The Dog Walker Starter Kit
A working first week for dog walkers — pricing framework, your first-job SOP, three social templates, and the 7-day launch tracker. Built from 13years operating Spiker Carpet & Tile Care in Galt, California. Print it, use it, start.
Drive a residential street between 9:30 and 11:30 AM. Look for dogs left alone in backyards or staring out front windows while owners are gone. Knock on those doors. Say: "I'm your neighbor and a professional dog walker. I see your dog is home alone during the day. I have a 9 AM slot open tomorrow. First walk is free—no strings, just to see if your dog likes me." Bring a slip lead and a bag of training treats. On that first walk: text the owner three photos (dog sniffing, dog walking nicely, dog drinking water at home). Wipe paws before re-entering. Leave a handwritten note: "Rover had a great 20-minute walk. He peed twice, pooped once, and met a friendly golden retriever. See you tomorrow at 9." That note earns the five-star review and the recurring client.
1 · Price with an anchor, not a guess
Don’t pick one price — present three. Most customers pick the middle tier, so build it as your most profitable package. Research 3–5 local competitors’ public rates first (their websites, their Google Business profiles), then set:
- Bronze. The stripped-down version — beats the cheapest competitor on simplicity, not price. This tier exists to make Silver look right.
- Silver. Your real offer. Price it at the local mid-market rate + 10%, justified by ONE guarantee competitors don't make (same-day response, photo documentation, fixed quote).
- Gold. Silver + the premium add-ons stacked in. Some buyers always take the top — never leave it off the menu.
2 · Your first-job SOP
- 01Confirm + remind. Confirm the job the day before by text — date, time, address, scope, price. Same-day reminder 2 hours out. No-shows die here.
- 02Walk the job first. Before any work: walk it with the customer, restate the scope out loud, flag anything outside it. Surprises after the fact cost reviews.
- 03Do the work + document. Before and after photos, every job, no exceptions. They're your portfolio, your dispute protection, and your social content.
- 04The 60-second close-out. Walk the finished work with the customer. Ask: 'Is there anything you expected that you don't see?' Fix it now, not in a 1-star review later.
- 05Ask for the review. On-site, while they're happy: 'Reviews are how a small shop like mine competes — takes 30 seconds, I'll text you the link.' Send the link before you leave the driveway.
- 06Log + follow up. Log the job in your Dog Walker CRM the same day. Follow-up text at 48 hours: everything still good? That text generates referrals.
3 · Three posts to announce you exist
I just opened a dog walker business serving [your area]. Here's the one thing I'm doing differently: [your guarantee — same-day response / fixed pricing / photo documentation on every job]. First [3] customers get [founding-customer offer]. DM me or call [number].
[Before/after photo or work sample]. This is what [job type] looks like when it's done right. If you've been putting this off, this week's schedule has [2] openings — [booking link].
"[Paste a real customer review — never invent one.]" — [first name], [area]. Reviews like this are why I do this. If you need dog walker work done, the link to book is in my bio.
4 · The 7-day launch tracker
- Day 1 — Duplicate your Dog Walker Notion CRM and load your first 10 prospects
- Day 2 — Customize the 3 highest-impact Canva templates with your name + colors
- Day 3 — Set up your Google Business Profile using the provided checklist
- Day 4 — Send your first outreach using the AI Sales Assistant scripts
- Day 5 — Publish your first 3 social posts from the marketing pack
- Day 6 — Set your pricing with the Bronze/Silver/Gold anchor system
- Day 7 — Book your first job and trigger the review-ask sequence