RESUME MISTAKES
Turn Your Dog Walking Experience into a Winning Resume
Spot the top resume pitfalls and fix them fast to fetch more clients and jobs.
How This Page Helps
This guide helps dog walkers identify and correct the most frequent resume mistakes, ensuring they present their skills, reliability, and pet‑care expertise in a way that passes ATS filters and impresses hiring managers.
Identify vague job descriptions
Add measurable results
Show certifications and training
Optimize for pet‑care keywords
Polish formatting for readability
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Vague Summary StatementHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t quickly see your value
- ATS may miss key keywords
How to fix
- Write a concise 2‑sentence summary
- Include specific services and years of experience
- Add top pet‑care keywords
❌ Before
Professional dog walker with a love for animals.
✓ After
Experienced dog walker with 4+ years caring for 150+ dogs weekly, specializing in obedience reinforcement and safe leash handling.
ATS Tip
Include keywords like 'dog walking', 'pet care', 'leash training', 'reliable'.
Detection Rules
summary length < 30 words
missing industry keywords
Resumly Tip
Use our Summary Builder to craft a keyword‑rich opening.
No Quantifiable AchievementsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Resume looks generic
- Missed chance to demonstrate reliability
How to fix
- Add numbers of dogs walked per week
- Mention repeat client rate
- Show revenue or hours saved for owners
❌ Before
Walked dogs for local clients.
✓ After
Walked 30+ dogs daily, achieving a 95% client retention rate and generating $12,000 in annual revenue.
ATS Tip
Use digits and percentages; ATS parses numbers well.
Detection Rules
absence of numbers
no % or $ symbols
Resumly Tip
Our Metrics Inserter suggests relevant stats based on your input.
Missing Certifications & TrainingLOW
Why it hurts
- Clients value safety credentials
- ATS may filter for 'Pet First Aid'
How to fix
- List certifications like Pet First Aid, Canine CPR
- Include any animal behavior courses
- Provide issuing organization and year
❌ Before
Certified in dog care.
✓ After
Pet First Aid Certified (American Red Cross, 2023); Canine CPR Certified (Pet Safety Institute, 2022).
ATS Tip
Place certifications under a dedicated 'Certifications' heading.
Detection Rules
no certifications section
generic 'certified' phrase only
Resumly Tip
Add certifications with our quick‑add dropdown.
Poor Formatting & Unclear DatesHIGH
Why it hurts
- ATS may fail to parse sections
- Hiring managers skim and miss info
How to fix
- Use standard headings (Experience, Skills)
- Consistent bullet style
- Date format MM/YYYY
- Location as City, State
❌ Before
Experience: Dog Walker – 2019 to present
✓ After
Dog Walker, Happy Paws Walking Service June 2019 – Present Los Angeles, CA
ATS Tip
Avoid tables and graphics; stick to plain text.
Detection Rules
dates not in MM/YYYY
use of tables
inconsistent heading capitalization
Resumly Tip
Our Formatter auto‑applies Resumly’s clean layout.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Experience, Skills, Certifications, Education, References (optional)
Naming: FirstName_LastName_DogWalker_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for most dog walkers; 2 pages if you have 5+ years or specialized services
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a clear professional summary
- Add measurable results for each role
- List pet‑care certifications
- Include relevant keywords (dog walking, pet care, leash training)
- Format dates as MM/YYYY
- Save as PDF with a clean file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Jobscan, Workable, iCIMS, Greenhouse
Keyword Strategy: dog walking, pet care, leash training, canine behavior, reliable, pet first aid, client retention
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Summary', 'Experience', 'Skills', 'Certifications'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current dog walker resume text
- Rewrite summary with keywords
- Insert numbers for each job
- Add certifications section
- Standardize dates and locations
- Apply Resumly’s clean formatting
Ready to turn your dog walking passion into a standout resume?
Download the Free Fix Guide
