How to start a dog walking business

If you’re considering starting a business, and you love animals, then what about setting up a dog walking business?

Pets provide huge business potential, and with around 36% of households in the UK now owning at least one four-legged friend, there are plenty of customers and opportunities out there if you know where to find them.

We’ll explain how to start a dog walking business in just nine steps, and provide you with all the expert tips and insights you need to walk your way to boneafide business success.

You can also use the below steps to build your business plan. If you haven’t already, check out our business plan template for more guidance on what to include.

Step 1. Earn your qualifications

You don’t need any formal experience or qualifications to be a dog walker.

That said, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with handling dogs of all breeds and sizes. Different breeds have specific requirements and temperaments, so we recommend undertaking a technical competence certificate in pet sitting if you don’t already have dog handling experience.

The best courses will also provide opportunities for upskilling, such as gaining certificates in:

🐶 Canine First Aid
🐶 Canine CPR
🐶 Animal Health, Husbandry and Handling
🐶 Animal Nutrition

Upskilling not only helps to educate you, but will put potential clients’ minds at rest that their pets will be well looked after and in good, confident hands (meaning you’ll also be more likely to win more clients as a result).

If you don’t have any existing experience looking after dogs, consider volunteering at a local kennel or dog shelter to help you gain valuable skills and ensure it’s the right career choice for you.

Step 2. Research the market

It’s important to research the market to work out where your business fits.

You’ll need to determine what dog walking services are in demand in your area, as well as the businesses that are already in operation. This is also known as competitor analysis.

When carrying out competitor analysis, ask yourself:

• Is there a gap in the market that I can fill?
• Who is my target market?
• What demand can I cater for?
• What are the customer needs? Are people looking for weekly or seasonal help?
• Will I have access to parks and fields, or must I travel further afield?

You’ll need to find a niche for your dog walking business to stand out. Examples include specialising in certain breeds, short or long walks, or combining dog walking with home-sitting services, or even dog grooming.

When choosing your niche, think about what your SMART goals are and what you hope to achieve with your dog walking business.

Step 3. Understand the regulations

You must comply with various dog walking regulations when setting up a dog walking business to ensure you are operating within the law.

You don’t need a specific licence to become a dog walker, but it is your responsibility to check what your local council’s rules are. Some are stricter than others, especially if you are planning to offer at-home services such as dog sitting.

For example, Wandsworth Council recently introduced laws that mean all dog walkers must apply for a licence to walk their dogs in nearby parks and green spaces. Consider also:

Pet insurance

You must take out dog insurance that covers public liability (PL), animal accidents and injuries, and loss of animals.

Comprehensive insurance for a dog walking business starts at around £80 per year but it is invaluable for protecting you and your business.

Remember, if you hire a member of staff to help you then you will also need to take out employers’ liability (EL) insurance too.

Criminal record checks

Whilst it’s not essential to have a criminal records check, applying for one helps to build trust with clients who are leaving their beloved pets in your care.

You can apply for a standard DBS check online, with prices starting from £18.

Number of dogs

There are no formal rules on the number of dogs you can look after and walk at the same time. But it is recommended by RSPCA guidelines that no more than four dogs (each with their own lead) should be walked at once.

Some local councils are also beginning to set and enforce their own rules surrounding the dog:walker ratio that they will allow.

Consider how many dogs you can safely look after at once before you start taking bookings, and check with your local county council website to ensure you can continue putting one paw in front of the other!

Heath checks

The RSPCA guidelines also provide advice on how to look after dog health. As a dog walker, you should ensure that:

• All dog clients must be vaccinated, wormed and treated for fleas regularly, unless certified exempt by a veterinary surgeon
• Any dog in a public place wears a collar with the name and address (including postcode) of the owner engraved or written on it
• In the event of an emergency, you have the contact details of all of your dog owners accessible at all times

Paying tax

Just like any UK business, you will be responsible for registering as self-employed with HMRC and paying tax.

As you’ll need to fill out a tax return, you might also consider upskilling in areas such as bookkeeping to ensure you can turn a profit and keep on top of your tax requirements.

Step 4. Calculate your budget

You should budget betwen £300-£400 to set up a dog walking business.

