Qualifications Needed to Open a Doggie Daycare

A dog left alone too often may bark or howl almost constantly. In the house, it may damage carpets, furniture and personal belongings such as shoes. In the yard, it may dig up dirt, destroy plants or even find ways to escape. One solution to these kinds of problems is doggy day care. According to Entrepreneur.com, the online presence for the magazine by the same name, this is an increasingly popular business. A few basic qualifications will ensure success for your new business.

A very important qualification for any business owner is a strong desire to run your own business. While you can learn the business skills you need, starting up a new business takes a great deal of time and effort, which requires commitment. According to the pet business information site Mypetbusiness.com, long hours are common in the doggy day care business, in order to accommodate customer needs. Hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. are not uncommon.

Running a doggy day care requires a strong work ethic. Not only are the hours long, but there is a great deal of work involved. Dogs must be checked in and out, cared for the entire time they are there, cleaned up after and closely supervised. Doggy day care centres also often offer extra services such as grooming, training and socialisation, all of which require extra time and effort.

One of the most important qualifications for opening a doggy day care is the love of dogs. Owners of day care centres spend long days in close contact with all kinds of dogs. All different kinds of dogs come into a doggy day care. Dogs can sense if a person likes them or not, and dog owners take their cues from their dogs. A doggy day care proprietor who does not like dogs won't last long, but one who is able to bond with the dogs and shows them genuine affection is likely to succeed.

Another important qualification for anyone opening a doggy day care is strong people skills. It is the dog owners who pick the day care, who decide if the dog will remain and who write the check to pay for it. People must be dealt with on a daily basis, problems will need to be addressed and dog owners' concerns need to be dealt with in a manner that keeps the customer happy. Good people skills are required to deal with people who are sometimes anxious about their pets or overly concerned about small issues.