How much does it cost to set up a doggy day care? Here’s What to Expect

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

Every business has pros and cons that you should consider before deciding if a doggy daycare is right for you.

Playtime – Dogs are able to interact and play with other dogs

Exercise Opportunity – Provides physical and mental activities for dogs

Huge Market – Over 70 million US households own a dog

Peace of Mind – Gives dog owners peace of mind

Risk of Injuries – Dogs might get into fights with each other and get hurt

Stressful environment – Some dogs might find it overwhelming and stressful

Market analyst Grand View Research says the pet sitting market includes daycare services, dog walking, pet transportation, and more.

There’s also an opportunity for the savvy entrepreneur to make real money in the pet tech industry. Research firm Global Market Insights valued the pet tech industry at more than $5 billion in 2021 and expects it to grow a whopping 20% annually through 2028.((https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/pet-tech-market))

Industry size and past growth – Grand View Research values the global pet sitting market at $2.6 billion, with the US contributing more than a third of the revenue.((https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pet-sitting-market))

Growth forecast – The global market is expected to grow almost 9% annually through 2027.

Number of businesses – The US has the most doggy daycare facilities in the world at 374 as of October 2021.((https://www.money.co.uk/credit-cards/cost-of-doggy-daycare))

Trends in doggy daycare industry include:

Pet humanization culture and return-to-work trend will drive demand for doggy daycare services

Pet tech, such as smart vests that monitor heart rate and collars with a geo-location device, are increasingly popular

Use of digital technologies in providing dog owners updates about their pets

Challenges faced by the doggy daycare industry are:

Risk of bullying, fights, and injuries

Maintaining the health and safety of dogs

In 2021, US pet owners spent an incredible $126 billion caring for their animals, according to research firm Statista.((https://www.statista.com/statistics/253976/pet-food-industry-expenditure-in-the-us/))

Average consumer spend – Dog owners each spend an average of $228 a year on kennel boarding, according to the latest APPA survey.((https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp))

Potential customer base – Nearly 70 million US households own a dog.

Average prices – Doggy daycare in the US costs $25 per day and $15 per half-day.((https://homeguide.com/costs/dog-boarding-cost))

Gender – 94% of animal daycare providers in the US are female, while 6% are male.((https://www.zippia.com/animal-daycare-provider-jobs/demographics/#gender-statistics))

Average level of education – 36% of animal daycare providers have a high school diploma and 25% hold an associate degree.((https://www.zippia.com/animal-daycare-provider-jobs/demographics/#degree-level-types))

Average age – The average age of an employed animal daycare provider in the US is 32 years old.

Step 4: Create a Business Plan

Every business needs a plan. This will function as a guidebook to take your startup through the launch process and maintain focus on your key goals. A business plan also enables potential partners and investors to better understand your company and its vision:

Executive Summary: Brief overview of the entire business plan; should be written after the plan is complete.

Business Overview: Overview of the company, vision, mission, ownership, and corporate goals.

Product and Services: Describe your offerings in detail.

Market Analysis: Assess market trends such as variations in demand and prospects for growth, and do a SWOT analysis.

Competitive Analysis: Analyze main competitors, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and create a list of the advantages of your services.

Sales and Marketing: Examine your companies’ unique selling propositions (USPs) and develop sales, marketing, and promotional strategies.

Management Team: Overview of management team, detailing their roles and professional background, along with a corporate hierarchy.

Operations Plan: Your company’s operational plan includes procurement, office location, key assets and equipment, and other logistical details.

Financial Plan: Three years of financial planning, including startup costs, break-even analysis, profit and loss estimates, cash flow, and balance sheet.

Appendix: Include any additional financial or business-related documents.

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist at Fiverr to create a top-notch business plan for you.

What barriers to entry are there?

There are a few barriers to entry for a doggy daycare. Your biggest challenges will be:

You need enough space, including outdoor space, to host at your home

You’ll face competition from established area daycares

How Much Space Do You Need for Dog Daycare?

If you have a pup and work full time, you know how clutch dog daycare can be. Not only is it a great outlet to make sure your dog is walked, fed, and taken out during the day, but it’s an awesome socialization experience for your pup too.

So if you’re not headed to the dog park or out to brunch, and you’re looking for a dog daycare in NYC, there are plenty of options. In fact, there are so many to choose from that you may seem overwhelmed. To help you decide which is the best dog daycare in NYC, we did our research on a number of businesses and locations to help you narrow it down.

These top picks include dog daycares in NYC’s Financial District, Midtown, the Upper West Side, Brooklyn, and more. Here’s our list to help you find the best care for your pup in New York City.

D is for Doggy offers doggy daycare at all 5 of its locations in the city, and they are completely cage, crate, and kennel free facilities. They offer 24-hour pet care, with three playrooms that are tailored to your pup’s specific size and temperament to keep them happy and safe. Dogs also receive mid-morning and mid-afternoon walks, and can be fed according to your pup’s feeding schedule.

