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A 28-year-old New York engineer has turned early morning dog walks and weekend pet-care gigs into a thriving luxury business that now earns him more than $6,000 (around ₹ 5.8 lakh) a month on the side, while continuing to work a full-time tech job.

According to People Magazine, Coby Goodhart runs Goodhart Dog Co, a premium dog-walking and pet-care service in Lower Manhattan, alongside his engineering career.

Goodhart said he built the business around his office schedule instead of letting the two careers clash. “Goodhart Dog Co is something I’ve built completely around that schedule,” he said, adding that he handles walks “in the mornings, on my lunch break, evenings and weekends.”

According to his LinkedIn profile, Goodhart also works as an engineering consultant at RER Solutions Inc, where he manages multi-million-dollar loan applications linked to clean energy projects for the Department of Energy.

From casual dog walks to a growing business

Goodhart moved to New York City in 2023 and soon realised he missed being around animals. What started as casually walking neighbourhood dogs gradually turned into a business idea, which he officially launched in 2025.

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His routine now starts with early-morning walks before heading to work. During lunch breaks, he squeezes in more appointments, and after office hours, he returns to clients for evening walks.

As demand for the service grew, Goodhart hired and trained another dog walker to handle midday sessions while he continued his full-time engineering job.

“It’s a lot, but I genuinely love it,” Goodhart said. “The goal is to grow it to the point where it becomes my full-time focus.”

Luxury service for busy pet owners

The company currently caters to pet owners across Lower Manhattan and walks around 10 to 20 dogs every day.

According to Goodhart, most of the business growth has come through recommendations and local networking. “When you do great work in a small area, people talk,” he said.

He also promotes the business by handing out cards to doormen and residents while staying active on social media.

Rather than competing as a regular dog-walking service, Goodhart said he intentionally positioned the company as a premium offering. “I’m not trying to be everything to everyone,” he said.

Likes spending time with animals

Despite the growing profits, Goodhart said one of the biggest rewards of the work is spending time with animals.

“There’s something grounding about spending time with animals that just want to move, explore and be with you,” he said.

“In a neighbourhood like Lower Manhattan, where people are busy and high-stress, being the person who takes great care of their dog means a lot to clients,” he added.

Still, the work comes with challenges. “Rain, heat, cold; the dogs still need their walks,” Goodhart said, joking that “early mornings in January are humbling.”

Talking about the business side, Goodhart revealed that the company now “brings in north of six figures.”

“Pricing varies by client; factors like location, dog size, behaviour and schedule all play into it. It’s a luxury service, so I price accordingly and make sure every client feels that in the experience,” he said.