Today we’d like to introduce you to Doug Pizzy.
Doug, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 1993, I moved from SF to SF, South Florida to San Francisco, CA. About 2 years later a beautiful cat was hanging out on the sidewalk in front of my house for almost a week so I decided I would take him in. I brought him to a local vet for a checkup and while I was there I saw a flyer from a lady who was looking for someone to walk her 11-month-old German shepherd mix dog while she was at work. I began taking Zoe to all the parks and beaches and started meeting people that were also interested in hiring me to walk their dogs with Zoe. In 1995 there were not nearly as many professional dog walkers as there are now. After a few months, I had three or four other dogs that I was walking with Zoe and that’s when I decided I was going to try to make a living walking dogs. Within a year I had enough weekly clients to support my modest and frugal lifestyle.
By the end of my second year, I was doing morning and afternoon pack outings Monday through Friday as well as a few private walks and cat sitting visits now and then. I also started boarding my clients’ dogs at my house when they went out of town. Business was great for 16 years in San Francisco but I always dreaded the cold wet winters, getting soaked and having to dry off all my client’s soggy doggies before returning them to their homes. So, in January of 2011, after one of the coldest summers in California, I decided to move to San Diego in search of warmer weather and new adventures in dog walking. With my website www.dougsdogwalking.com and about twenty 5-star reviews on Yelp, it didn’t take long to build up a new clientele. I’ve been so busy that I still haven’t gotten around to creating a new website but between Yelp and Facebook.com/dougsdogwalking I’m not sure I even need to. 😉
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been difficult at times. I can remember having to eat Top Ramen, mac n cheese or beans and rice almost every night during the first year. The biggest problem with this type of career is job stability. Things will be going great and then a client gets laid off or moves away and suddenly you’re out a couple of hundred dollars a month. In SF I had many clients for over five years, some for over ten but a lot of my clients in San Diego are here temporarily because of the Navy or they’re doing the medical residency and they are usually only here for a few years and then they move away. It’s also emotionally hard because I get attached to the dogs and a lot of my clients make me feel like part of their families. Some even called me Uncle Doug.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The purpose of my business is to help dog parents exercise and socialize their dogs when they are too busy and to provide their dogs with a home away from home when they have to go out of town. In SF the bulk of my business was daily pack outings morning and afternoons with up to six dogs in a pack. I take my packs to parks, beaches and hiking trails. Since moving to SD, I do a morning pack and then I do private or semi-private walks in the afternoons.
I think the thing that sets me apart from most dog walkers is that I take “my dogs” on adventures all over the city and I’m always looking for a new place to explore.
It’s very rewarding to see the excitement in their faces when we go to a new place for the first time. Dogs are social animals and they also enjoy being part of a pack.
What were you like growing up?
I was really into playing soccer and drawing as a boy. In junior high school, I idolized Steve Martin and wanted to be a comedian or a writer for SNL. In high school, I became really interested in music and playing the guitar. When I was 17 I discovered punk rock and became part of the south Florida scene going to shows in Miami almost every weekend and playing in various bands with my friends. Part of the reason I moved to SF in ’93 was to start my own band.
Contact Info:
- Address: www.dougsdogwalking.com
- Phone: (415) 235-0755
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/
dougsdogwalking - Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dougs-dog-walking-san-diego
Image Credit:
Doug Pizzy
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
