Thinking of starting a doggie daycare business? Each year people spend billions of dollars on their pets, and this includes paying good money for doggie day care.
Since dog owners across the country are working longer hours away from home, there is a great need for high-quality pet sitting services.
A pet daycare, whether large or small, will cater to busy professionals who don't want to feel guilty leaving their furry friends home alone all day.
Whether you purchase a dog day care pet franchise or open your own facility, if you can provide a comfortable home for the dogs in your neighborhood, it's possible to make a lot of money in this industry.
First steps in starting a doggie daycare business
Before you open your doors to clients, research another dog day care franchise or two in the area, and make a plan outlining the type of business you want to establish. Day care is only one aspect of the industry - you may want to provide other services such as dog grooming, training, pet sitting and more.
Put together a professional and organized business plan to determine how much startup capital is required for the endeavor. Search online for software and services that will help you write a good business plan.
Financing your business will be the biggest challenge in the first few months, however, if you are going to operate the doggie day care out of your own home, getting started will be easier. If you plan to open up a day care in another location, you'll need a larger initial investment of money in the planning stages.
Premises
If you decide to go all out and purchase or rent a building for the doggie day care, make sure it opens into a yard area so the dogs have a space to play outdoors. The area needs to be properly fenced in as well. If you purchase a dog day care franchise, the company will help you with setting up the facility.
The inside of the building should be sectioned off into different areas for different activities. Set up a few large dog runs, a play area, and a feeding and resting area. Some doggie day cares even provide a pool for the dogs to enjoy a swim.
Employees
For a bigger day care, hiring staff will make it easier to deal with a large group of dogs. Carefully select people who love dogs and have a desire to work with animals. Create a training program so that everyone is on the same page as to business practices and expectations.
Advertising
Contact local kennels, and other pet-related businesses, in order to establish contacts within the industry and spread the news about your business throughout the community. Post flyers and leave business cards at grooming centers and in veterinarian offices. In starting a doggie daycare business, the more places you approach, the better.
Growing your business
As you gain more experience after starting a doggie daycare business, you may want to expand into dog training, in-home pet sitting, grooming, boarding, and doggie spa services. It all depends on the type of business you imagine operating in the future. If expansion is not a goal, continue learning about dogs and making your business a quality establishment catering to happy clients and their furry friends.
Pet Business Ideas | Starting A Doggie Daycare Business
