Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Bag of Dog Toys

Wow. Good dream, but keep it a dream for now. Most pet supplies shops only stay afloat by selling exspensive bags/cans of dog food followed by exspensive bags/cans of cat food. After that, their largest profit is produceed by a groomer. Third in line for producing a profit is dog toys and specialty items for dogs such as treats, toys. Followed by collars and leashes.

Cat owners don't even spend HALF the money as they do on their dogs. Most will buy only cheap food and mid grade litter. Most pet stores will sell an ok amount of litter. Atleast as much as the grocery store.

Now the part you care about!

Fish in a store setting. You are not going to like this because we are talking $ here not value of a pet fish's life. So, thinking objectively....

Live fish are very low profit. They are only there to sell the aquarium supplies which is where the money really is. Yes I know there are some fish out there that sell for over 10 or 20 dollars. Some maybe as much as 100. My point is that your money will be made (mostly) from people who fit the description of:

Young, first aquarium as a kid or young adult who had an aquarium as a kid and would like to purchase and set up an aquarium of 20 gallons or more. Neither of those kinds of people will buy exspensive fish right away. They will buy the suppies. They are likely to buy a few cheap fish. They know they do not know what they are doing (exactly) and that the fish could die.

My suggestion to you:

If you want to work with aquariums, then maybe look for high end places such as offices and exspensive homes and work maintianing their larger aquariums. You could keep a couple of good fish suppliers on hand if they want to add a fish or two. This may mean going to work for some elses small exclusive business or becoming a partner.

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2. I'm getting a small dog...first time owner advise!?

Sounds like she'll have a pretty good life. Good for you for getting an older dog.

Crates are just fine and you should get her used to them (crate training) just in case. If she's fine without one though (she won't chew, or she won't make messes), you won't need to put her in it every time you leave.

If you don't want her on your bed with you, it's best to get her a bed of her own and teach her to sleep on that rather than yours. xD

If it's okay for her to go on your bed, she can sleep either place. But if you are possibly staying with relatives, she might think it's a good idea to take a rest on their guest bed, when they don't want her up there. So, it's your choice.

If she turns out to be a dog who gets sick in the car, transportation methods might require a crate as well, as dogs don't usually mess (go to the bathroom in, or throw up in) a crate or place that they sleep, unless it's urgent, and they have to... they'll generally try to avoid it. Who wants to sleep near/on a mess? Otherwise, make sure she is comfortable on a back seat, and don't allow her to hang her head out a window too often, as this can result in respiratory problems with her, especially if she is a small breed with a short snout.

You'll need to do some research on her breed to be able to find a good food to start her out on, and how much to feed her each day. It's best not to leave food available all day, since a dog may over eat or the food could go stale. You could give food twice daily, and leave the bowl down for about twenty minutes. She'll eat if she's hungry, although at first she may be a little nervous in her new surroundings and too scared to eat much. This is the way my pup Oreo was when he first came here, all the way from NC.

Toys--Just make sure you don't get her any toys small enough that she could swallow them, or toys with eyes or snouts that may pop off easily. Keep things you don't want to be chewed put up for the first few days, just in case. Try to play with her regularly, but don't overdo it... again *especially if she has a short snout,* as these breeds get respiratory problems frequently.

Treats--Don't overfeed with the treats, but give them every once and awhile. Rawhides and chicken bones are not acceptable treats. Chicken bones may splinter and become imbedded in or cause irritation in the throat or further down in the body. Rawhides, unfortunately, can become so enjoyable to a dog, that he or she swallows it whole. Not good! They can also splinter, so if considering rawhides: use the ones with ground rawhide, so it won't get stuck anywhere.

Dental: It's okay to brush your dog's teeth... be sure to buy specialized dog toothpaste from a petstore, but you can use a human brush for this. Greenies are a yummy bone for dogs, suppossedly mint flavored. They work okay, but they are expensive, and something else works too. Although it may be gross (especially to me.. xD being a vegetarian.) it's a real treat for your dog to get ... (I think it's a FRESH *with marrow and all* beef bone... I'm not good with "meats" since I don't eat it.) It is ultra-delicious to them, and it actually helps keep off tartar.

Fleas and parasites: Several flea medications are available that can be applied to the dog's upper neck area once monthly to keep off fleas and sometimes ticks too. Bathing also should kill fleas on your dog, and to prevent worms, pills are available that are taken orrally.

I think that's all... xD If you have any questions, you can ask me... I'm a long time dog owner of 2. D

Good luck with her! 3

-Angelic

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3. I'm considering being a Dog walker? Information from dog walkers and people who have hired them before?

So, right from the getgo, why would I hire someone who can't spell Shepherd?

You don't want to do deal with dogs professionally, but what is it you think you'll be doing if you'll be walking dogs? It's a profession.

1) To be a legit dogwalker, you should be licensed with a dog walking association, insured, bonded, and have a business license.

2) You should NOT bring water bowls or toys on walks. I assume you won't be walking 3 hours in 100 degree heat, so the dogs should be fine on water until you get back home. If you are walking longer than 20 minutes and the dog is a heavily coated breed, then *maybe*. Ask the owner what they do.

3) I have no idea how many clients you should have. You would have to decide how much travel time you need and how long you will be walking each dog. You would then compare that with your schedule.

4) I believe out licensed legit dog walkers locally charge about $25 for an hour long walk. If you want to offer grooming services, and you actually know how to clip nails and groom properly, then you can add "extra" rates for this.

5) Your contract would need to release you from all liability and contract the owner of the dog to be liable for all medical bills if the dog bites or injures you/another person, and all vet bills if the dog bites another dog.

6) The client should have all your license numbers, references, your registered business name, your personal name, your cell phone number (have a separate work phone), and the vet you use. You should have a normal list of doggie info. Brand and type of food, allergies, health concerns, health issues, vet name, vet number, what to do in an emergency, your spending limit in an emergency.

7) If you want to get into housekeping, then you would need to look up comparable rates for an unlicensed, unbonded housekeeper in your area and negotiate.

8) I have two difficult dogs. I would not be interested in hiring an unlicensed inexperienced teen to walk my dogs. You seem like a good kid, so I would potentially hire you to let my dogs out into my fenced yard and play with them for 20-30 minutes. I pay $10 to do this.

GL!