Inboxes

Create an inbox to save and track emails. It's free!

+New inbox
Back
Back
Back 
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html lang="en" style="color-scheme: light dark; supported-color-schemes: light dark;" xml:lang="en" xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
 <head>
  <title>
   thehustle.co
  </title>
  <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/>
  <meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, maximum-scale=1" name="viewport"/>
  <meta content="IE=Edge" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible"/>
  <!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]><style type="text/css">
table {border-collapse: collapse;}
table, td {mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;}
img {-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;}
</style><![endif]-->
  <style>
   body {
font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
:root {
Color-scheme: light dark;
supported-color-schemes:light dark;
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark ) {
/* Shows Dark Mode-Only Content, Like Images */
.dark-img {
display:block !important;
width: auto !important;
overflow: visible !important;
float: none !important;
max-height:inherit !important;
max-width:inherit !important;
line-height: auto !important;
margin-top:0px !important;
visibility:inherit !important;
}
/* Hides Light Mode-Only Content, Like Images */
.light-img {
display:none;
display:none !important;
}
/* Custom Dark Mode Background Color */
.darkmode {
background-color: #272623 !important;
}
/* Custom Dark Mode Font Colors */
h1, h2, h3, h4, p, span, li, ul, b, td {
color: #8A8B93 !important;
}
/* Custom Dark Mode Text Link Color */
h1, h2, h3, h4, p, span, li, ul, b, td, a {
color: #8A8B93 !important;
}
@media screen and (max-width:480px) {
.templateColumnContainer {
display: block !important; width: 100% !important; padding-left: 0 !important; padding-right: 0 !important;
}
}
  </style>
 </head>
 <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" data-attributes="%7B%22dropped%22%3Atrue%2C%22bodybackground%22%3A%22%23FFFFFF%22%2C%22bodyfontname%22%3A%22arial%2Csans-serif%22%2C%22bodytextcolor%22%3A%22%23000000%22%2C%22bodylinkcolor%22%3A%22%231188e6%22%2C%22bodyfontsize%22%3A%2214px%22%7D" style="background-color: #FFFFFF; color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; margin: 0; padding: 0;" yahoofix="true">
  <span style="font-size: 0;">
   <a>
    <img alt="" border="0" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Flink.thehustle.co%252Fimg%252F5f3ba0bd2c81bf631436a9e1fp1ie.vsh%252Fa31d7167.gif/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZsaW5rLnRoZWh1cyJ9:1n94uM:0GUpJFkiBApoeh7luJ9h9eINoTcXPYIom1exnIQb92g"/>
   </a>
  </span>
  <center class="wrapper">
   <div class="webkit" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">
    <table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="wrapper" style="table-layout: fixed; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -moz-text-size-adjust: 100%; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; width: 100% !important; max-width: 600px !important;" width="100%">
     <tbody>
      <tr>
       <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" width="100%">
        <!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]><table width="600" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td><![endif]-->
        <table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="module footer" data-attributes="%7B%22dropped%22%3Atrue%2C%22columns%22%3A1%2C%22padding%22%3A%2210%2C5%2C10%2C5%22%2C%22containerbackground%22%3A%22%23ffffff%22%7D" data-type="footer" role="module" style="max-width: 600px; color: #000000; padding: 10px 0px;" width="100%">
         <tbody>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
            <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
             <tbody>
              <span class="preheader" style="color: transparent; display: none; height: 0; max-height: 0; max-width: 0; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden; mso-hide: all; visibility: hidden; width: 0;">
               The economics of dog walking can be lucrative — but the profession comes with a myriad of wild encounters. by Zachary Crockett.
              </span>
              <tr style="vertical-align: bottom;">
               <td bgcolor="#000000" style="height: 100%; background-color: #000000; padding: 20px 0px 20px 20px;">
                <a style="color: #ffffff !important; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none !important;">
                 The Hustle
                </a>
               </td>
               <td align="right" bgcolor="#000000" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: regular; letter-spacing: .5px; height: 100%; line-height: 18px; text-align: right; background-color: #000000; color: #ffffff; padding: 20px 10px 20px 0px;">
                Issue #192
               </td>
              </tr>
             </tbody>
            </table>
            <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="module" data-attributes="%7B%22dropped%22%3Atrue%2C%22child%22%3Afalse%2C%22padding%22%3A%220%2C0%2C0%2C0%22%2C%22containerbackground%22%3A%22%23ffffff%22%7D" data-type="text" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%">
             <tbody>
              <tr>
               <td>
                <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
                 <img alt="The Hustle, Sunday, January 16, 2022" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-header_20220116002737.gif/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; display: block;" width="600"/>
                </a>
               </td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
               <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: regular; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align: center; color: #ffffff; background-color: #000000; padding: 10px 0;">
                Sunday, January 16, 2022
               </td>
              </tr>
             </tbody>
            </table>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <h2 style="font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 25px;">
             <strong>
              What it’s like to make $100k+ walking dogs
             </strong>
            </h2>
            <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 120%; padding-bottom: 10px; font-style: italic; color: #737373; margin: 0;">
             The economics of dog walking can be lucrative — but the profession comes with a myriad of wild encounters.
