I began my journey as a pack walker with only 3 dogs, a 1992 Yukon and working a second job. I worked 7 days a week from when I woke up till when I went to sleep. One morning I got a call from a family with three small dogs who wanted me to walk them 3 days a week…SCORE!. As I was interviewing them about getting their dogs into the pack, my future client told me that she called because her dog walker was moving away. I then asked her if it would be ok to contact her old dog walker and ask if he needed a good referral for all his clients that were going to be left without a dog walker. My client thought that would be a great idea and gave me his information. I contacted him the minute I got home and he was so excited he had someone to refer his clients to.
Of course, I sent him my resume and information so he knew I wasn’t just some kid looking for side work, but that I was an aspiring dog trainer looking to get my foot in the door of a new business adventure and that dogs were not just a job but a passion of mine. Over the next few weeks, I got countless calls from his clients who needed dog walking and soon my packs began to grow. It started with 3 dogs then grew to 5 and soon I was walking 8 dogs 3 days a week. Knowing I couldn’t quit my second job unless I had at least 3 dogs walking 5 days a week, my adventure continued to fight to grow my business through advertising, handing out business cards, flyers, and word of mouth from my current clients.
Then that golden phone call came in. It was a client looking for a dog walker for her 3 dogs, and not 5 days a week, but SEVEN! I was so excited I almost couldn’t schedule her interview fast enough. I knew if I could just get this client signed on to do pack walks seven days a week with her 3 dogs I could quit my second job. I could go full time and really get my business going. Luck was on my side the day of the interview because after I left, she called me a few days later and signed up for seven days a week. The next day I gave my second job my two weeks noticed and I have never looked back.
Daisy on the far left was my very first dog walking client, and to this day she still walks with me Mon-Friday. The other 3 are Simon, William, and Sosi. Their mom is the one who told me about how her dog walker was moving away and was basically the reason my business took off so fast. Simon is completely bling and still walks with us periodically but prefers to sit at home with mom. William never really could go that far and always rode in my dog backpack so he is a lot happier at home but Sosi, she still walks with us to this day 3 days a week. I LOVE my clients and would not be where I am today without them!
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