The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on many businesses around the world. However, most pet businesses have reported sales boom.
If you're passionate about pets and would love to start a pet business, this post will show you how to do it to deliver more value to customers thereby moving your new business to the next level.
Before we continue, I'll like to remind you that people who have been in the business for a long time have experienced an economic boom as well as a downturn just like those in other industries.
What set some of the successful business owners apart from mediocre ones is their determination to dampen the effects of economic downturn and move their businesses to profitability.
And one of the ways they achieve this is by looking out for new opportunities, adapting, and giving tremendous values to their customers.
As you might have observed, the pandemic has created urgent needs for adoptable pets. This in turn has increased the demand for dog food, diapers, leashes, treats, chews, beds, training tools, and grooming supplies.
The number of people demanding pet insurance, dog training, grooming and care has also increased.
The business you're about to start is in a booming billion-dollar industry.
However, tapping into this growing market and the opportunity it presents can be difficult if you do not focus on a clearly defined niche that can cater to the needs of dogs.
The following are the best pet businesses you can start so as to benefit from the current boom.
1. Dog Breeding Business
Do you love the act of mating selected dogs to produce or maintain a specific trait? Then dog breeding business may be a perfect match for you.
Even though dog breeding involves knowing more about dog genetics, you can still start it if you have the passion and drive to learn more about the different types of dogs. Begin your journey by reading dog made simple which is a step-by-step guide for those just starting out in dog ownership.
In recent times, dog breeders have been able to make a huge sum of money due to the high demand for dogs.
But you have to register with a kennel club, obtain healthy male and female dogs that have undergone confirmation, genetic, temperament, and health tests, and then begin to intentionally mate that specific breed of dog to produce desired genotypic as well as phenotypic traits.
The purpose of the various tests is to ensure that the dogs you're about to breed is free from physical malformations, behavioural as well as health disorders, and is from a purebred
Dog breeding business involves a huge monetary investment since the process starts even before puppies are born.
The various ways you'll invest money is in the buying of dog food, veterinary checks, vaccinations, accurate record-keeping, and finding suitable homes for the puppies when they're of age.
Your efforts and investment will pay off when you succeed in selling the puppies to people who are able and ready to take care of them.
You can set premium prices for the puppies in order to make a substantial profit or participate in dogs conformation shows to gain recognition for your business.
2. Dog Training Business
Training a dog is a difficult task for some dog parents. Apart from the huge investment of time, training certain dog breeds require skills which most first-time dog parents do not yet have.
With the increase in dog adoption during the pandemic, it's obvious that many dog parents will need dog trainers.
This is where your dog training business can give value in exchange for money.
But before your dog training business can succeed, you need to have extensive knowledge about dog behaviours.
You can gain this knowledge by enrolling in dog training classes online, reading some dog training books, apprenticing with well-established dog trainers, or attending reputable dog training schools.
We always recommend dog training programmes in certified institutions since they will give you a recognized certificate at the end of the course.
However, there are some places without reputable dog training schools, in such a case, we will advise you to begin the journey with some basic dog training books. These books are written in such a way that new dog owners and trainers can easily understand and follow the steps.
We recommend the following books for new dog parents and trainers:
1. 51 Puppy Tricks: Step-by-Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with your Puppy
If your goal is to train dogs, then the best way to start is by reading how to train puppies.
The 51 Puppy Tricks is a book that will teach you how to train dogs that are still under one year of age.
It explains the simple steps you can use to establish a good foundation for dog obedience.
Since this book is written by a renowned dog trainer and author, it is easy to follow the full-colour photographic instructions she gave based on many years of experience in canine training.
SEE THE 51 PUPPY TRICKS ON CHEWY
2. Dog Training 101: Step-by-Step Instructions for Raising a Happy, Well-Behaved Dog
This is another book from Kyra Sundance but this one will teach you how to prepare for the arrival of dogs, obedience training, tricks and behavioural modification.
You can easily rush to this visually intriguing book for advice on how to correct common behavioural problems like digging, chewing of furniture, nipping, or use the instructions to potty train your dog.
SEE DOG TRAINING 101 ON CHEWY
3. The Other End Of The Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs
We've shown you books that can be useful in learning how to train dogs, but none of the instructions on those books will work if you don't know how to interact with the dogs you're about to train.
