Business Overview:

If you’d like to get paid lots of money to walk your favorite animals, then learning how to start a dog walking business is the business idea for you! As a dog walking business owner, your clients will pay you in return for taking their dog out for daily walks. So if you love dogs, this is one of those business ideas that truly offers you the opportunity to generate great profits doing what you love. What is so fantastic about starting a dog walking business is that that you can do it at virtually no cost. No special training is required; you just need to be able to maintain good general control over your dogs (you can easily take a dog obedience course at a relatively low cost if you think this might be a concern for you). The only major start up investment you will make will be on advertizing in order to build up a solid and consistent client base. Dog walkers typically charge $20 to $25 per dog walk, and you can take dogs out in groups—you’re not limited to walking only one at a time. Therefore once you’ve built up an established client based you can quite realistically expect to make $360 to $450 a day or more depending on how much walking you choose to do. You could also hire dog walkers to do the work for you. Once you have a team of reliable, responsible dog walkers the only thing you’ll need to attend to is the scheduling of your clients. Alternatively you could start a dog walking business and work it part time as a means of generating an additional source of revenue—it’s a business that offers you great flexibility. You can also choose to specialize in specific breeds or types of dogs, and you can take them wherever you want to go depending on what you feel like doing each day. Added to this, you’ll be your own boss and you won’t be chained down to a specific location all day. Instead you’ll be free to be outside doing what you love, keeping fit and generating a great income helping others take care of the wellbeing of their much loved canine pets.

A Day in the Life of a Dog Walking Business Owner:

As a dog walking business owner, you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours and choose when and where you want to go out on your walks. On a typical day you’ll pick up a client’s dog (or multiple dogs), most likely at an agreed upon time. If you’ve hired dog walkers, you’ll need to get them set up with their schedule for the day. You’ll then set out on your walk either to a local park (for example), or by driving out to somewhere more remote—the choice will be yours. You’ll then bring the dog(s) home well exercised after an hour or so of walking. Depending on how many clients you choose to take on, you may repeat this several times a day, going out on 3 to 4 walks to various locations of your choosing.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be dog lovers. Most likely they will be hardworking people who struggle to find the time to walk their pet, and therefore come to you to help them look after their dog’s health and wellbeing by giving them the daily exercise they need to keep their dogs fit, healthy and happy.

What You Need to Start:

• A love of dogs—and the ability to control them well
• Advertising—flyers, magazine, newspaper, online
• A business license
• Business insurance
• Financial-tracking software

The Good:

• The start up costs for this business are very low.
• The potential for profits is very high.
• No special education or experience is necessary.
• This business is flexible—you can work full or part time.
• This business will keep you fit and healthy.
• You’ll have the freedom of being your own boss.

The Bad:

• It may take some time to build up your client base.
• You will likely have some dogs and clients that are difficult to work with.

Resources:

• Professional Dog Walkers Association International
• American Kennel Club
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Article on Dog Walking
• Wikipedia on Dog Walking

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Business Overview:

Attention dog lovers: Starting a dog grooming business can be the key to your professional happiness and your ticket to financial freedom. If this business idea piques your interest, you’ll be happy to know that learning how to start a dog grooming business is easy and straightforward, and the startup costs can be minimal. You can initially start a dog grooming business from your home and build your company from there, eventually renting or buying a space that enables you to create a truly professional grooming atmosphere. Until then, a tub with a long shower nozzle, a grooming table, and well-kept grooming tools can get you your first customers. The beauty of this business is that, for most customers, it doesn’t matter how fancy your shop is but whether or not the canine customers that emerge from it are clean and happy. This is where your business model comes into play. You will want to have a business license and insurance to start so that you’re well-protected—legally and financially. You will want to familiarize yourself with popular grooming techniques and practice on the dogs of your family and friends to master the skills. You will also want to create a grooming services menu with prices listed clearly so that your customers know exactly what they’re getting from your company, and you will want to spell out what you expect from the dogs you work with. In other words, you can refuse a biting dog, or charge more for a dog that requires a cage or muzzle. When your business gets up and running, you can decide to hire groomers to work for you and expand your business exponentially. Additionally, as you make a name for your company, you can review your price list and decide if your service is worth more. After all, people love their dogs so much they will often pay a great deal to ensure they’re clean and contented.

