How Much Can I Charge for Dog Walking in the UK
The average rate of dog walking in the UK varies by several factors including the geographical location, length, and frequency of the walks. Regardless of those factors, the UK minimum dog walking cost is £15, the maximum cost is £20 and the average cost is £17 per hour. This by far exceeds the average salary of most UK citizens.
According to our data, the most expensive region to hire a dog walker in the UK is London. In this location, dog walkers receive over £22 per hour, with the cheapest rates coming in at well over £15 per hour. With the high demand for dog walking services in the UK, dog walkers have the potential to pocket lucrative profits in a short time.
What Qualities Are Most Important in Dog Walking?
Dog walkers don’t need any special qualifications or formal training to start their businesses. To be a good fit, you need to be passionate about dogs and have a profound understanding of canine behaviour. You should also be capable of tending to a group of dogs and keeping them healthy and happy.
Strong communication skills can come in handy when growing your network and dealing with the dogs’ owners. True animal enthusiasts need to be physically fit, too. This is because the walks can be long, and you may need to brave the outdoors whether it’s cold, wet, or muddy. Being physically fit means you are prepared for anything thrown your way by harsh weather – rain or shine.
And while formal training or qualifications are not strictly necessary, having them can give you more credibility in the eyes of your clients. Being trained and qualified in animal behaviour, animal first aid, and overall animal care can give your business an edge over the competition.
Several colleges and centres across the UK offer level 2 and level 3 certificates in the following fields:
Adding these qualifications to your CV can make your marketing endeavours more successful. It also gives the dog owners the confidence that you are offering unparalleled services they can depend on even while they are away.
Can a passenger hold a dog in the car?
Can I travel with a pet in the car? It’s legal to take your pet in the car with you, so long as you properly restrain them, don’t let them sit in the front seats, or let them stick their head out of the window. … A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”
How Much Money Do I Make Dog Walking? (Q&A)
As a dog walker, taking out several of your canine clients at one time is a great way to maximise income. However, there is often confusion as to how many dogs walkers can walk at one time.
The answer to this quandary is not a straightforward one. This is because the limit is not set by central government or any one body. Instead, the Control of Dogs Act 2010, allows local authorities to set their own restrictions and maximum number.
Some council areas will have no set limit, while others will see a complete ban on dogs. This is true on some beaches in Devon, Essex and Lincolnshire in the summer months.
What is becoming more common is local councils lowering the number of dogs permitted to be walked at any one time.
Gosport Borough Council were one of the earlier authorities to take advantage the remit of Public Space Protection Orders when announcing that the maximum number of dogs one person could walk would be lowered from six to four in March 2017.
Other councils have since followed, with consultations regularly being announced. Wandsworth in London sees the council limit the number of dogs that can be walked to four. However, there is the possibility to apply for a licence to walk up to eight dogs in specified areas of the borough.
When some councils announced a consultation on the subject, a furore followed. For example, Blackpool Council faced stiff opposition this year when they announced plans to reduce the number to four dogs. While other restrictions made it through, the limit remained at six dogs at a time.
The drive to restrict the number of dogs any owner can walk at a time is not something that the Kennel Club sees as viable. The organisation has previously released a statement arguing the setting of an arbitrary number:
“The maximum number of dogs a person can walk in a controlled manner depends on a number of factors relating to the dog walker, the dogs being walked, whether leads are used and the location the walking is taking place,” a statement read.
People must use their own initiative to make a judgement for themselves the press release implied. By assessing the risks of walking a larger number of dogs, walkers, both professional and non, can best judge how many dogs they should walk at one time.