|
Post by Merge on Feb 22, 2016 2:57:32 GMT
I love animals. I don't love teaching in the public schools anymore. I need to find another source of income. I got the idea a couple of days ago that maybe I could open a doggy daycare/boarding facility. I just filled out online forms to get information about a couple of franchises, but DH is skeptical that these places actually make any money. No way I'd have the cash up front to start the business, so I'd be looking at using credit to get the business running. I don't want to start something with a high rate of failure. I don't have any idea about where to start researching so thought I'd start here. Anyone got any information for me?
|
|
|
Post by RiverIsis on Feb 22, 2016 3:04:57 GMT
I'm interested to know what you find out. I know doggy groomers seem to do well in our area but I haven't heard so much about doggy day care.
|
|
paget
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
|
Post by paget on Feb 22, 2016 3:12:35 GMT
If I was going to do a doggie daycare I'd do something to increase the earning potential. For instance, a doggie daycare I used also had dog training classes at other times and grooming. And while you left your dog you could have them groomed or have a trainer spend one on one time with you dog training a certain thing. I thought that was cool and I did take advantage of the groom. Another idea is to have a niche. This place was just for small dogs which I loved because my dog was small and shy. There was an outdoor garden with little dog paths for roaming and playing. I know I didn't answer your question but if you add little special touches you can increase you earning potential and develop clients that will return because some of us are crazy about our dogs and will spend plenty if we feel they are going to be well taken care of played with. Ooh--add cameras like a video feed for a fee for owners to face time or check on their dog.
|
|
|
Post by mirabelleswalker on Feb 22, 2016 3:22:17 GMT
The doggy daycare we go to is incredibly successful. They have daycare, boarding, training, "enhanced care" for sick/elderly dogs, and grooming. It is really a one-stop-shop for dogs. They are open 365 days a year, and I can drop off early in the morning and pick up as late as midnight. (There's a surcharge for leaving the dog there past 7:30) I think the big thing to think about if you have boarding is what it takes to have a business that is operating 24 hours a day. I also use daycare on holidays so the fact that it's always available is huge for me. There is a lot of information on the web site. Happy HoundThat will give you an idea of the services.
|
|
|
Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Feb 22, 2016 3:28:12 GMT
No real info, just questions to think about.
What does insurance cost? Will insurance limit the breed of dogs you can take? What kind of insurance is there for "my dog got kennel cough while he was with you"? What is the zoning like in your neighborhood (can you run it at home or will you need a separate location)? How many employees per dog will you need or how many dogs can you have alone? Do you want to be an employer of X people? How much training does the franchise provide? What are the tax considerations (and who does payroll)? What are you going to do with difficult dogs?
|
|
|
Post by Darcy Collins on Feb 22, 2016 3:35:24 GMT
I don't have any specific insight on the doggy daycare business, but new businesses always have a relatively high failure rate. The reality is the vast majority of people do not have sufficient cushion when they start the business to weather the period of time until they have a sufficient customer base to support their business. I would expect this to be a relatively high initial startup cost business as you're going to need a facility. You need to be very realistic about how long you can fund the business expenses while you MARKET - typically the other Achilles heel of new businesses. It doesn't matter if you're good with dogs - how good are you at marketing. How interested are you in spending 75% of your time drumming up business - which all new businesses need to be to be successful.
|
|
|
Post by lancermom on Feb 22, 2016 3:41:27 GMT
Research research research. When I was going to open a retreat I hit the Internet. I looked at competitors. Kept notes on pricing, availability and anything else that was important. Bathing, grooming, nails, outside play area, training, cost per day, week. Are they full? Call ask if the have openings tomorrow, Easter. If they have openings, why? Do people not like that one, is your market saturated? How many kennels within 10 miles of where you live. Then go out of your area. Go to other states. What are they doing? Go to their FB pages, look at reviews for all kennels. Then sit down and write out your plan. Call trainers in area are they willing to teach classes at your location? I live next door to kennel. If a dog comes in and stinks, she bathes at no charge. Lastly...you have to talk to county. They need to send letters to neighbors because of the noise. We get one when before they add more kennels.
|
|
katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,378
Jun 25, 2014 23:25:39 GMT
|
Post by katybee on Feb 22, 2016 3:48:59 GMT
I can tell you a local business that has opened up here that has been a HUGE hit... The Doghouse Drinkery. It's basically a dog park/bar. But not a fancy bar… Just bottled beer and wine. You bring your dogs up to play, and you can drink and socialize. Most of the time, they have a food truck that sells food as well. Brilliant idea. Here's a link to their website: www.doghousedrinkery.com We are in the same boat together! I hate to leave teaching, but I can't do it anymore. I hope you find something you love, soon!
|
|
scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
|
Post by scorpeao on Feb 22, 2016 4:07:35 GMT
What if you get started on Rover.com? You can build up a customer base with a lot of reviews, and then branch out on your own. I've never used Rover, but a friend uses it and she now has a regular dog baby sitter
|
|
|
Post by smokeynspike on Feb 22, 2016 4:09:37 GMT
What is it, like 8 out of 10 new businesses fail? I don't know that I would want to do that on credit unless I was darn sure I could make a successful go at it. Do you have basic business knowledge? That is where I would start my research so I knew with wide open eyes what I was really taking on for my life.