This classic dog training book by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., will teach you how to bring the very best out of every dog you train. You'll learn how to use your voice during training, and how to avoid rough and tumble play that can lead to trouble, this book is a must-have for every dog trainer.
SEE THE OTHER END OF THE LEASH ON CHEWY
If you already have the required training, it's time to start helping others in training their dogs.
You can carry out the dog training in your home, or visit the home of the dog owner for the training.
Most dog trainers carry out the training online by advising dog owners on what to do in a given situation.
Whatsoever your method is, ensure that it gives your client value for money.
3. Dog Grooming Business
As a dog groomer, your business will focus on enhancing the physical appearance of dogs through hygienic care and cleaning.
Since dog grooming can help in reducing the chances of health problems such as skin infestation, you need to have the necessary experience to do this business successfully.
You can acquire dog grooming experience by enrolling in online dog grooming classes, apprenticing with an experienced groomer, or reading books on dog grooming.
Most dog parents will require their dog groomer to have certification from a recognised institution. Because of this, we will encourage you to attend online grooming classes or regular grooming schools that give a certificate at the end of the programme.
After acquiring the necessary dog grooming skills, it is time to start the business. You can rent a property or operate a mobile grooming salon.
You can make more money in dog grooming business if you receive referrals from veterinarians, dog trainers, dog walkers and other players in the pet industry.
We recommend you to work on getting these referrals as much as you can.
4. Dog Boarding
Dog boarding is also known as dog daycare.
Dog boarding is a profitable business which you can start with little capital. This is because you can allow dog owners to pay you whenever they bring their dogs to your facilities for a certain period.
To be successful in a dog boarding business, you should be knowledgeable in animal health, behaviour, and facility maintenance. This is because you will feed, walk and take good care of the dogs in your custody.
Most individuals that started dog boarding business did so after learning the nitty-gritty of the business from pet-related disciplines, online pet boarders and animal rescue organisations. You can also follow similar route.
If you don't want to learn the business through apprenticeship, you can join kennel owners membership groups and obtain appropriate training that will be useful for dog boarding business.
After obtaining adequate training, you can begin the business by acquiring a piece of land that will be able to accommodate the dogs. Ensure that the property has open space that you can use for dog walking, training and playing with the dogs.
Develop the property to your standard and set up fees that dog owners will be able to afford. You can charge a separate fee for day boarding, overnight boarding, or based on the age and breeds of dogs.
Your dog boarding business will thrive if you accept referrals from people in the pet industry and also market it to the wider population of dog owners.
5. Pet Products Business
The COVID-19 pandemic will come and go but pet parents will never stop to spend on their pets.
Therefore, even if you lack the training and expertise to carry out the other pet business ideas given here, grab this opportunity and start selling pet supplies.
You can start by selling pet supplies such as leashes, harnesses, toys, food bowls and even pet food.
However, we encourage you to specialize in selling well-branded basic supplies at the beginning to build your brand.
This will help you to stand out from the large pet stores with an abundance of products which may sometimes confuse customers.
If you have decided on the pet supplies to sell, it's time to look for a better retail location that is accessible to many customers. You can also visit some other pet supply retailing stores to find out the prices of items that are best sellers.
At this point, you should order for the pet supplies that you want to sell. You can do this through dropshipping if your business will also be online, or place your order with manufacturers.
When the pet supplies arrive, arrange them neatly on your shelf and fix a date for the grand opening of your pet supply store.
6. Veterinary Clinic Business
If you're a veterinarian, starting a veterinary clinic can make a lot of difference in the lives of pets near you.
But endeavour to have a good business plan, financial resources and other experts that can work with you.
The location of your business is also important since it will affect the cost and number of customers that require your services.
Many vets are now opting for a mobile vet clinic while others form join ventures with pet supply stores. Ensure that you test many options to know what works best for your vet clinic business.
Conclusion
As lucrative as pet businesses may seem, you need to be passionate, have good business plan and expertise before the business can thrive.
You should also endeavour to start any pet business locally to build good and enduring relationships with pet parents and their pets.
Pet businesses like dog training, dog grooming, dog boarding, dog breeding and veterinary clinic require skills in handling dogs. Ensure that you acquire the necessary skills because pet parents are so protective of their pets and wouldn't want to patronize your business if you lack adequate skills and certification.
In this age of information and communication technology, your dog business will do well if you take it online.
Use websites, social media and any other medium that is best for your business. But don't forget to test different ideas until you get the needed results.
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