How to Start a Doggy Day Care Business

How to Start a Doggy Day Care BusinessHow to Start a Doggy Day Care BusinessThe popularity of doggy daycare businesses has skyrocketed. By following a few simple steps, you can successfully start your own doggy daycare. Canine Experience If you are interested in opening a doggy daycare business, you should be knowledgeable in the areas of animal behavior, canine CPR, and canine first aid. Prior study in an animal-related field or experience as a veterinary technician, pet sitter, dog walker, or animal shelter volunteer is desirable. If you do not have prior experience, try to find an animal rescue group or vet clinic where you can volunteer. Business Considerations Before opening your doggy daycare, you must deal with various business and legal considerations. Consult your accountant regarding the advantages and disadvantages of forming your business as a sole proprietorship, limited liability company, or other entity. You also shouldbe in touch with your local government wit h regard to any permits or zoning considerations for your intended business location. If you are opening a small daycare operation, you may be the sole employee, but most doggy daycares have a few full- or part-time employees. Be sure to hire people with experience or certifications in animal careers. They also shouldbecome certified in pet CPR and first aidas a part of their training. Additional items to consider include obtaining an insurance policy, drafting release forms to prevent legal repercussions if dogs are injured while at daycare, and establishing a contingency plan with a nearby veterinarian for befhigung emergencies. Fantastic Facilities The trend in todays doggy day care industry is toward cage-free facilities, where dogs are kept in groups for the majority of the day. Most daycaresseparate the dogs by size during play time. It also iscommon for puppies to be separated from adult dogs. Kennel areas should be available for feeding the dogs separately, or for a sche duled break time from the pack environment. The facility should offer play areas, rest areas, outdoor areas, and kennels for potential overnight boarding. Splash pools are becoming a common feature. Water needs to be freely available to the dogs so that they can stay hydrated while they play. Air conditioning is an expected feature. Many facilities are now wired for live streaming webcams so that owners can log in and check on their dogs throughout the day. This is a highly sought after feature and should be heavily promoted in your advertising materials if you are able to offer it. Above all, provide a clean and safe environment for the dogs and for the peopletaking care of them. Cost Effective Advertisement Create a personalized web page or take advantage of advertising opportunities with local newspapers, magazines, and websites. You also can apply large logo magnets to the sides of your vehicle, and leave flyers and business cards at pet supply shops, veterinary clinics, sup ermarkets, and geschftszimmer complexes. Advertising in large office complexes is a particularly good idea, as many potentially interested office workers- people who by nature are gone from their pets all day long- may see your information. Define Your Services A doggy daycare business generally opens for drop-off service at about 7 a.m. and remains open until about 7 p.m. for pickups, Monday through Friday. Some offer weekend daycare service as well, though weekend hours usually begin mid-morning and require a pickup in the late afternoon. A few daycares even offer a shuttle that will pick up or drop off a pet for an additional fee. Some doggy daycares offer overnight or weekend boarding services, or at least have an emergency option for boarding if an owner is unable to pick up a dog as scheduled. Some daycare facilities also offer bathing, grooming, or obedience training services, in addition to pet supplies or pet food for sale. Most daycares require your dogs to be fully up to date on vaccinations such as rabies, distemper, parvo, and bordetella. A copy of current vaccination records is kept in a dogs file. Also, most daycares do not accept adult dogs that have not been spayed or neutered. Price Your Services The best way to figure out a pricing structure is to call around town and see what the competition is charging for similar services. Generally, doggy daycares charge between $18 and $32 per dog, per day. The cost varies widely based on where in the country a daycare is located and the specific services offered. You also mayconsider offering different rates for daily and monthly membership plans. For families that board multiple dogs, consider offering a discounted rate for each additional pet. Full- and half-day pricing also shouldbe an option. Consider Interviews for New Clients When accepting a new dog to the group, it is advisable to make sure the dog is socialized and can interact positively with other dogs. Many facilities conduct an interview with pet and owner. During this time, the pet owner should complete a contact sheet that includes an address, phone number, email address, and emergency contact numbers. The sheet also shouldinclude dog breed, color, date of birth, health history (allergies, previous injuries), veterinarians name, and clinic contact information.