Melissa
|
|
|
Post by berty on Feb 22, 2016 4:11:34 GMT
I have no experience with this, but I read an article online somewhere about dog walkers. The man they profiled has a business in an upscale area of NYC. He's doing so well, he's hiring employees. I don't know if you'd be interested in anything like this, but I think it would less start up money. You might want to check it out.
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Feb 22, 2016 4:14:35 GMT
no real advice for you either, but a couple other things to think about, based on (a bad) personal experience--
-- what sort of insurance would you have? -- would it be in your house, or somewhere else? -- no matter where it is, would you have staff 24/7? -- how much do you know about dog health, first aid, and emergencies if they arise? -- do you have an emergency vet nearby if needed? -- think about what sort of contracts / release information you would want people to sign when they did business with you -- how much interaction would the dogs have with each other? -- what will you do if any dog(s) don't get along with each other- would you have separate spaces for them?
All these questions are based on a bad experience we had with a home-based dog sitter in our neighborhood. A few years ago we left our dogs there while we were on vacation in July / August, and one of our dogs died the day before we came home. They were gracious enough (sarcasm) to drive her to our local vet when she collapsed; the vet worked on her as long as she could to stabilize her, and then the pet sitter drove her to the emergency vet, but she was non-responsive when they got there, so the emergency vet couldn't bring her back. We believe based on the information from the vet that they left her outside too long (AZ in August), she got overheated-- and they weren't paying attention to the fact that she was in distress-- which ended in massive organ failure. So instead of picking up our dog at the sitter, we got to visit her at the emergency vet morgue before having her cremated.
I'm not saying anything like that would happen to you, but it was an unnecessary dog health emergency that went very badly for all of us. To top it off, it turns out they didn't have any business insurance and we had no recourse to get any compensation from them, either for our loss or for the medical bills. So make sure you know what to do in case of emergencies, how to handle dogs that don't get along (or possibly a dogfight), and have your ducks in a row as far as contracts, business insurance, and what would happen if there was some sort of emergency or tragedy.
|
|
georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
|
Post by georgiapea on Feb 22, 2016 4:19:33 GMT
I love the concept of Doggie Day Care, and we used to take our Honey to one. However, picking up dog poops all day would offend my nose. Lots of barking offends my ears. The prospect of dogs getting into fights frightens me. So obviously I'd be a dismal failure at operating one.
|
|
|
Post by tenacious on Feb 22, 2016 4:20:05 GMT
I absolutely love our doggie daycare, and I take my pup sometimes 2x per week. She can go a full day for $12 if I buy a punch card. They also do grooming and boarding, and hold a socialization class once per week. I think they do a great business, but, there is some serious time commitment there. You will have to make enough to hire a small staff, as you personally can't be there every minute. I have had several small businesses, and I can say that I am always so surprised at how hard it is to find and keep good people! So, be prepared for that. i would love if our dog daycare had a self-wash that we could use in the way out. After a long day playing outside she is often muddy and dusty, and I don't really want to pay the extra $10 to have her washed. Good luck! I am a loyal customer at our dog daycare and am so appreciative of the good care my pup gets there. Erin
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Feb 22, 2016 4:22:50 GMT
^^^ that reminds me, there are a couple do-it-yourself dog washes in the Phoenix area that seem to do pretty good business. There's no way I'd do that sort of thing at home (we take ours to the groomer), but if there were facilities somewhere else so I wouldn't have to make the mess in my house, I might try to do it myself.
|
|
|
Post by Lexica on Feb 22, 2016 4:34:28 GMT
I have no experience in running a daycare. By as a dog owner, I was faced with having to board my dog for a week or two while my mom was in the hospital in Santa Barbara. I found this awesome looking facility that had very high ratings and looked like so much fun for the dogs. It was set up like an old western street with porches the dogs could lay on. They had a water feature with stream and waterfall for playing in as well as a therapy swimming pool for doggy rehabilitation. They offered all kinds of services and training too. My plan was to take him there for day care and bring him back to the hotel with me at night. I didn't end up needing the facility because my mom got well enough to stay in a rehab facility that encouraged people to bring in their dogs. As nice as it was taking the dog with me each day, I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to try the day care. The link may give you ideas for your own facility. www.campcanineinc.com
|
|
|
Post by Delta Dawn on Feb 22, 2016 5:09:16 GMT
Here anyway, doggy daycare runs about $30/day. There are dog walkers as well who will come get your dog and take the pack for a long walk. There are other walkers that will come to your house, get the dog and take him/her for a walk while you are at work.
