Doggie Daycare is a Booming Business
Monday, October 25, 2004 at 12:02:16 PM by Edward Knittel
Dog boarding, grooming, and training have always been the standard services offered in the pet care industry. But people and the media are catching on to new services like transportation (taxi service) and what I believe to be the next big wave - doggie daycare. If you haven't heard about daycare for your dog you soon will.
So what is it? Doggie daycare owners believe that if you're not going to leave your kids home alone all day, then why do that to your dog? Therefore, it works a lot like daycare that has been often associated with children. Drop the kids off so they can run around and play; have a few snacks and a nap; then in the evening you pick them up for a nice relaxing night by the fire. Instead of your companion sitting at home all day waiting for you to get home to play with him, now he's running around with his buddies having a fun and energetic time.
Doggie daycare is being offered more and more at traditional boarding kennels but we're also seeing a trend with business owners opening up facilities that are specifically designed and tailored for daycare needs.
Take Playful Paws owner Kelly Carroll, a one time Chicago area pet sitter, for instance. Back in June she opened up her 4,200 square foot indoor/outdoor, cage free facility in Federal Way, WA and has already seen her business grow.
Carroll says that 80 percent of her clients are empty nesters or don't have children.
"Their dogs are their children," she said. "They're people who work long hours and know their dogs need attention and activity."
People who are bringing their dogs to daycare have already seen the benefits it offers. One of Carroll's client's says:
"[Ripley] plays all day, comes home, eats dinner, goes to the bathroom and goes to sleep. In my opinion, a tired dog is a happy dog. I think doggy day care is the answer to life. We want to spoil our dog. We have a dog to make our lives better and we want to make her life better."
And for a small business owner, owning a doggie daycare can have a lot of benefits for you as well. Consider each of these:
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Most dogs will come at least 2 or 3 times a week which means you can count on a steady, consistant clientel.
Most doggie daycares operate 12 hours a day during the week. They're typically only open from 7:00am - 7:00pm Monday through Friday.
You're playing with dogs all day - do you really need a better reason?
More information from King County Journal
96 COMMENTS | Post a Comment | Posted in National News, Your Pet Care Business
My whole world is dedicated to the love of animals mostly dogs Im a retired dog groomer after being bitten in the face pretty badly It was something i wont forget but 5 years later my number one dream was to open a dog resort but i dont have the funds for what i wanted to do but then i bnegan to think smaller but just as great "a doogie daycare"
so many questions i have insurance when hiring other people as well as having clients signing release forms what other liabilities should i look into ?is indurance exspensive? whats the best flooring thats not cold like plain concrete.
accidents piss and pee ventalation?
Please get bacl to me anybody who can be of good advice
much appeciated in long island NY
Robin -
There are so many things that go into starting up a successful dog daycare center. Some of them you touched upon like insurance, flooring, ventilation, and employees. There is no step by step handbook as to how to get everything done that needs to be done. As in life, business plans never go according to plan. However, if you work with an organization that has experience starting a facility like yours, you will spend some money upfront for their professional services but save much more in the long term. All Pet business professionals go through the same obstacles and overcome them with varying degrees of success (Zoning, Licensing, Building, Financing, Pet Operations, Employees, Maintenance, Customer Relations, Marketing, Accounting, to name a few). Unfortunately, many people get into the pet business because they think that it is all about playing with the pets all day. It is a business just like any other service business. If you as the business owner are not paying attention all aspects of your business (and believe me, they are all important), you will more than likely, become frustrated and your business will definitely suffer. Therefore my advice to you is that work with someone who has already seen and solved many of the problems that you will undoubtedly encounter. You can work with a consulting company like KennelSource or you may choose to start a franchise like Camp Bow Wow. Either way, an analogy that I always give as advice to someone when they are starting a business is you need to approach this as if you were building a house. First, get a steady foundation which will consist of research and information. Then, start framing that information into a plan but be ready, willing, and able to be flexible with that plan. Do whatever it takes to see that plan through in a steadfast manner because time is going to be your number one obstacle. And once, the final nail is put into your pet care business and your ready to open your doors, the real work will begin and you must be ready to tend to all aspects of your business. Better yet, a goal that we have with our customers is that they always strive to improve.
As always, we are encouraged by the thought of your endeavor as it is absolutely great for this industry when real pet lovers get into the business. In this way, we are insured that people like you will always do right for the animals.
hi im barbara im looking into opening my own doggie daycare also ive already talked to a woman named mary from the abka to get information on where to start maby you can help me too ive herd so mutch about doggie daycares i am a dog lover and i would like to spend more time with my dogs to
Barbara -
Sure we can help you. Please send me an email at drubenstein@kennelsource.com and I would be happy to discuss information and your options.
Dan
Am intrested in starting a doggie day care business...Am ready , willing and able to start immediatly.
