Is working with dogs your dream? Would you love to spend your days surrounded by furry friends, showering them with affection and attention? You may be thinking about starting your own doggy daycare!
The first thing you should investigate is your local laws for pet care and supervision. Will your town allow you to run a doggy daycare in your own home? Will you need to rent a space in an area that is zoned for commercial, not for residential? What sort of business insurance is required? Starting any business takes a lot of planning and some sort of investment.
Other questions to ask yourself:
- What will you call your business?
- What features will set you apart from other doggy daycares or pet sitters?
- How will you encourage repeat customers?
- How will you determine whether or not a dog is suitable for daycare? What if a dog is aggressive? Do you know a trainer and/or behavior specialist who can teach you and/or help you?
- What kind of information would you want on an admission form? Health history, contact number for owners and veterinarian, what else?
- How much indoor space will you need?
- How much outdoor space will you need?
- How will you separate dogs? By size? By age?
- Will you be walking the dogs? What kind of walking schedule will you have? How many walks will each dog get?
- What do you do when it rains?
- How many people do you need on staff?
- What extra services can you offer — grooming, training, gourmet treats?
- What should you charge per day? Some doggy daycares cost as much as $30 per day for a dog to attend. Will you offer special packages for dogs who come 5 days a week, or multiple dogs in the same family?
- How do you keep track of so many dogs, plus their collars, leashes, and toys?
- How many dogs can you (and your staff) honestly handle? Five? Ten? Thirty?
- How do you keep the dogs healthy?
- What do you do in case of a medical emergency? Do you have a veterinarian who is willing to come to your place of business?
- Will you take drop-ins, or must all dogs be scheduled in advance?
- How do you hire reliable, trustworthy, loving employees?
Starting a doggy daycare involves a lot of planning, but the reward of taking care of dogs all day can be worth it… if that’s what you truly want to do. Still not sure? Look for a doggy daycare in your area and ask if you can visit for a day to see if caring for pups is really the right career for you!