You need a decent vehicle that can house several dogs at once. You need a room or something for the dogs to be able to sleep, play, climb, chew or do nothing.
Or you need none of this.
Your options are limitless. Our former groomer had a daycare in it and they had about 20 dogs a day. I think all dogs needed to be spayed or neutered. It was $30 a day and they got 2 walks and water. I think they got food if they wanted it. I am not sure about that. They had a wooden climbing structure they could sleep in or on. They also sometimes played with one another or just slept. It wasn't glamorous but it was nice. I would take my old man there if he were so inclined.
Pet care is BIG business now. My previous groomer the one before the last charged $120/dog a day to be groomed and I had 2. She had a full clientele and downsized to more manageable. She would generally do 3 or 4 dogs a day. A toy poodle doesn't cost as much as a standard, but her grooming technique is amazing. She did a stunning job of both dogs. They used to just glow with their clips from her. She got to be too expensive, plus the ride out to her house was too far. (I had to do it every time). She had a little studio off to the side of her house and she had about 4 cages in there and a huge tub and a table to groom on. My mom didn't like her much, but I liked her a lot. (Keep in mind my mom was losing it over the past few years...) You could learn how to groom dogs. My new groomer is a mobile groomer. She comes in an old UPS truck fitted with a heater, water, electricity and everything. She is awesome, but she is very expensive. She is a last resort groomer as she is so expensive. She does come to the house and she is very gentle with the dog. He is old and 'sensitive'. (Sensitive aka neurotic). This is another option for you.
We have spent tens of thousands of dollars on the dogs. It is something we chose to do. If we didn't want to or weren't prepared to we would not have had dogs. That is our bottom line.
Like I said pet care is big business. It is HUGE here. There aren't tons of grooming salons anymore. There are the same number of dogs. Daycares are popular as are dog sitters and dog walkers. Take your pick and pick your price.
|
|
|
Post by Delta Dawn on Feb 22, 2016 5:13:26 GMT
Daycare Prices (before tax) Full Day - $27 Half Day (up to 5 hrs) - $16
Full Day for 2 dogs - $43 Half Day for 2 dogs - $27
Full Day Punch Card (10 visits) - $215 Half Day Punch Card (10 visits) - $135
This is what my local dog day care costs. Keep in mind Canadian and American prices reflect the area you live in and not the value of the dollar on the market. $27 is $27 per dog! That is a decent rate if you have a space big enough.
|
|
|
Post by christine58 on Feb 22, 2016 11:17:22 GMT
What if you began by looking for a job at a doggie day care??? Many of the ones where I live started as a boarding facility. They then went into the doggy day care business. PetSmart in our area has a HUGE doggie day care.
|
|
|
Post by Patter on Feb 22, 2016 11:29:22 GMT
No real advice but I will tell you that the daycamp/boarding facility my boys go to is AMAZING. They do very, very well but have shelled out a LOT of cash to get where they are. They just took 2nd place for small business in the state (I think that's what it was). Anyway, look at their website to get an idea of what they offer. They have AMAZING facilities that they just built a little over a year ago. The husband and wife are almost always there (7 days a week) and have staff also. It seems like a very busy lifestyle. I am thankful they do it because I know I couldn't put that much into it. myclubcanine.com
|
|
luvnlifelady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,428
Jun 26, 2014 2:34:35 GMT
|
Post by luvnlifelady on Feb 22, 2016 11:37:08 GMT
I love animals. I don't love teaching in the public schools anymore. I need to find another source of income. I got the idea a couple of days ago that maybe I could open a doggy daycare/boarding facility. I just filled out online forms to get information about a couple of franchises, but DH is skeptical that these places actually make any money. No way I'd have the cash up front to start the business, so I'd be looking at using credit to get the business running. I don't want to start something with a high rate of failure. I don't have any idea about where to start researching so thought I'd start here. Anyone got any information for me? I've thought of this too and it will be interesting to read this thread. We have a large yard that really doesn't get used now and also a pool (not sure about the dogs using that but it's an idea). I'd like something with more hours than my current job but I'd also like to be home for the kids more (older teens that don't really need me but just being here would be good).
|
|
|
Post by elaine on Feb 22, 2016 11:42:43 GMT
I think, if I were you, I would think long and hard about what I didn't like about teaching and whether or not you would have some of the same issues running a business.
If you work at a doggie day care, you can spend most of your time with the dogs.