            </p>
            <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 120%; padding-bottom: 24px; margin: 0;">
             <strong>
              BY
              <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: uppercase;">
               Zachary Crockett
              </a>
             </strong>
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             On the streets of New York City,
             <strong>
              Ryan Stewart
             </strong>
             is a curious sight.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             When he walks down the street, kids stop and stare. Drivers honk. Tourists follow him around like paparazzi, snapping photos.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             But he doesn’t pay them much attention. He can’t afford to.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “Dog walking is not a job for someone with a wandering mind,” he tells
             <em>
              The Hustle
             </em>
             . “It requires every ounce of your attention.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart is one of America’s top-tier professional dog walkers.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             In his territory of Long Island City, just across the river from Manhattan, he can often be seen wrangling up to 6 dogs at a time on nylon leashes. He’s an expert at tracking poop schedules, and he can spot a squirrel from 100 yards away.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             A veteran of the trade with 15 years of experience under his doggy-bag-equipped belt, Stewart pulls in six figures from a job that many people perceive to be unglamorous and unlucrative.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             But today’s urban dog walking landscape is cutthroat and rife with challenges — and it takes a special breed to succeed.
            </p>
            <h4 style="font-size: 17px; height: 100%; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px; padding-top: 8px; margin: 0px;">
             <strong>
              A bumpy path into the trade
             </strong>
            </h4>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart’s kinship with dogs began at an early age.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Born in Taiwan in the
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Year of the Dog
             </a>
             , he was given up for adoption. At 6, his adoptive mother left and he spent his childhood shuffling around Asia, Europe, and various US states with his adoptive father, a military man.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             As a self-described “smallest runt of the litter,” he was beat up and picked on at school.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             He felt like a “mutt” — an outsider who never fit in — but he found a friend in his family’s orange field spaniel, Casey.
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="Stewart and Casey" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-kid_20220116002826.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             Stewart in his early years (Ryan Stewart)
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart developed a love for dance and later landed a scholarship in New York City, where he pursued his dream. He was on a fast track to success and was set to transfer to Juilliard.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Then, life threw him another curveball: At just 19, he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             The illness hospitalized Stewart for 14 months and when he got out, his drive had waned. He made rent by waiting tables and selling magic mushrooms to college kids. For several years, he fell into a “dark place.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Then, one day in 2006, he had a fortuitous encounter with a dog trainer who suggested he should get into the trade.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart
             <strong>
             </strong>
             went all-in.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             He shadowed trainers, read books on dog psychology, and spent hours at local parks “staring at dogs and watching for patterns in their behavior.”
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmedia.sailthru.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252Fearlywalk.jpeg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtZWRpYS5zYWlsdCJ9:1n94uM:47v516TPT8Mu4vNF4GNK51wzi3QAKBKlL874mcQvJME" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             Getting the business off the ground (Ryan Stewart)
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             After doing some research on grooming, sitting, training, and other canine trades, he realized he had the best shot at being his own boss in the walking business, which was largely underserved at the time.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             So, he started handing out business cards to people on the street and slowly began to build trust and rapport in his local dog community.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Over the years, the business grew by word of mouth and quality of service. And soon, Stewart was the “alpha walker” on the block.
            </p>
            <h4 style="font-size: 17px; height: 100%; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px; padding-top: 8px; margin: 0px;">
             <strong>
              The economics of dog walking
             </strong>
            </h4>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Today, Stewart runs
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Ryan for Dogs
             </a>
             , a boutique dog walking company in the Long Island City neighborhood of NYC.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             His business is one of
             <strong>
              ~29k
             </strong>
             dog walking outfits in the US that collectively employ some
             <strong>
              51k
             </strong>
             dog walkers.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Though several large companies are now in the space —
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Rover
             </a>
             ,
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Wag
             </a>
             ,
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Fetch Pet Care
             </a>
             ,
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Swifto
             </a>
             — most dog walkers are individual proprietors and side hustlers like Stewart.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             And there’s no shortage of customers: By one count, there are now
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              89m
             </a>
             pet dogs in America — and
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              studies
             </a>
             have found that
             <strong>
              ~40%
             </strong>
             of dog owners don’t personally walk their canine companions on a regular basis.
