Four in One Doggie Care Business Idea

Did you know that over one-half of Canadians have a household pet?  Pets include cats, dogs, birds, hamster….  It is estimated that about  one-third of Canadian households own a dog  For most Canadians, their pets are like their children.  The humanization of pets has triggered a consumer culture gone crazy and the pet industry is cashing in, with Canadians spending an estimated $4 billion a year on their dogs.

Statistics Canada reports that Canadian households spent an average of $541 on pet related expenses in 2008.  These expenditures continue to rise by about 10 percent each year.  With aging demographics and empty nesters, it is expected that the pet industry will continue to grow.

If you love pets or primarily dogs, you can easily get into the dog care business through any of the four businesses listed below.  In fact, this is a four-in-one business idea, and one can mix and match the different services or offer all of them by being a one-stop doggie care business.

Dog Walking
Dogs need exercise.  Dogs–particularly puppies and young dogs–have a lot of energy, and if they don’t get the chance to burn it off, destructive behavior is often the result. If you ever wonder why your dog dig holes, chew shoes, bark a lot, or pee everywhere, it is likely that your dog is not getting enough attention and exercise.  Urban home dwellers and double income families face the situation where their dog is locked in the house and have no space to run and exercise. They need to be taken out for a walk.

This is where professional pet sitters come in.  Professional pet sitters take dogs out for their daily walks.  Some families will hire a pet sitter on a daily basis, or a few times a week, relieving the busy owner to do other work.  Pet sitters are also great for vacation relief, when the owners go out of town.

Usually, pet sitters are bonded and insured, as pet owners may leave their house keys with the pet sitter while the owner goes away for holiday or business trips.

Be sure to do some research before you launch your pet sitting business.  Volunteer at your local SPCA to gain more insight and get some experience working with different types of dogs.

Doggie Day Care
Another lucrative business is a doggie day care business.  A Doggie day care needs lots of open indoor and outdoor play areas, as well as a back room where dogs can take a nap in toddler beds, on pillows, or couches.   Take some ideas from McDonald’s children’s play area.  Use a rubberized floor area to make a soft play area for canines to traipse around indoors when they play on the jungle gym.

Pet Grooming, Pet Spa and Pet Accessories
Doggie Day care businesses can also simply add a pet boutique which features different types of accessories and pampering goodies for pets including leather or customized dog collars, sweaters, life jackets, raincoats, toys, pearl necklaces and tiaras as well as treats such as healthy cookies, organic pet foods or rawhides. The spa for dogs features baths, haircuts and body massages.

Dog Training or Obedience School
Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, dig holes in your yard, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal canine activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing.  Obedience Training is one of the best things an owner can do for his/her dog or puppy.  Obedience training doesn’t solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training opens up a line of communication between the owner and his/her dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct a dog about what the owner wants it to do with common instructions like SIT, STAY, GO.

Useful references:
Starting your own Doggie Daycare and Dog Recipes
Doggie Day Care and Pet Sitting Ebooks
Dog Training Home Study Course
How to House Train and Potty Train Any Dog