How to Start a Dog Day Care Business

A dog day care center is the ultimate business for the entrepreneur who loves animals. Business is booming in the pet care industry with Americans spending 34 billion dollars per year on their pets. Why not claim your part of this fun and lucrative business?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A large space, preferably a warehouse
• A fenced in area with a high fence
• Start up capital

1. Visit and consult with other dog day care business owners to define what services you want to offer other than dog day care such as grooming, obedience training etc.
2. Write up a business plan and determine how much capital you'll need for your start up. There are various internet sites and software programs to help you construct your plan. Determine how you'll go about financing your new venture. Be sure to have six months of operating capital to get you through the start-up period.
3. Locate a large warehouse suitable for housing your business. The warehouse should open onto a large outdoor area that you can fence in as a dog play area.
4. Set the inside of your building with the basics needed to run a dog day care business. You'll need several large dog runs for dogs who need a break from the play area and a hose to spray the dogs should a serious fight erupt You may also want to consider adding a small pool for the dogs to play in.
5. Locate and hire employees who love dogs and have had experience with them. Set up a training program to get your employees up to speed.
6. Advertise your new dog day care business through local kennels, dog grooming centers, and veterinarian offices.

Tips & Warnings

• In addition to playtime, you can offer such services as dog training, grooming, boarding, swimming, dog photography, dog birthday parties, and dog spa services such as massage.
• It would be ideal to have an area in the front which you could convert into a store where you sell doggy treats, premium dog foods, dog toys, bones, and other impulse purchases.
• Keep your dog day care as safe as possible by ensuring the dogs have no route to escape. Make sure fences are high and secure and all doors are kept shut at all times.
• Dogs should be required to be spayed and neutered and up to date on all vaccinations in order to participate in dog day care.
• You staff should be well trained on how to screen dogs to determine suitability for doggy day care as well as how to handle a potential health emergency or dog fight.