Services: Besides daycare, D is for Doggy offers an abundance of other services, including: boarding, grooming, training and walking. They also offer walking transportation for pups within half a mile to and from daycare.

Vaccination/Records Needed: According to their registration page, you will need to provide vaccination records for: Rabies, DHLPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvo), and Bordetella.

Happy Dogs Daycare is a dog daycare in NYC with four different locations in that offer care for your pup 7 days a week. At daycare, dogs get in lots of socialization time, and are separated based on temperament rather than size. You can watch your pup via live cams, and they send regular pics and videos of your dog throughout the day. They also offer contactless check in/out via your mobile phone and online bookings.

Pricing: Prices range from $24.70 to $50 per visit, with discounts for monthly daycare plans available. (Each location has an individual pricing page.)

Services: They also offer boarding, bathing (which includes a blow dry, brush out, nail clipping, ear cleaning, and anal gland expression. For an additional fee, you can have your pup’s teeth brushed or a flea bath.)

Vaccination/Records Needed: To learn about vaccines needed, contact Happy Dogs Daycare directly here.

Dog City NYC has five different locations, and calls their daycare Playgroup. Playgroup is offered Monday-Friday. At the end of each Playgroup, pet parents receive a report card of the day’s activities and updates to stay informed on what their canine companions were up to while away from home.

Services: Dog City NYC has many services available, including dog walking, boarding, dog training, vet care, pet sitting, grooming and transportation. They also offer yearly memberships for various services. They also partner with dog rescues for adoption purposes to offer support and programs after adoption.

Vaccination/Records Needed: To learn about vaccines required, fill out this contact form.

Biscuits and Bath offers 11 daycare locations with off-leash exercise and socialization with trainer supervised play, which is divided by size and temperament. When your dog joins, he or she will get a complimentary New Dog Integration and Behavior Evaluation to help fit them in the right group during the day.

Vaccination/Records Needed: Biscuits and Bath ensures that all dogs are up to date on vaccines. To learn about required vaccines, fill out this contact form.

Dog daycare at Urban Woof is offered Monday-Friday 7AM-8PM; Saturday 9AM-5PM; and Sundays by appointment only. It is a home-like, cage-free facility, with playrooms grouped by dog size, personality and energy level. Playrooms are always supervised and safe.

Pricing: Prices for daycare range. A half day of up to 4 hours is $30; a full day is $45. Monthly packages are available, ranging from $280-$700. Six month packages cost $4,000.

Vaccination/Records Needed: Urban Woof requires all the dogs to be updated in accordance with NYC’s vaccination requirements, and pet parents must have up-to-date vaccination records for their pups, signed by a veterinarian for: Rabies; DHPP / DAPP; and Bordetella.

The Dogma Daycare Program comes in half day and full day blocks, with hours from Monday – Friday 8am – 7pm; and Saturday & Sunday 9am – 5pm. Daycare includes 3 walks per day, and you can watch your pup in action during the daytime through Dogma’s online portal. At this dog daycare in NYC, your pup will play with other dogs, which are all separated by temperament and energy levels. It’s also a crate-free environment, within a large 2-story facility with large windows overlooking the city.

Pricing: Day rates range from $46-$63. You can also buy 10 and 20-pack days, which range from $950-$1,900.

This dog daycare and grooming facility has been in operation since 1997, and has built a solid reputation in Manhattan over the years. Daycare hours are from: 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and Saturday and Sunday 9am – 5pm at the 25th Street location. The spa and hotel groups dogs according to size and temperament, with separate floors for big and small dogs. The pups are rotated in playgroups with time for rest, drinking, and eating.

Pricing: Rates range from $40 for a half day to $52 for a full day($44 each sibling dog). And monthly unlimited day care costs $835 ($785 each sibling dog).

Vaccination/Records Needed: All dogs must have written proof of current Rabies, DHLP, Parvo and Bordatella vaccinations before your dog’s visit at New York Dog Spa & Hotel.

At this Flushing dog daycare location, dogs socialize and get active with each other and burn off lots of energy. Daycare at NY Puppy Club is available: Monday-Friday, 7:00 am- 7pm; Saturday-Sun 9:30 am- 7pm. A behavioral assessment is done before registration to help match your dog with other playmates. You can watch your pup on a live cam to stay in the loop while you’re separated.

Pricing: Prices are based on your dog’s weight—dogs under 30 pounds and over 30 pounds are priced differently. Short stays (up to 3 hrs) range from $25-$30, and full day stays range from $30-$35. (For 2nd and 3rd dogs, you get 20% off). You can also buy short stay packages and full day packages, ranging from $260-$570.