you offer puppy care? Will you be administering meds?

Now that you have written down what you are going to offer, it is time to determine what you will charge. In my opinion, it is best to charge for your time. Have time slots set up with a rate for each. For example, a 15 minute visit is $15; a 30 minute visit is $18 and so on. This is for as many dogs they have in a single household. I don't think it is wise to charge extra fees for more than 1 dog. It turns out being a turnoff for your client when you start to add on more and more fees. If your client has more than 2 dogs, they would have to purchase a longer time slot since you would not be able to get the job done as quickly. Many dog walkers will charge a small fee for administering meds. This is fine and recommended. A nice up sell is to add on Pooper Scooping. Cleaning up what the dog does while you are there is included if asked, however, you can offer to clean the remaining yard for another small fee. Basically, what is included in your visit is walking the dog, refreshing the water and cleaning up after the dog. Anything else can be an upsell.

Next we will be discussing getting a business license. Have a great weekend.

Business Name

How to pick a business name?

Your business name will be the first thing your potential clients will see. They will determine alot from just your name. You want your name to stand out and spell out exactly what you do. You also want your name to sound like a professional business. Think about what steps you take when you are looking through the phone book or the Internet to pick out a plumber or carpenter. What is the first thing you look at: Their Business Name.

So, what should your name entail? One thing you have to consider is will you be offering more than dog walking at some point? If you are do not add "dog walking" to the end of your business name.

Many people will just use their personal names such as "Stacy's Dog Walking". That is a good, personal choice. Even better would be using where you live in your name. Make your name hit close to home. For example, if you live in Florida, you can name your business "Florida's Best Dog Walking Service". This name will stand out above the rest.

If you are going to offer more services in addition to dog walking, try naming your business "Florida's Best Pet Care Services". This will leave you open to adding on any kind of pet care service and will not limit your business to just dog walking or just dogs.

After you have picked out your name, you want to be sure no one else is using it. Some businesses will federally trademark their name. This is to ensure no one else can legally use their name nationwide. To check the trademark database click here and then click on search in the right hand column. Now that you have checked the federal database, you need to check your state database. There is a separate database available for each state. To find your state database, go to the Secretary of State site and click on your state. Find the area where you can do a business search. Then just type in the name you are thinking of using. If nothing comes up, that means no one is registered in your state with that name. You may also want to check the newspapers, Internet and the phone book, just in case someone is using it but is not registered with the state. You can not use a name which is in use in your state or nationally. You can't even use a variation of it. So, be sure to check all your resources before putting your business name on paper.

Until next time...

Job Description

What Does a Dog Walker Do?

A dog walker basically walks a dog. You can walk the dog for many different reasons. Let's review the reasons why a client may require your services to help you market your dog walking business.

• Client just bought a new puppy. Puppy can not hold bladder for more than 4 hours. Client works longer than that and can not make it home during breaks.
• Client works long hours (more than 8) and needs someone to let dog out for a potty break.
• Client works an exhausting job and does not have time nor energy to walk dog.
• Client has physical disabilities preventing them from being able to take the dog for a walk.
• Client has a very hyper, destructive dog. A walk will tire them out and distract them from destruction.
• Client does not want dog confined to a crate entire time they are at work.
• Dog needs medication during the day.

There are probably many more reasons, but these are the most common.

Most dog walkers simply just take the dog for a walk or let the dog out for a potty break. Dog walkers usually take the dog for a walk around the block. It is usually just a single dog. Some will do pack walking (more than one dog at a time).

A dog walker may administer meds or give shots if qualified.

Your client may also like you to give the dog a fresh dish of water.

A nice upsell for a dog walker is pooper scooper. You can offer to clean up the client's yard for an extra fee. Cleaning up after what the dog does while in your care is part of your job.

These items are the norm for dog walkers.

Next time we will discuss how to pick a name for your business.