When I graduated from college, I wanted to put my gender studies degree to good use- to be a disabled dog walker. Since I was having some trouble getting hired at an agency, I decided to start my own dog walking business.

So I began to advertise, first on Craigslist, and then putting up fliers in vets’ offices and pet supply stores. Next, I created a website with videos and pictures showing how I walk the dogs. You do not see many disabled dog walkers so I had to figure out how to present my disability to my clients and ease their concerns that I would be able to keep their dog safe. 
 
I come into every interview with the attitude, "Yes, I have cerebral palsy (CP) but it doesn't effect my job ability." I think my clients are calmed by my attitude and I think this attitude can be applied to any job. Promoting yourself and presenting yourself in a professional manner is a huge part of starting a business.

To walk big dogs I use a regular 6-foot leash and knot it around a bar of my chair. Because my chair is 300lbs, the dogs have to heel by my side. There are actually some cool products out there for disabled dog walkers. One is the Walky Dog (a leash system created for bikes) and I use it to walk my smaller dogs. 

Some dogs are a little nervous about my chair at first, but with treats and patience, they realize my chair equals good. Some dogs even jump on my lap and give me kisses. I don’t take multiple dogs at one time like some dog walkers.

If my client has two dogs, I take one (usually the more rowdy one) and my aide takes the other.  As a dog walker, I also have a responsibility to communicate with the client, write invoices, collect payments, and all of the other small tasks that go along with running a business.

A disability cannot stop you from living the kind of life that makes you happy. All of my clients are happy and I love what I do.