What Expanding Your Dog Walking Business Really Looks Like Behind the Scenes
- Tori Lynn Crowther
- Dec 27, 2025
- 5 min read
What Expanding Your Dog Walking Business Really Looks Like
(The honest version no one puts on Instagram)
Most dog walkers reach a point where they think:
“I’m fully booked — should I take someone on?”
“Maybe I could expand into the next village?”
“I’m turning clients away — I need help!”
“I want to earn more without physically walking more hours.”
And yes… expansion can change your life, give you freedom, grow your income, and turn your business into something far bigger than you alone.
But here’s the truth:
Scaling a dog walking business isn’t “doing more of the same.”It’s stepping into a completely different role.
This is what no one tells you — the part that happens quietly behind the scenes when you stop being a solo walker and start becoming a business leader.
1. You Don’t Just Grow — You Transform Into a Manager Overnight
The moment you bring in another walker, you stop being “just you” and begin carrying the responsibility of someone else’s:
✔ safety
✔ punctuality
✔ communication
✔ dog handling
✔ judgement
✔ professionalism
✔ reliability
Your success is no longer in your hands alone — it’s shared with every walker representing your brand.
This is the part most people underestimate.
2. You Must Teach People to Deliver Your Standard — Not Their Version of It
No matter how experienced a walker is, they don’t know your way:
✔ behaviour expectations
✔ reactive dog rules
✔ route logic
✔ safety protocols
✔ client communication style
✔ leash handling
✔ approach to introductions
✔ training philosophy
Behind the scenes, you’ll be:
✔ Shadowing
✔ Demonstrating
✔ Correcting
✔ Reassuring
✔ Setting boundaries
✔ Reviewing progress
✔ Spot-checking
✔ Coaching daily
You become a trainer, guide, and quality controller — not just a walker.
3. Admin Triples Before Income Does
People assume:
“More walkers = more money.”
In reality:
“More walkers = more admin first.”
Expansion brings a tidal wave of:
✔ DBS checks
✔ Holiday calendars
✔ Sickness cover
✔ Client updates
✔ New contracts
✔ Route planning
✔ Payroll or invoices
✔ Compliance checks
✔ Car issues
✔ Insurance updates
✔ Shadowing and training
✔ Rewriting protocols
✔ Handling client complaints
✔ Emergency planning
✔ Risk assessments
Growth is not “more dog time.”It’s “more system time.”
4. You Are Suddenly Always Available
When you’re solo, you decide when you switch off.
When you have a team, your walkers may need you:
✔ early in the morning
✔ late at night
✔ weekends
✔ when a dog is ill
✔ when a client asks a question
✔ when something unexpected happens on a walk
✔ when someone calls in sick
✔ when a dog escapes a harness
✔ when a walker’s car breaks down
✔ when they need support with a reactive dog
You become the problem solver, the leader, and the safety net.
5. Loyalty Is Not Guaranteed — And Clients Can Follow Walkers
This is one of the hardest realities no one talks about.
Some people have very little loyalty. They may:
✘ Be employed by you for months, even years, while quietly planning their own business
✘ Take the dogs they feel “belong to them” because they walked them
✘ Contact your clients and encourage them to switch over
✘ Assume that because they built the relationship, the dogs are theirs
And some clients feel the same — they may leave with a walker if they move on.
Legally, you can try to protect yourself with contracts, confidentiality, and non-solicitation clauses.
But realistically:
✘ Are you going to take someone to court over a few clients?
✘ Is it worth the time, stress, and cost?
This is why strong contracts, clear expectations, and careful recruitment are non-negotiable — but even then, human nature and loyalty can’t be guaranteed.
6. You Gain More Responsibility… and More Risk
Expansion means stepping into:
✔ HR
✔ Health & safety
✔ Insurance compliance
✔ Liability management
✔ Trainee supervision
✔ Emergency handling
✔ Safeguarding
✔ Conflict resolution
✔ Disciplinary issues
Your decisions now affect:
✔ clients
✔ dogs
✔ walkers
✔ your reputation
✔ legal standing
It’s rewarding — but it’s not light-duty work.
7. Your Reputation Becomes a Team Reputation
Clients once judged you. Now they judge:
✔ your walkers
✔ the consistency of your service
✔ how aligned everyone is
✔ communication style
✔ safety protocols
This is why systemising your business becomes essential. Standards protect your name.
8. Yes, You Earn More — But Your Costs Climb Too
Growth brings income, but it also brings:
✔ staff wages
✔ Employer NI & pension (if employing)
✔ franchise setup fees (if franchising)
✔ additional insurance
✔ equipment
✔ extra admin costs
✔ mileage or travel support
✔ training hours that aren’t paid by clients
✔ software subscriptions
✔ contingencies for emergencies
Expansion is an investment before it becomes a return.
9. At First, It Can Feel Like You’re Doing More Work for Less Money
This is the hidden truth:
In the beginning, expanding often means:
✘ You walk fewer dogs
✘ You train more people
✘ You deal with more problems
✘ You spend more on setup
✘ You worry more
✘ You earn less personally
It can feel like:
“I’ve made my life harder, not easier.”
But hold on…
✔ Systems get smoother
✔ Walkers get confident
✔ Clients stabilise
✔ Income rises
✔ You step into flow
This is when the magic begins.
10. Eventually, You Gain TRUE Freedom
When your team is trained and your systems are strong, expansion gives you:
✔ Time off without losing income
✔ Support when you’re sick
✔ Proper holiday cover
✔ Less physical exhaustion
✔ Ability to grow into new areas
✔ A business that survives without you
✔ Space to develop new income streams (training, courses, online programmes, mentoring, franchising)
You finally get to become the CEO of your own business — not just the hands and feet.
11. Expansion Isn’t for Everyone — and That’s Completely Fine
Some walkers genuinely thrive as solo workers. Some are born leaders and trainers. Some prefer subcontractors. Some want full employee teams. Some dream of franchising.
The right path is the one that matches YOUR:
✔ lifestyle
✔ risk tolerance
✔ financial goals
✔ stress capacity
✔ personality
✔ vision
But here’s the most important truth:
Growing a dog walking business is not about walking more dogs. It’s about becoming the person who can lead a business confidently and sustainably.
Final Thought
Expansion can be one of the most empowering, profitable, and life-changing decisions you ever make…
✔ IF you understand what truly happens behind the scenes.
Not the filtered version.Not the made-for-social-media version.But the real, raw, leadership-driven version that builds a strong, lasting business.
And when you’re ready — the rewards are absolutely worth it.
About Tori & TLC Canine Crusaders Business Hub
I’m Tori, founder of TLC Canine Crusaders Business Hub and The Dog House, where I help dog walkers and dog owners build confidence, clarity, and success. With years of hands-on experience running a busy dog walking company and training academy, my mission is to make the industry easier to navigate. Whether you're growing your business or supporting your dog at home, you’ll find practical guidance, community support, and resources designed to help you thrive.
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