How To Start a Dog Daycare Business: Your Ultimate Guide

A dog daycare is a business that provides care and supervision for dogs during the day. This can include activities such as walks, playtime, feeding, and nap time. Moreover, dog daycares are often used by working pet parents who need somewhere to leave their dog during the day while they’re at work.

As the owner of a dog daycare, your job responsibilities will include a variety of tasks – from caring for the dogs to managing staff and finances.

Some of your daily duties may include:

To be successful in the dog daycare business, you’ll need more than just a love of dogs. Running a business is a big responsibility and requires a certain set of skills and qualifications.

Some of the skills you’ll need to succeed include:

You don’t necessarily need a formal education to start a dog daycare business. That said, completing a canine care program or a dog daycare course from an accredited institution will give you the skills and knowledge needed to be successful. Luckily, nowadays, this kind of professional training can easily be found both in-person and online!

Now, you may be wondering, “If it isn’t required, why should I take the time to get properly educated?”

Well, there are many reasons!

For starters, having a professional qualification will help you stand out from the competition. It shows potential clients that you’re serious about your business and that you have the knowledge and skills to back it up. Plus, if you plan on hiring staff members, they’ll likely feel more comfortable working for someone who has the proper credentials.

It’s important to keep in mind that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” figure when it comes to salaries for dog daycare owners. Your income will depend on a number of factors, such as the size of your business, your location, and the number of hours you work.

That said, according to Oodle Life, the annual salary for a dog daycare owner in the United States typically ranges anywhere from $30,000 USD to $100,000 USD a year (before taxes). In Canada, according to Glassdoor, this annual salary ranges between approx. $23,000 CAD and $127,000 CAD.

If you’re worried that a career in the dog daycare industry won’t be profitable for the long-term, think again!

According to ACCESSWIRE, the current pet daycare market (as of 2022) is valued at an estimated $3.7 billion in the United States alone. Furthermore, with an estimated 8% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) forecasted over the next 10 years, this industry is expected to reach an estimated value of $6.7 billion USD by 2032…

And again, this is just in the United States!

In terms of a global scale, Globe Newswire predicts that the pet daycare and lodging market will accelerate at a CAGR of approx. 6% between 2022 and 2026. By 2026, it’s anticipated that the global market will be valued at approx. $8.6 billion worldwide!

What does this mean for YOU?

The cost of starting a dog daycare business can vary greatly depending on the size and scope of your operation. For example, if you’re planning on starting a small home-based business, your start-up costs will be a lot lower than if you’re planning on opening a large facility.

Of course, there are also other factors to consider, such as your location and the type of services you plan on offering. But all in all, the average start-up cost for a dog daycare business is between $10,000 and $50,000 USD.

It’s important to note that, even though you may not need a special license to operate a dog daycare business, you will most likely need a general business license.

A business license is basically permission from the government to operate a business in a specific location. The cost of a business license can vary depending on the type of business you’re running and the location of your business.

There are many reasons why starting a dog daycare business can be a great career choice. Here are just some of these reasons:

• You can be your own boss: One of the best things about being a business owner is that you get to call the shots! You’ll be able to set your own hours, choose your own staff, and make all of the decisions for your business.
• You can make a difference: If you’re passionate about dogs and you want to make a difference in their lives, starting a dog daycare business is a great way to do it! You’ll be able to provide a safe and fun environment for dogs to socialize and exercise, and you’ll also be able to help out owners who might not otherwise have the time or resources to care for their furry friends.
• You can be profitable: As we mentioned earlier, the dog daycare industry is expected to grow significantly in the next few years.
• You’ll get to work with dogs: This one is pretty self-explanatory… If you love dogs, what could be better than working with them every day?
• You can easily complement your dog daycare services with other dog-related services: Are you also interested in, say, dog grooming and/or dog training? If so, you can easily add these services to your dog daycare business! This will not only give you a competitive edge; it’ll also allow you to make even more money!

We’d be doing you a disservice if we weren’t honest about the risks of starting a dog daycare business. So, here they are:

• The initial investment can be costly: As we mentioned earlier, the average start-up cost for a dog daycare business is between $10,000 and $50,000 USD. This is a significant amount of money, and it’s not something that everyone has lying around.
• You’ll need to be insured: Dog daycare businesses are considered high-risk, so you’ll need to make sure you’re properly insured. (We’ll delve into this more in a little bit!) This can be costly, but it’s definitely worth it to protect yourself (and your business) in case of an accident.
• There’s always the possibility of failure: Of course, there’s no guarantee that your dog daycare business will be a success. Like any business, there’s always a risk of failure. But if you’re smart about your planning and you’re passionate about what you’re doing, the chances of success are definitely in your favor!

The first step in starting any business is to write a business plan. This document will outline your business goals, strategies, and projected financials.

