Dog Grooming Industry: Dog Boarding Franchise vs. Dog Washing Franchise

The dog grooming industry is booming, but how should you decide between a dog boarding franchise and a dog wash franchise? Here are some of the pros and cons of each to help you pick what’s best for you.

If you are interested in buying a dog franchise, the service types are plentiful. However, determining your goals, future plans, and abilities may help you focus your endeavors. In terms of providing service over product, dog grooming may provide better opportunities for you to grow your business.

Dog Boarding Industry

Canine boarding is like overnight camp for pooches, giving moms and dads a respite to take a vacation or business trip while leaving their pups in the hands of trusted professionals. Dog boarding appeals to guests with busy lifestyles who travel often for work or pleasure and want to make sure their furry pals are in the best hands.

A dog boarding 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 boarding operation will require a different set of responsibilities than other pet care operatives. In addition to simply sheltering pets, your staff and facility will need to be equipped to provide beds, food and water, exercise, play, bathroom functionality, and emergent care.

When hosting different dogs from different households, there is a level of unpredictability involved for dog boarding franchisees that doesn’t apply to other pet care businesses. From dealing with behavioral issues to health emergencies, a properly trained and 24/7 staff is the most essential element to running a successful dog boarding business.

Boarding 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 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.

This has been a busy market in the past, but since the onset of COVID-19, many pet owners are staying home more often, leaving a dearth of opportunities for boarding franchises who used to rely on the jet-setting ways of pet lovers.

Dog Grooming Industry

Old-school, traditional dog grooming services were limited to wash and fluff, but nowadays, perhaps increased by the urge to stay at home, pet parents are spending more time with their pups and seeking more comprehensive care for their daily needs. Once viewed as a luxury service, the new dog grooming industry is 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 our reliance on dog boarding, there are various factors that affect profit. But unlike boarding, dog grooming industry services are sought by a broader range of dog-owning clients, regardless of their age or professional status, making it a more sustainable business opportunity for dog lovers seeking to invest. Pet industry statistics show that the future of pet care rests with brands that are revolutionizing the field to fit the changing needs of pet owners and their animals.

Franchise With Scenthound

Scenthound is a unique animal in the dog grooming industry, appealing to customers, prospective franchisees and, of course, dogs. 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.

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

To learn more about franchise opportunities in your area, contact us to get started.