If you own/run a doggie day care, you will spend a good portion of your day (probably at least half) working with people. You will be dealing with doggy parents, instead of children's parents, You will also be hiring staff, developing schedules, training and supervising them. You will need to teach yourself accounting, or hire an accountant. And then there is the marketing that has already been discussed.
I could totally be wrong, but I get the feeling you are leaving teaching because you are somewhat burned out with the people aspect of your job. I think that starting and running a business, even one that focuses on dog care, will involve a huge daily dose of working with people - both the dog owners and the staff you would need to hire.
As someone mentioned up-thread, you may want to get a job at a doggy day care first and see if it is your cup of tea after you get a clearer picture of all that it entails.
Whatever you do, I hope that you find a new career path that makes your heart sing! (((Hugs)))
|
|
|
Post by monklady123 on Feb 22, 2016 11:56:11 GMT
I'm sorry that teaching has become so awful. At the elementary school where I do all of my subbing I know so many teachers who are totally burned out, a combination of discipline issues and standardized testing and helicopter parents... You said you don't love teaching in public schools anymore... if it's the "public" part, not the "teaching" part, that's getting bad now have you considered looking for a job in a private school? I know the pay isn't as good as public schools (at least not around here), but it's much less stress, and would probably pay more than doggie daycare. -- On the other hand there are those puppy kisses to think about.
|
|
suzastampin
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,587
Jun 28, 2014 14:32:59 GMT
|
Post by suzastampin on Feb 22, 2016 12:05:33 GMT
I don't have any experience as we don't have a dog. A friend of mine used one outside of Boston that had it's own school bus. They had one of the smaller school buses all rigged out with seatbelts and would pick up the dogs and bring them home at the end of the day.
|
|
suki32
Shy Member
Posts: 14
Jun 28, 2014 23:15:24 GMT
|
Post by suki32 on Feb 22, 2016 12:10:11 GMT
If I were you I would go work at one first. I worked at one for about a month and left. It not what you think. You basically spend all your time cleaning up after the dogs. You can play with them, but you're not supposed to show them any affection or they can become attached to you and show guarding behavior. The turn around for employees was quick the owner couldn't afford to pay much and the work was exhausting.
|
|
wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,785
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
|
Post by wellway on Feb 22, 2016 12:32:52 GMT
Have you consider other animals? Like rabbits and hamsters, it maybe harder for people to get boarding facilities for those animals than it is to get dogs and cats boarded.
Would grooming be a better family fit? Boarding is 24/7. With grooming you can set your own hours. My groomer also offers a bring to vet, pick up from vet service for people who work. My groomer works from home and her grooming appts are booked up five/six weeks in advance.
|
|
raindancer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,095
Jun 26, 2014 20:10:29 GMT
|
Post by raindancer on Feb 22, 2016 12:55:12 GMT
We found a company that does in home visits which is our preference. $54 for 3 visits fornpotty, feeding, and walks for our 2 dogs for one day. They also do $18 for a single "I can't leave work/we had an emergency/etc." visit. Such a perfect arrangement for our needs. And then you would avoid the mess at your home and you could more easily clear your schedule I would imagine.
|
|
|
Post by Merge on Feb 22, 2016 13:06:05 GMT
Thank you all for the valuable input.
I wasn't thinking of running this from my home, but rather renting a commercial space and having it built out to suit.
Yes, I would envision having employees and dealing with bookkeeping, and while I know there would be headaches involved, at least they would be different headaches, KWIM? No job is trouble free. And as much as I'd love to find a job where I never had to deal with people, those are pretty thin on the ground.
It might be a better idea as some have suggested to start with a dog walking business. I'm not sure working as an employee in someone else's doggy day care would pay enough to be worth my time, though it would give me a good idea if it's a business I really want to run.
Thanks all for the input - obviously I have a lot of thinking to do!
|
|
Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,975
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
|
Post by Nanner on Feb 22, 2016 13:08:13 GMT
We take Riker to doggy daycare 3 days a week (back to 2 when the weather is nice). The daycare we take him to is awesome. They offer daycare, overnight boarding, grooming and lessons.
I do know that she started up her daycare in her garage and when it grew, moved to a business place.
She must do well enough, as she has about half a dozen employees.
|
|
Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,975
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
|
Post by Nanner on Feb 22, 2016 13:09:29 GMT
To add:
She did training with Cesar Milan, which I know appeals to some of her customers.
We pay $25 for a full day ($15 for a half day). For boarding, we pay $35. They don't take a whole lot of boarding customers each night. They have a small limit.
The one we take Riker to is quite a small operation. We love it, and so does Riker. When we are taking him, and he realizes where we're going, he starts squealing and bouncing around the car from excitement.
|
|