How to Open Your Own Pet Kennel Business
You love dogs as much as we do, so you’ve decided to start your own pet business. Overnight dog kennels are a great pet-oriented business that allows you to interact with plenty of dogs while their owners are out of town.
But what do you need in order to start your own dog kennel business? While you’re probably begging to get started right away, there are a few steps we recommend taking before you jump into your new business venture.
Check the Laws and Needed Licenses In Your State
Laws and regulations will be different depending on where you live. Most states require special licenses for any anime-related businesses to ensure that every animal in the state is receiving the best care possible. Do your research to find out what you need to acquire in order for your business to be totally legal.
Acquire Pet Insurance
Just as having the proper legal licenses ensures that pets are not being put in harm’s way, you want to make sure running your business doesn’t hurt you either. Check with your favorite pet insurance provider to see if they have any packages for pet business. While we know insurance can be a pain in the tail sometimes, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.
Find the Right Facilities
There are some pet businesses that you can run right from your home like dog walking or gourmet treat baking. However, because you will be housing many dogs at once, you should look into getting a facility large enough for all of them to roam and play.
Your space will need to be big enough for your dog guests to:
- Play, either on a lawn or on playground equipment
- Sleep, often in their own kennels
- Eat, sometimes by themselves to prevent their food from being stolen
- Going to the bathroom, which needs to be separate from their play area
Some dog kennels even offer additional services (like grooming, teeth cleaning, and training) that will require their own special spaces. Make sure you have enough space not only for your new clientele to roam free but also for your business to grow.
Get the Right Supplies
Once you have the right space for your business, you need to make sure you have the right supplies to keep your canine guests and their owners happy.
Providing additional toys and food for dogs is a must, as well as a doggie door that will allow them to go to the bathroom whenever they want. To boost your dog kennel business to the next level, you can also provide fun activities for when your dogs are in play, like obstacle courses and puppy pools.
Get the Right Staff
Running an overnight kennel business is not a simple task. Just like how a hotel needs many staff members to run smoothly, so too will you need to hire the right people to keep all the dogs under your care happy.
Look for staff members who not only have a passion for animals but also have some kind of experience or licensing to back it up. Many staff members might be ex-dog groomers or enthusiastic shelter volunteers looking for a new facet of the pet world to welcome them.
Set-Up Some Policies
While it would be great to be able to accept every dog that needs a place to stay for a few nights, you need to be selective.
Puppies younger than five months can be at risk for injury when unsupervised with other dogs. Dogs who are behind on their socialization will also be more aggressive than normal and may cause many fights with other dogs at the facility. Additionally, every dog that stays at your kennel needs to be vaccinated to avoid a potentially deadly outbreak.
Make sure to have these policies in an easy-to-read place, whether it’s on your business’s website or a brochure on the front desk. Make sure pet owners know what is and isn’t allowed before they sign a contract.
Start Your Business
Once you have all of the particulars figured out, you can get started launching your business. This may include marketing, your grand opening, and acquiring your first clients. We hope that your new pet business venture is as rewarding as being a dog owner!
