Dog day care centre with premises

Working owners in your area who want a professional setting for their dogs, often on a regular weekly schedule.

Daily and half-day rates, monthly packages and add-ons such as boarding, grooming partnerships or training sessions.

• Handling groups of dogs safely
• Hiring and managing staff
• Bookkeeping and budgeting
• Local marketing

• Zoning and business licence rules for animal facilities, which vary by municipality, so check before signing a lease
• Commercial general liability and animal care, custody and control insurance
• WCB or WSIB coverage once you hire staff, as rules differ by province
• Noise, odour and waste disposal, plus soundproofing and flooring costs
• Higher fixed costs such as rent and heating, so slow months in winter can hurt cash flow
• Vaccination checks and incident procedures to limit injury and illness risks

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $100,000 to $350,000, depending on your premises, fit-out, flooring, soundproofing and insurance. Treat this as an estimate and get quotes before you sign a lease.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on how many dogs attend and your pricing. The estimate assumes at least about 40 hours a week.

Things to check: zoning and business licence rules for animal facilities before signing a lease, commercial general liability and animal care, custody and control insurance, WCB or WSIB coverage once you hire, and noise, odour and waste disposal requirements.