While the setup is certainly cheaper than most business ideas, there are still some costs involved with starting a dog walking business. Some of the things you will need to budget for include:

🐕 Insurance – this is essential to protect you from any unforeseen expenses. Comprehensive plans usually cost between £80 – £150 per year
🐕 Equipment – including leads, dog bowls, poo bags, balls, a harness and a first aid kit. For this, we suggest budgeting around £150 – £200
🐕 Transport – you may need a car or van if your customers are not close to you. We recommend waiting until you are confident you can commit to a long-term dog walking venture

5. Set your terms

An important step when getting started as a sole trader is setting your employment terms.

As a self-employed dog walker, you’ll be in charge of when, where and how you work, so you must set clear terms before you start onboarding clients.

Some of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself when setting your terms include:

🐶 What days and hours will I work?
🐶 What type of dog do I want to walk?
🐶 Will I focus on certain breeds?
🐶 Will I have a maximum size/weight of dog?
🐶 Will I exclude any particular breeds?
🐶 What will my pricing strategy be?
🐶 Do I need a business website to take bookings?

Step 6. Fetch your clients

When you start taking on clients, you’ll need to think logistically.

You’ll need to be somewhat selective when taking on new clients as a dog walker. First of all, you’ll need to design client forms to gather all the necessary information about your pet patrons, including:

🦮 Booking form
🦮 Service agreement
🦮 Essential release form (outlining the rights and obligations of your clients)
🦮 Veterinary release form (giving you permission to take the dog to a vet in an emergency)

Proximity is also important. If you need to visit parks and fields that can’t be reached on foot, then you’ll need a pet-friendly mode of transport. Many dog walkers opt to purchase a small van that’s suitable for dogs, to drive between clients.

Make sure you aren’t committing to walk dogs that are miles apart from each other, and give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be. You’ll need to allocate dog walking time, plus travel time, when planning your diary.

Step 7. Set up your business

It’s time to officially register your business. There are three main steps involved:

📛 Register your business name

You’ll need a name that’s unique to you, not already in use and that represents your business offering. Ensure it’s something people will find easy to pronounce and remember.

Once you’ve decided on your name you can register it online with Companies House for a minimum of £50. Be wary of sites that promise to register your business for free.

🏷️ Decide on your branding

Your personal brand will help to sell your business and enable you to stand out from the crowd.

Branding covers everything from logos, font styles and colours, to the tone of voice you use (e.g. funny, informative, or professional).

💻 Build a website

Setting up a website is a great idea for those running a dog walking business. Your website can act as a central point for all of the information about your services. And you can get started at no cost using a free website builder.

Your website should include a client portfolio. Adding a booking system or a QR code on your website will also allow users to book a dog walk directly, or you  can direct people to your website in your marketing activities.

Most website builders will also give you a business email address. You should use this to contact customers and create a professional-looking port of call for prospective clients to reach out to.

Step 8. Promote your business

To secure clients for your dog walking services, you need to promote your business.

Marketing is essential if you want to build up a loyal following. Ways to promote your business in 2025 include:

• Social media – set up business accounts on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. From these, you can create and share content relevant to your business, and post in local community groups to advertise your services.
• Flyers – these should feature your name and logo, and include key details such as your services, rates and contact details. Distribute your flyers to homes and local businesses such as vets, kennels, pet shops and shelters.
• Local events – setting up a stall at local fetes and markets to showcase your services can get your face and business known. Offer a promo code to those who interact with you to build up your customer base.
• Customer reviews – people are far more likely to book you if your clients leave positive feedback. Ask customers to leave you a Google Review. You can also feature these on your website and in marketing materials.

Summary

If you’re a dog lover and have experience looking after our four-legged friends, setting up a dog walking business could be the perfect way to combine your passion and skills with making money.

The most important step to remember when learning how to start a dog walking business is that experience is key. Build up your skills, and don’t forget to ask for reviews to help boost your local reputation.

Many people decide to start a dog walking business alongside their existing job first, to be sure it’s the right choice for them and to provide space and time to build up a client base.

Once you’re ready to take the plunge, we recommend downloading our free business plan template so you can formalise your above ideas and un-leash your potential.

Lucy Nixon - content writer

With 10 years experience in the digital marketing industry, Lucy is a content writer specialising in ecommerce, website building and all things small business. Her passion is breaking down tricky topics into digestible and engaging content for readers. She's also committed to uncovering the best platforms, tools, and strategies, researching meticulously to providing hand-on tips and advice.