With the number of dog owners rising rapidly across the globe, businessmen, self-employed, and freelancers are pouncing on the opportunity to earn money by providing various services to pet dogs. It is true that dogs give us innumerable reasons to love them to no end but that does not mean that there is no scope (of making money) beyond the obvious emotional attachment you construct with them.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”, Confucius once said.
A report by American Pet Products Association (APPA) stated that the Americans had spent $95.7 billion on their pets, with most of the money being used on pet dogs and cats. If you love furry friends and are keen to get into this multi-billion dollar industry, there are a number of legitimate ways of bagging cash, many of which do not even need certification or degree courses.
Here are fifteen ways in which you can turn your playtime with dogs into money time.
Dog Sitting
When dog owners are away from home, they leave their four-legged companions with dog sitters to look after them. A dog sitter has to feed, groom, and make the fluffy buddies do their exercises on time and it is a full-time as well as a part-time profession. In all honesty, it is an easy route to make some quick money, especially for those who love spending time with dogs. Although it may take some time to build a reputation and find clients initially, there will be no dearth of them once you build a solid base for yourself.
Dog Photography
Which pet owner doesn’t want to click photographs of their dogs? With just a decent camera, the right software to edit pictures, and your own photography skills, you can earn substantially as a pet dog photographer. The business of dog photography is booming and with minimum investment and qualifications, you can be a dog photographer if you are good enough to get the right shots.
Dog Grooming
Dog grooming is an enjoyable and rewarding avenue wherein you will be paid to make dogs smell and look good. You can either go to your clients’ place to groom their pet or offer your services at your pet salon. A major chunk of the groomers attains their training through apprenticeships programs which generally takes around six to ten weeks to complete. Creativity and steady hands are essential to carve a name in this sector as you might end up causing disastrous results if you act without these attributes.
Blogging
If you are a decent content writer and are also fond of pet canines, blogging could be a sensible start-up for you. There is an abundance of readers on the internet with whom you can share your stories and trivia of your household companion, post pictures, have conversations, and make your presence felt. However, your content must be original and plagiarism must be prohibited at all costs as it is a serious offense. Online advertisements will be your source of revenue – for once you get decent traffic, you will be paid for the number of clicks you get for the concerned company.
Walking Dogs
Many pet owners tend to outsource the task of walking their pets or making them do their exercises. They hire a dog walker who gets the job done, for which they are suitably paid. Having said that, a dog walker has to be determined and up for physical challenges. Apart from being a source of income, it will also make you scrap your gym’s membership owing to the fact that you have to walk many miles every day, which will be enough of toil for you.
Dog Massaging
If you have enough patience and are good with dogs, this could be an appealing career for you. The number of dog massagers and therapists is increasing, thanks to the owners who leave no stone unturned to keep their loyal pal healthy and strong. Normally, it costs $30 to $50 to get a dog massaged, although it may vary depending upon the locality. Massaging provides lots of benefits to dogs, including reduction of stress, pain relief, and also helps in healing strains – which are not unknown to the world. You can learn the requisite techniques in training programs or as an apprentice, certificate courses are also on offer as some states require certification or some proof of dog therapist.
Service Dog Training
As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of all animal trainers was $29,290 in 2018 and the scope of dog trainers, in particular, is undoubtedly on the rise. Service dog trainers tutor dogs to assist disabled persons to perform their everyday functions. It is a remarkable profession for those who are willing to work with dogs, improve the quality of life of the disabled and, of course, to earn money. To become a service dog trainer, you have to be an apprentice and work under senior instructors at service dog training schools.
Apprenticeships enable prospective service dog trainers in gaining vital first-hand knowledge of commanding the dogs and it could take up to four years to complete the program. Once the basic training is complete, apprentices may be handed the job of an instructor. However, some states may require an apprenticeship of three years, completion of a set of exams, and licenses. Although this job demands a lot of physical efforts, it pays back quite handsomely.
Making Dog Treats
Like human beings, dogs have taste buds too and dog owners occasionally spoil their pets with dog treats. By selling custom made dog treats, you can make a living if you pull the right strings. Start off by making contacts with veterinarians and giving away samples to various shops with your business card. Once you manage to get into the good books of clients by providing quality products for their dogs, you will definitely not want to revert back.
Transporting Dogs
There are many transportation services that do not allow dogs to travel, which are a problem for those who do not have a private car, disabled persons or senior citizens. This is where dog transporters come into the equation. If you hold a valid license to drive your car, you can benefit yourself by earning some extra cash by driving a pet dog to a clinic or grooming appointments. Another advantage is that you will get to spend some time with these lovely mammals, so what more can you ask for?
Party Planning
As a party planner, you will be asked to arrange a party for a pet dog by his owner for any special occasion such as his birthday, date of adoption, or on beating cancer successfully. Although it may sound extravagant, parties for pets are gaining momentum all over the United States. Our devoted friend needs socialization and parties serve the aforesaid purpose meticulously as they get the chance to interact with other people and pets. As a service provider, you have to take care of the guests to be invited, location, and theme of the party and food items to be served and you will be suitably rewarded for showcasing your creative prowess.
Building Dog House And Furniture
This is another segment of the dog care industry that is gradually gaining more traction. Many owners do not let their jovial friends get on the sofa or bed due to which the business of customized dog couches and houses is booming. People are always on the lookout for good furniture and house for their pet and if you excel at creating unique outputs of these, you can surely earn some extra cash. They have to be designed well and there is a lot of room for progress, especially for budding creative students.
Poop Cleaner
Yes, it might sound a tad odd but people who are involved in providing the service of cleaning pet’s waste from people’s backyard or house earn fairly well. A dog’s waste is the ugliest and smelliest aspect of owning a dog and many owners avoid cleaning the mess, and impliedly, many outsource them. For providing this specialty service, poop cleaners just need a shop vac and some garbage bags to get things rolling. A major advantage of a poop-scooping job is that it does not require any training or special education, although it does need some physical hard work. Oh well, this excerpt from the Express should shake you up!
Social Media Account Handler
Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are exciting options to make your voice heard about fitness, travel, and fashion of pets – something which any person with a pet and a Smartphone can do. Heart-melting anecdotes, videos, and pictures of their cute canines are shared by the dog owners by which they gain popularity, and of course, earn money. Loving parents of pet dogs who attract a gigantic number of audiences are offered lucrative engagement rates and sponsorships. The world’s most-followed animal influencer Jiff Pom, which happens to be a brown Pomeranian, has a staggering 10.3 million followers on Instagram. Woof!
Raising And Selling Puppies
If you do a little research, you will realize that raising and selling puppies can boost your bank account to a considerable extent. We are acquainted with the fact that a dog is a man’s best friend but they do not come for cheap. Impliedly, breeding pet dogs seems to be a profitable business idea, although one has to put a tremendous amount of effort to make it blossom. Generally, breeders focus only on a particular breed of dog, and below is a list of a few breeds with their approximate selling price in the market.
Making Dog Clothes
There is not an iota of doubt that dogs are incredibly charming but seeing them wrapped in clothes is just like an icing on a cake. You can get involved in a serious business of making clothes for dogs, ranging from jumpsuits to bandanas. If you are not good at tailoring, you can hire tailors and be a manufacturer or a supplier for dog clothes in your area. You will need to make some investments though, and the amount you inject will be proportional to the size of your entity.
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