Dog sitting is a great way to make some money. With so many homes requiring both adults to work to make a living, no one is home to take care of the household pet. If you put together the right type of approach, you can build a loyal clientele that will provide a steady income for many years. Here are some things to consider at you put your doggie daycare business together.
First, educate yourself on what is involved with the day-to-day operation of a dog daycare business. How should you design the space, so the pets in your charge have room to play and sleep? Have you provided space outside for them to enjoy the sunshine and take care of bodily functions without creating a sanitation issue? Do you want to be able to provide daycare for puppies or dogs of all ages? Knowing what you want to do and how to do it will make it much easier to design the layout of your facility and attract the type of clients you want.
Check with the local municipality on zoning laws and business licenses. While pet daycare is not usually regulated on federal or state levels, your city or town may have some laws that apply. This will often help you get an idea of what needs to be provided in the way of physical facilities, as well as how many clients you can accept with the amount of space you have for the daycare operation. Make sure you comply with every one of the regulations before launching the business.
Taking some time to visit any existing doggie daycare businesses in the area will go a long way toward helping you see what works and get some ideas of what you definitely do not want to do. In talking with those who work in the daycare centers, you can ask questions that help you understand what customers expect, little precautions to take, and even some ideas of what type of food to provide your doggie clients while in your care. You can also pick up some tips on pricing, including what to charge for overtime doggie care.
Design your contracts, ensuring they spell out the rights and responsibilities you and the customer will enjoy. The more specific you can make the contract, the less chance of problems arising later due to miscommunications. Have an attorney check out the contract verbiage to ensure everything is in order and that you have not overlooked something important.
Once you have the proper training, all the licenses you need, and have the facility ready to go, you can begin building your client base. This means advertising in the local media. Make ample use of community bulletin boards in laundromats, supermarkets, and washeterias. If there are online classified websites for your city or town, post ads there as well. If you can afford it, radio advertising that is aired during morning and evening commuting times is likely a good investment.
Owning your own doggie daycare business can be a great career move. People often want their beloved pets to be looked after while at work, making your type of service a natural one. Assuming you can provide safe and pleasant surroundings, are trustworthy, and offer acceptable terms and conditions to the clients, you’ll soon have more business than you can handle.