Pet sitting and dog walking services can be the perfect way to launch a good income-producing business during tough economic times.  When start-up capital is in short supply and you need to get going with something fast, this might just fit your needs.  Most animal lovers already take care of pets for friends and family during vacations and short trips, so why not turn that skill and passion into the work you love to do?

While the idea of running a pet sitting business may seem like a piece of cake at first, there is quite a bit involved with it that many people don't think of right away.  There is much more to it than simply showing up to feed, water and walk pets.  As a pet care business, you will develop relationships with clients, both human and animal, that are pivotal to the success of your business.  A basis of mutual trust, respect, and excellence in care giving is necessary. There is a need for organization, starting from the services offered and fees that will be charged, to contracts, forms, and the service area within which you will work.  Additionally, insurance, bonding, and safely carrying out duties so that pets are healthy, as well as the home secured, are neccessary factors.  Protecting yourself and your clients from liabilities comes not only with insurance coverage, but also in how you perform your work. 

Here are the main points a new start up for pet sitting and dog walking should consider:

1.  Services and Pricing.  It goes without saying that the busiest periods for a pet sitting business is the summer months and holidays.  But there is an array of services that can be offered, including daily dog walking for those with long work hours, medical problems, etc., that can keep a pet sitting business busy during other times.  The average professional pet sitter with insurance charges anywhere from $15-25.00 per visit to a client home for pet care.

2.  Insurance and bonding.  As a professional pet sitter, securing commercial liability insurance, and when needed, a bond, is essential when taking on a service that requires entering homes and working with animals.  There are pet sitting trade organizations that offer this specialized insurance through membership that make this aspect of the business affordable for a new start up and for established businesses.

3.  Service area.  Knowing where your service area boundaries are as a new start up is very important, and must be determined according to your location.  A pet sitting service located in a compact, high population city is different from providing service in a rural or semi-rural area. Even the sprawl of some suburbs, and weather conditions for your part of the country can have an affect on choosing the service area you will start with.  Eventually, growth beyond the initial area can be pursued as your gain experience and are in a position to hire help.

4.  Advertising and marketing.  There are numerous traditional and more innovative ways that you can get word out about your pet sitting and dog walking business. As a new start-up, obtaining your first clients is the most important step to growth.  Most of these early clients will service as your initial references and often provide word-of-mouth referrals to their neighbors and friends.  However, keeping your business name in front of new clients throughout the year is also important, and the most important way to start is with a good website that can be easily found on the Internet searches. It has been recently estimated that over 80% of American households now have a computer and Internet access, and using search engines has become the standard when looking for products and services.  A website is not longer an option, but a necessity for any business. 

5.  Management.  Every business has to have organization, whether is it scheduling services, collecting money, contracts, forms, record keeping, accounting, etc.  Pet Sitting and dog walking businesses are no different, and in fact, pet care can have some of the more complicated and changable scheduling challenges of all.  People change their travel plans, work hours, and have sudden needs (like a death in the family) that may require last minute changes and need for service. Having a good system in place to handle these events will go far in running a smooth and worry free service. 

Now that the essentials have been discussed, how does one get started with a pet sitting and dog walking business?  Although a pet sitting and dog walking business can be started fast and easy, some guidance will make you more successful.  Having the resources in one place with everything you need is hard to come by.  That's why Pet Sitter Boot Camp(tm) was created.  A one-stop online course that gets to the core of what it takes to operate an in-home pet care business.  Everything that is relevant to a new start up is covered and included, saving loads of time and research.  Most participants are ready to start in less than a month. Even ready to use forms, contracts, how-to's for conducting new client consultations, daily visit routines - simply everything you need to know and have.

Wouldn't it be great to have an acutal pet sitting business owner to talk to?  Pet Sitter Boot Camp(tm) provides this as well.  As part of your enrollment, you will have access by phone, email or chat room to your mentor for any questions and specialized guidance you need. 

There are plenty of dog tricks around to choose from but starting off with your first puppy or dog and knowing which dog tricks are easy can be a bit of a challenge. If you have a puppy then training them will be a lot easier than an older dog because of the habits dogs fall into when they are brought up.

Older dogs will have different habits and a strong personality by then so they may find some advanced tricks easier than basic tricks because of the way they have been brought up.

