I'm really hating my job. Even after switching to a new place I'm just done with it.

For the last three years I have been dreaming about being a dog walker. I know several people who have done quite well for themselves starting one of these businesses. There isn't demand for it in my immediate neighborhood, but I know that in one area close to here that the dog walkers are so busy they have to turn people away.

Any dog walkers on the forum?

If you're out there how did you start and what is it really like?

I'd start by checking out the ins and outs of being self employed if you haven't already done so. All those fun things like taxes, write-offs, health insurance,liability insurance, etc that you're going to need to take care of yourself assuming that you're not already.

Self employment is my ultimate goal, but I think the actual work is the easy part (providing you're doing something you love!) it's all that recording keeping, taxes, etc, etc. that is the real work.

From what I've seen, being a dog walker is really no different from being a self employed hairdresser, only the overhead is way less.

Even though I'm an employee, hairdressing is commision only. So I'm already used to having to do it all myself when it comes to bringing the money in, having a lot of variation in my personal income, and having no security. Those parts of it are fine with me. I have never known anything different.

The only good part of being a hairdresser is that I can make very good money working part time, so if I could work it out the financial transition might be pretty smooth.

What I would do if I decided to go for it is take a class at the center for adult education. They have all sorts of cheap non credit courses for these kind of things.

Lauren, the smartest thing I did when starting my own landscape design company was to hire an accountant. I take all my info to her once a month and in January she hands me a profit/loss statement necessary for taxes. NOT being a bookkeeper myself, this has been a huge help. She is reasonably priced and a tremendous VALUE when calculating my time and the mistakes I'd be making.

Networking/marketing takes more time and money than I expected but once you get a client base built up, assuming you are doing a good job, you'll begin getting client referrals - THE best form of advertising you can get.

You may want to see if there is a local networking organization for small businesses - this is a good way to get your name out there and let other small sized professesional learn about your services. I joined the Peninsual Womens' Network and found it a very good resource early on.

In this line of work you will probably need insurance incase you get bit and/or someone's dog gets injured while in your care.

I'll keep thinking...

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

Even though I'm an employee, hairdressing is commision only. So I'm already used to having to do it all myself when it comes to bringing the money in, having a lot of variation in my personal income, and having no security. Those parts of it are fine with me. I have never known anything different.

The only good part of being a hairdresser is that I can make very good money working part time, so if I could work it out the financial transition might be pretty smooth.

So do they cover 50% of SS tax? or do you pay all of it? That is a huge difference to me. Come up with another 15% or so off the top of everything you make after everything else is paid for. Sigh.

But yeah, if you can do hairdressing part time and dog walking that sounds like a great way to start.

Part two is if you start dog walking, then you can be in a really good place to start giving private training lessons, too.

I knew a gentleman who made a serious career out of dog walking in Manhattan, he made a fortune.
There are "doggy day-cares" doing very well near where I live. In the tight-fisted practical midwest. Young professionals without children are most of the clients - when they come home, they want to relax, not exercise the dog. They have some disposable income, and they want the dog to have a quality life.
The clients could be difficult - but, I guess you know that being a hairdresser!

I run a pet-sitting/dog-walking business - Pet Sitters International offers a great "group-rate" on liability insurance and dishonesty bonding. I have a web-site and advertise on Craigs List - it was slow-going, at first, but things are starting to pick up =)

If you still did some hair you could call your new business "Hair of the Dog"

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

I knew a gentleman who made a serious career out of dog walking in Manhattan, he made a fortune.

I know a woman who clears around $100k dog walking. Her style of business is not the way I would do it (she does large off leash play groups), but its pretty amazing. She is probably the happiest person I have ever met!

Mara, you are correct about social security taxes, but what I'm hoping is to grow a company if I can work it out. So in the short term it would be more expensive but in the long run there might be something bigger.

Also, the training angle is what I was thinking. I have no business calling myself a trainer of *anything* right now, but I do enjoy teaching people. I think I could be very good at working with pet owners in the future.

Maybe I will see if I can do it somehow. Even the idea makes me so happy!