Jack -
Please give us a call if you are interested in finding out more information as to how to start a dog daycare business.
I am very interested in opening a doggie daycare and would like to talk with someone extensively in reference to this business.
I would love to open a pet resort. Could you tell me who I would contact to build and install all of the equipment that is needed. Example the plastic flooring, Cages etc...
I understand this is a labor of love and for me thats a givin, howver, we still need to make a profit. My husband and I want to open a doggie daycare and want to get an idea of the profit potential. I realise there arew many factors, but an average profit from an average size daycare would be good enoughf number for us at this point. I feel that we could get 15-20 dog pretty fast with the people we know and our EXCEPTIONAL customer service skillls as well as our love for dogs and my husbands marketing skills. At 20 dogs with a rate of 16.00-18.00 day what would be a good number to play with as far as profit potential. We would like to earn about $ 30,000-40,000 year BEFORE taxes. Thank you
Hello Tanya -
Without a proper analysis of costs associated with the daycare service (i.e. labor, supplies, etc.), you would not be able to come up with a Net Profit Margin before Taxes. However, that being said, if you are going to bring in the dogs that you say you are at that price and your overhead is manageable, you will certainly be able to earn your goal amount of $30K to $40K per year. In fact, in all likelihood, your daycare business would net more than that. For a futher in depth analysis of your business goals, please contact me at drubenstein@kennelsource.com or by telephone at 718-801-5590.
It seems to me that if you are going to open a business of any sort the first thing a lot of the posts above should learn is use a computer correctly utilizing the SPELL CHECKER.
I am in the process of opening a doggie daycare and can assure you the costs for start up are a bit more than a down payment on a new home, you don't want to open a daycare in your backyard where the neighbors will become the victims of noise pollution which will only cause negative feedback on the doggie daycare and the doggie daycare industry.
Responsibility is important as well as knowledge, just because you love dogs and have owned a couple by all means does not make you qualified. Training, nutritional feeding, health care, overall general husbandry in animal science...etc... is a good start to becoming a professional in the business of caring for animals, a good start, not an end all readiness.
I have a degree in animal husbandry / animal science, have worked with animals for over 20 years in a variety of settings starting with animal hospitals, clinics, have worked with animal control and state agencies. I have trained dogs, birds, cats, and non domestic wildlife for rehabilitation purposes. I have been around the business of caring for other peoples most precious possessions and feel I am now ready for the next step of business ownership.
I am currently back in school learning the financial end of small business.... its a once a week class at my community college and only cost me $80.00, the reason being so I don't fail at the most elementary level of business, a business is to make money, and if its enjoyable then you have a winning combination. If you do not know what it takes to run a business then perhaps caring for someone else's pet is not what you should be thinking about.
I would hope people who have a big backyard and LOVE for dogs will not start this business, your inexperience will show and thus cause problems for those of us who are truly qualified, your inexperience will effect all future doggie day cares and the reputation of those who are truly experienced and wish to provide a winning service.
Ernie, please calm down. You sound like you have all the eduaction in the world but as you may or may not know, in business success, education is about 20% of the battle. It's desire, determination and most of all perservirience that is the key. I think you should slow down of telling others that a love for animals is not enough and they will fail. Truth is, as a doggie daycare customer, when I drop my dog off, my NUMBER 1 concern is if the owners and workers truly love dogs. Ill take a dog lover to take care of my dog over a book worm anyday. PS. The spelling is done deliberatly ha ha. Thank you
Yeah I guess I was a little rough, sorry everyone, really Im not that big of a jerk.......... but since I have worked with animals and know alot of people who LOVE animals sooo much, its hard to see them go through the motions get attached to a dog, cat, ferret, whatever the animal may be then decide its just too much for them. This is very stressful on the animals, just like people animals have feelings and dont want to be tossed from home to home or daycare to daycare. I am just worried about the animals, your right its not education, alot...actually almost all the success people in this country have either dropped out of college or never went, it was their love and dedication that made them successful.
I am also worried about the home owner openning a doggie daycare in an area where it will bother the neighbors causing the laws to change and make it dificult to succeed, we certainly dont need the huge corporate companies getting involved in this business.... let them stick to Wal-mart and petco.
I plan on opening in a year or so right in my back yard and think that would be the best place. I own 6 acres and live out of town so I see no problem with having one there.
Christy -
If your backyard consists of 6 acres, you cedrtainly will not have a problem. Doggie Daycare and Boarding facilities in urban areas would love to have that much space. Best of luck in your venture and let us know if we can help you along the way. After all, when you open in your home or a commercial location, there is still much to do but the results and goals should always be the same . . . to run a clean, professional, and, of course, pet loving business.