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-why%2520dont%2520walk_20220116002942.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             The Hustle
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             At large, dog walking is an
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              estimated
             </a>
             <strong>
              $979m
             </strong>
             industry — and that figure is only poised to grow, largely thanks to 2 big trends:
            </p>
            <ol style="font-size: 16px;">
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               Dog ownership is increasing:
              </strong>
              <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
               53%
              </a>
              of American households now own dogs — a 22% bump since 2000. Dog adoptions have
              <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
               skyrocketed
              </a>
              even more during the pandemic.
             </li>
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               Pet owners are spending more
              </strong>
              on
              <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
               time-saving services
              </a>
              like dog walking: Expenditures have increased 2x in the last decade.
             </li>
            </ol>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             This has led to something of a boom in recent years for individual dog walkers.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             The average dog walking business pulls in
             <strong>
              ~$236k
             </strong>
             in revenue per year, per
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              Census data
             </a>
             . And on an individual level, salaries can be surprisingly robust.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Among a sampling of independent dog walkers surveyed by
             <em>
              The Hustle
             </em>
             , the
             <strong>
              average rate for a 30-minute walk was ~$22 per dog.
             </strong>
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             By amassing a few recurring customers and learning how to safely walk multiple dogs at a time, a skilled walker can multiply that number by 2-3x. And it’s an easy trade to break into because there is virtually no overhead, aside from a few 4-foot nylon leashes and doggie bags.
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-earings_20220116003015.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             Zachary Crockett / The Hustle
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “Any Joe Schmo can make $50k a year working for Rover,” says Stewart. “Someone who works for himself and can walk 2-3 dogs at once can make $100k. And if they’re really good, they can make $200k+.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Hiring additional walkers can exponentially increase these figures: Stewart knows a few dog walkers with small operations who reel in
             <strong>
              $500k+
             </strong>
             after expenses.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Though Stewart had opportunities to scale his business to greater heights, he has opted to cap his team at 2 additional dog walkers.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “I like to deal with dogs,” he says, “not people.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             His sweet spot is
             <strong>
              70-80
             </strong>
             walks per week — a workload that only requires ~25 hours of work and can bring in $100k+ per year.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             But these enticing economics come with no shortage of weird and unique challenges.
            </p>
            <h4 style="font-size: 17px; height: 100%; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px; padding-top: 8px; margin: 0px;">
             <strong>
              Rivals, paranoid clients, and staircase deaths
             </strong>
            </h4>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             For starters, there’s the competition.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             When Stewart first started, he was one of the only service providers in the area. But the rise of apps like Rover (launched in 2011) and Wag (2015) have turned the streets into a “cutthroat” arena where walkers sometimes wage silent battles over turf.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Some newcomers bribe NYC doormen to get business, promising to pay them $100 referral fees for any new clients that come from their buildings.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Luckily, Stewart says he’s largely insulated from these antics.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “I’m the dominant walker in the neighborhood,” he says. “And I decided to set the tone and keep things friendly here.”
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="Stewart walking dogs" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmedia.sailthru.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252Fstewart_walking.jpeg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtZWRpYS5zYWlsdCJ9:1n94uM:47v516TPT8Mu4vNF4GNK51wzi3QAKBKlL874mcQvJME" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             Stewart on a walk in the neighborhood (Ryan Stewart)
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart benefits from a loyal customer base: At least
             <strong>
              50%
             </strong>
             of his clients request everyday walks; another
             <strong>
              25%
             </strong>
             use him at least 1-2x per week.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Building trust is paramount in the dog business — and if it’s breached for any reason, customers will immediately jump ship.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “Dog people talk,” says Stewart. “If you mess up someone’s dog, word is going to get out real fast.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             A trend Stewart has had to contend with in recent years is what he calls “unhealthy levels of attachment” exhibited by some dog owners.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Per a
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              survey
             </a>
             run by Kelton Research:
            </p>
            <ul style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 12px; margin: 0;">
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               81%
              </strong>
              of dog owners feel their pets are “on par with children in the family”
             </li>
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               78%
              </strong>
              consider themselves to be pet “parents” (not “owners”)
             </li>
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               58%
              </strong>
              refer to themselves as their dog’s “mommy” or “daddy”
             </li>
            </ul>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             As
             <em>
              The Hustle
             </em>
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              reported in 2019
             </a>
             , record numbers of dog owners are also setting up
             <strong>
              pet trusts
             </strong>
             , with some leaving millions of dollars to their pets.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “We’ve taken a turn toward the dark side in terms of dog owner behavior,” says Stewart. “And it’s gotten worse during the pandemic. People became a little crazier in the lockdowns, and their dogs did too.”
