Who is the oldest professional dog walker? (Can we work until retirement?)

Not a professional, but Sally Field (no, not that one) had been volunteering at Millbrook RSPCA centre for 47 years and walked 10 dogs twice a week until recent years when she would instead, come and sit with the dogs for company. Sally passed away at 104 years old.

Now I’m not suggesting we professionals should follow in Sally’s incredible footsteps but I think it’s fair to question our lifestyles and ask; can we really do this day in and day out until retirement?

How many miles a day does a dog walker walk?

According to a recent poll by Lintebells (the guys who make Yumove joint supplements), dog owners will cover around 870 miles a year with their dogs, going out on average 9 times a week and walking for 34 minutes at a time.

But what about the professionals?

Most pro dog walkers will do a minimum of three walks per day each weekday, each one an hour long. So that’s 15 walks a week minimum of just over double the time of an owner’s walk.

So if owners are covering 870 miles a year with 9 x 30 minute walks a week, then the pros must be walking close to 2900 miles a year, and with many walkers adding extra solo walks and pop ins to their days, it’s highly likely to be more.

Doesn’t walking keep you fit?

Yes, exercise can keep you fitter and healthier for longer, and many older professional dog walkers will put their great fitness levels down to the fact that they continue to walk dogs professionally into their 60s and sometimes 70s.

But for others, putting their bodies through the same stresses and strains on a daily basis can wear the body faster, especially if people aren’t taking time off to rest and recuperate each week. It’s so easy to say yes to an extra weekend walk, or being too successful and trying to fit in an extra group walk each day.

It’s much harder to say no to people, especially when you’re first starting out, but your body will thank you later and you’ll be able to maintain your business for longer if you treat your business like a marathon and not a sprint.

How to keep working in your business for longer

So how can you keep your business going for as long as possible, and hopefully into retirement?

Slow down

When I first started walking dogs I would power walk for the entire hour, determined to give those dogs a fantastic walk. Needless to say this wasn’t a pace I could keep up for long!

Dogs, especially in groups, are fairly happy to have shorter, sniffier, playtime walks rather than be frog marched across fields for miles until they drop from exhaustion. (it’s also better to leave a calm dog when you drop them off, rather than a hyped up one from an overly exciting walk).

So don’t feel guilty for slowing down, shortening the distance you cover or choosing easier, flatter walks. You’re still doing your job properly and the dogs are getting just as much exercise and enjoyment from their off lead walks.

If you’re promising the owners a wild ramble over 5 miles each day then maybe reassess your offers in favor of longevity!

Re-train / expand

Another way to look ahead to slowing down is to consider what you might like to do instead of dog walking or to expand your business large enough to take on employees and move into a more administrative/managerial role.

Be careful though to make sure you know if you have employees or if you’re hiring self-employed workers as the rules you’ll need to follow are different for both. There are a lot of pros and cons to building your business with both so make sure you’re adequately informed about both before taking on staff.

You can use this employment status checker tool to see if your workers (or you) are classed as employees or self employed for tax purposes.

But don’t be put off. Building your business has been hard work and taking on staff to run it leaving you to take a step back as you get older means all that effort hasn’t been wasted, the business can continue and it can even continue to thrive across generations becoming a legacy you can leave your children.

Alternatively, many walkers tend to move into dog training, taking courses with companies like the IMDT or the School of Canine Science.

Some will also retrain as a canine behaviourist. I highly recommend the course I took with Compass Education. It’s a level 5 foundation degree which is challenging and takes some commitment (and years) to complete but it’s worth it.

This might seem obvious but if you decide to switch from dog walking to training, be aware that your focus shifts from dealing with dogs all day, to dealing with owners all day, and this requires a whole new skillset to be successful.

If you’re lucky enough to find some land you can of course look into opening a dog field for renting out as additional income or use it yourself to walk your group walks in.

Be selective

When you first start up you’re likely to take on every dog who enquires with you, whether they’re outside of your local area, or need a solo walk, or weigh 50kg and pull like a freight train. It’s hard to say no when you’re trying to pay the mortgage right?

But as your business grows you can become more selective, choosing easier dogs to walk, smaller, better behaved and closer to home. Be sure to assess your clients at least once a year and either let some go, pass them along to other new start ups who will be grateful for the business, or share them out among your staff if you have any.

As you get older, being selective with your clients will mean easier walks, shorter walks and more enjoyable walks for everyone involved. Start being selective as soon as you can afford to because that puppy you take on today will hopefully still be walked by you in 15 years time.

Additional Services

Don’t forget to start offering some additional services which are less strenuous but just as good at generating income and repeat business.

Cat visits, puppy pop ins and dog sitting can all help maintain your income but reduce the amount of walking you do.

Can you be a dog walker until retirement age?

With a few adjustments to your routine, selectively choosing clients and either scaling back or taking on staff, you can certainly continue running your business into retirement age and beyond.