Hello,
my girlfriend and I are avid dog lovers. We own 2 dogs and live in Manhattan New York. Doggie daycare is booming in New York and we want to start a place of our own in a nieghborhood that is in need of the service. i'm not quite sure what you guys do exactlly but I would love any help I can get. i have started a business plan and need some marketing research.
justin
I would love to speak with someone about opening a dog care facility in the Pacific Northwest. My biggest fear is taking the plunge- I just received a Master's but do not have many established assets, etc.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Aloha,
I am glad that I stumbled onto this website. I seem to be in the boat of a lot of other people. My very good friend and I would like to start up a doggie day care business. I currently send my 2 dogs to daycare and I miss my dogs when I am at work. Do you have any suggestions (aside from talking to current owners) of how to start getting our feet wet? Could you suggest good books to read or videos to watch etc?
MY SISTER AND I HAVE WORKED IN A KENNEL AND DAYCARE FACILITY FOR 5 YEARS AND ARE NOW INTERESTED IN STARTING A SMALL DAYCARE/PARTY SPOT FOR DOGS. WE ALREADY KNOW A LOT OF INFORMATION ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE EXCEPT FOR THE BUSINESS LAWS THAT ARE IN EFFECT TO PASS. WHAT ARE THE REGULATIONS WE NEED TO FOLLOW?
Wow! I have just read everyone's comments & questions and am now even more excited, scared and relieved that eveyone out there is just as determined, yet in need of answers as I am. My most pressing questions are about insurance. What is the best type of ins to get to cover liability in case of dog fights, injuries, or any unforseen issues. Is there any way that kind of insurance can be rolled together with biz ins, and also somehow cover your own health ins too. Wouldn't that be too good to be true? Can someone give me some insight, and/or good places to look to research this aspect of the biz? I guess I will just start there although I have millions of other questions...
E from madtown
I have always had a love / passion for dogs and am interested in obtaining more information on starting a doggie daycare in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area (e.g. marketing materials, etc.). My husband and I were bringing our puppy to doggie daycare and, unfortunately, had a really bad experience. This made me realize how important it is for doggie daycare businesses to be run by professionals who not only understand the "business" side of operations but also have a love for dogs and excellent customer service skills. I am currently working toward my MBA in business and believe this, in addition to my passion for dogs, would be an asset to starting a doggie daycare business.
Hello! I am interested in starting a doggie daycare in MA in my backyard. I would like to focus on dogs 20 lbs. and under, how realistic would that be? How I would find out about insurance and what rights my neighbors would have? Would they had to sign something before starting up the buisness? Also, if there are any laws/regualtions that are specific to the state of MA, I have looked online for these and I haven't found anything that is specific to my state. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Sorry! Forgot to ask, ballpark estimate how much does starting a doggie daycare cost for around 10 dogs? Thanks!
A friend and I are in the process of pricing things out and starting a business plan for a doggie daycare/boarding facility. We have been conducting a lot of research, and would love some advice on the whole process. To start with, what square footage should we be looking at obtaining, and on average how much do insurance costs run?
My sister recently opened a dog boarding and daycare business (a franchise). She has an excellent location in Denver, CO, a very nice building, inside and outside playareas, rates that are lower than 95 % of all the other dog care facilites. The kennels are roomy and the facility is very very clean. She is very personable, loves dogs and was so very committed to the business. The fact is, she is loosing huge amounts of $$$ every month. Not enough dogs to pay the bills. Advertising is out of sight costly but she has done as much as she can afford. She opened in December last year. Due to the lack of business, she is ready to shut down. Can anyone help with suggestions on getting more dogs? She was, in my opinion, misled when opening the business on the amount of $$ she would be making..... that she would see profit the first year that would pay off the opening costs. Please help - thank you.
Hello, My friend and I are thinking of opening a doggie day care facility. How much square footage would we need and what would be the initial start up cost with insurance? Also what kinds of permits and licenses would we need? thank you
Hello, My son and I opened a doggy daycare in January. We're located 30 miles south of Chicago. Due to health reason's were looking for a buyer. Any one interested?
I live in washington dc and it seems like a saturated market... should I still try?
Can I operate a daycare from my home? With
small dogs and only about 6-7 at a time. I have a large garage that can be converted to a play/rest area, and a average yard. However their are Parks in the area(with a pet area).
I live in Tucson, AZ.
And what other than Permits, Lic., Zoning, Insurance, do you recommend to have under your belt as Training or Approved by?
And finally an estimated start-up cost for the above items?