A Day in the Life of a Dog Grooming Business Owner:

In the early days of your business, you will start each day reviewing which dogs you’ll be working with that day and what you’ll need to complete each job. You will also want to confirm any upcoming appointments, and work on advertising your business and recruiting new customers. Then you will do your actual work of grooming—washing, drying, clipping, brushing, and enjoying time with the dogs you have to groom that day. After cleaning up and restocking your grooming area, you will want to review your profits for the day as well as your expenses. If and when you desire, you will be able to hire groomers to work for you and you can either continue grooming or work solely on building your business.

About Your Customers:

Your human customers will be dog owners looking for a safe, competent, and reasonably priced groomer who is willing to cater to their dogs and get them looking and smelling their best. Your canine customers will be of varying breeds and temperaments that either love or hate being groomed. Being able to work well with both groups of customers will ensure that your business takes off.

What You Need to Start:

• A love of dogs and the ability to work well with many types of them
• A business license
• Business insurance
• A location to run your business
• Grooming tools and products
• A contract for services provided
• Financial-tracking software

The Good:

• You can do something you can really enjoy.
• The business can be profitable if you’re good at it.
• You can hire groomers to work for you.
• You can set your own business and build your company as you see fit.
• You will be providing a valuable service to dog owners.

The Bad:

• You will certainly encounter dogs (and their humans) who are difficult to work with.
• If you’ve never done dog grooming before, you’ll have a learning curve to go through while you master the wide variety of techniques.

Resources:

• National Dog Groomers Association
• American Mobile Groomers Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Animal Care and Service Workers
• Wikipedia on Dog Grooming

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Business Overview:

If you’re a dog lover and want to provide a great service that can offer you large profits, you should look into how to start a pooper scooper business. The pet industry is booming and people will always have pets regardless of the state of the economy. As people’s lives are getting busier, they don’t have the time to properly clean up after their dogs. This is why starting a pooper scooper business is such a great idea. The startup cost for this business idea is minimal and dog owners will pay quite a lot for someone else to handle their dogs’ mess so running a pet waste removal business is a lucrative option for a small business owner. Not only can you remove poop at dog owners’ homes, you can branch out to local boarding facilities, vet offices, dog parks and anywhere else dogs do their business. You can set up your route however it works best for you, whether that means you visit a location once a week or once a day and you can easily operate this business part-time until you have enough clients to take it to full-time if you wish. You may even find yourself needing to hire a team of pooper scoopers to sufficiently handle all your business. The bottom line is there is money to be made in the dog waste removal business and there will always be room for a new business owner.

A Day in the Life of a Pooper Scooper Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your schedule to see what clients you will be servicing that day. You’ll need to make sure you have enough supplies to handle your day’s work. If not, you’ll make a quick trip to the store for more baggies or whatever you need. If you have a staff working for you, you’ll give them their assignments and make sure they have enough supplies. Then you’ll want to spend some time marketing your services. This could be in the form of Internet ads, fliers, phone calls, etc. Finally, you’ll check in on your finances to make sure all your payments have been recorded and all bills have been paid.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individual dog owners, boarding facility managers, veterinarian office managers, pet shops, dog park managers, and anyone who is responsible for keeping an area clear of dog waste.

What You Need to Start:

• Shovel or other removal tool
• Plastic bags
• Container to transport waste in your vehicle
• Cleaning supplies
• Marketing materials
• License
• Computer with bookkeeping software

The Good:

• The dog waste removal business is recession proof.
• Start up costs are minimal.
• You can charge high prices for your services.
• You can work as much or as little as you like.
• This business is easily scalable from a one-person operation to a full staff doing all the work for you.

The Bad:

• It could take some time to spread the word about your new business.
• If you decide to hire people to work for you so that you can expand your business, you may find it difficult to find new hires as some people find the job distasteful.

