Opinions and advice needed please

[alexo815 10]

Hi everyone

 

Basically, I run a small dog walking business, and things are going well.

 

However, it has always been a big dream of mine to own and run a doggy day care centre. Where dogs can come and spend the day, having lots of interactions with other dogs.

 

I was also hoping to have along side the full day care, something like coffee mornings where people can bring their dogs along, have a cuppa with other dog owners and watch their dogs having fun.

 

I would also like to offer puppy socialisation times, so dogs can learn nice manners and social skills from an early age.

 

Another side to the business I was thinking about offering would be maybe an evening or weekend session set aside for adult dogs that aren't very well socialised. I know it's hard for an unsocialable dog to be introduced to other dogs, so I was hoping to be able to provide socialisation sessions for these kinds of dogs under careful supervision.

 

Like I said at the moment this is a dream in my head, but I am just looking for some opinions and/or advice to see if this kind of business will be of any use to any of you dog owners out there.

 

I'm currently living in s35 and would like to set this up around this area, but depending on availability of premises etc, the location could change.

 

Thanks

Alex

[angel22 10]

I think it's a brilliant idea. It's probably not going to be easy to organise but if you could, it would be fantastic. I'd definitely come along to the adult dog socialisation class. My dog is very, very friendly but just too boisterous and giddy around other dogs. She needs to learn how to play nicely without having to chew other dogs ears or drag them around by their collar!

[ll49 10]

I think it's a brilliant idea. It's probably not going to be easy to organise but if you could, it would be fantastic. I'd definitely come along to the adult dog socialisation class. My dog is very, very friendly but just too boisterous and giddy around other dogs. She needs to learn how to play nicely without having to chew other dogs ears or drag them around by their collar!

 

Everytime I read a post about your dog I have to chuckle, she sounds hilarious!! I love animals with attitude and character and she sounds full of both :-)

[angel22 10]

Everytime I read a post about your dog I have to chuckle, she sounds hilarious!! I love animals with attitude and character and she sounds full of both :-)

 

She's definitely full of both! She's a little sod when she wants to be but I love her so much and wouldn't change her for the world! I only want her to calm down around other dogs because when she's so giddy with them, she scares them away and then they don't want to play with her anymore so she spoils it for herself, bless her!

[alexo815 10]

Thanks.

Yeah I know it will be a lot of hard work if it ever gets off the ground, but I know it will be fun and rewarding at the same time.

The adult socialisation is a big thing for me, because I feel like if your dog isn't as well behaved as you would like around other dogs, then people with dogs avoid you and you never get the opportunity to allow your dog to mix. So I think for dogs like yours with a strong character, or rescue dogs, this would be great.

[vwkittie 10]

Sounds interesting, although I thought socialising our dog would make her more relaxed around dogs in general - wrong!

 

While she's fine with dogs she gets to know and trust, and even though she's walked with other dogs every day now, she's still no better with dogs she doesn't know.

[Chelle-82 10]

Hi everyone

 

Basically, I run a small dog walking business, and things are going well.

 

However, it has always been a big dream of mine to own and run a doggy day care centre. Where dogs can come and spend the day, having lots of interactions with other dogs.

 

I was also hoping to have along side the full day care, something like coffee mornings where people can bring their dogs along, have a cuppa with other dog owners and watch their dogs having fun.

 

I would also like to offer puppy socialisation times, so dogs can learn nice manners and social skills from an early age.

 

Another side to the business I was thinking about offering would be maybe an evening or weekend session set aside for adult dogs that aren't very well socialised. I know it's hard for an unsocialable dog to be introduced to other dogs, so I was hoping to be able to provide socialisation sessions for these kinds of dogs under careful supervision.

 

Like I said at the moment this is a dream in my head, but I am just looking for some opinions and/or advice to see if this kind of business will be of any use to any of you dog owners out there.

 

I'm currently living in s35 and would like to set this up around this area, but depending on availability of premises etc, the location could change.

 

Thanks

Alex

 

What a fantastic idea:thumbsup:

 

Can't you come to S6? I'd feel great going to work knowing my pooch was playing at a day centre having fun x

[medusa 16]

Whilst I think that a doggy day care is a great idea in principle, I can foresee huge amounts of legal, insurance and liability issues which are likely to be seriously expensive. For that reason I think you need to check it out very thoroughly before even thinking about what you can offer.