Hi, I'm sixteen years old and I've had this huge dream to work with animals, since I was about 12. My choices were the following; a vet, a vet tech., or a doggie day care. Well I started a job at an animal hospital, I don't mind the work. But I noticed how much the vet was in so much stress since it was a small business. So over the time I've been there, I found out what I really wanted to do. Open my own doggie day care. I've done some research, but I'm not finding anything that you need any kind of training except pet first aid and CPR. Is there anything else that you actually need to start one, if not. I really want to start my own doggie day care right out of high school. If you could help me out please send an e-mail or help find some sites that could help me. Thanks so much. ~Torie
Hello, I'm entertaining the idea of starting a doggy daycare out of my home. How much square footage would we need and what would be the initial start up cost with insurance? Also what kinds of permits and licenses would I need? Thanks, Keri
I am interested in opening a buisness to go to peoples homes and feed their pet while they are on vacation, work etc. What would I need to get this started?
#27 person selling daycare, I am interested, is it still available?
Hi, I am interested in starting a doggie daycare. I am thinking about starting from my home first. My home is almost 3,000 sq. ft. and I have a small backyard. Is this a good idea?
I work at home and I have a working from home blog. A lot of people think that working from home is such a great big mystery but its not! Writers are working from home. Artists are working from home. And there are other jobs/careers that you can start working from home - including the one that you posted about.
Starting a dog-walking business has been a very popular subject that has been discussed and your post just takes it a step further. People are crazy about their pets - and you can include me in that mix - and they want nothing but the best for them. The pet industry is a billion dollar industry which should just go to show you that there is good money to be made if your business has to do with pets. People are willing to spend money on their pets!
Hi, I am very interested in opening up a doggy daycare in Richmond/Vancouver, BC. I am interested in knowing how much approx it will take to start it up, what kind of experience do you need, insurance and regulations that I will have to follow. Where do I find all this information? Also, in terms of profit, how much can a doggy daycare expect to make annually? I love dogs so much, and think that I would make a great candidate to start up my own care centre. I am just having a hard time figuring out what location to set it up in. Please contact me back, as I am so desperate to learn as much as I can right now! Thank you! :)
Amy -
We can help you with all those things. Please call us and I can give you more information on our consulting programs.
Hello everyone!! My fiance and I are really interested in opening our own doggy day care. We first thought of the idea while wathcing the Dog Whisperer. I have been doing research for a little while now. Im trying to find out if there are any requirements that one needs to start this type of business. We are both avid dog lovers and we are both currently in college for business administration. We already have a spot that we would not have to pay for. It is about 3 miles from town, and it is about 5 acres. Would that location be good??? I was wondering what kind of flooring would be the best to use?? Are there any types of certificates that I must have before I can begin to start my daycare?? I would greatly appreciate it if somebody would be able to provide me answers for these questions. I am 100% interested in starting. PLEASE respond.
Thanks
Kyle
i live in flint Mi and am interested in starting a doggy day care.Could someone please give me some info and input about this please.Such as is it feasible to do out of my home til the bussiness takes off?What kind of insurance do i need and how much should i expect to pay for it,are their zoning issues?How would i find out if there was a need for this type of business.What is the normal fee for daily care,HELP!!
I am interested in emailing Karen and her son who said they opened a doggy daycare in jan 07 but due to illness must sell the date of their entry was tues april 24 07 @607:29 pm
Wow i am overwhelmed and excited all at the same time over the knowledge and intrest in people wanting to start their own doggie daycare. I am currently working in the health field but truly know my passion is in working with dogs. I would love to open up my own doggy daycare and know that in the area of which i live there is no such facility.However, the potiential for success for both the community and myself is right there. I have been investigating the very basics , all the way to whats seems to be out of reach. However a lot of people I have spoken with seems to be very encouraging ,they however are just being supportive they are not really of this doggy calling. I have the vision the heart and willingness to do what it takes to get started but other than that ,it is difficult to know who and what to trust, at this point in my life i have no room for scams forgers or anyone who wants to get over on someone else just one more time .There has to be some trustworthy books dvd's and of course people who will honestly help/ show the way to what they already know to be a rewarding career. I am willing to give my email on request. I think this posting is a great formum for communicating THANKS for being here
Hi well I was taking my dog to daycare 5 times a week and then one day the owners turned around and asked if i would take over the bus. already established but need some help.to maintain and set up to acomadate all the dogs.please contact me on insurance geting a groomer.
Hi, Looking to open a dog day care/pet store in Vancouver,B.C. Can anyone please provide me with information? Any and all types of info from insurance to zoning and first aid etc. would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks so much in advance,
Angela
hi me and my best friend are in the process of going to look at a building this week we are very excited to start our doggie daycare we just recently called the town hall were we live and wanted to find out what do we do we need to do to star zoning laws for the doggie daycare and it is considered a commercial building there is an outside play are and place to go potty how much money to start up this investment i have 3 dogs myselfpomeranian,german shepard,my little buddy my hot dog,my friend also has 3 dogs and ran a kennel for over 10yrs.she ran a kennel with greyhounds and is very experienced in this work is there some type of grant or loans for women who want to start a small business?plese contact me as soon as possible with some info in this business....thank you
i have a question do you travel to help people start a doggie daycare for a fee. and if what do you charge and what do you offer
I am looking into several different options prior to enrolling in college. Doggy Daycare is something of an admitted "dream job", but I honestly don't know where to start. What classes would I enroll through colleges/etc? Besides business, what other sorts of classes would be useful? Do you recommend my seeking employment through a different "dd" in order to see if I enjoy the environment?
