How to Start a Dog Walking Business — What I Learned Building Lothian Walkies From Scratch
By Peter Anderson, OnlineStriver.com
If you’re thinking about starting a dog walking business, I can tell you from experience that it’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
I’m Peter Anderson. I run Lothian Walkies — a professional dog walking and boarding service based in Tranent, East Lothian, serving families across East Lothian. I’m also East Lothian Council approved, which didn’t happen by accident.
I left a well-paid but exhausting sales career to start this business. I’ve never looked back.
This post covers everything I wish someone had told me before I started — the practical stuff, the things that trip people up, and what actually makes the difference between a hobby and a proper business.
Why Dog Walking Is a Genuinely Good Business
Before we get into the how, let’s talk about the why — because there are some real advantages to this kind of business that don’t get talked about enough.
Low startup costs. You don’t need premises, expensive equipment, or a large investment to get started. The main things you need are insurance, basic supplies, and some way to get clients.
You’re your own boss. Nobody tells you when to start, when to finish, or how to do your job. You build the business around your life, not the other way around.
Physical and mental health benefits. I spend my days outside in the fresh air — on fields, beaches, and woodland paths across East Lothian. I’m fitter now than I’ve been in years, and the thinking time you get on a long walk is genuinely valuable.
Real demand. Dog ownership in the UK has grown significantly in recent years. Working families need reliable, professional dog walkers they can trust. If you’re good at what you do and professional in how you present yourself, there’s a steady market.
Step 1 — Get Insured Before You Do Anything Else
This is non-negotiable. Before you walk a single dog for a single client, you need proper professional dog walking insurance.
This covers you if a dog in your care injures someone, causes an accident, or gets injured itself. Without it you’re completely exposed, and no serious client will hire you without it.
In the UK, providers like Cliverton and Protectivity offer specific dog walking insurance policies. Shop around, read what’s covered, and make sure you have it in place before you start.
Step 2 — Research Your Local Council Requirements
This is the step most people skip — and it can come back to bite them.
In Scotland, East Lothian Council has a specific approval process for dog walkers. I went through that process, and being East Lothian Council approved is now one of the main things that sets Lothian Walkies apart from less professional operators in the area.
Requirements vary by council and by country, so research what applies in your area. Some councils require:
- A licence or registration
- A home check or inspection
- Proof of insurance
- First aid certification
- DBS/disclosure checks
Even if your council doesn’t require these things formally, having them voluntarily shows clients you’re serious and professional.
Step 3 — Get a Professional Website
I cannot stress this enough. A professional website is the difference between a business and a hobby.
When I started Lothian Walkies, I knew I needed a website but had no idea how to build one. I used Wealthy Affiliate’s step-by-step training to build lothianwalkies.com entirely by myself — no developer, no technical background, no prior experience.
That website helped me pass the council approval process. It brings in real enquiries from local families every week. It’s the thing that makes me look like a proper business rather than someone walking dogs as a side job.
You don’t need to spend thousands on a developer. With the right training and tools, you can build a professional website yourself — and I’d argue that for a small local business, that’s actually the smarter approach because you can update it yourself whenever you need to.
If you want to know how I built mine, read my full story here.
Step 4 — Set Your Rates Properly
Undercharging is one of the most common mistakes new dog walkers make. It devalues your service, attracts the wrong clients, and makes it impossible to build a sustainable income.
Research what other professional dog walkers charge in your area. In East Lothian, rates vary but a solo dog walk from a properly insured, approved walker commands a fair professional rate — not a budget rate.
Things that affect your pricing:
- Solo walks vs group walks
- Walk duration (30 min, 60 min)
- Additional dogs from the same household
- Boarding and overnight stays
- Peak times like school holidays
Don’t race to the bottom on price. Compete on professionalism, reliability, and trust instead.
Step 5 — Build Trust With Clients Before They Hire You
Dog owners are handing you something they love. Trust is everything in this business.
Things that build trust before a client even meets you:
- A professional website with clear information about your services
- Proof of insurance, visible and easy to find
- Council approval or other credentials
- Genuine reviews from real clients
- A clear, professional process for new enquiries (meet and greet before first walk, etc.)
Your website is doing a lot of this work for you before you ever pick up the phone. That’s why it matters so much.
Step 6 — Know the Physical Limits
This is something I’ve learned the hard way over the years.
Dog walking is physical work. More than two group walks a day is hard going and carries a real risk of injury — to you and potentially to the dogs. Building a sustainable business means knowing your limits and not overextending yourself chasing income.
The solution, if you want to grow beyond those physical limits, is to think about your business model. Can you add boarding, which doesn’t require the same physical output? Can you raise your rates so fewer walks generate the same income? Can you build a complementary income stream that isn’t physically demanding?
That last question is part of why I started OnlineStriver — building an online income alongside Lothian Walkies means I’m not entirely dependent on how many walks I can physically do each day.
What I’d Tell Anyone Starting Out
Starting a dog walking business is genuinely achievable. You don’t need huge capital, fancy qualifications, or years of experience. You need reliability, professionalism, a love of dogs, and the sense to set things up properly from the beginning.
The website, the insurance, the council approval — these aren’t optional extras. They’re what make you a business rather than someone walking dogs for cash.
Get those foundations right and you’ve got something real.
Thinking about building a website for your dog walking business? Read about how I built lothianwalkies.com from scratch using Wealthy Affiliate’s training — with no prior experience. Start here.
About the author: Peter Anderson runs Lothian Walkies (lothianwalkies.com), an East Lothian Council approved dog walking and boarding service based in Tranent, Scotland. He documents his online business journey at OnlineStriver.com.
