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Despite all of mankind’s advancements we’ve still not found a way to add hours to the day, be two places at once, or stop time to get a few more things done. Most small business owners long for these breakthroughs. But as they don’t appear imminent, here are some non-science fiction approaches to lengthen your...

Honest-to-goodness dog fights that result in real damage are remarkably infrequent. This is mostly due to the ritualized body language dogs use to avoid conflict. Conflict is expensive, evolutionarily speaking. Why waste precious energy reserves on actions that can result in injuries, possibly death? Scuffles among dogs, however, are common. Scuffles are the less-serious spats...

In the natural world spring is a time of renewal, of fresh starts, of green growth. Just as mother nature makes a new start of things each year, it’s good business practice to do the same. We encourage our dogbiz business consulting clients and Dog Walking Academy grads to carve out a little downtime each...

By Alexis Davison, Australia Dog Walking Academy Instructor and owner of Scholars in Collars Walking dogs, whether our own or our clients’, is one of the great pleasures in life. It’s such a joy to spend time with them doing things they enjoy—walking, running, interacting with their environment, and taking in all those smells! But...

We’ve all heard the “customer is always right” adage. But too often dog walkers take the idea a little too far, often bending over backwards for clients to the breaking point. Offering good customer service doesn’t mean making compromises on your services and policies—or letting clients dictate them. Making too many concessions means putting the...

By Erin Moore, Vancouver BC Canada Dog Walking Academy Instructor and Owner of Pawsitive Connection Dog Training It’s easy to forget that dogs operate in very simple ways: Does it work for me? Does it not work for me? Is it safe? Is it dangerous? Unfortunately, what works for dogs often is not what works...

By Erin Moore, Vancouver BC Canada Dog Walking Academy Instructor and Owner of Pawsitive Connection Dog Training About five years ago, I experienced a serious case of burnout. After six months of feeling stressed, exhausted, and short-tempered, I wondered if there might be something physically wrong with me. When I finally found the time and...

By Doug Duncan, Portland Dog Walking Academy Instructor and Owner of Doggy Business As the days grow longer and warmer and the flowers come out, so do the people! And they bring their dogs with them. While you might enjoy seeing these folks and their canine companions enjoying the outdoors together, their presence can make...

By Denise Mazzola, former Dog Walking Academy Instructor and Owner of Everything Dog Imagine walking into a classroom to find your instructor wearing a sloppy set of sweat pants and sweat shirt and disheveled, just-rolled-out-of-bed hair. Class has started late and the instructor struggles to locate his PowerPoint Presentation. You’ve likely formed an immediately judgment...