Doggy Daycare seems like a very good business with a love for pets and a business mind. I have owned a business in the past and have a great passion for pets. I own 3 dogs and a cat. I have been doing some research on doggy daycare in the Toledo, Ohio area and the businesses that I have seen are doing very well. My question is of the same with others, the insurance on a doggy daycare business? I know that ventilation and cleanliness are a must as well as furniture and toys. If there is a way of helping me out with the information on laws in Ohio and also a round about number for insurance I would be thankfull.
I have gotten some information asked in previous comments: Size of bldg vs # of dogs= sq footage of your bldg divided by 60 = # of dogs. Ex. 6,000 sq ft divided by 60 = 100 dogs a day. I received ALOT of information from Camp Bow Wow, a franchise doggy daycare company. They help with location, zoning, marketing etc. But VERY EXPENSIVE in my opinion.
I as well am interested in starting a doggy daycare in the Richmond Va metro area. Any help/advice would be appreciated.
Hi! I am looking into opening a doggy daycare in the cariboo part of BC Canada. There is no such service in my area as of now. I was wondering if anyone with experience in the field would be willing to give me info on how to get started.
Thank you.
I too am looking into getting a doggie day care started. I have read allot of the posts and allot of you have a passion for animals. My question for those of you who have never been in any kind of animal field, do you know how to handle animals, like agressive dogs, dog fights, timid and scared dogs.
(I use to worked in a local shelter and started in the kennels and worked my way to being an animal control officer)
My question is how may of you have thought about what to do if you run into any of the above issues? Would you know what to do and how to handle the situation?
May I suggest you volunteer at a local shelter and see about getting a ride along with one of the animal control officers to see what it is like and how to handle a possible situation.
Do you know a dog can smell fear in your breath?
If you are nervous or are some what fearful of a dog and are trying to gain it's trust, chew gum or put a mint in your mouth.
I am not being mean or anything like that but feel you should to learn how to handle any sitution that may come up. Guarantee there will be the occasional fights that will need to be broken up and you will need to know how.
I also suggest you take a dog CPR class and first aid, I had a 3 year old Boxer who died on 5/22/07 from cardiomyopathy and I did CPR and mouth to snout on her for 20 minutes trying to save her but her heart was too far gone. I was glad I knew how so I could try and save her.
Good luck to all of you on your venture and may you have great sucess.
My husband and I would like to open a doggy daycare. We would like as much info as possible so we are ready for all situations. My husband is nervous about putting the dogs together in the same room. He wants to know how we can be sure they will all get along.
I would like to open an animal daycare(cats & dogs), basic grooming, boarding and nail clipping. I was a vet assisstant, and now would like to work for myself, but I really don't know where to start. I have the land, and it is zoned for a pet shelter. any suggestions on where to start??? thank you
I really want to work for myself as animals also need a voice.
I am looking into opening a dog grooming/boarding facility in the Dallas area. I have 8 years experience in a realated field, but would like to find a consultant who has been in this specific field.
Any idea who I could contact?
Hi there. Interesting comments/suggestions here. I, too, am looking in to the possibility of opening up a doggie day care. We live in the country, with 55 acres to play with. My husband and I are extreme animal lovers and take pride in the caring of our newest boy and our two little girls (yes, they are all dogs). :)
I'm not quite sure at this point which direction to go in, but do know this is something we would really like to be a part of, in the near future.
Hi,
I have been wanting to open a doggie daycare for years, but just never knew where to start. I am at the point where I think I can do it. Any suggestions on what steps to take first?
thanks!!
Hey Everyone....I think its great that you all are animal lovers and want to open doggie day care facilities...but people...get real...just because you are animal lovers does NOT mean that you can handle 20 - 30 dogs in the same room together!! Most of the smaller dogs need to be separated from the bigger dogs. Have you ever been to a dog park? You will need to evaluate the dogs before putting them all together, you will need to know dog CPR and first aid, you should know about nutrition and dog aggression. Im sorry but most people cant handle their own animals...I wonder how they will handle 20 to 30 dogs running around? Do your homework people...study..study..study...this is not just loving animals...you must understand their behavior. If you people are serious, I suggest you first learn everything you can about dog behavior, especially aggression. Then, like someone stated above, volunteer at your local shelter and see what goes on there and how dogs are handled. Then you need to check with your local municipality for zoning laws and permits and the lists goes on and on....(this is after you have a location in mind...most cities will not let you open one in your backyard. So the first thing to do is check with your local municipality. Oh..and to the guy who wants to start in his garage...Im sorry, but I wouldn't want my dog in a garage all day. Don't think that's a good idea..even with the yard. To those of you that have the background and the training..good luck!!!
