A Career as a Dog and Pet Boarding Professional
Dog Boarders take care of dogs while their owners are away. They provide the daily needs of dogs staying at a kennel, making sure the kennel is clean, the dog is taken care of, well groomed and fed. Furthermore, they organize a busy schedule of bookings, feeding, walking and care. A professional dog boarder oversees the dogs he/she is boarding, reporting on their health and general wellbeing. In addition, they may bathe the dogs, give them a special diet or medication and anything else the owner might request.
What Skills Are Needed?
A dog boarder must have good people skills to deal with a variety of different clients, dogs and situations that may be demanding. They will most often interact with their clients when they visit the kennel to drop off or collect their dogs. A dog boarder may be a sole proprietor or run a company and manage a team of attendants. They may also work for a Veterinarian or a dog breeder. Dog boarding can be mentally and physically demanding, dogs need to be frequently walked, fed, cleaned up after and may have to be physically lifted, handled and restrained for various reasons. A large scale dog boarder may also choose to offer a variety of services including training, full-service grooming and breeding, these are covered in-depth on other PocketSuite pages. Dog boarders may have to work long and unconventional hours, early mornings, late nights, weekends and holidays- whenever they are needed. There is also some risk working with dogs, who may be stressed from being introduced to an unfamiliar environment and people. Any sensible dog boarder should always exercise caution when handling dogs and carry insurance for themselves and their business. Dog boarders can also offer boarding for a wide variety of different animals including: Cats, pet rodents and birds- provided these are separate from the dogs…
How much does a pet sitter/boarder make?
A dog boarder’s salary can vary. It can depend on the size of your operation, location, the services you provide and expenses. Someone who sporadically boards dogs may only supplement their income. A large scale dog boarder, with a big clientele, many employees and services can make well over $100,000 per year. This industry is growing. Americans spent over $80 billion last year on their animals, with dogs being by far the most popular pet.
