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People love dogs, some even more so than most other people. For this reason, many choose to leave their beloved pets at a dog daycare business they can trust. Dog daycares and kennels are great, lucrative businesses to get into. However, they can take a significant investment to startup. As an entrepreneur looking to start a dog daycare business, you might be overwhelmed by all of the requirements to open and run a profitable daycare center legally. This is one of the most important steps to become an entrepreneur. Here is a simple plan to start a dog daycare business.
Daycare Center Business Permits
The first important step in creating a dog daycare business from scratch is to make sure that you and your business are following all the proper laws. Here in the US, these laws are governed at the state level, and therefore could vary depending on your location. Check with local government regulations. You may have to establish an LLC. Depending on the state and county, the LLC requires a number of forms and applications. There are usually laws specific to businesses that deal directly with animals, so there are a few extra hoops to jump through when compared to starting a non-animal related business. To get your doggy daycare company established, you’ll need to form an entity and acquire the necessary business permits.
Plenty Of Dog Supplies
A next step in starting up a dog daycare business is to make sure you have enough of the required supplies. After discussing the laws with your local government, you should have somewhat of an idea of how many dogs you can safely and lawfully house at your chosen location. Some of the best dog boarding franchises only take a limited number of pets each month. Each dog at your daycare is going to need its own kennel, bed, leash, and bowls for food and water. A good place to start seeking these out is to contact your local animal shelter or humane society. Making sure there are enough supplies is just as important as making sure you’re compliant with all the laws.
Brand Definition And Recognition
Another aspect of starting up a dog daycare business is marketing and brand recognition. Many dog owners love their dogs more than life itself, so it’s important to market your daycare as one they can trust their beloved pets with. There are two parts to this step, the first being to define your brand. The second is to communicate that brand and its definition to your potential clients. For example, you may want to specialize in caring for ailing or senior dogs, so you’d want to communicate this in your advertising. This will bring in clients to the dog daycare location, and enable your business to grow.
Hire Qualified Dog-Loving Staff
Soon, you’ll find yourself with more and more dogs and clients as your business grows. As this happens, you will want to hire a reliable, dog-loving staff. If you’ve volunteered with animals in the past, get in touch with some of your fellow volunteers. Finding employees is much easier if you have a network already. They’ll jump at the chance to be paid, and you already know how well they work with animals. However, it’s important to make sure any potential hires are trained in canine first aid as well as canine CPR. It’s also important to plan out how many employees you want to hire, how much to pay them, and what hours to give them. Hiring a staff you can trust is an important backbone in any business.
Proper Business Insurance
The final step in ensuring your dog daycare startup thrives is double-checking that you have proper insurance coverage. You need insurance for yourself as well as your location. You also need insurance to protect yourself and the business on the off chance a dog is injured in your care. Accidents do happen, and one like that has the potential to cripple your business. You will need insurance for the entire premise in case of property damages. Moreover, you should have general business insurance. With dogs and people in the business, this will protect the business from many liabilities. Making sure you have insurance is the final step because it’s something you should continue to keep track of throughout the life of your business.
Starting up a thriving dog daycare business can be done in a few easy steps. First, make sure you obtain the proper permits and permissions from your local government. Next, make sure you have enough supplies. Third, bring in some clients via marketing and brand recognition. Fourth, hire staff members whom you know are dog-loving and hard-working. Finally, continuously make sure that you are up to date on insurance, both for you and the dogs in your care. Consider the steps above, and your business will boom.
