It is no shock that people love their dogs, but most people may need help with them. Dog walking is becoming a more widely recognized profession and an essential on in many cases. People who have recently had an accident or due to their schedules are unable to walk their dog at certain portions of the day can turn to a dog walker to handle relieving their pet’s bladders. There are some requirements that vary from place to place but are not in the least bit unreasonable when you think about them. So what does it take to become a dog walker and what are the benefits? It makes great cash jobs and side jobs.
Becoming a certified dog walker is as easy as taking a certification course that lasts less than a week. Generally having some experience with dogs from another job say with a vet or at a grooming salon helps as well. A lot of counties and states have regulations that require a dog walker to have insurance to cover them in case of an incident. The dog walking certifications teach dog walkers essentials such as how to avoid issues with the dogs they are walking and others, proper caring methods and ways of dealing with dogs of all breeds, ages and sizes.
So what about the benefits? Most dog walkers get paid per appointment, or at the end of every week and typically by cash or check. Because dog walkers do walk the same dogs a lot of the time, not only do they build a rapport and relationship with the dogs, but with the owner. This leads to more referrals and depending on the owners, occasional holiday bonuses. Dog walkers can go into business for themselves as soon as they are comfortable with their clientele list if they like but this will require a license in most cases. Not ready to branch out or unsure how to build a client list? Sign up with a dog walking organizations.

If you are a bit of a nomad and are willing to spend the majority of your time taking care of another person’s home, consider becoming a house sitter. A house sitter is a person who is hired to live in, watch and maintain someone else’s home while they are away. In some cases this is just for a weekend but in other cases these jobs can even last a few years. Duties can include more than just general house care, in some cases pet sitting and groundwork is involved as well. If you are considering a profession as a house sitter, make certain you fully understand what is involved.
A person or people hire a house sitter for peace of mind. They expect that not only will their home be cared for as they would care for it, but that with someone inside their home it is less likely to be vandalized or robbed. If there family pet is involved, then the expectations rise to making certain that the wellbeing of their pet is as much of a priority as the maintenance of the house. If anything were to happen, the house sitter is expected to call and inform the homeowners of what is going on rather than waiting for them to return home to an unpleasant surprise.
In addition to all of this, it is best for a house sitter to be licensed, insured and bonded. This is again for the peace of mind of the home owners. Should anything happen while on their property, you are already insured. Licensing is one of the best ways to show you are a professional and are trustworthy and is as important as word of mouth. Advertising that you are licensed, insured and bonded will put you in the upper class of house sitters from the start.