Hello,
I am in the new stages of considering doggy day care in Winterset Iowa. It is a small town so not sure how this will fly in a rural area. We own 40 acres and would like to use this for the location. I have already requested information on schooling for dog training & grooming as I would like to be as educated as possible before jumping into this commitment. If anyone has any words of wisdom to help me along that would be GREATLY appreciated.
Sincerely,
Traci
hi i am wanting to start up a dog walking/sitting business in the uk can u plz help me with info i need to get up and running and where to go and get the help i need to get started plz.I am a big dog lover and would like to give all to the dogs in need of walks and sitting with them when the owners need me to.Hope u can help us get started. what insuaraces will i have to get to start up hope us can help me thx
yours sincerely
Fea
Hi Opening a doggey daycare has been a dream of mine since i could remember, I am only 20 yrs old but I have worked in various grooming salons, a doggey daycare, as a foster parent, and went to school for vet asst, so i know that animals... thats the buisness for me however I am a bit clueless when it comes to the paperwork and permits, etc, I live in NYC so compitetion (sorry bad speller lol) is really tough and I want to do this right. One day I hope to own a doggey daycare, a pet rescue, a grooming salon, a boutique and a vet practice (I want to go to school for dvm) I know big dreams thats why i figure no day but today (as put in the musical rent lol i'm so corny). So my mom is going to be my buisness partner in this and we are ready to start just need help with the paperwork and getting the loans and stuff we'll need.
Hello,
I have been a volunteer at NSAL and have loved dogs my whole life, I have been a progect manager in the corporate world for 15 years but would love to start my own doggie daycare business, I just don't have the type of money that Camp BowWow ask for upfront....I have family in construction and I am a fairly good business person, but I do not know the particular things you need in this type of business, can you help or know someone who can??? I am open to starting the business in Bayside,NY, or lower Westchester or even Long Island, wherever there is not a glut of these businesses...as always I assume Location, Location, and Location.....Thankyou
Hello,
Ian again, also does anyone know how to apply for a small business loan or grant?? anyone have experience with that process? Thank you again...
Hey all! I have been researching starting a Doggy Daycare for about a year!! Ive bought books spoke with daycare owners made a website and started advertising....the only thing is...I cant find a darn building!! Does anyone know what zoning is required? I live in rochester NY, we do have 1 doggy daycare here which is quite small. I was hoping to start out a little bigger but I didnt want to get in over my head. I was looking at leasing space at about $25oo/mo to start. If anyone has any insight for me please email me. Ashley@wooftowndoggydaycare.com
i hope someone can help me. i want to start a dog boarding business, a small one and maybe get bigger. i think i found a place, but i still have to get supplies and do a little work on the building. i live in the country and we don't have a place for boarding dogs. i love dogs. can someone help me and tell me how to go about doing this. the supplies and the whole nine yards . thanks lorrie
was wondering if anyone has used any consultants when starting their buisness and if so how much help were they
Hi I have just seen your site and I am interested in starting a doggy day care I am already a groomer and I work out of my home but would like to get it out of the house and into abigger place and I think that a daycare centre with grooming would be great do you have any idea how much square footage i would need and if there is anything else that you could recomend thanks TESS
looking for info on starting a doggie daycare/dogwash/training/rescue facility. own two city lots with a shop big enough to drive a bus into, that i'd like to utilize. big need here in my community, as the only daycare is booked two months or more in advance. i have many years dog training experience, and currently have a certified family home with three developmentally delayed adults. i had heard that there is program that helps the disabled to own their own business, but can't find info on it. my property is commercial/residentially zoned. has a three dog limit on the resident - how do i go about making this happen to get past the zoning? we already groom dogs, train dogs, rescue dogs, and have classes to train people to train dogs - now, i'd just like to make it official, not be held to three at a time, and get the grants/loans whatever to utilize this property more effectively, to teach my three guys a viable and useful skill for becoming productive members in society, and to help those dogs in my community that are getting stuffed in crates all day because there's no other options. also, we have a high kill ratio at our local pounds all around, and i'm always getting called on the last chancers...any way to be able to have an extra one or two dogs for a week or a month in order for me to put in the training to get them adopted? i don't know if i should go with a rescue shelter and 501(c)(3), and daycare on the side, or go business daycare and rescue as needed. any ideas?
Hi,
I am interested in buying an already established doggie daycare in Chicago. Does anyone know of one for sale?