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-children_20220116003133.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             The Hustle
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             One way this has manifested is through extreme surveillance measures.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Most of Stewart’s walks start by picking up the dog at a client’s apartment. He says at least
             <strong>
              50%
             </strong>
             of owners now have cameras in their homes and put devices on their dogs to live track the walks.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Then, there are the truly strange antics:
            </p>
            <ul style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 12px; margin: 0;">
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              Some owners have unsuccessfully attempted to
              <strong>
               seduce
              </strong>
              Stewart (“I don’t poop where I sleep,” he says).
             </li>
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              Many are also militant about their dogs’
              <strong>
               poop
              </strong>
              (“They want detailed reports on every aspect of the poop,” he says: “consistency, volume, timing”).
             </li>
            </ul>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart used to accept
             <em>
              all
             </em>
             dogs; now, he’s more discerning about the canines (and owners) he agrees to work with.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “I sort of sniff out each dog, and if I sense he’s a biter I don’t take him,” he says. “Some dogs are super easy to walk; we call them ‘free money’ in the business. Others are — oh my God — just a real pain in the butt.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             This perceptiveness also helps him avoid potential conflicts, like dog squirmishes, before they happen.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “I can see a confrontation from a mile away,” he says. “It starts with a hard look. The look will escalate to a growl. Then it goes to barking. There are like 5-6 steps before they start fighting. You can catch it early if you’re alert.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Unlike some other walkers, Stewart goes to extremes to stay hyper-alert:
            </p>
            <ul style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 12px; margin: 0;">
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               He doesn’t wear gloves
              </strong>
              , even when it’s freezing out, because his “fingertips need to feel the leashes.”
             </li>
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               He doesn’t wear sunglasses
              </strong>
              so dogs (and customers) can see his eyes.
             </li>
             <li style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 0 0 15px; padding: 0px;">
              <strong>
               He has a strict no-phone policy
              </strong>
              while walking, which keeps him focused on any possible issues on the road, like chicken bones or squirrels.
             </li>
            </ul>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-montage_20220116003217.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             Giving a pup some love (Ryan Stewart)
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             He also employs a grouping system to help mitigate the stress of simultaneously walking 6-8 dogs of varying breeds and sizes.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “You have to play quarterback and really think about it,” says Stewart. “I might keep dogs A, B, C, and D away from E — but F and G might be more agreeable to be paired with E.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Once the dogs are partnered, he has to keep the leashes from tangling.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “You have to put the dogs in a certain order,” he says. “The troublemakers stay close, and the shy ones get a bit more slack. You also have to factor in things like poop frequency, age, and timidity.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             This level of attentiveness has paid off.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             The big gig services have had
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              numerous
             </a>
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              instances
             </a>
             of dogs dying, or getting lost, at the hands of their walkers. A few years ago, a fellow walker in Brooklyn
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              died
             </a>
             after being yanked down a staircase by several leashed dogs.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart’s worst incident to date has been shutting a door on a dog’s tail (the dog was okay).
            </p>
            <h4 style="font-size: 17px; height: 100%; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 22px; padding-top: 8px; margin: 0px;">
             <strong>
              The biggest struggle: Surviving the pandemic
             </strong>
            </h4>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             With the great shift to
             <a style="color: #121212; text-decoration: underline !important;">
              work-from-home
             </a>
             schedules, many white-collar professionals who once hired out services for their pets while at the office all day have gone back to walking their own dogs.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “The pandemic took out at least half of the walkers I know,” says Stewart. “Some of my primary rivals folded. Only the people with the strongest reputations survived.”
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             Stewart saw a dip in his own business for the first 6 months of the pandemic, but says he has since recovered to nearly full capacity.
