For pet lovers, being around pets is like having a family around. Pets play an important role in the lives of many people. They impact physical health, especially in older people, and also impact a child’s emotional development. This can be one of your side-gig too! It can be a dog walking or pet-sitting side hustles!
If you are passionate about pets and love being around them, you can start your own pet-related side hustle to make some extra money. You can do this on weekends or at night after work. But before you do, you need to do your research and learn more about having a side hustle business.
Pet Sitting as One of Your Side Hustles
The demand for pet sitters has increased in the last decade as more and more families are getting domesticated animals for their homes. The demand increases during vacation seasons like spring break and summer. Holidays are also a good season to pet sit. You can take advantage of the demand by offering pet sitting services during weekends and holidays.
Dog Walking
Becoming a dog walker is one of the most popular side hustles that you can get into. Work time is short and you can have fun while doing it. It can also be a good form of exercise for you as well.
To help you get started, a few basic items to have as a dog walker are:
- Fanny pack and leash combo
- Poop bags in a handy holder
- Pet first aid kit
- Wipes to keep your hands clean
- Pet water bottle to keep the doggos hydrated
- Reflective sash for when you’re walking in the evenings
Pet Photographer
Clients will pay good money for their pets to get photographed. If you already have a good camera and a good eye, you can start a pet photography business. And if you want to pursue this professionally, you can hone your skills by taking a photography class to build your own studio.
What’s inside a pet photographer’s bag is kind of the same as any other professional photographer. Items like a camera, great lenses, lens caps, cleaning kits, tripods, filters, lighting, and SD cards are just some of the most common ones.
Some special items like pet toys and treats come in handy for when any pet needs encouragement.
Dog Trainer
Dog training will require a certain skill. This is much harder than most but can be lucrative if you have the expertise. Some households can pay as much as $50 per hour for their dogs to be trained. You can do basic obedience, puppy management, and behavior training. Most trainers have pet treats, pet toys, clickers, silent whistles, extra leashes and collars, extra harnesses, poop bags, portable water bowls, wipes, and sanitizer in their stash for use while working with dogs.
Read more about the basics of becoming a professional dog walker
Pet Blogger
If you have writing skills, you can start pet blogging. This will take more time to build up but if you start now, you will be able to build your audience and earn extra money. You can talk about all aspects of a pet’s life. You can also earn through advertising by writing about pet food, pet accessories, and other pet products. When you’re looking for a domain hosting service, you want to be sure that your site is safe and secure. BlueHost is one of the best when it comes to security and safety online.
Pet Party Planner
People are not the only ones having parties now. Even pets are having their own birthday parties. Party planning is slowly becoming the next big thing in the pet industry. If you love pets, start planning basic packages that you can offer to clients. Basic packages can include pet decors, favors, cakes, and others just like what human parties have.
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Make Handmade Pet Products
Custom-made pet products are excellent gift ideas. There is a wide array of customized products that you can make. You can do pet-themed jewelry, personalized dog collars, pet beds, phone cases, and many more. They can be marketed as favors and memorabilia. You can even offer your personalized items to other pet businesses that want to sell items with their branding.
Make Pet Treats
Combine your love for cooking and baking with your love for pets and you can start your own business by making pet treats. You can market your food products in local market fairs and online e-commerce sites. You can make healthy pet treats that are all in the rage right now.
Pet Grooming
Pet groomers have a lucrative business but will take more of your time than others. This type of side hustle will need a start-up cost for tools and equipment. You also need specialized skills to be able to groom domesticated animals. If you are serious about offering this type of service, you can attend dog or cat grooming training and learn to become professional.
Animal Boarding
If you have the space in your home, you can accept animal boarding and be somewhat of a pet daycare. This type of service is popular with clients who like to go out of town on weekends. You will be able to stay in your own home while earning by taking care of your pets.
Want to know what the basic items are for pet groomers?
You can learn about the most useful tools for professional groomers.
