Five New Pros and Cons of Starting a Dog Boarding Kennel

When someone decides they want to start a business, they're taking a major risk. It's easier to work for someone else. You put in the hours and you leave at the end of the day. You don't have to take home the daily stress of owning the business. You just work for them. On the other hand, starting a business isn't easy, but the rewards can be great. Financial freedom and the ability to take off time whenever you want. You're in charge of your time and you get to decide when you need to work and when you don't. We wrote about this a few years back, but I thought it was time to write a new post, highlighting some of the other pros and cons of opening a boarding kennel.

Starting a dog boarding kennel is an idea that many people have. Maybe they've worked for a boarding kennel for a while and want to start their own, or maybe they have dogs and see a need for a boarding kennel in the area. Regardless, opening a kennel is a good idea. The industry is booming and many kennels are making a healthy earning. To help you determine if owning a dog kennel is the right choice for you and your team, I've compiled a list of five pros and five cons of the business.

Pros of Owning a Dog Kennel

Love of Dogs

If you're passionate about dogs, owning a kennel gives you the opportunity to work with them on a daily basis. Working with dogs is even good for you. What else could you want? There's something just great about waking up every day and spending time with animals. They don't talk back. They don't expect you to submit PDF reports by 9am for the stand-up meeting. Thousands of tech employees dream of a life where they can wake up and not look at a computer all day. You could be one of them!

Stable Income

The demand for dog kennel services is generally consistent, providing a stable source of income. There's no lack of dogs in the USA and abroad and people are traveling like there's no tomorrow. It's a great time to get into this industry. There's more than enough money to go around, so even if there are already a few dog boarding kennels in your area, don't be too scared to try opening your own.

Flexibility

Depending on the size of your kennel, you may be able to manage it on your own or with a small staff. Running the business by yourself might work out at the start, but you're eventually going to need to high some employees. Make sure you hire good ones that will make your life easier and not make it more difficult.

Independence

Owning a kennel allows you to be your own boss and run the business according to your own vision. Thinking that you want to take a vacation for a week? Perfect! Don't accept any appointments during that week and then give yourself a true week off. That's what it's all about. No need to ask your boss if they're pretty please give you a few days of vacation. You ARE the boss!

Helping Others

By providing a safe and comfortable environment for dogs, you can give pet owners peace of mind and help improve the lives of dogs. Providing a safe place where people can leave their pets while they go on vacation is a wonderful service to offer. You're really going to improve the lives of a lot of your clients, because maybe they're going to go see their grandchild for the first time in a long time and they finally feel comfortable leaving Sparky with your business. Good work!

Cons of Owning a Dog Kennel

High Start-Up Costs

The cost of building or renovating a kennel, as well as purchasing equipment and supplies, can be substantial. If you've got deep-pocketed investors, you're going to be just fine. However, if you're self-funding your boarding kennel, it might come as a shock when those construction and renovation invoices start arriving. Be prepared to open that check book up and start writing a LOT of big checks!

Responsibility

As the owner of a kennel, you're responsible for the well-being of each dog in your care. This can be a heavy burden. Some people enjoy responsibility and the stress that goes along with it. Others do not. If you're someone that thrives on decision-making, you might very well enjoy the stress and responsibility of running your own dog boarding kennel. If you're someone that shies away from responsibility, you might have a harder time.

Competition

There may be a lot of competition in your area, making it difficult to attract clients. Standing out amongst your competition is one of the best things you can do, but also one of the hardest. It takes years to gain a good reputation and during that time, you're going to be fighting tooth and nail for every client that you're able to attract.

Long Hours

Kennel owners often work long hours, including weekends and holidays. When you own a business, you're never really taking time off. You always have to have your phone on in case there is an emergency. What happens if there's a dog fight while you're gone? You better believe your manager is going to give you a call. So, even though you'll be making more money than if you were just an employee, you'll also have to deal with the longer hours.

Legal and Insurance Requirements

Owning a kennel comes with a number of legal and insurance requirements, including obtaining a business license, liability insurance, and following regulations regarding the care and treatment of animals. These requirements can be costly to maintain and they can also take a lot of time to get set up.

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