What Does a Teenage Dog Walker do? 

Dog walkers go to their client’s household and takes their dog onto a walk, so the dog can have their daily exercise without the client having to walk them. A dog walker will take the dogs on a half hour or an hour-long walk. You will also be responsible for checking on the dog’s water and food supply to ensure they are well-fed after the walk. They will also have to clean up after the dog during walks and notify the owner of any injuries that require medical attention. Basically, instead of the dog’s owner walking the dog, you are going to take that role in exchange for some cash. Dog walkers can choose to walk one dog or more than one, but they should be careful that the dogs do not fight with each other. You will be walking a lot, so it would be recommended that you are good physical shape if you want to be a dog walker.

How Much Does a Teenage Dog Walker Get Paid?

As a dog walker, you can expect to earn somewhere between $5-$10 a day for one dog. You can increase your pay by taking on more dogs. You can also add more services for a higher pay. The biggest issue with this type of work is that it is quite physically exhausting and time consuming. You will have to walk for hours every day, so if you find that your stamina is not so great, then I would not recommend taking on this job. It will be too painful of a job that way. Another problem is that there is quite a low pay as I mentioned earlier, but that shouldn’t be a big problem as you can easily increase this by doing things that I will mention in the next step.

How Can I Get Started as a Teenage Dog Walker?

1. Make sure that you speak to your parent(s) before trying to become a teen dog walker.  Doing so we’ll ensure your safety and they’ll likely be able to help you in your efforts.
2. Before you begin, you’ll need to determine which services you can provide. You can either provide pet sitting services where you take care of the dog in their house for a bit of time, or pet grooming services where you clean and make sure the dog is healthy. If you do these extra services, it will take more time, but you get a higher salary. You can look at articles that tell you all the services dogs need, and here is an example. It has 7 jobs that you can add on to your dog walking service.
3. Now that you’ve determined all the services you can provide, you’ll want to consider buying insurance. If one of your dogs gets into an accident, you wouldn’t want to have to pay for all the expensive veterinarian costs. You can buy “Pet Sitter Insurance,” which can do the job. But you will have to weigh the cost, as if you are working for only 1 summer, it wouldn’t be likely that you will get into trouble, but if you are working full-time, then it would be beneficial to buy insurance.
4. Find a job and apply. You should post posters around your neighborhood that list all the services you can provide, but keep in mind that dog walking should be the focus of your poster. Don’t forget to add a phone number so potential customers can contact you. Another good way to find customers is via Craigslist. Craigslist is a site where people post job offerings, and you can apply to them there. Next, you’ll have to apply. Homeowners will be very selective when choosing a dog walker, and for good reason. They’re entrusting someone with their dogs on a daily basis. Their pets mean a lot to them, and they don’t want their dogs getting harmed. So, you should be polite during the interview to deliver the best impression.
5. Congrats, you’re officially a dog walker. You might get tired at times, having to walk a long time, but it will all be worth it in the end. It will be wonderful to be able to put dog walker on your future resume, and it will increase your chances of finding a job in the future exponentially. Persevere though the harsh times, and greater things will await you down the road.

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Helpful Resources

• Craigslist.org:  A site where you can search for local dog walking opportunities.  We recommend that you work with people you already know, but this website will help if you don’t have anyone with dogs.
• Pet Insurance: It’s a good idea to get pet insurance if you plan on doing this for more than a single summer.