Don’t worry if you’ve never written a business plan before; there are plenty of free resources out there to help you get started. Importantly, you just need to remember to include the following information in it:

“Pawsibilities Dog Daycare is a start-up business that will provide doggy daycare services to the residents of Smalltown, USA. We will offer a safe, fun, and stimulating environment for dogs of all shapes and sizes. Our services will include daycare, boarding, grooming, and training.

“There are several other dog daycare businesses in our area, but we believe that we will be able to compete successfully by offering a higher level of customer service and a more personal touch.

“To market our business, we will use a combination of online and offline strategies.

Offline, we will distribute flyers and postcards in local pet stores, veterinary offices, and dog parks. We will also sponsor local events such as dog shows and agility competitions.

“Our pricing will be based on the services we offer, with discounts for multiple services. For example, a dog that is boarded with us for one week will receive a discount on grooming services.

“Below are our projected financials for the next three years.

• 1st Year: $100,000
• 2nd Year: $250,000
• 3rd Year: $500,000″

Your business name is one of the most important elements of your brand identity. It’s what customers will see first and it will be one of the things they remember most about your business. Choose a name that is easy to remember and that reflects your brand identity.

Your tagline is a short phrase that sums up your brand identity. It should be catchy and reflective of your brand identity. Examples of a brand tagline for dog daycares could be:

In addition to the above, developing your brand will also involve deciding upon your brand voice. This is the tone and personality that you want your brand to have. It should be reflected in all of your marketing materials, from your website to your social media posts.

Now that you’ve got your brand identity figured out, it’s time to start thinking about your target market. Who are the people that are most likely to use your services? How old are they? What are their demographics?

Determining your target market is an important step in developing your marketing strategy. After all, you can’t market to everyone! You need to focus your efforts on the people that are most likely to use your services.

Here are a few things to consider when determining your target market:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Income level
• Profession
• Marital status
• Number of children

When it comes to your target market, you can be as broad or as narrow as you want! For example, you may want to target dog owners in your city, or you may want to target dog owners with small breeds. Alternately, you may wish to cater your business to anyone in need of dog daycare services.

While it’s not necessary to have a niche, it can be helpful in terms of marketing and developing your brand identity. A niche is a specific segment of the market that you cater your business to.

For example, let’s say you live in New York City and you want to start a dog daycare business. You could choose to focus your business on small breed dogs, or you could choose to cater to a specific demographic like working professionals.

In addition to dog daycare, there are a variety of other services that you could offer at your business. These include things like:

• Boarding
• Daycare for other animals, such as cats
• Dog training
• Dog grooming
• Pet sitting

Do you want your business to offer just dog daycare services, or do you want to offer additional services as well? This is something that you’ll need to decide before moving forward with starting your business.

Once you’ve decided upon the services that you want to offer, it’s time to start thinking about pricing. How much will you charge for your services?

When setting your prices, there are a few things to consider:

• The cost of living in your area
• The cost of running your business
• Your target market
• What your competition is charging

One of the most important decisions you’ll make for your dog daycare business is choosing the right location. After all, this will be where your business is based out of and where all of the dogs in your care will stay!

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a location for your dog daycare business:

It’s important that you choose a location that’s large enough to accommodate your business. You’ll need space for things like indoor and outdoor play areas, as well as storage for food and supplies.

The type of property you choose will also be important. For example, if you’re planning on offering boarding services, you’ll need to choose a property that has enough space for kennels. Alternately, if you’re planning on offering grooming services, you’ll need to choose a property with space for a grooming station.

Of course, the cost of the property is also an important consideration. You’ll need to factor the cost of rent or mortgage payments into your budget!

In today’s day and age, it’s important to have an online presence for your business – even if you’re not selling physical products or services online!

There are a few things you’ll need to do to set your dog daycare business up online:

Your website will be the foundation of your online presence. The first step is to choose a domain name for your website. This is the address that people will type into their browser to find your site. For example, Google’s domain name is www.google.com.

Once you’ve chosen a domain name, you’ll need to purchase it from a domain name registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap.

Next, you’ll need to choose a web hosting plan. This is where your website’s files will be stored. Once you’ve chosen a web host, you can connect your domain name to your web hosting account and start building your website!

You should also get listed in online directories, such as:

• Yelp
• Angi (formerly known as Angie’s List)
• Facebook Pages
• Apple Maps
• HubSpot
• MapQuest
• LinkedIn Company Directory
• YellowBook.com
• Super Pages
• Thumbtack
• Instagram for Business
• Better Business Bureau
• Foursquare

Social media is a great way to connect with potential and current customers, as well as promote your business. Be sure to create social media accounts for your business on platforms like:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

When creating your accounts, it’s important to link back to your website in your bio description. Additionally, once you begin posting, be sure to share only the highest-quality (and original) content on a regular basis. Use relevant hashtags so that your content can be easily found by potential customers.