I am ten years old. I love dogs. Hopefully you can help me start a bisness this summer? I have a big house too. What are the tools I need? I have a basement and outback. I was also planning to have it at my house in a neighborhood. What will I need to do in order to get people to know?
Have a barn with 2 stall that can be for segregation,open indoor romping space, heat lamp areas for warmth, ability to bath and a very large, agri. fence secured pasture for play. What zoning, insurance and/or other issues do I need to be aware of. Am located outside of Portland, Oregon in an unincorperated area of Clackamas County, adjacent to several high income suburban communities. Thinking the "lots of room to run, country atmosphere" might be desirable.This idea is in the "infant" stages for me
I am interested in starting a day care/resort but will not be able to come up with the needed funds and backup money for at least five years. I fear that by that time the market will be saturated by competition or dominated by "big box" chains like Petsmart. Please advise. Thanks!
I just opened Happy Pooch Doggie Daycare L.L.C. in Eau Claire WI. Today 4-6-09 is my first day. It has taken me longer than I thought it would to get to this point but I finely did it. For those of you thinking of starting a dog daycare a couple of things I found: Have patients, if you stick with it; it will happen, and do lots of pre-marketing to get the word out. Do business cards, flyers, brouchures, newspaper, local news, and word of mouth, it makes a difference.
Hi Susan,
Hi! My name is Adrienne and I too want to start a dog kennel. I saw your post.
Susan I am thinking along the same lines you are only in King Co. outside of Seattle. I was wondering what sort of advice you received? I am still looking at property to buy so still in infancy stages but very much want to convert an old barn into a kennel.
Thanks for your time! Good luck with your idea!
good material thanks
Wonderfull great site
I've worked with animals all my life and am very interested in starting a doggie daycare. I'm not sure how to write the business plan correctly or how to raise funding to get started. Any information would be a big help. Thank you for your time!
Greetings! I'm Emily from Queens, NY. I'm opening a doggie day care center in the Whitestone/Bayside area of Queens in the next few months. If anyone wants to swap ideas and info; email me!
emily_thevet@yahoo.com
opening a doggie day care/boarding/grooming/training facility in a few months in Florida. Have perfect location, zoning, etc. I've been nailing down numbers now that the location is set. I'm coming up with 24 dogs a day for 30 days a month to break even. That seems high to me. Does anyone have any thoughts on that number ?
thanks very much,
I am looking to open a doggy day care myself. My husband owns his own business, so he knows how to run one. I have worked with dogs the last 15 years. Does anyone know who to contact to find out about zoning laws/etc.? Apparantly I have the same questions everyone else seems to have. I am looking to open one up in Tennessee. Thanks.
can some one please help me?
my wife want's to open a dog kennal/daycare
she asked how to get it started but i have no clue on what to do to get her business off the ground or even started if some one could point me in the right direction
My sister and I have been inquiring about starting a pet daycare and have spent hours searching the internet. What are the first steps to start - laws and requirements. City ordances needed - Can someone reach out and tell me the state law requirements to start one - thanks so much in advance. Any information that you send will be helpful.
What is the standard square footage per dog requirement for small dogs in a dog daycare? What type of fees are associated with hiring employees? Any idea of how much part time employee associated fees are per employee in California?
For a small daycare, what are typical set up costs (in California)? Nothing too fancy. Any suggestions as to contractors in So Cal?
I really want to start my doggie daycare but my business partner has had personal things crop up and recently backed out. Money will be tight. I just need some average start up numbers for a small daycare 1700 sq ft but with a 1000sq ft play area.
Thanks so much. =)
I'm a manager at a doggy daycare in central kansas and we're gettin ready to remodel, my question is flooring? we've got a pavement floor much like a shop or finished garage, its rough on the dogs joints, the puppies and young dogs wrestle and knock each other down and I'm always afraid they'll get hurt, last night actually a rather large mastiff slipped and hurt is hip. I've looked into rubber and cork floors but it seems like it'd be so dirty. Most look like they fit together like puzzle pieces and I can only imagine how dirty it is between the 2 pieces. also does it stink?? I've been here for 2 years and we replace our play equipment yearly because over time it just plain stinks.
Also, any tips on noice control?? We've tried the things you put up on the walls to absorb sound but it didnt do anything but cost us quite a bit. We use water bottles for obsessive barking but we know barking is part of play and dont want to punish them for it. Any Ideas?
Hello,
Ok, I need to pursuit my dream in opening a doggy day care!
