Dog Walking Ain’t Easy

If you’ve got the right set of skills and attributes, Roxanne and Kristyne of Walk-N-Roll Doggie might want to hire you.

First tell me about Walk N Roll Doggie.

Walk N Roll Doggie is a pet services business. We offer dog walks, park visits, dog daycare, pet-sitting for dogs, cats, and other animals, boarding for small dogs, and pet taxi.

And what are the positions you’re looking to fill?

We hire walkers and people interested in pet-sitting as a starting position.

What are you looking for in a walker or a pet-sitter?

We’re looking for someone who loves dogs and wants to care for them, who understands dog behavior and how to properly interact with them. They must have their own car and own a smart phone with picture, text, and Internet capabilities. Someone interested in marketing is also a plus as it’s the way we find more dogs to walk. We want someone detail-oriented, professional, responsible, who is flexible and willing to roll with the inevitable changes that happen in this business. We like a person who is organized and has good time-management skills. Someone who is friendly and has a high level of etiquette (for the people clients, not the dogs!)

So give me the breakdown. What kind of hours are we talking? And how about pay?

Our peak hours are 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. We need to find someone who is available during these hours. We’re also looking for someone to work weekends and occasional evenings. The pay is based upon appointments, and 30-minute walks have a different pay rate than hour-long walks. Our pay is well above minimum wage.

What are the unexpected challenges presented by this kind of work?

There are schedule changes. Last minute additions and cancellations are always a factor. We like to say yes to our clients, so we need people who will say yes to us. Our immediate service area is Little Italy, Downtown, Hillcrest, North Park, South Park, so drive time and parking can also be challenging. This is where good organization and time management come in.

How about unexpected benefits?

You’re outside in beautiful San Diego, and you’re walking in areas like Balboa Park, and the Embarcadero with a cool dog friend! You get exercise, sunshine, fun, and you get paid for it!

It seems to me that this is something people would try when they’re between jobs. Is this ok with you, or are you looking for someone to stay and grow with the company?

Many of our walkers have come to us between jobs. That’s ok with us, but we are looking to find someone who will grow with the company. We would like to find someone soon who is in more of a managerial position who will be paid on salary with the potential for a salary increase the more clients we get. This is where marketing experience is a plus.

Ok, any final advice for someone thinking of applying to work with you?

Even though dog walking may seem like an easy job, it requires much more mental gymnastics than you may think. Mapping out your day and maximizing your time will not only make a dog walking day smoother but can make you more money. We’re looking for someone who is positive, strong, and smart.