11/08/2026
One thing I wish more people understood about dog walkers…
This isn't a hobby.
I think because our job involves dogs, being outside and doing something that most of us genuinely love, it's easy to look at it and think:
“What a lovely job. You get to walk dogs all day.”
And yes, I absolutely love what I do.
But there is a lot more to running a dog walking business than putting some leads on dogs and going for a walk.
There are early mornings.
There are bookings to organise, messages to answer, invoices to send, accounts to keep on top of, insurance to pay, vehicles to maintain and equipment to replace.
There are risk assessments, policies, client records and emergency plans.
There are dogs who need individual consideration because not every dog can simply be thrown into the same group and taken for a walk.
There are days when it's absolutely freezing, pouring with rain or ridiculously hot, and we're making decisions about whether it is actually safe to provide the service our clients have booked.
And then there are the unexpected things.
A dog who suddenly isn't themselves.
A dog who gets injured.
A difficult interaction with another dog.
A vehicle problem.
A cancellation that leaves a gap in your day that you can't necessarily fill.
We carry responsibility for someone else's dog every single time we open that door and put that lead on.
And I think that's the bit people don't always see.
When you pay a professional dog walker, you're not just paying for the time your dog spends walking.
You're paying for their experience, their judgement, their preparation, their insurance, their time, their vehicle, their equipment and their responsibility for your dog.
You're also paying for the convenience of someone turning up at your door when you're at work, taking your dog out, caring for them and bringing them safely home.
And yes, we get to spend our days with dogs.
That's a pretty brilliant bonus. ❤️
But loving dogs doesn't mean we don't need to make a living.
We still have bills to pay.
We still need holidays.
We still need to think about the days when we’re sick.
We still need to make a profit if we're going to keep doing this long term.
So if you're lucky enough to have a brilliant dog walker, remember there's a whole business behind that person who turns up at your door.
And if you're thinking about becoming a dog walker because you love dogs and it looks like an amazing lifestyle…
Please don't mistake loving dogs for running a dog walking business which unfortunately some people do 😞
They are two very different things.
It's a brilliant job.
But it's a proper job. ❤️🐾