Resources:

• Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists
• American Pet Association
• Pet Care Services Association
• Wikipedia on Pooper Scooper

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Business Overview:

If you are a dog lover and are looking for a way to turn your pooch passion into a thriving business, you must consider a dog treat business. There is plenty of room in the pet industry for newcomers to nose their way in and make a hefty return on their investment. A recent survey showed that over 45 million homes in the U.S. have at least one dog and over 77 million dogs live in those homes. Pet owners spend over 47 billion (yes, billion) dollars a year on their furry friends. Clearly the pet industry is enormous and everyone who owns pets spends money on them. The market is obviously ripe with possibilities and a dog biscuit business would be a great way to tap into it. Making and selling homemade dog treats is easy and fun. Best of all, you can do it from home. You don’t even need to be an experienced baker to be a success with this online business idea. You just need a few supplies and an enthusiastic attitude to be the proud owner of a booming dog treat business. You can get this business idea up and running by selling to local shops or you can create an online business where you ship your specialty dog treats all over the world.

A day in the life of a dog treat business owner:

A typical day for a dog treat business owner will start with a check of any new orders. If you sell your treats online, you can easily see what new products you need to make and ship out. If you sell your treats in stores, check with the store owners to see if their stock is running low. Take a look at your supplies and if you need more baking ingredients, place an order or get to the store. You will spend some of your day on marketing, whether it be online or with store owners who are interested in selling your treats. If you have bakers working for you, you’ll check in with them so they know what orders need to be filled. Finally, you’ll want to take a look at your finances to ensure spending is on track and invoices and bills have been paid.

About Your Customers:

Your ultimate customers are dogs, but since they have no pockets in which to carry their cash, your intermediary customers are dog owners. You will market your treats to these owners either directly via the Internet or through local pet stores.

What You Need to Start:

• Baking materials
• Treat cookie cutters
• Computer

The Good:

• The pet industry is huge; there is plenty of room for new business.
• Start up costs are low.
• Return on investment is high.
• No experience needed.
• This business can easily be run part time from home.

The Bad:

• Demand can quickly outpace supply if you don’t have a good grip on customer needs.
• It can take time and patience to find the recipes and products that sell consistently.

Resources:

• Pet Care Services Association
• American Pet Products Association
• Worldwide Pet Industry Association
• American Dog Owners Association

Technorati Tags: dog biscuit business, dog treat business, homemade dog treats

Business Overview:

If you love dogs and want to have your own business, why not consider starting a dog training business?  You could be spending your time working with beautiful animals rather than being chained to a desk.  If you’re looking for freedom to pursue your passion and you love working with animals, this might be the perfect business idea for you.  There are no 9- 5 days as a dog training business owner because you get to set your own hours.  In addition, you can decide if you want to do group dog training, one-on-one sessions, or both.  You also can determine if you want the dogs to come to your home for training or if you’d prefer to travel to the dogs in their home location. One of the most attractive parts of being a dog trainer is that you can go anywhere in the world and your services will be needed.  There’s no need to be tied down to one location if you like to be on the move.  You can keep your business simple and be the sole dog trainer or you can expand to having a team of dog trainers work for you in your own facility.  You could even add specialized training to your list of services and offer scent tracking training. Many people are looking for dog training jobs, and your business could be the perfect place for their skills. Your staff could also offer additional services like dog walking to help the dogs between sessions and increase your profits.

A Day in the Life of a Dog Training Business Owner:

Each day as a dog training business owner is unique, which is what keeps this business so interesting. You may teach a few group dog obedience classes on one day. The next day you may work one-on-one with dogs that need extra attention beyond the group training. Your day may involve talking with dog owners on the phone to determine the needs of their pet and then scheduling an appointment to meet with them. Finally, if you have other dog trainers working for you then your day may involve advancing their training and overseeing their work. One day you may find that you’ve built the business up so much that you’re ready to receive lucrative offers as you post a “dog training business for sale” ad online.

The Good:

• Great flexibility in hours.
• Ability to move to different locations and always have clientele.
• Extensive variety in day-to-day working environment.
• You’re helping dogs and people every single day.

The Bad:

• Business may be slow during winter seasons in Northern climates.
• Potential for working with dangerous dogs may arise if you don’t screen clients and their pets carefully.

Resources

• Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
• The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
• Animal Behavioral College
• The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
• Bureau of Labor Statistics

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