Everything You Need To Know Before Opening a Dog Daycare Franchise

Are you an entrepreneur who has a passion for dogs? Perhaps owning your own dog daycare franchise is the right path for you. With Americans of all ages spending over $123 billion on their pets annually, pet care is a thriving business. More and more people now see their furry canine friends as an extension of their family and will stop at nothing to ensure they have the proper care and treatment they deserve.

But how does one go about opening a doggie daycare? And does becoming a franchisee of daycare for dogs even make sense for you? Read on as we break down the ins and outs of owning a franchise and what you need to know before you make the ultimate decision.

What Is a Dog Daycare Franchise?

A dog daycare franchise allows entrepreneurs to build upon their passions with a ready-made business that already has branding and processes in place. It is owned and operated by an individual franchisee, but branded and overseen by a much larger company known as the franchisor. The franchisee typically pays initial and royalty fees to own the company’s branding, trademark, and business model rights.

So how do you know if owning a dog daycare franchise is right for you? It’s important to consider several factors, including investment costs, overall time commitment, benefits, the support offered, and potential profitability. And lastly, do you even have what it takes to run a franchise? Let’s take a look at each, and then you can decide.

What Does It Cost To Run a Dog Daycare Franchise?

There are certain fees and investments required when starting this type of franchise. Typically, these fees range from $400,000 to 1 million and include:

Initial start-up fee
Royalty fees
Marketing
Training
Renewal fees

At K9 Resorts, the minimum financial requirements are $1 million personal net worth, $400k in liquid capital, and the ability to maintain your lifestyle while growing your business. Outside of this, other additional costs include:

Property and facility costs

Before opening a dog daycare, you need a place to house the dogs. While your home might be ideal for one or two dogs, eventually, you will need a larger space.

Equipment

You will need to purchase a gated area for outdoor play and bathroom business. Other types of equipment might include an outside washing area and activities area.

Licenses and Permits

The state or county in which you live may require permits and licenses to run a dog-related business. We recommend checking with a local attorney.

Supplies

To run a successful dog daycare, you will need to purchase the right supplies and equipment. This includes, but is not limited to a running sink, towels, blankets, food, first aid kits, toys, leashes, and more. All these items cost money and need to be replenished, so it’s important to factor them into your budget.

Staffing

Another area to consider is staffing. If you plan to take on more dogs than you can handle, you will need to hire other staff members. And if you employ anyone with a bit more experience in dog care, you will have to pay a higher hourly wage.

Benefits of Opening a Dog Daycare Franchise

If all of this sounds like a lot of work, it is. Franchising is not for everyone. But it sure does have its rewards. The biggest perk is that you get to work with dogs every day. If you’re a dog lover, how can you beat that? Here are a few of the other benefits you can enjoy when working with a franchise:

Help with location selection
Financing
Brand awareness
Traditional and digital marketing
Industry-leading training
Use of industry software
So much more!

What Is the Profitability of a Dog Daycare?

Like any other business, the harder you work, and the more you put in, the more you get out of it. When owning a dog daycare franchise, profit is a pretty simple equation. The amount of profit equals revenue minus variable costs minus fixed costs. Variable costs are those items, such as dog food or toys that vary from week to week. Fixed costs are items such as rent and insurance that never change. And of course, you also have to factor in other things such as your geographic location, the need for such a service in your area, and the amount of competition.

K9 Resorts were created to help potential franchisees become their region’s premier dog boarding facility. In 2021, our franchised locations grossed average sales of $1,452,623. And while we can’t guarantee you will make that much immediately, we will certainly do everything we can to help get you there.

Do You Have What It Takes To Be a Franchisee?

We believe a successful dog daycare franchise starts with the individual. Are you business-minded? Do you have a passion for caring for dogs? Do you have the ability to establish relationships with others? Then you are on the right track. But these are not the only qualities and traits needed to be a good franchisee. Other personality traits and skills that are helpful include:

Time-management skills
Leadership abilities
Positive can-do attitude
Risk-taker
Motivated by results
Good hiring skills
Excellent communication skills

Think You Have What it Takes to Run a Dog Daycare Franchise?

Think you have what it takes? Why not find out more? K9 Resorts takes care of its franchisees. We care about our franchise family and want you to be as successful as we are. We offer 24-hour support for anything you need, including online support, public relations, help to find the right location, local attorneys, and the use of our high-tech software. We apply the same level of passion, integrity, and care to our franchisees that we do to our own locations. With over 16 years of success, we offer a structured model of success.