Fun and Quirky Business Ideas for Dog Walking in Malaysia

Dog Walking in Malaysia is in Demand and It is Good Business

If you love dogs and have extra time in your hands, you can start a dog walking business because a lot of people do not have time in their busy schedules to walk their dog. Even if it is not important that you have a career background related to animals, you should at least have the confidence to be around dogs. In case you lack experience walking dogs, you might consider volunteering in local kennels or rescue centers to get more used to them. Dog walking in Malaysia will require you to handle different sizes, shapes, ages and temperaments so volunteering 1st will definitely help you.

How Do You Become a Dog Walker?

If you do not know how to get started in becoming a dog walker, you might need to consider some things 1st. Dogs can be a handful, which is why you have to understand their behaviors while considering their best interests. This can be imperative for people who are walking multiple dogs all at once.

Fun and Quirky Business Ideas for Dog Walking in Malaysia
Your interpersonal and communication skills should also be very strong. This will be very useful in dealing with pet owners and building a network. Your physical fitness also comes into play because the walks are going to be long and you will handle strong dogs too. If you want to brave any weather, you need to be prepared. You are going to be outside whether it is sunny or rainy, so you must feel comfortable even when the weather is bad.

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Give Your Business a Name

A smart and memorable name is helpful when you want to stand out from the rest. Make sure that the name you choose is not very similar to other services where you are. You need to secure the domain name when you are creating a business website. You can look up the availability of the domain name on a web hosting service.

Keep in Mind that it is a Business

While you might feel like you are in doggy heaven, tell yourself that it is a business. Therefore, you need to have all of the right entrepreneurial skills needed for starting and running a successful business. If you have basic bookkeeping skills, that is very something you can use because you should have the ability to balance your books and fill in your tax return. Remember that this is a livelihood, not your hobby, and it should reflect in your income.

A solid understanding of self-promotion and marketing is important in getting your business off from the ground. One thing you can do is to give out flyers to potential customers in your area and you can easily have them printed.

Dog Walking Rules and Regulations

There are a lot of rules and regulations you need to follow when you have a dog walking business and they are very helpful in terms of understanding the main rules and regulations.

The rules should include:

  • Meeting owner before they make the 1st booking
  • Restrict the number of dogs you walk to not more than 4 at 1 time
  • Keep the records of all the work you have done
  • Protect the personal information of your client
  • Make sure that all dogs in the public wear a collar with the name and address of the owners on it
  • Clean up the feces because if you don’t, you will get fined for that
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Set the Prices and Define Your Services

Dog walkers will charge the client based on the length of walk their dog requires. The price might also include if the client prefers a private one or the dog can be part of a group walk. A lot of dog walkers offer a 15-minute “bathroom break” walks or 30-minute walks for exercise.

Generally, a walk could be from $10 to $20. This rate can vary depending on your area’s going rate because your rate should not be overpriced as there are others that offers dog walking too. Ask or call around to find out what others are charging to see what you should be charging. The pet day cares and pet sitters are also part of the competition since they have similar services. Normally, dog walking services are cheaper compared to a dog day care, and can be compared to how much a pet sitter is.

You should also define the service you are offering – if your dog walks are across the town or only in certain neighborhoods? Having limited service will minimize your travel time while your paid time to walk dogs is maximized. You can even get a couple of walks in while having your lunch break if you have clients nearby.

Business Insurance

Dog owners will entrust you with their pets so they will naturally expect you to take care of their dog and be reliable. Acquiring a business insurance will help clients see that you are serious about what you do. It is going to help you sleep well at night, knowing that you are protected in case anything happens. For instance, public liability may give protection in case someone gets injured caused by your business and sues you.

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Find a Niche

With the popularity of having this business, you should distinguish yourself and stand out. Also, you should do a market research to check if there is really a room for another dog walker in the area. If you are properly trained, you can also offer pet grooming services like hair cutting.

Dog walking in Malaysia can be fun especially if you are earning from it. You should also take into consideration all important things you need to do for this business to be successful. You only want what’s best for their dogs.