Anyone know a dog walker? (Riverside, North Riverside: live in, moving, public transportation)

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by breeze823

I think it's so funny that people hire someone to walk their dogs,lol. I guess I've always had big yards for them to run and if I want to take them for a walk, it's for fun, not a job that needs to be hired out!

A bit judgmental?

Some people work. I always walked my dog in the morning, and then when I came home at night. The dog walker covered the afternoon walk. I would have considered it cruel for my rescued dog to have been sitting in my house all day alone.

Where in the city did you have a big yard?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

My major concern would be that my licensed/bonded/certified dog walker only charges $10 per 30 minute walk and they will do other services (litter, etc). So, you'd have to charge less than that, I think, to get clients, which really isn't a whole lot of money......

Maybe that's the going rate where you live now. When I was a dogwalker in Chicago 10 years ago, the going rate was already higher than that for a 25-minute walk, although the service I worked for was sort of a "premium" provider. They did individual walks -- in other words, they did not "gather up" 3 or 4 dogs in the back of their car and walk them all at once.

Originally Posted by breeze823

I think it's so funny that people hire someone to walk their dogs,lol. I guess I've always had big yards for them to run and if I want to take them for a walk, it's for fun, not a job that needs to be hired out!

Yard space is at a premium in this town. Plus a lot people, like, you know, work for a living, so they need someone to let the dog out while they're at work so they don't come home to a carpet bomb.

[aragx6]

Well Breeze's profile says she lives in Georgia, so probably not in the city at all.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by breeze823

I think it's so funny that people hire someone to walk their dogs,lol. I guess I've always had big yards for them to run and if I want to take them for a walk, it's for fun, not a job that needs to be hired out!

actually, just letting your dog out into the yard is often times WORSE then taking them on a walk. IMO, just setting your dog loose in the yard is the lazy owner's way of exercising their dogs. dogs get bored and that dog let loose in the yard now as to find a way to amuse himself. it's easy for a bored lonely dog in the yard to become destructive, to starting digging and destroying yard furniture. dogs thrive on human interaction and just sticking a dog in the yard to amuse themselves alone doesn't fulfill this desire. it would be ok if you were in the yard playing w/ them, but most owners are at work, or in front of the TV while their dogs are outside. for socialization reasons, walking a dog on a lease through the neighborhoods is far better and more stimulating; they see new things, interact w/ more people and dogs, and still get their exercise in while being around their owners, or, even another human being in the form of a dog walker. much better situation all around them sticking them alone in the yard for 8 hours (even if there's another dog around, they won't be as lonely, but they still need/crave human attention in many cases)

/soapbox

[eevee]

oh yeah, back to the original poster, best idea would be to check out Craigslist to see what the other dog walkers are charging. like Drover said, in some cases, those lower prices may be from people doing group walkings (which is worse than solo walkings, IMO).

dogwalking isn't a way to make big money. even if you charge $10 per 30min walk, it's unlikely you'll get 2 walks into an hour, unless you're walking another dog nearby. add in transport costs (unless you bike to your jobs, which would be best), and the fact you may not be working 8 hours day (most people just want lunchtime walkers, so your busiest times will likely be between 10am and 2pm, give or take) and it will be hard to make much more than $80 at the end of the day ($10 * 8). but it's a MUCH better job for someone who loves dogs, cause you'll be doing something you love. sounds like you'll like it, so I'd say go for it and try to get bonded/insured so you can increase your customer base, but don't expect it to pay the rent (the only way to make a large enough money dogwalking, other than working at a well paying company, is to do group walks. I wouldn't recommend this, and if I had a dog, I'd never sign up for this, but if you're experienced, strong, and dog savvy enough, it may work out for you)

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Well Breeze's profile says she lives in Georgia, so probably not in the city at all.

I hadn't looked at it. That explains her attitide. She must not live in a large city either.

When I had a dog in the city, I worked and lived in the GC. Anyone with a yard would not have simply left the dog outside all day. It would have been cruel to the dog and inconsiderate to the neighbors. I don't know any suburbanites that just let their dogs out into their yards either.

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by eevee

actually, just letting your dog out into the yard is often times WORSE then taking them on a walk. IMO, just setting your dog loose in the yard is the lazy owner's way of exercising their dogs. dogs get bored and that dog let loose in the yard now as to find a way to amuse himself. it's easy for a bored lonely dog in the yard to become destructive, to starting digging and destroying yard furniture. dogs thrive on human interaction and just sticking a dog in the yard to amuse themselves alone doesn't fulfill this desire. it would be ok if you were in the yard playing w/ them, but most owners are at work, or in front of the TV while their dogs are outside. for socialization reasons, walking a dog on a lease through the neighborhoods is far better and more stimulating; they see new things, interact w/ more people and dogs, and still get their exercise in while being around their owners, or, even another human being in the form of a dog walker. much better situation all around them sticking them alone in the yard for 8 hours (even if there's another dog around, they won't be as lonely, but they still need/crave human attention in many cases)

/soapbox

I agree completely. City dogs also get more interesting walks. Just as its far more interesting for us to walk the streets of Lakeview, LP, or GC than any suburban setting, its also more interesting for the dog.

[aragx6]

^^So true! My puppies are having a blast! (OK they're really not puppies anymore, but they're so little I'll probably always call them that!)

I thought that one would be all jumpy and excitable and the other would be scared in the city, but with a firm leash-holding hand and a steady pace they're both so happy! (Which in turn makes me happy!)

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by Drover

Maybe that's the going rate where you live now. When I was a dogwalker in Chicago 10 years ago, the going rate was already higher than that for a 25-minute walk, although the service I worked for was sort of a "premium" provider. They did individual walks -- in other words, they did not "gather up" 3 or 4 dogs in the back of their car and walk them all at once.


Yard space is at a premium in this town. Plus a lot people, like, you know, work for a living, so they need someone to let the dog out while they're at work so they don't come home to a carpet bomb.

No, actually that was my rate when I left Chicago. It wasn't a premier thing though. They picked up a few dogs at a time, which may be why it was cheaper (there were 3 of us on the street using the same sitter). I felt like sometimes they really didn't get "full walks" though and when I realized I could do daycare for $20 for 12 hours....I switched (I only needed it like once a week)

Regarding hiring someone to walk your dog, yeah, we do work, so we need someone to care for our dogs. That doesn't mean we are sitting at home too lazy to watch them! Plus, I wouldn't even feel safe leaving my dog out all day in the yard in the city!

[cotyan]

We have a huge yard, almost an acre (too damn big really) and we still walk our 92 lb English Lab, at least 45 minutes, sometimes even twice a day. Don't you watch Cesar Millan?

Originally Posted by breeze823

I think it's so funny that people hire someone to walk their dogs,lol. I guess I've always had big yards for them to run and if I want to take them for a walk, it's for fun, not a job that needs to be hired out!