Although the same as above can be true for puppies also, this is more likely to be because of the breed of dog you have and the different general personalities that go with them breeds.

In this article we assume you have taught your dog the basics or sit and stay etc and now you want to teach your dog a fun ‘show-off’ type trick to impress your friends or family when they visit. There are many tricks from bringing you the TV remote to riding a skateboard, but to start off I recommend something simple like the figure of eight around your legs.

This is similar to other commands you will have taught your dog and involves you using treats to encourage your dog to perform actions. To do this trick you simply have hold a treat in one hand and guide your dog through one side of your legs, through the middle then around to complete a figure of eight motion. Try to hold the treat close to your dog’s nose to keep them interested and always reward them with praise afterwards and the treat afterwards.

After you have mastered this and can get your dog to do it on command you’re ready for your next trick and one step closer to the skateboard. Good luck!

Do you have a gift list that includes a true cat lover? If so, you're in luck! Buying for a cat owner is more simple than ever, especially with the selection and specialty items available on the web. Before you purchase the first kitty-themed item, stop to consider the following idea. The best gifts for cat lovers are unique and specific to their cat.

Before you buy a present for the cat lover on your list, think about the following:

What type of cat breed does the prospective recipient like or own? Many potential offerings given to cat lovers are also breed specific. If possible, purchase a gift that reminds the recipient of their favorite pussy cat.

If you are buying a gift for someone who currently owns a cat, find out the sex of the cat. Many cat-themed gifts are gender-specific, so you should know what sex your recipient's cat is.

Does your recipient like to dress up your cat? If you are buying a gift for someone who likes to dress their cats in sweaters or other types of apparel, your search for an appropriate gift will be much easier. Don't assume that the receiver dresses their cat, however.

Now that you've taken a few moments to ponder on your recipient's cat, here are the top 6 gifts that any cat lover would be happy to get.

1. A cat-themed picture frame. What better way to show your love for your animal than putting the feline's picture on display? Anyone looking for gifts for cat lovers would be pleased to receive a lovely picture frame to show their pride and joy. You may desire to ensure your intended recipient doesn't already own a lot of cat picture frames. This is a popular gift to give and to receive, so it is not uncommon for avid cat lovers to have more than one cat picture frame.

2. Cat-themed jewelry. It may be common to run across a lovely cat broach, pin, charm bracelet, necklace, or other piece of jewelry. Nothing could be more personal or intimate than a lovely piece of jewelry. If you have a close friend who you think would enjoy this type of present, you will find many online retail websites dedicated to offerings for cat lovers that carry a great selection of cat-related jewelry. For an even more personal touch, you can additionally have these type of gifts inscribed with a message as well.

3. Cat-related stationary, desk calendar, engagement calendar, diary, or books. Every New Year, hundreds of beautifully-designed calendars are put on the market for purchase. The selection can be astounding with hundreds of breeds and cat themes represented. This is a fabulous choice that any cat owner would enjoy receiving, particularly if you can find a calendar that represents the recipient's favorite breed. If you desire to go beyond the ever-popular cat calendar, you can also purchase lovely cat-related stationary for your recipient. Another superior choice is to locate a nice cat-themed diary for your recipient.

Gifts for cat lovers may include a cat calendar, stationary set, or diary that you like. Consider buying the cat lover on your list a beautiful cat-themed coffee table book. Most cat lovers will delight in feasting on the gorgeous photography and text of a good cat coffee table book.

4. Cat themed clothes and coffee mugs. Cat lovers will enjoy receiving cat-themed T-shirts and sweaters. You can frequently find funny cat-themed coffee mugs too.

5. A work of kitty art. Cat lovers abound nowadays, so it easy to find works of art that is cat related. For the true cat lover, a lovely cat sculpture can be a wonderful and whimsical gift. You can easily find all sorts of cat-related ceramic pieces, wooden sculptures, planter, fountain, or other types of cat art. For the truly dedicated cat owner, you can even commission a local artist to do a portrait of your friend's cat!

6. A gift subscription to Cat Fancy magazine! For people looking for gifts for cat lovers, the die-hard cat fanatic will love a subscription to a cat themed magazine. If you can't locate cat-related magazines at your local newsstand, go to your local pet supplies store. You'll see other magazines besides Cat Fancy that your recipient can enjoy to be receiving for many issues to come.