5 Pet Businesses to Start Today

If you love your pet and would like to find other businesses or extra money to compensate your hobby, this is what you should consider doing:

Pooper-Scooper Service

Believe it or not, you can make a very comfortable living by starting and operating a dog pooper-scooper service in your community. This is an easy business to start; it requires little investment, no special skills, and minimal equipment to operate. Basically, if you can handle a shovel and plastic bags, and can put up with less than aromatic smells, you're qualified to run a pooper-scooper service. If not, you can still cash in on this booming growth business by marketing and managing the service while hiring others to do the dirty work. Spread the word about your pooper-scooper service by advertising in local newspapers, pinning fliers to bulletin boards, and through dog-related businesses and clubs in the community. Most services charge a flat monthly rate of between $30 and $60 to stop by customers' homes or businesses weekly to clean up their yards, which takes no more than 10 minutes per visit. You'll need reliable transportation, a cell phone, garbage buckets, plastic bags, shovels, gloves and a good pair of rubber boots.

Dog Clothing and Accessories

Americans spend more than $30 billion annually on their pets, and big bucks can be earned by designing, making and selling designer duds for dogs. Sweaters and rain jackets are sure bets to become top sellers, but dog lovers around the globe are also buying designer doggie hats, goggles, shirts, booties, scarves and even Halloween costumes for their beloved furry friends. The criteria for getting started are minimal--design skills, sewing skills and equipment, patterns, and a bit of gumption to get out and pitch your fabulous designer fashions for mutts and pedigrees alike to pet shop retailers, especially if your ambitions are to establish wholesale accounts with chain and independent pet shop retailers. If not, there are still many ways to sell direct to dog owners. These include exhibiting and selling at pet fairs, online sales via dog-related websites, mail order sales supported by newspaper, catalog, online and magazine advertising, and establishing a doggie clothing boutique at home or in a retail storefront location. As dog owners know, word travels fast amongst dog owners, and when a great product for a pet is found, he or she is quick to spread the word to other dog owners.

Dog Day Care

Day-care facilities for dogs are becoming increasingly popular, especially as more and more caring dog owners are realizing the benefits of leaving their beloved dogs at day care with other dogs instead of at home alone while they are at work. Dogs, like people, are social creatures and need contact with people and other dogs to become well-behaved and confident. However, a dog day care should not be confused with a kennel, which boards animals for short- and long-term time spans. A doggie day care is strictly a drop off in the morning and pick up in the evening or anytime during the day type of operation. If space allows and your neighbors don't mind the barking, you can open at home. A better alternative is to rent commercial warehouse space and covert it into a dog day care spa, complete with water features, fenced outdoor space, and indoor couches to ensure your clients have all the creature comforts they're used to at home. One innovative day care center in my community recently installed web cams throughout their facility so people at work could log onto their website and see live footage of their dogs playing with other dogs. Current rates are in the range of $15 to $25 per day, with discounts for weekly service.

Dog Walking Service

A dog walking service is perfectly suited fro the person who has the time, patience and a love for dogs. Best of all, this business can be started for less than $100. There are various styles of multi-lead dog walking collars and leashes available that will allow three or more dogs to be walked at the same time without becoming tangled in the leash. Acquiring this equipment will be important to your new business, as it will reduce frustration and enable you to walk multiple dogs at the same time, thus increasing revenues and profits. To secure clients for the service, simply design a promotional flier that explains your dog walking service and qualifications. Distribute the fliers to businesses that are frequented by dog owners, such as groomers, kennels, pet stores, community animal shelters, and veterinarians. Once word is out about your dog walking service, it shouldn't take long to establish a base of 20 or 30 regular clients.

Gourmet Pet Treats

The fastest growing segment of the pet foods industry is gourmet dog treats. There's a lot of money to be made in this business because the profit margin is very high and people are willing to pay for the best dog treats money can buy. As people become more health conscious of their own diets, they begin to scrutinize their pet's diets as well, and many are turning to naturally made food and biscuits for their dogs, even though all-natural handmade biscuits cost as much as ten times more than commercially produced biscuits.
Making dog biscuits at home is easy; all you need to get started are dog biscuit recipes, healthy ingredients, biscuit molds (those shaped like bones and cats are favorites), a catchy name, and packaging materials. Baking and selling specialty dog treats is a fantastic opportunity for pet-loving entrepreneurs who want to work from home and have lot of fun. Selling options are plentiful. Sell to independent and chain pet retailers on a wholesale basis or to consumers via online pet products marketplaces, at pet fairs, and from your home supported by word-of-mouth advertising. The advertising is very easy to get, providing dogs love your treats.

[Via Entrepreneur]