KennelSource News

Puppy Bowl iV

Did you catch the big game on Sunday? Wow! Pretty exciting, huh?

Say what? Football, what?! I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm talking about Puppy Bowl IV.

Location. Location. Location.

Lisa writes in with a very common question for people who are considering opening a doggie daycare:

Hello. I'm interested in starting a doggie daycare in Dutchess County, NY. My friend will be my partner. She is very impulsive and thinks this is going to be easy. I'm more concerned on finding the right place. What kind of place is the right place?? I've checked into two doggie day cares so far and one was in a warehouse with no outdoor grass and the dogs did their business inside. The other was in an old house/storage building with a lot of rooms, but small ones. Help!

While there is no easy answer here's what I told her:

Location. Location. Location.

You'll hear that a lot. Where your business is located can make or break you. Choose the right location and you can stand to make a lot of money; choose the wrong one and not only will you not be making any money but you could also find yourself in a long-term lease that you can't get out of which can set you up for financial ruin.

Do NOT take choosing a location lightly. It's probably the most important decision you'll have to make should you choose to open up your own doggie business. There are many, many factors to take into account - many of which you will have no control over.

Zoning and building permits will be the biggest obstacle. Neighbors don't look kindly on barking dogs all day and night. So even finding a place that is zoned right could take awhile. Then you have to figure out if it's the right fit for you.

There are some factors that you do have some control over. Consider some of these questions when looking around:

Is this location easily accessible?
Can people get to you from major highways and streets?
Does the location have a stop light or stop sign at the entrance so cars can get in and out quickly?
How big is the building? Will it accommodate the number of dogs you anticipate having?
Does it have an outdoor play area? Even if it does you cannot rely on it all of the time. Inclement weather such as rain, snow or heat will force you to keep all of the dogs indoors.
If you're in a major city is there a lot of foot traffic in front of the building? In other words, can people in the city walk to your business on the way to catch their bus or train?

Additionally, if you're looking to offer overnight boarding ask yourself:

Is this location on the way to or from an airport? Travelers heading out of town for vacation are more likely to consider a place on the way to the airport as it's less running around before a trip.

And as I said, look out for long-term leases if you're not 100% sure that the location and business is going to work.

Obviously, you'll have 100 other questions that you'll need to answer. So do not be fooled into thinking that this is a walk in the park or a "sure thing". Opening a doggie daycare business is a serious business with real consequences. Is it easier then selling ice to Eskimos? Sure. But it still takes hard work, determination and an open mind.

Good Luck!

If you have a question that you would like answered let us know. We'll see if we can answer it for you.

Renting a Pet Comes to America

Three years ago we reported that Tokyo, Japan's rent a puppy businesses were doing very well. Now comes news that this same practice is becoming more popular in Southern California.

Marlena Cervantes, founder of FlexPetz, bristles when people refer to her 5-month-old business as a rent-a-pet service. She prefers "shared pet ownership," explaining the concept is more akin to a vacation time share or a gym membership.

The service offers all of the benefits of having a pet companion without all the hassle of actually having to care for a living creature. You don't have to take them to the vet for their shots or deal with them when they're sick.

If I sound a little cynical it's because I probably am. Pets are a responsibility and they teach you a lot about yourself.

Shari Gonzalez, 22, never doubted there was room for a dog in her heart. The issue was her life, which included a small, two-bedroom apartment and a full-time schedule of college classes in San Diego.

Shari was wise to realize that owning a pet was not the best idea, but does that make the adjustment for the dog any better? How is a "small, two-bedroom apartment" and a "full-time schedule" helpful to a rented animal any more than actually owning a pet?

With that said, I don't think that this service is a fad that's going to go away any time soon. Hiking, running, playing fetch and cuddling on a couch with a dog are all great things that bring about relaxation and comfort. So many people have busy schedules and prior responsibilities that owning a pet just isn't in the cards for them. This also gives them a chance to "try before they buy" by spending time with different breeds.

Have you heard about renting a pet and what do you think about it? Am I right to think it's a little unfair or am I completely wrong?

A Pampered Pet Nation

A record number of Americans own pets—and they are spending a record amount of money to feed, clothe and care for their wee beasts. But is all the attention actually good for the critters? Why we need to remember the lessons of the wild kingdom.

30 Police Officers Shoot 2 Dogs

An unfortunate story comes out of the southside of Chicago:

A Harvey man said some 30 police officers burst into his home Tuesday night and during the raid shot to death two of his dogs, including a 6-month-old pit bull.

No one was arrested but the place was tore apart looking as the police looked for "something."

Hopefully the deaths of the 2 dogs is not for nothing.

This Ain't Your Daddy's Kennel

It's happening. All over America and around the world. The pet care industry is changing and adapting to accommodate the desire of their clients. All the while it's the dogs that reep the rewards.

Personal suites, massages, swimming pools and one-on-one attention is becoming a lot more of the norm at kennels. Unfortunately, if your business is unwilling to invest the money and man power into implementing these additional services you're going to be left in the dust.

The increase is partly a result of rising pet ownership: about 63 percent of United States households now have pets, compared with 56 percent in 1988. But it is also an indication of the changing role of the pet in the family and growing emotional ties between owners and pets.

Kennelsource can help your pet care business realize all of these things and help you to choose the best approach and right technologies to make your dream kennel a reality.

Pawtracker(TM) Tip: Sort your reports

This one's a quick one but it's really good. An undocumented trick to reading reports in Pawtracker(TM) is the ability to sort any column of data either ascending or descending. And exactly how you do it couldn't be simpler.

Tip #3: Sorting Data in a Report

To sort a report by a particular column click on the column header. This will sort the data in an ascending order. Click on it again to sort the data in a descending order.