Employing Staff for Your Dog Walking Business

The set-up of many professional dog walking businesses is fairly simple. The majority of operators will be working on a sole trader basis, delivering their walks, managing administration and financial matters on their own.

However, as a business grows so too does the need to employ staff. As a dog walker that could be because you have built up a large enough book of clients that in order to grow you need an extra pair of hands or two.

When pondering whether to employ a member of staff there are a number of things to consider.

 

Financial considerations

First and foremost, you will need to think whether a member of staff is financially sensible. Of course, more walkers in your business means the opportunity to walk more dogs. But it also means another person’s salary that will need to come our of your company’s finances.

Some businesses will opt to pay staff on a ‘per-walk’ basis, giving them a percentage of the money a client may pay for a walk. Other businesses will choose to work on a more traditional hourly wage or salary.

If the latter is your way of working consider this. If you charge a client £10 an hour to walk their dog and your staff member takes two dogs out at a time, that is £20 coming into the business. Based on paying your employee minimum wage (between £5.60 and £7.50 depending on age), that means you would be left with between £12.50 and £14.40 in the businesses bank account before any tax was paid.

Of course, that is an extra amount of money than would have been there if you didn’t have the staff member to call on, but it is not as simple as that.

You will need to consider whether you will be paying your employee petrol costs to get to and from the client’s house, whether you will guarantee them a set number of hours a week as well as any other bonuses.

 

Taxes and pensions

It’s not only the direct financial implications that having staff will have on your business. There’s plenty of extra administration-based tasks you will need to fulfil.

First of all you will need to ensure that any potential staff members are fully DBS checked, which will confirm whether they have any criminal convictions that you should be aware of. This will cost you £25 per employee to carry out. You will also need to check they have the legal right to work in the UK. This can be done by taking their National Insurance number when you provide them with their contract.

You will also need to inform HMRC that you are taking on staff and register as an employer. By doing this you will receive your PAYE Employer Number, which will allow you to pay tax and National Insurance when you pay the staff member.

Furthermore, if you are likely to be paying your new dog walker over £10,000 a year and they are over 22-years-old, you may need to automatically enroll them on a workplace pension scheme.

Finally you will need to take out Employers’ Liability. This is a legal responsibility when you take on a member of staff. This will cover you for claims against the business should you and your business activities be blamed for an injury suffered by that staff member. Many insurance providers, including Protectivity, will allow you to add Employers’ Liability to an existing Dog Walking Insurance policy for a small fee.

 

Business operations

With all of legal factors taken care of you need to remember that by having members of staff, you may have to change the fundamental way in which you operate your dog walking business.

Think about things such as:

– Will your new walker have ‘their own’ clients? Or will you share them between you?

– How much training will you provide your new staff member?

– Will you ask them to help with other aspects of your business such as marketing and administration?

One thing that may affect some dog walkers decision to expand is the extra paperwork and administrative duties that having staff entails. By taking on employees you may find yourself having less time to do the thing that made you start the business in the first place, the enjoyment of walking dogs. This diversion away from the act of dog walking may be a reason not to hire a member of staff and keep your clients, their dogs and your business to yourself.

All dog walking businesses and the people that run them will be different. Some will appreciate that in order to grow they need more dog walkers on their books, whilst others will be happy with maintaining a healthy number of clients and dogs without the need for expansion.

If you do opt for the hiring approach, just remember to consider all the added responsibilities that come with it.

 

About Us

We’re one of the leading providers of insurance for pet businesses, and we offer a variety of tailored products such as Dog Walking insurancePet Sitting Insurance and Dog Grooming Insurance policies.

Get Dog Walking Insurance from Protectivity

 

 

*Disclaimer – This blog has been created as general information and should not be taken as advice. Make sure you have the correct level of insurance for your requirements and always review policy documentation. Information is factually accurate at the time of publishing but may have become out of date. 

Recent Blogs

How much do roofers really make? Image

Trades

How much do roofers really make?

If you’re working in the construction industry, whether as a labourer, scaffolder, or another site-based trade,

10 mins read

Tech tips for craft businesses Image

Crafters

Tech tips for craft businesses

Running a craft business is a blend of creativity, dedication, and - let’s be honest - a fair bit of admin. Whe

Startup loans for small businesses in the UK Image

Starting a business

Startup loans for small businesses in the UK

Starting a small business is an exciting and ambitious step — but for many entrepreneurs, the first major hurdl

New rules for professional dog walkers in Royal Parks 2025 Image

Pet Business

New rules for professional dog walkers in Royal Parks 2025

From April 2025, new licensing rules and conduct standards have been introduced - and if you walk dogs, they may

How to teach yourself handyman skills Image

Trades

How to teach yourself handyman skills

Have you ever fixed a leaky tap, hung a shelf, or patched a hole in the wall and thought, “I could do this for

Pet Behaviour and Psychology for Pet Care Providers Image

Pet Business

Pet Behaviour and Psychology for Pet Care Providers

Whether you're running a doggy daycare, grooming service, or a pet sitting business, one of the most valuable ski

11 mins read

Event Budgeting – Tips for Event Organisers Image

Events

Event Budgeting – Tips for Event Organisers

For small to mid-scale event organisers, getting the budget right isn’t just about balancing the books - it’s

Sourcing unique materials for your crafts Image

Business

Sourcing unique materials for your crafts

If you're a craft maker, artist or craft business owner, you'll know that the materials you use are just as impor

10 mins read

How to groom different dog breeds Image

Pet Business

How to groom different dog breeds

Every dog is unique and so is their coat. Whether you're a first-time pet parent or a seasoned dog groomer, under

10 mins read

How to Handle Last-Minute Changes in Event Planning Image

Events

How to Handle Last-Minute Changes in Event Planning

Event planning is all about precision; timelines, logistics, guest lists, and programming must all fall into plac

Simply find the insurance you need.