Find inspiration for your new business with our list of dog walking business names that hit all the right requirements and help your company stand out.
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by Kathleen Crampton
Kathleen is a copywriter and certified copy editor with years of experience providing editorial services to clients a...
Updated on: December 8, 2024 · 10 min read
There’s no shortage of opportunity in the dog walking industry. Nearly 50% of US households own a dog, and all those pets need exercise. If you’re thinking of starting a dog walking business, now might be the right time.
But first, you need a catchy name that matches your personality, caters to your target audience, and reflects your services. Find inspiration for dog walking business names with our list of ideas, and learn how to reserve the perfect one before other dog walkers snag it.
Don’t get stuck thinking of dog business name ideas—use our handy business name generator! Powered by AI and built using special prompts based on small-business marketing concepts and industry guidelines, our free tool generates ideas for a business name that aligns with your inputs.
Start by typing in your business idea, like “dog walking services in Portland.” Then, drag the sliders in the “Advanced Options” drop-down to your preferred brand voice. Click “Generate” and watch as a list of unique names is custom-made just for you.
Play around with the generator to get your desired results. For instance, you might also want to see a list of pet sitting business names just in case you’d like to expand your pet services in the future.
Whether you use our business name generator or the list of ideas below, don’t forget to reserve the name as soon as possible—good dog walking business names go quickly!
Get started by choosing a business name that stands out from the crowd. Below, we’ve highlighted clever, trustworthy, cute, and fabulous dog business name ideas.
A clever name for a dog walking business might include a play on words, a pun, creative rhyming, alliteration, or other types of language play. Clever names are amusing, humorous, and approachable, showing your customers that you like to inject a little fun into your business. Just make sure that no matter your chosen name, it’s easy to understand that it’s a dog walking company.
Pet owners want to know that their fur babies are safe in your hands. To show potential clientele that your dog walking services will keep their pups happy and healthy, choose from trustworthy business name ideas that use words demonstrating reliability, dependability, trust, and safety. There is an opportunity for this type of name to grow with your company, such as expanding to a pet sitting company.
Cute dog walking company names are common in the industry because they capture the charming nature of our furry companions. You can incorporate a play on words, reference dogs’ adorable features, and use words that have a lighthearted tone.
A dog walking business name that references the finer things in life can attract pet owners who want to pamper their pups. Choose words that have upscale connotations to attract this type of clientele. Just make sure that your offerings live up to the name, as clients will likely expect a touch of white-glove service if that’s what your business name indicates.
With a dog walking business, you want to ensure that your name reflects your brand identity, showcases your love for dogs, and leaves a lasting impression on potential clients. But a good dog business name is about more than just your brand—it also needs to comply with certain government regulations.
Let’s walk through the process of choosing a dog walking business name that fits your aesthetic, meets your audience’s preferences, and follows state and federal guidelines.
When figuring out how to come up with a business name, first consider if you have a specific niche or audience.
You might not think about dog walkers having a niche, but think about specific aspects of dog walking that might set your business apart. For example, maybe you live near an outdoor public space that allows off-leash dogs and want to incorporate this activity into your daily dog walking routine. Or maybe you also offer additional pet services, like grooming or doggy daycare. These are aspects to consider when naming your business, as you want to reflect those parts of your offerings that will help you stand out.
But you can’t forget about your target audience. While many business names are considered approachable by certain clientele, there might be factors that influence who is attracted to your company. For instance, dog walkers that focus on affluent neighborhoods might want to choose more upscale names—and tailor their services appropriately.
As you might guess, unique dog business names are more memorable. After all, if customers can’t remember your name, how will they be able to look up your website or recommend your business to their neighbors, friends, or family?
Keep your dog walking business name short and sweet—the longer it is, the harder it will be for people to remember. Whether you want a fabulous, cute, or clever title, stick to simple, easy-to-pronounce words or phrases. And remember that it should be distinctive from other dog walking business names in your state (more on that next).
It’s also important for your business name to allow your company to grow. While you might only be focusing on dog walking right now, think about if that may change in the future and what additional services you may be interested in providing, such as pet sitting or grooming. In this case, you might want a name that includes something like “Pet Business” or “and More” to indicate that you also provide other services.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid being too specific in your business name, as that might make expanding trickier down the road. For example, perhaps you want to start small and only walk dogs in your neighborhood, so you name your business after your area of town. What if your services reach high demand and you need to add on other communities or zip codes? Don’t carve out too small of a niche for yourself with your name.
Registering your company means following your state’s business naming requirements. You should be able to find these guidelines on the website of the relevant state office that oversees business filings, typically the Secretary of State.
Naming regulations may vary by state, but common high-level requirements usually include:
Beyond the state level, it’s a good idea to check federal trademarks to ensure that your desired dog walking business name doesn’t infringe on another trademarked name. Use the search tool on the US Patent and Trademark Office's website, which will show you if there are any registered, pending, abandoned, or cancelled trademarks for the name you type in.
Your dog walking business name needs to be distinctive and distinguishable from other names that are actively registered in your state. There are a couple of ways to check if a business name is taken:
Good dog walking business names go fast, so make sure you register one as soon as possible. Many states provide soon-to-be business owners with the option to reserve a business name before registering it. This option allows you time to prepare the necessary registration paperwork while keeping others from snatching your desired name.
Once you’re ready to launch your dog walking business, let LegalZoom do the heavy lifting. Our business formation services help you at every stage, from getting set up with all the documentation and information required by your state to growing your company with the right business plans in place. So, instead of getting bogged down in the legal details of your new venture, you can get right to walking your new furry sidekicks and drumming up new business.
Good dog walking business names should first and foremost reflect your brand identity, but they should also align with your target market, or the potential clients you hope to attract. Good business names should also be memorable, not too long, distinguishable from other business names in your state, and in line with government entity naming regulations.
To help you brainstorm a dog walking business name, first do some research into local competitors, then use brainstorming tools like our free AI-powered business name generator, which comes up with a list of ideas that you can use or take inspiration from. A thesaurus may be helpful for finding variations of phrases and words.
Although this step isn’t required, it’s a good practice to test business name ideas with current dog walking clients and prospective customers. Consider sending out a survey to your current clients in your target audience, where they can evaluate a short list of dog business names for memorability, catchiness, appeal, and more. Use this feedback to help you eliminate or tweak certain names.
According to 2020 US Census data, the average annual revenue for pet sitting and dog walking businesses was over $230,000. Dog walking can be profitable, but keep in mind that various factors may affect your total annual revenue, such as location, the number of clients, and other services offered.
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