Doggie daycare centers provide pets with relaxation and socialization.
Doggie daycare businesses provide daytime socialization and human contact for dogs with working or out-of-town owners. "Entrepreneur" magazine notes that many doggie daycare centers include multiple outdoor play yards. Dogs may also have access to pools or other hot-weather water features. Tired canines can frequently recline on comfortable indoor furniture for afternoon naps. In 2010, daily doggie daycare rates ranged from $20 to $35 per day. Owners commonly receive discounts for dogs that visit daycare centers on a weekly basis.
Instructions
1. Structure your doggie daycare business. The most common business structures are a sole proprietorship, limited liability company, subchapter S corporation and a general corporation. Discuss the options with a certified public accountant who is familiar with pet-related businesses. Meet with a commercial insurance agent with similar background and strong liability knowledge. Visit your city or county clerk's office for a business license, and inquire about needed city permits. Contact your state Department of Revenue about your need for a sales tax license for your service business.
2. Select an accessible, dog-friendly location. Find a site that has easy entry and exit from main roads, is separated from residential districts, and has plenty of customer parking. Ensure that your location has space for fenced play yards, plus a building that can be configured to house small and large dogs during inclement weather. Separate facilities for small and large dogs minimize the chances of small dog injuries from overly-friendly or aggressive large canines. Include separate indoor and outdoor areas for dogs who do not relate well to other canines. Obtain written zoning approval before you sign a lease.
3. Research what type of doggie daycare facility is needed in your market. Full-service boarding kennels frequently have play yards and enclosures designed for boarding clients. Veterinarians' offices may offer daycare services for clients who have dogs with separation anxiety or that need socialization. Stand-alone doggie daycare businesses often flourish when owners commute to work or perform other daytime activities. Using a regional map, pinpoint existing doggie daycare locations. Visit businesses anonymously to gather promotional materials about the facility's services. Anonymous visits provide you with a prospective customer's view of the business. The facility's service and fee information tells you how competitors operate their doggie daycare business, and identifies gaps in service that you can provide.
4. Plan your services and fees. Examine your doggie daycare facility to determine what it can reasonably offer, and select a service and fee structure that compares favorably with your competition. Include optional services such as extra playtime, as well as professional grooming if a trained groomer is available. Arrange for dogs' transport to a local veterinarian if health issues arise during the pet's stay.
5. Establish client admission and care policies. Rely on the information you gained from visits to your competitors, and develop a list of doggie daycare center policies. Ask your veterinarian to recommend appropriate, non-negotiable canine vaccinations to discourage disease risks. Develop health- and behavior-related policies that encourage the safety of other canine clients and your staff.
6. Hire experienced, dog-savvy staff. Recruit employees from community college veterinary assistant programs, animal-rescue group volunteers and dog lovers in search of extra income. Train your staff in business-specific procedures and general customer service techniques. Engage a dog behavior expert to educate employees about dogs' group behaviors, such as displays of friendliness or fear toward other dogs. Learn how your staff's behavior can influence the dogs' actions, and how employees can maintain personal safety while providing a desirable play environment.
7. Market your doggie daycare business. Host a grand opening week that features special canine refreshments and free extra playtime. Offer introductory discounts for owners who enroll pets for at least three months. Invite your dog behavior expert to speak on the benefits of good canine socialization and physical activity. Advertise your event in the community pages of local newspapers. Place fliers at veterinarians' offices, local dog grooming facilities and animal rescue shelters.Work with a sign-making company to create colorful building signage that will attract attention from potential customers who are driving or walking by your facility.
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