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252Ffinal_size-final_20220116003451.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLiJ9:1n94uM:EZHh6Qj4G8xX5B16022ImDZWG5iZsStS6MtTXkXk6D0" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
            <p align="left" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5f696c; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 5px 20px;">
             Stewart at Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx, NY, where he does dog training volunteer work with teens (Ryan Stewart)
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             At times, he says he’s gotten down on himself about his chosen path.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “Sometimes it’s brutally cold, I’m tired, and I think, ‘
             <em>
              I was supposed to be a famous dancer
             </em>
             .
             <em>
              Why am I out here picking up poop?’”
             </em>
             says Stewart.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             But he’s largely come to embrace the nature of his work.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             He’s walked in 10°F weather, and in 110°F weather. He’s clocked 50k steps — more than 20 miles — in a shift. And for 15 years, he’s spent nearly every day outside, with animals he loves and nobody to answer to.
            </p>
            <p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 140%; margin: 5px 0px 10px;">
             “My friend who works in construction once told me, ‘You might be picking up poop, but you’re not eating it,’” says Stewart. “I’m grateful for that.”
            </p>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td class="h2020 ignore-defaults" style="padding: 0px 10px;">
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td style="border-bottom-color: #dddddd; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; padding-top: 15px;">
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td style="padding-bottom: 15px;">
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="font-family: 'Helvetica', sans-serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; padding: 10px 0;">
            Share &amp; discuss this story on:
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td style="border-bottom-color: #dddddd; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 15px;">
            <table style="text-align: center; width: 100%;">
             <tbody>
              <tr class="cta-a-btn" style="text-decoration: unset !important; color: unset !important;">
               <td bgcolor="#0f52a0" style="background-color: #0f52a0; border-bottom-color: #003779; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; font-family: 'helvetica',sans-serif; width: 250px; padding: 12px 10px 9px;" width="250">
                <a style="color: #ffffff !important; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important;">
                 FACEBOOK
                </a>
               </td>
               <td bgcolor="#797979" style="background-color: #797979; border-bottom-color: #4e4e4e; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'helvetica',sans-serif; width: 250px; padding: 12px 10px 9px;" width="250">
                <a style="color: #ffffff !important; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important;">
                 OUR WEBSITE
                </a>
               </td>
              </tr>
              <tr style="padding-top: 2px;">
               <td bgcolor="#1DA1F2" style="background-color: #1DA1F2; border-bottom-color: #008abe; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; font-family: 'helvetica',sans-serif; width: 250px; padding: 12px 10px 9px;" width="250">
                <a style="color: #ffffff !important; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important;">
                 TWITTER
                </a>
               </td>
               <td bgcolor="#fd394f" style="background-color: #fd394f; border-bottom-color: #d42235; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; font-family: 'arial',sans-serif; width: 250px; padding: 12px 10px 9px;" width="250">
                <a style="color: #ffffff !important; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important;">
                 POCKET
                </a>
               </td>
              </tr>
             </tbody>
            </table>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center;">
            <img alt="" src="" style="width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; padding-top: 10px;" width="600"/>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td style="padding-bottom: 15px;">
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 20px; display: block; min-width: 330px; font-family: 'Helvetica', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: .5px; font-size: 16px;">
            How did you like today’s story?
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td>
            <table style="text-align: center; width: 100%;">
             <tr>
              <td style="display: inline-block;">
               <a data-tags="feedback smiley" style="text-decoration: underline !important; color: #121212;">
                <img src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fsailthru-media.s3.amazonaws.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252FTrends_love.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZzYWlsdGhydS1tZSJ9:1n94uM:5bKaLTbCjQNOCofaaEmvohyIaSHJFRM5hOlWxWPeNRY" style="width: auto; height: 52px; padding: 0px 25px 10px;"/>
               </a>
              </td>
              <td style="display: inline-block;">
               <a data-tags="feedback meh" style="text-decoration: underline !important; color: #121212;">
                <img src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fsailthru-media.s3.amazonaws.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252FTrends_meh.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZzYWlsdGhydS1tZSJ9:1n94uM:5bKaLTbCjQNOCofaaEmvohyIaSHJFRM5hOlWxWPeNRY" style="width: auto; height: 54px; padding: 0px 15px 10px;"/>
               </a>
              </td>
              <td style="display: inline-block;">
               <a data-tags="feedback frowny" style="text-decoration: underline !important; color: #121212;">
                <img src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fsailthru-media.s3.amazonaws.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252Fhate_w_glow.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZzYWlsdGhydS1tZSJ9:1n94uM:5bKaLTbCjQNOCofaaEmvohyIaSHJFRM5hOlWxWPeNRY" style="width: auto; height: 67px; padding: 0px 15px 10px;"/>
               </a>
              </td>
             </tr>
            </table>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
           <td style="padding-bottom: 15px;">
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr class="zephyr-syntax">
           <td align="center" style="border-top-color: #dddddd; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: center; margin: 0; padding: 15px 0;">
            Today's email was brought to you by Zachary Crockett and Brad Wolverton.