 

What happens if one dog attacks another and causes serious injury? Who is responsible for vet bills, compensation etc if that happens?

 

What about if a customer gets bitten by a dog in your care? How do you prevent this happening?

 

What about a dog catching a disease/parasite/kennel cough off another dog whilst in your care? How can you check the medical history of every dog you're likely to be taking in as a customer to prevent this?

 

I'm sure that there are people who run this sort of thing successfully, but if they're not extremely picky as to which dogs they take, which mix of dogs they allow on any day, how the humans and dogs mix, how much free 'play' the dogs are allowed and how the day function etc, then they are extremely lucky if they have never had an issue with any of these things.

 

All you need to do is to mix two dogs that happen not to like each other to see quite how wrong this could go, even dogs that typically get on with other dogs.

 

I think you'd be best served by finding someone who runs a doggy daycare successfully and then trying to learn as many of the pitfalls and inherent costs and issues from them before even thinking about how you would design your premises.

 

I'd love to say that I'd be sending Molly to your daycare, but since she's the sort of dog that would be a nightmare to a doggy daycare owner, I'll just wish you luck

[angel22 10]

The day care bit isn't something that I'd be interested in. Although my dog is friendly, I just wouldn't feel comfortable leaving her with other dogs that I don't know. Even though I know she'd be under supervision, I just wouldn't be able to relax and I'd be worried about her getting hurt by another dog.

[Chelle-82 10]

Whilst I think that a doggy day care is a great idea in principle, I can foresee huge amounts of legal, insurance and liability issues which are likely to be seriously expensive. For that reason I think you need to check it out very thoroughly before even thinking about what you can offer.

 

What happens if one dog attacks another and causes serious injury? Who is responsible for vet bills, compensation etc if that happens?

 

What about if a customer gets bitten by a dog in your care? How do you prevent this happening?

 

What about a dog catching a disease/parasite/kennel cough off another dog whilst in your care? How can you check the medical history of every dog you're likely to be taking in as a customer to prevent this?

 

I'm sure that there are people who run this sort of thing successfully, but if they're not extremely picky as to which dogs they take, which mix of dogs they allow on any day, how the humans and dogs mix, how much free 'play' the dogs are allowed and how the day function etc, then they are extremely lucky if they have never had an issue with any of these things.

 

All you need to do is to mix two dogs that happen not to like each other to see quite how wrong this could go, even dogs that typically get on with other dogs.

 

I think you'd be best served by finding someone who runs a doggy daycare successfully and then trying to learn as many of the pitfalls and inherent costs and issues from them before even thinking about how you would design your premises.

 

I'd love to say that I'd be sending Molly to your daycare, but since she's the sort of dog that would be a nightmare to a doggy daycare owner, I'll just wish you luck

 

Well now you put it like that!

 

And here i was thinking of happy dogs eating bones and chasing their tails with a big rainbow over the roof of the day centre haha

[vwkittie 10]

The day care bit isn't something that I'd be interested in. Although my dog is friendly, I just wouldn't feel comfortable leaving her with other dogs that I don't know. Even though I know she'd be under supervision, I just wouldn't be able to relax and I'd be worried about her getting hurt by another dog.

 

I agree - I'm happy for my dog to go out with an experienced walker with a limited number of dogs who are only let off lead in twos (and ours isn't off at all), but leaving my dog unattended with loads of other dogs all unrestrained isn't something I'd want to do, too easy for something to go wrong.

 

The socialisation sessions and that side of things sound like a good idea though, something you could attend with your dog - maybe you could do group socialisation walks or something like that?

[Guest]

Sounds interesting, although I thought socialising our dog would make her more relaxed around dogs in general - wrong!

 

While she's fine with dogs she gets to know and trust, and even though she's walked with other dogs every day now, she's still no better with dogs she doesn't know.

 

I have the same problem as you and even with dog's they know i still have to keep a good eye on them when they first meet. As much as i think there are a lot of good idea's here i don't think it's a good idea to get dog's who are unsocial together. With mine it is only the calm and slow dog's i can walk with so if i was to try walking them with others who are over friendly or giddy it would be a nightmare an would most likely undo all the work i have put in to try to teach them that other dog's are not going to go mad around them. Sorry to sound like the voice of doom.