How To Start Pet Side Hustles
Having these options for a new pet-related side hustle, you will now be able to choose the right service that you can offer with your skills. After choosing what you want to offer, you can now plot your action plan. Treat your side hustle as a business even if it is only a part-time job. Make a business plan. Here is a fool-proof guide to help you in your side hustle:
Know how much time you can spend on your side hustle
With your full-time job, you will only have the weekend or vacation days to work on a side hustle.
- Write down the number of hours you want to work on weekends.
- Specify the time and how many more hours you can extend if needed.
- If you are willing to work during the weekdays, specify the time and number of hours you can allot.
Determine what kind of service you want to offer
You may want to start with pet sitting first then add dog walking after some time. Or maybe you want to do pet photography if you already have a good camera and other equipment.
- Study all the services available
- List down the services you want to offer by priority
- Make a ‘pros and cons list’ for the services you have chosen
- Narrow down your choice and pick the top three to offer
Learn more about the service
Once you have determined the service you want to offer, research it. You might be surprised to know that pet sitting is not just going to the clients’ houses and staying with the pet. There are other things you need to do like feed the pet, clean their messes, exercise and play with them, and many more.
- Research the service
- Attend training classes if possible
- Ask pet owners about the services they are interested in
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Differentiate yourself from others
There are many pet sitters, dog walkers, pet groomers, and others offering the same services as you do. Think of something that will differentiate you from others.
- Know your competitors. Look into their services and see how you can level up yours
- Offer something new
- Build relationships not just with the pets but also with the owners.
- Use technology to come up with new offers
Offer good rates
Rates may differ depending on the services you can offer. If you can give competitive rates, you will be able to get more clients
- Start with a basic price.
- Bundle your services instead of pricing them one by one
- Give discounts for long-term arrangements
Advertise your business
Marketing your services can be done in different ways.
- Go door-to-door around your neighborhood first. You may know most of them which will give you an advantage.
- Make flyers that you can give out during fairs and events in your area
- Target apartment complexes and condominiums to get more clients
Always meet the pet first
Before committing to anything, you need to meet your clients’ pets first to get to know them better.
- Bond with the pet on your initial meeting
- Assess your comfort level
- Look for problem areas that you can discuss with the pet owner immediately
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Go above and beyond
The best way to speed up your reputation is to go above and beyond what is expected of you.
- Give extra services without being asked to or being paid for
- Offer to extend your time if the pet owner is running late or in emergency cases
- Occasionally buy some treats for the pet to show your love
Get pet business insurance
Even if you are only in the business as a side hustle, you need to protect yourself from accidents and unfortunate events. Working with pets has its own hazards and by purchasing pet care professional insurance, you will be covered in many aspects.
Pet owners will also likely choose you rather than another applicant if they know you have insurance. This will make both parties comfortable in dealing with each other. You can choose from a variety of insurance options depending on the services you want to offer. Some of these are:
- General Liability Insurance covers bodily harm, personal injury, or property damage. This can be the first type of insurance that you should avail yourself of.
- Commercial Auto Insurance will be needed if you are using your own car to transport the pets for grooming, walking, or other activities.
- Pet Grooming Liability Coverage is for pet groomers. This will protect you in case the pet you are grooming gets injured during the process
- Public Liability Insurance is for dog walkers. This is similar to general liability insurance but is more limited in coverage
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Pet-Related Side Hustles Need Protection
Side hustles are a great way of earning extra income. You can do it in your own time and it gives you the freedom to choose what you want to do. And if pets are what you love, you can do pet side hustles anytime you want. You will be doing what you love and at the same time earning extra money. It is a win-win scenario for you.
Pet Care Professional Insurance from Advantage Insurance Solutions is what you need if you’re planning to start a pet-related business. It covers veterinary clinics, pet boarding, pet grooming, pet walking services, and more.
Call or text (877) 658-2472 for a free quote today!