I a, interested in knowing how much approx it will take to start it up, what kind of experience do you need, insurance and regulations that I will have to follow. Where do I find all this information? I live in Edmonton, AB CANADA
Hello everyone,
I have around 30,000 cash on hand and have a building lined up for 1900 a month rent. The owner will redo the building for me with new wiring, heat, etc. to my specifications. I want to have 20 kennels for doggie day care and boarding overnight and want to offer someone being there at night with the animals as I think that is very important as a pet lover and owner myself of four large dogs. I will have fenced in areas inside for playtime, looking for a part-time groomer to come on with me and have a rather famous trainer coming on withme also. My question is this: How long after I am open can I expect to have a regular clientele? I will charge 10 a day for day care and 13.95 a night for overnight no matter what size dog. Do you think this will be a winning combination and attract a lot of customers? The building is in a great location too. What can I expect to earn the first year, etc? Also, most of my revenue will fund rescue work and putting up a dog shelter to save the run off at the local shelters scheduled to be put to sleep. Do you think people would be more likely to patronize me because of this fact? Any advice will be helpful. Runs will be 6 ft. long with a comfy bed, carpeted small area, etc. to make it homey for them. I will be the main employee from 7:00 until 6:00 each night in the beginning.
For those who think that run a doggie daycare or pet sitting in someones home is wrong...well all I have to say to you is...YOU'RE WRONG! I own and run a pet sitting service in my home. I will go to customers home to take care of their loved one and some come and stay at my home. NEVER NOT ONCE have I EVER had a problem with my neighbors about the noise or the barking. I take care of some of my neighbors dogs IN MY HOME! I have a sign in my front yard advertising pet sitting. Never have I ever had a complaint about "the noise or this or that". I have had a neighbor ask me for a business card to give to someone that he knew and I take care of their dogs. I have had a neighbor come to my home to say that she has seen my sign in the yard for pet sitting and was wondering if I was missing a dog, either my own or a client. I told her no. The dog she had found apprently had either gotten away from the owner or was a stray...she said that if she did not find the owner that she would keep him and also asked me that if they went on vacation would I be able to pet sit for them. Of course I said "no problem". The count of dogs that I have here at my home varies. Of course I have my 2 that I love. Then the amount of customers that stay varies. Sometimes I might have 1 dog some times I might have up to 6 dogs (the 1 and 6 count are customers only). If you are thinking about opening either the day care or sitting and you have dogs make sure that they are dog friendly. Mine always have been. Also, I will try to do a "Meet-n-greet" between my guys and theirs. To make sure that the customer will get along with my boys. So far, in my 4 years in pet sitting not once have I encountered anyone who did not get along with my boys.
Hi I clled my town about opening a doggie day care in a business zoned district, they said the 1st thing I needed to do was hire an archetect, to make sure of ventilation issues, sewerage, and that would be the start point
is that common
thanks
I would like to open a pet-sitting service for small dogs in my home. I have my home and back yard set up perfectly for taking in more dogs than my own little Bichon and occasionally my neighbor's two Miniature Schnauzers. How would I go about advertising my service most effectively?
Hello I live in Texas and I been researching on what all I need to open up a doggy daycare from home. I don't know what license or permits I need or who to contact . Can anyone help me
this might sound a bit crazy ok I'm 11 and I want to start a doggy holiday care and dog wash but do i have to look after them during school hours and what licences will I need. I live in Victoria
This is a comment for the woman who does pet sitting in her home. Do they all just sleep and play together or do you have separate areas for "guests?" How often do you have more than 2 at one time?
My husband and I are opening a dog daycare soon. It has been a long process as we took a business class through our local SCORE office, researched the web for info for our business plan, visited all the 5 other dog daycares in the metro area, and almost bought an existing daycare. We found a 5000sf building that we love, but are worried once we do the build-out, the owners would sell it during our lease. We took our business plan to the bank last week and hope to hear if we qualify for enough to buy the building. My advice for anyone considering starting their own business is to contact your local chamber of commerce, your city's planning department to find out about zoning and permits, and write a good business plan if you need funding. We also have a lawyer who is forming our LLC and getting our name trademarked. As you can see, it is a long process if you are expecting to have more than a few dogs. We are so excited and I can hardly sleep.
Quick question, Im out of New England and am looking to start up a Dog Daycare. I have located a few commercial properties that I think would serve as great places to house 20-50 animals however I am wondering how best to approach the property owners regarding a lease. What zoning issues, or permits might i need to obtain prior to even negotiating a lease? Any info/links would be greatly appreciated.
Does anyone know approximately how big a client book should be to sustain traffic of about 25 dogs a day?
Hello,
I would like to open a small business for pet resort or pet boarding. Please let me know what is the first thing should I do and what are the requirements such as the the cost to start, location(in Southern California), license,permit, insurance.
Please help. Thanks.
I live in snohomish wa, and I am starting a dog day/night care business. We have a home on 3 acres with a large shop, huge yard, no kids, etc. I am very excited but like any business starting out, I need customers! Do you have any suggestions for the most effective way to market and advertise without having to pay a ton? What worked best for you? Thank you!!
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