I Want to Be Around Dogs for a Living… Now what?

Today we’re going to address an important subject: opting out of the human construct known as a career and, instead, spending your precious days being around dogs for a living.

Here’s the thing, dogs are great. Anybody who disagrees should not be trusted. Dogs are pure, wholesome, gifts of joy from the universe, and they greatly improve the wellbeing of the humans who interact with them. In fact, studies have shown that dog owners have lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart attack risk compared to people who don’t have a dog in their life. More than just improving our health, dogs help the disabled navigate the world, can sense seizures before they happen, and gently support us through grief, trauma, and recovery.

But how did this unique bond develop? The story of dog meets human unfolds tens of thousands of years ago and it all has to do with biology. Dogs and humans have been evolving together since as long as the homo sapein species has existed. Some scientists believe that the human we are today would not have been without the early dog relationship. Dogs protected humans, provided hunting help, and watched over children. This freed up time and energy for humans to pursue and learn other things that helped them develop new technologies.

My Next Point

This brings me to my next point: humans are not as great as dogs. We are big, messy flesh bags full of complicated emotions. We are not always nice to each other. We write mean reviews on Yelp. We start wars of all shapes and sizes. And we invented reality TV and spend more time watching what dramatic celebrity families are up to than we do calling and checking in on our lonely grandmothers. Honestly, sometimes we suck.

When we compare the human being to the truly undeniably amazing dog, it’s 100% understandable why someone might decide that, rather than people, they might want to be around dogs for a living instead.

I’m serious. This is a totally viable option and, if you do it right, you can live a long, prosperous life never having to go to a meeting that could have been an email ever again. There are few paths you could take to a career with dogs. It’s important to pick the one that is right for you and choose the necessary legal business entity that will lead to success. Here are a few options to consider:

Veterinarian

Dogs, just like humans, sometimes get sick and need special medical attention. If you’re trying to mend puppers and give doggie check ups, being a veterinarian might be the right job for you. Becoming a vet takes a lot of college, but it’s a rewarding way to spend your time and energy with dogs. Once you get all the schooling you need, you might consider starting your practice. If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to form an LLC as well. Forming an LLC protects your personal assets and lets your grow your vet life free from the worry of full liability.

Forming an LLC also allows you hire on any help you may need and partner with other dog-loving animal doctors to do more, more effectively.

Dog Groomer

If you’re particularly good at doin’ hair but also love dogs and have saintly patience, you may be interested in becoming a dog groomer. This occupation will ensure that most your time is spent with dogs, and covered in dog hair. If the smell of wet dogs makes you happy, you can get started on this endeavor ASAP. Some people start small and pick up appointments here and there. If this is the case, you’re technically operating as a sole proprietor. As you continue to grow your business, you may want to consider upgrading to an LLC. An LLC offers legal asset protection that sole proprietorship does not. Let’s say you mess up Mitzi’s hair and her owner is not pleased and decides to file a lawsuit. If you’re found at fault for Mitzi’s major career-ending loss at the dog show, and you’re not protected by an LLC, your personal assets will be on the table.

It’s always a good rule of paw to separate yourself as a legal entity from your business—especially if you’re going to be dealing with high-maintenance drama dog-mamas.

Dog Show Host

Speaking of dog shows, since 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is held every year in New York City. And year after year, someone has to host it. With a little know how and some connections, this could be you. I’m definitely not qualified to give any sort of advice regarding how to become the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Host, but I can tell you that it may involve starting a business somewhere along the way. If that’s the case, Northwest Registered Agent’s got you covered to let you spend your life workin’ with dogs.

Dog Walker

For those dogs whose humans are tragically chained to a desk all day, and cannot spend their precious lives going for walks and playing fetch at the park, there’s a glimmer of hope and relief found in The Dog Walker. Dog Walkers can get started using apps like Rover or Wage, or they can go at it on their own by way of online and print advertising or word of mouth. If you’re trying to be a dog walker of the later description, a recommendable first step would be to form a limited liability company. This is especially important because, while dogs are amazing, some of them can be a little… volatile. If Mr. Snuggles gets a little aggressive and bites another dog, or—heaven forbid—a human, you definitely do not want to be liable. It’s a good idea to look into other protections like insurance and permits as well. Depending on what city or county you are operating in, requirements may differ.

Dog Sitter

Sometimes dogs just can’t go on vacation with their owners. Maybe it’s a business trip where dogs aren’t allowed (sad), or maybe their canine companion is afraid of flying. Whatever the case, if you’re trying to make a No Humans Allowed life, dog sitting is an option for you. Like dog walking, you can start small with this undertaking. Maybe you start with family and friends, but you like it so much that you want to go full blown doggie bed and breakfast. For something on that scale, forming a business is definitely the best way to go. With a legal business entity like a corporation, you can not only can protect your personal assets from debts and liabilities, but you can also attract investors and start a whole empire of puppy spas and canine getaways.

Dog Impersonator

If you want to delve into some weird stuff, you can get into dog impersonating. I don’t actually know what that fully entails, but I am going to go ahead and recommend that you form an LLC for that too.

Man’s Best Business Partner

So today we learned why dogs are great, why humans are not as great, and a few ways to increase the tail wags, sloppy doggy kisses, and playful puppy time in your life. For your protection, and theirs, forming a business is a doggone good idea.

If you are looking to start a business of your own, we can help you form it here.