What are the disadvantages of dog walking business?

You Have to Work When You’re Sick If you’re a solopreneur chances are you’ll be walking even if you feel like death warmed up. Have a cold? Cramps? Allergies? You’re probably going to be walking anyway. In 13 years I have cancelled walks once due to illness, when I was so sick it wasn’t safe for me to drive. You Have to Pay for Your Own Health Insurance Well, at least we Americans who aren’t on someone else’s policy do! This can be a significant expense, and your insurance may not be as good as what you’d have with an employer offered insurance. When Clients Stop Service it Can be a Huge Financial Blow When a client stops service it can reduce your income significantly if you’re a small company or solo walker. It might take a while to fill the spot, and until you do you've essentially gotten a pay cut. You Might Have to Pee Outside Let's get it out in the open. If you do longer outings at trails or open spaces, you won't have access to a bathroom 24/7. Take toilet paper. You still have to pay your taxes, if you don’t budget for this each month you might be left with a hefty bill at the end of the year, so be sure to set aside money for estimated taxes.

Inconsistent pay is a problem for dog walkers because they don't get a fixed salary, so they'll have to save and spend their money better. Difficult clients can be a challenge as pet parents can be very picky about their pets, which can cause problems between the pet walker and the client. Strange problems with dogs can also occur, as every dog is different and can be hard to predict, and people who walk their dogs could get scratched or bitten. A dog in your care could also get hurt by accident. If you don't like dogs, this isn't the job for you, as someone who doesn't like dogs may get bored if they have to walk dogs all day. Picking up poop is also a downside, even if you like dogs, it's not fun to have to clean up after them when you take them for a walk.

The most obvious risks involve something happening to, or with, a dog in your care, e.g. losing a dog while out walking, or a dog suffering an accident or injury. There is also a chance that a dog could cause injury to another person or animal, or damage to a third party’s property or your personal belongings. If your dog walking business is found to be the cause of an accident or incident, you could face a significant financial claim for damages and compensation as well as liability for legal fees and vet bills. Depending on the circumstances, the cost of a compensation claim could multiply if the person making the claim was seriously injured, and you were at fault. Exposure to certain risks can vary according to how your business is set up. For example, if you have a volunteer who helps you walk the dogs, there is always a possibility they may suffer an injury as a result of their work. Some other potential situations to be mindful of include: losing a client’s house keys, losing your licence, losing a vehicle you use for work, or other equipment. Setting up as a sole trader is relatively straightforward, but it means your personal and business assets will be treated as one, if you are sued and can’t pay the damages, your personal assets could be at risk.