For example, if you’re posting about a dog daycare business in Los Angeles, you might use hashtags like:

Finally, you should set up an email list. This will allow you to send periodic updates about your business to those who have signed up to receive them.

To set up an email list, you’ll need to choose an email marketing platform like Constant Contact or MailChimp. From there, you can create sign-up forms to add to your website and social media accounts.

Nowadays, people seem to think that the only marketing strategies worth investing in are the ones online. However, this simply isn’t true! There are plenty of offline marketing strategies that can be just as effective – you just need to get creative.

Some of the most effective offline marketing tactics for a dog daycare business include:

1. Flyers and posters
2. Business cards
3. Referral programs
4. Sponsoring local events
5. Advertising in local publications
6. Creating partnerships with other local businesses
7. Hosting open houses or tours of your facility
8. Speaking at local pet-related events
9. Exhibiting at pet-related trade shows or conferences
10. Offering discounts to first-time customers

That said, there’s still a reason why online marketing is so popular! After all, there are endless online marketing opportunities – especially for a dog daycare business. Some of the most effective online marketing tactics include (but aren’t limited to):

1. Search engine optimization (SEO)
2. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
3. Social media marketing
4. Content marketing
5. Email marketing
6. Influencer marketing
7. Online directories and listings
8. Google My Business listing
9. Review sites
10. LinkedIn Advertising

When looking at all of the marketing strategies mentioned in the last step, your mind was probably focused on client acquisition, right?

Well, what if we told you that in order for your dog daycare business to be successful long-term, you’ll need to put just as much effort (if not more) into keeping your clients?

It’s true!

See, the thing is, it costs a lot more to acquire a new client than it does to keep an existing one. In fact, according to multiple studies, acquiring a new customer can cost as much as five times more than keeping an existing one!

This is why it’s so important to have a plan in place for retaining your clients.

Some of the most effective client retention strategies for a dog daycare business include:

• Regular communication and follow-up
• Surveys and feedback opportunities
• Client appreciation events
• Referral programs
• Loyalty programs or discounts for repeat customers
• Flexible pricing options
• Customized service packages
• Add-on services

Another important step in starting a dog daycare business is hiring the right team, if needed. After all, your employees will be the ones responsible for providing care and services to clients’ dogs. So, you’ll want to make sure they’re up for the task!

When hiring employees for your dog daycare business, be sure to look for individuals who have experience working with dogs (preferably in a professional capacity). What’s more, you’ll want to hire people who are:

• Patient and kind-hearted
• Physically fit and able to handle the demands of the job
• Responsible and reliable
• Good at following instructions
• Comfortable working long hours, if needed
• Comfortable working weekends, if needed

Of course, you’ll also want to make sure your employees are a good fit for your specific business! For example, if you’re running a high-end dog daycare facility, you’ll want to make sure your team is professional and polished. However, if you’re running a more laid-back and casual dog daycare business, you may not need to worry as much about this.

Another item you’ll want to check off your To-Do List is purchasing the right insurance for your dog daycare business. After all, you’ll want to make sure you’re protected in case of an accident or injury!

Some of the most important insurance policies for a dog daycare business include:

• General liability insurance
• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Professional liability insurance
• Commercial property insurance
• Business interruption insurance

Depending on the type of dog daycare business you’re running, you may need other types of insurance as well. For example, if you’re going to be transporting dogs in your own vehicles, you’ll want to make sure you have commercial auto insurance.

High-quality means long-term durability.

Long-term durability means happy customers and fewer returns.

Fewer returns mean more money in your pocket.

When setting up your dog daycare business, be sure to invest in high-quality tools and products, such as:

• Dog beds
• Crates
• Leashes
• Collars
• First-aid supplies
• Dog grooming tools and products
• Dog training tools and products
• Food and treats
• Bowls for food and water
• Toys
• Cleaning supplies
• Towels
• Waste bags
• Refrigerator for any food and/or medicine that needs to stay cold

You’ll also want to make sure your accounting and bookkeeping are in order before you open your doors for business. After all, you’ll need to keep track of your income and expenses so you can stay profitable!

There are a few different ways you can handle your accounting and bookkeeping, such as:

• Hiring an accountant or bookkeeper
• Using accounting software, such as QuickBooks or FreshBooks
• Doing your own accounting and bookkeeping

Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you’re putting aside money for taxes and major expenses. This will help you avoid any financial surprises down the road!

Some of the most common expenses for a dog daycare business include:

• Rent or mortgage payments
• Utility bills
• Insurance premiums
• Employee salaries (if applicable)
• Supplies
• Marketing and advertising
• Accounting and bookkeeping
• Major repairs or renovations

Last but not least, you’ll need to get business funding if you don’t have the money to finance your dog daycare business yourself.

There are a few different ways you can get funding for your business, such as:

Honestly, only you can know this for sure.

But if you love dogs, are great with people, want to be your own boss, want to make great money, and have the time and money to invest in a dog daycare business… Then the answer is probably YES!