Are Dog Walking Jobs Good For Teens?

Kids these days can be enthusiastic entrepreneurs, but what kind of jobs are suitable for children in their teens?

If your child loves pets they could make some good pocket money by walking dogs! Not only is the money good but they get lots and lots of exercise, get to bond with another living being and learn how to care for a dog.

Taking a job as a dog walker could also inspire them to pursue a career related to animals. Veterinarians, dog grooming, animal shelters, vet clinics all could be suitable carriers to aspire to.

While it may seem that dog walking can be an easy job, there are some things to keep in mind. As with any job there are pros and cons to consider.

Let’s start off with some of the pros shall we?

Dog Walking Pros

If you live in a neighborhood that has lots of dogs there could be many opportunities to find people who need help walking their dogs. The money can be great and like we said offers plenty of benefits to the dog walker as well as the dog you are walking.

Depending on how much your child is looking to make they could easily pick up several dog walking jobs before and after school. ( take a look at this guy walking seven dogs at once! If It Brings You Joy ) And since dog walking doesn’t take up much time for each job there is plenty of time for school work and after school activities.

Another benefit to dog walking is that it does not take a big investment in supplies or equipment to get started. Many times the dog owner provides much of what you need to get started.

Some of the things you might need to make your job easier are an extra leash, poop bags, a portable water bowl, and dog treats.

Like any business there are valuable lessons to be learning while running your dog walking business. For example time management, reliability, responsibility, interacting with clients, and many more skills will be developed.

Dog Walking Cons

There are of course some downsides and things to consider with a dog walking biz.

Being safe, both where you walk and what kind of dogs you walk is always a concern. Making sure you walk the dog in a well lit area and keeping an eye out for other dogs that might not get along with the dog you are walking could be a concern.

Keeping an eye out for cars, bikes other walkers etc..

Making sure the dog you are walking is suitable for your child is also important. If it a very strong large dog, it might not be a good fit for a younger child. You never know when a squirrel, jogger, or other dog could distract the dog you are walking.

Even with a number of cons to consider, a dog walking job can still be a good fit for a younger child who wants to build a little or a lot of extra income.