            <table style="width: 100%;">
             <tbody>
              <tr class="zephyr-syntax">
               <td align="center" class="zephyr-syntax" style="display: inline-block; text-align: center; padding: 20px 0;">
                <a style="color: #000000; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important; white-space: nowrap; padding: 0 8px;" target="_blank">
                 PODCAST
                </a>
               </td>
               <td align="center" style="display: inline-block; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0;">
                <a style="color: #000000; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important; white-space: nowrap; padding: 0 8px;" target="_blank">
                 JOBS
                </a>
               </td>
               <td align="center" style="display: inline-block; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0;">
                <a style="color: #000000; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none !important; white-space: nowrap; padding: 0 8px;">
                 CONTACT US
                </a>
               </td>
              </tr>
              <tr class="zephyr-syntax">
               <td align="center" class="zephyr-syntax" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; padding: 10px 10px 5px;">
                <a style="color: #ed4d1f; text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank">
                 <img alt="Facebook" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmedia.sailthru.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252FNew_FB_icon.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtZWRpYS5zYWlsdCJ9:1n94uM:47v516TPT8Mu4vNF4GNK51wzi3QAKBKlL874mcQvJME"/>
                </a>
               </td>
               <td align="center" style="display: inline-block; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; padding: 10px 10px 5px;">
                <a style="color: #ed4d1f; text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank">
                 <img alt="Youtube" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmedia.sailthru.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252FNew_YT_icon.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtZWRpYS5zYWlsdCJ9:1n94uM:47v516TPT8Mu4vNF4GNK51wzi3QAKBKlL874mcQvJME"/>
                </a>
               </td>
               <td align="center" style="display: inline-block; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; padding: 10px 10px 5px;">
                <a style="color: #ed4d1f; text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank">
                 <img alt="Instagram" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmedia.sailthru.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252FNew_IG_icon.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtZWRpYS5zYWlsdCJ9:1n94uM:47v516TPT8Mu4vNF4GNK51wzi3QAKBKlL874mcQvJME"/>
                </a>
               </td>
               <td align="center" style="display: inline-block; font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; padding: 10px 10px 5px;">
                <a style="color: #ed4d1f; text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank">
                 <img alt="Trends" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmedia.sailthru.com%252Fcomposer%252Fimages%252Fsailthru-prod-6ks%252Fnew_Trends_icon.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtZWRpYS5zYWlsdCJ9:1n94uM:47v516TPT8Mu4vNF4GNK51wzi3QAKBKlL874mcQvJME"/>
                </a>
               </td>
              </tr>
             </tbody>
            </table>
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr class="zephyr-syntax">
           <td align="center" style="border-bottom-width: 0; border-bottom-style: solid; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; padding: 4px;">
            25 FIRST ST. 2ND FLOOR, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02141, UNITED STATES • 888.482.7768
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr class="zephyr-syntax">
           <td align="center" role="module-content" style="color: #000000; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 120%; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 0; padding: 5px 0px;" valign="top">
            Never want to hear from us again? Break our hearts and
            <a style="color: #000000; text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank">
             unsubscribe
            </a>
            .
           </td>
          </tr>
          <tr class="zephyr-syntax">
           <td align="center" style="text-align: center; padding: 20px 0px;">
            <center>
             <span style="display: block; float: none; text-align: center;">
              <a style="text-decoration: underline !important; color: #121212;" target="_blank">
               <img alt="The Hustle" height="22" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fthdaily.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com%252FThe_Hustle_glow_20200518211036.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0aGRhaWx5LnMzLSJ9:1n94uM:VFO4VLHCNscOLveWIJtJT1wpB-ps0cK9fBRDWSk48a4" style="height: 22px; width: 100px;" width="100"/>
              </a>
             </span>
            </center>
           </td>
          </tr>
         </tbody>
        </table>
        <!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]></td> </tr> </table><![endif]-->
       </td>
      </tr>
     </tbody>
    </table>
   </div>
  </center>
 </body>
</html>