Dog Daycare Franchise vs. Dog Grooming Franchise: Which is Best?

The pet care industry is vast and booming, so if you’ve decided to invest, you’d do well to identify the type of business you’re looking to run. Dog daycare and grooming are both busy sectors of the market that share similar opportunities, and here are some insights into each category that will help you decide which is the right fit for you.

Dog Daycare

Think of dog daycare as the canine equivalent of child daycare, where your pet will be attended to beyond its most basic needs. Dog daycare is appealing to customers with busy lifestyles and for those whose work schedules take them away from home during the day. Additionally, dog daycare services are great for those that desire the kind of personalized attention for their pets that they themselves would provide.

If you’re already an animal lover, running a dog daycare allows you to spread that love and spend your entire day with four-legged friends. Your business will serve as pets’ home away from home, so it needs to be operated with the same level of care and attention that you would expect to see in the most meticulous dog parent’s home.

In this way, a dog daycare operation will require a different set of responsibilities. In addition to simply sheltering pets, your staff and facility will need to be equipped to provide beds, food and water, exercise, play and bathroom functionality.

When hosting different dogs from different households, there is a level of unpredictability involved for dog daycare franchisees that doesn’t apply to other pet care businesses. From dealing with behavioral issues to health emergencies, a properly trained and skilled staff is the most essential element to running a successful dog daycare.

Daycare facilities usually require a larger space with more square footage than a pet grooming operation. The upside to this is that you can use all of that space to assist rescue organizations, temporarily housing pets in need as they are in transition to permanent, loving homes. Ideally, this results in cross-promotion for your business. By providing shelter and helping secure adoption for animals in need through your customer network, you will drum up good-will and interest in the community. The downside is that operating on a larger scale will require more capital, and you are unlikely to see quick returns on your investment.

The amount of money you are likely to make as a dog daycare franchise owner is dependent on a number of variables, including initial investment, local demographics and even time of year.

Dog Grooming

Old-fashioned grooming services were limited to nail trims and shampoos, but nowadays, the industry must rise to meet the needs of customers seeking a more comprehensive experience for their pets. Once viewed as a luxury service, dog grooming is increasingly viewed as fundamental to the overall health of our animals. Most pet owners don’t have the time or ability to do it themselves, so they seek out highly trained professionals who will provide top-notch care at an affordable price.

Much like dog daycare, there are various factors that affect profit. But unlike daycare, grooming services are sought by a broader range of dog-owning customers, whether younger, older, working, or retired, making it a more sustainable business investment.

Why Scenthound?

Scenthound occupies a special corner of the dog grooming franchise market, making it appealing to both prospective franchisees and customers. Within a larger sector, Scenthound is the first of its kind: offering a membership-based business model that addresses all aspects of a pet’s overall health. No other dog grooming business offers the same level of customizable care.

Scenthound has disrupted the pet care industry by adopting a blue ocean strategy, pursuing unsought potential within an overcrowded marketplace. We are proud to stand out as an industry innovator, and we look forward to working with prospective franchisees who share our values and love for our dogs.

If you would like to learn more about franchise opportunities in your area, please visit franchising.scenthound.com.