- Start dog walking or pet sitting for friends and neighbors. ...
- Consider joining an agency. ...
- Consider licensure or certification. ...
- Know the ins and outs of your city. ...
- Get in good with your human clients. ...
- Love and understand your canine clients. ...
- Be able to withstand the not-so-glamorous side of dog walking. ...
- Get in shape.
Companies
Task Rabbit - https://www.taskrabbit.com/t/dog-walking
Rover - https://www.rover.com/dog-walking/
Wag
Job Sites
Indeed
Zip Recruiter
Sitter City - http://www.sittercity.com/pet-sitting.html
Career.com - https://www.care.com/dog-walking-jobs
Pet Sitter / Dog Walker Apps
Dog owners can keep track of their daily strolls with man’s best friend, including routes, calories burned, heart rates, and more, by downloading a walking app to their phone. A recent study found that dog owners walk an average of 22 minutes more per day, so if you’re already tracking your routine gym workout, why not log those extra minutes spent with your pooch, too?
If you normally hire a dog walker, check with them to see if they use any apps to track their routine walks with your pup. If they don’t, take a look at the list of apps below—most of which have an average user rating of 4.0/5 or higher—and recommend a couple! This could be another fun way to keep track of all the walks your dog goes on and maybe even find some trails and familiar smells to revisit together.
Here are the nine best walking apps for dog owners to enjoy with their furry friends!
Want someone to take your doggo for a stroll while you're at work?Hire a dog walker near you.
1. Map My Walk by Under Armour (iOS and Android)
Cost: Free | Offers in-app purchases starting at $5.99
iTunes App Store customer rating: 4.8/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 4.5/5
What to know: Track workouts using GPS. Share progress with other users. Logs your pace, route, distance, calories, and elevation.
Walking around the neighborhood with your pooch? Checking out a new park? This app tracks your path using GPS and lets you view your route after. Map My Walk also lets you share your route on social media, suggests new and nearby walking paths, as well as saves the route to your account in case you and your dog ever want to revisit it.
2.Walkmeter Walking & Hiking GPS
(iOS and Android)
Cost: Free | Offers in-app purchases
iTunes App Store customer rating: 4.4/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 3.8/5
What to know: Has customizable training plans. Creates tables and charts based on completed workouts. Good for hikers.
If you live in a mountainous area and like to bring your dog with you on your outdoor adventures, then this app is for you. The New York Times called the app “clean, easy to use,” so it’s no surprise it’s one of the top choices for walking apps. The app allows you to view all types of terrain and traffic maps, tracks and logs walks and other activities, and gives you vital statistics.
3. Motion X GPS (iOS)
Cost: $1.99
iTunes App Store customer rating: 4.4/5
What to know: Rated best outdoor app by About.com. Unlimited map downloading. Share your location in real time.
This is another good app for those who like to take their pups on hiking trails. Motion X GPS lets users save previous routes or import new ones, and it offers 14 different map types to help you easily manage traffic, terrain, weather, and more. In addition, the app gives you the capability to share your location while you’re out walking or hiking with your dog, so others can follow along and maybe even try out your route.
4. Pedometer (Android)
Cost: Free | Offers in-app purchases
Google Play Store customer rating: 4.4/5
What to know: Logs daily steps. Does not track routes. Records distance walked and calories burned.
While this app does not map out your walking route, it does let you keep track of your fitness by logging the number of steps you’ve taken, distance walked, calories burned, and your speed. Your exercise data is saved to the app so you can keep tabs on your daily, weekly, and monthly walks. If you and your pooch enjoy the same leisurely walk each day, this app is for you!
5. Argus by Azumio (iOS andAndroid)
Cost: Free | Offers in-app purchases
iTunes App Store customer rating: 4.9/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 4.3/5
What to know: Connect with users all over the world. It’s a combination health and fitness app. Uses GPS technology to track steps.
Are you and your pooch the competitive type? This app tracks your daily steps and competes with other users from around the globe, and it uses GPS navigation to track your walks. The app also offers additional features, like tracking for sleep and heart rate, as well as meal plans. Grab the leash and go!
6. Fitbit App MobileTracker (iOSand Android)
Cost: Free
iTunes App Store customer rating: 3.9/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 3.9/5
What to know: Creates custom walking maps based on your path. No Fitbit required. Share your stats with friends.
No Fitbit? No problem! The app uses your phone’s built-in motion sensor to track your steps and distance walked, and it saves the walking path you and your pooch enjoy together. You’ll need to hold your phone in your hand or buy an armband holder for your phone to get the most accurate results.
7. Endomondo (iOS andAndroid)
Cost: Free
iTunes App Store customer rating: 4.6/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 4.5/5
What to know: Syncs with other apps and fitness devices. Tracks over 40 activities using GPS. Allows you to set walking goals.
This highly rated app, created by Under Armour, allows you to set walking goals for yourself while you’re on your daily stroll with your dog. Using GPS technology, Endomondo allows you to view your previous walking paths, check your exercise stats, and share them with friends on social media to keep you and your pooch motivated.
8. Charity Miles (iOS andAndroid)
Cost: Free
iTunes App Store customer rating:4.8/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 4.2/5
What to know: Raise money for over 40 charities. Does not track walking route. Works just like a pedometer.
Thanks to Charity Miles, you can walk your dog and raise money for a good cause of your choice. The app was rated “Best Overall App” by Women’s Running Magazine and “Game Changer of the Year” by Men’s Fitness. The app tracks distance, time, and speed. The more you move, the more you raise! Choose from over 40 charities.
