Bizstartup.ie - NewsA dog's life in the pet walking business

Established by William Bradshaw two and a half years ago when he was just 23, the business is built along the lines of similar services offered in the US and the UK and serves the area stretching from Donnybrook to Killiney/Shankhill.

“I was studying auctioneering at the time, and I thought the dog-walking business could bring me in a little extra cash. From looking at the UK and US sites I knew there was potential there, so I decided I’d put together a website.”

As well as this Bradshaw swapped his sports car for a commercial jeep, with this being the only major investment he had to make.

Recession-proof business

Despite the recession, the business has taken off, showing that the importance people place on their pets has grown in the past number of years.

“Luckily there are still people around whose incomes are high enough to employ a dog walker,” says Bradshaw.

However, from looking at Bradshaw’s website you don’t need to be in the realms of the super-rich to afford him: an hour-long group walk for your dog will set you back €18, while a five-day a week service will cost €330 per month.

An hour-long walk includes collection from the dog’s home, the walk itself, treats, water, pooper scooper, play time, towel dry if necessary and delivery home. Bradshaw also offers a ‘pet taxi’ service, bringing dogs to groomers/vets if their owners are unable to make the appointment.

He says that despite his own fears, the recession did not signal the death knell for his business.

“It went a little bit quieter for a while, with some people cutting down a small bit, but I didn’t actually lose any of my clients. And at the moment I am absolutely out the door with work.”

Hotel for dogs

Bradshaw is also in the process of setting up a ‘dog hotel’ which he hopes to start work on in the next few months and which will be the upgraded version of the ‘dog lodge’ already in place just outside Roundwood in Co Wicklow. This hotel will have 16 runs and will offer a much more natural environment to kennels, just like the lodge does now. Another bonus is that collection and drop-off of the animals to the lodge is free within the south Dublin area.

“Currently the lodge is made up of a big room, designed like a living room, to make the dogs feel at home, as well as three acres of land for them to run about on. It’s a completely cage-free environment, and the dogs are so happy there. By the end of the day they’re exhausted because they’ve been so busy running around and playing with the other dogs.”

Interestingly, Bradshaw says he has never advertised his services; his business grew purely through word of mouth. “I’d have a fairly big client base now. About 70pc of the dogs staying at the lodge would be dogs I walk, with the other 30pc new.”

Bradshaw clearly has a love of animals, but he says the service he provides is also keeping his customers happy. “My clients are extremely attached to their pets – when leaving them in the lodge overnight some will say: ‘Now make sure you look after him really well because he normally sleeps in our bedroom’. One of my clients even considered getting an au pair to take care of her dog. So the service standard has to be very high.”