9. Nike + Run Club (iOS andAndroid)
Cost: Free
iTunes App Store customer rating: 4.7/5
Google Play Store customer rating: 4.4/5
What to know: Not just for runners. Easily track walking routes. Share data with friends.
Your dog isn’t a runner? Neither are you? Don’t let the name of this app deter you, because it can be used for more than just running! The user-friendly interface allows you to track your walking route, calories burned, distance, speed, and more. Share it with friends or your dog walker so they can take advantage of your pooch’s favorite walking path.
I provide care for:
Dogs
Puppy (<2 Yrs) Adult (2-6 Yrs) Elderly (7+ Yrs)
Size
Small (0-20lbs) Medium (20-40lbs) Large (40-60lbs) Giant (60+Lbs)
Cats
Birds
Fish
Services I provide:
Boarding
Sitting
Walking
Standard rate(30 mins)* /Extended rate(60 mins)*
Grooming
Training
Transportation
Certifications
Pet first aid
NAPPS certification
Bonded and insured
Essential Skills for Working with Dogs
comfortable working with dogs in a hands-on capacity
Basic Dog Handling and Training Skills
basic obedience, operant conditioning training techniques, and handling.
Ability to Recognize Behavioral Signals
pay careful attention to a dog’s ears, teeth, posture, and general expression for signs indicating aggression, fear, distraction, or happiness or sadness.
Knowledge of Proper Grooming Techniques
able to handle the basics such as removing mats, brushing out long hair, trimming nails, and cleaning ears.
Ability to Recognize Common Health Problems
Dog handlers should have an understanding of basic canine health issues, particularly those that are frequently observed in the breed(s) they work with. It is also important that handlers note subtle changes in each dog’s behavior or eating habits that could indicate a developing problem.
Individuals working with dogs should also be able to provide basic care such as cleaning a wound, removing fleas and ticks, and giving oral medications. Those working specifically in canine health career paths (such asveterinary technicianroles) should be able to give injections, collect blood or other body fluid samples, and perform more advanced medical treatments.
Dog walking is a great side hustle because the clients are adorable, you get exercise, you’re helping out a caring pet owner (having a dog of my own, I know what it’s like to want the best for your pup), the hours are short and you can make around $16-$24/hour depending on your rates. You also get to be the person who walks in the door and is greeted by an excited dog who can’t wait to go for a walk a couple times a day. Instant happiness booster.
How To Get Started
You can either set out on your own by posting ads and flyers in highly trafficked areas like pet stores or joining a service like Sittercity.com. You can also find an already established pet sitting business in your town to work for. Trust is a huge deal in dog walking because a pet owner is essentially giving you a key to their home and trusting you with their pet, so having a completed background check and doing an in-person meet and greet with an owner is almost a must.
You basically need no supplies to get started, unless you want to spruce things up a bit by offering to supply your own doggy bags for walks, getting an organizer for any paperwork, a carabiner to keep keys on or a notepad to write daily “status reports” for owners to come home to. Dog and cat owners LOVE to see what you and their pet did that day, where you walked, and if Fido did a #2 or just a #1.
Even if you are setting out on your own and finding dogs to walk without joining up with an existing pet sitting company, you’ll still probably want to research the competition in your area to figure out things like your rate (typical in my area of Philadelphia is somewhere around $12-$15 for a 30-minute walk and $20-$25 for a 60-minute walk) and your service area. When picking up clients, a word to the wise is to keep your service area limited so that you aren’t wasting time driving more than a few miles between clients. More walking equals more money.
What Kind of People Make Ideal Dog Walkers?
The best dog walkers are people who, of course, love dogs and don’t mind walking them when it’s hot, cold or anything in between. You also can’t be squeamish about picking up their poop, it’s just a part of the job. An ideal dog walker is someone who can handle all types of dogs, and also knows their limits. For example, I weigh about 115 lbs. and know that if an extremely rambunctious 125 lb. German Shepherd came about as a prospective client, I might need to decline the job in order to avoid being pulled all over the neighborhood.
Another important aspect of dog walking is the ability to have a flexible schedule. Most owners want their dogs walked between the hours of 11am-2pm because this is “mid day” for dogs who have owners that work a 9-5. While this schedule works perfectly for me and my freelancing lifestyle, it may not be an option for many. If you aren’t able to do lunch hour walks, you can still get into dog walking by either finding clients with different schedules (i.e. a nurse with a nighttime shift), or offering pet sitting and dog walking services on the weekends or while owners are on vacation. After all, if you are walking a dog outside of “normal walking hours,” you can charge more!
How Much Money You’ll Make
Depending on how much you (or the company you start working with) charges for 30-minute walks, 60-minute walks and pet sitting (overnight), you can expect to make around $16-$24 an hour. I currently walk 3 dogs on most days at $20/hour, making my daily earnings about $30 on average (on Fridays I normally only walk two dogs). If you multiply that out, I can make an average of $600 a month by walking 2 or 3 dogs a day for about an hour and a half total each day.
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the game is fucked up!!!! Niggaahz who would probably be excellent @ taking care of pets for a living fresh out the joint.... after some time in a 1/2 way house 1st.... or for someone who just didn't want to go to "college".... doing so isn't a guarantee! They don't teach you how to do for self! They literally train you to be an employee.
ijs!
