Is building dog houses profitable? A Complete Guide

A workshop, woodworking equipment, and basic carpentry skills are all that you will need to start building doghouses for profit. You can build doghouses from your own plans or purchase design and construction plans. Consider incorporating recycled materials into the construction process, as you can play upon the benefits of recycling for marketing purposes. The completed doghouses can be sold to retailers on a wholesale basis or you can opt to sell them directly to consumers via pet fairs and craft shows. Be creative in your designs and include features that normally would not be found in a doghouse. Remember, when it comes to pets, many people know no limits in terms of spending money on their pampered pooches.

How much would it cost to build a doghouse?

The cost of building a doghouse is going to vary. A basic doghouse might cost you about 70$ to make, including materials such as wood, insulation, roof shingles, and non-toxic paint, but when you are producing more than one then buying your materials in bulk is going to save you a lot on your costs.

Aside from the basic design of your houses, extras such as electrical heating or AC, superior insulation, and other extras will definitely drive the price up, so to make things more manageable you should start off small.

Make a small, medium, large, and ‘deluxe extra large’ size and establish a baseline cost for these, decide what you want to sell them for, and make an itemized list of available upgrades and costs.

Generally with doghouses your profit margin is around 65%, and extras can really affect this depending on how easily you can get the materials. Setting a baseline will give you a proper perspective specific to the type of doghouses that you intend to provide.

Step 7: Enter the total number of kennels at your facility → This one shouldnt be too hard. If you havent built your kennel boarding facility yet, youre going to have to guess how many slots, runs or kennels youre going to have. The name isnt important, its the amount that is important. If you already have a business, simply enter the quantity of runs that your business currently has.

We here at DoggieDashboard have created the kennel business forecasting spreadsheet that you can download free of charge to help forecast your businesss estimated revenue, expenses and overall income.

Step 3: Guestimate your monthly insurance payment → If you dont plan on having insurance at your business, you better rethink that. Small business insurance is important to have, especially when youre dealing with peoples pets. You dont want to think about it, but if a pet escapes your business and gets hit by a car, you could be sued by the pet owner. Some types of business insurance can help you pay for issues like this.

If youre contemplating open a boarding business, or if youre already the owner of one and youre just looking for a way to forecast future income, youre in the right place.

With Covid somewhat coming to an end, people are starting to head back to the office again and especially starting to go on vacations. What happens when you go on a vacation and cant bring your dog? You find a dog boarding business nearby and you give them a ring.

How to Build a Dog House

But what’s great about dog boarding is that you have control over the growth and size of the business, and — major bonus — you spend oodles of time with dogs. You will have fun and make money at the same time.

However, David Cavill, writing in Running Your Own Boarding Kennels, says not everyone is up for the task. “It is an occupation of great responsibility involving the complete care of other people’s pets,” he says.

There is quite a bit of research to do ahead of time. But take heart — it’s not as intimidating as it seems, and the payoff can be stellar if you’re organized.

“Above all,” says Cupps, “make sure having a kennel on your property is within the law and all right with your neighbors before you start.”

Being around dogs all day is fun, but a business exists to make a profit, right?

During your planning stages, decide how to make your business profitable. Setting a price initially seems easy, but it will actually be one of the hardest decisions you’ll make.

Prices vary widely. Cupps says the average rate for boarding a dog is around $12–18 per day where she lives, but Care.com puts the rate at closer to $20–25 per day.

So how do you price? Check out what your competitors offer their clients. Cupps advises that you not only research what your competitors charge but also find out what a client gains from the service. Visit a few boarding kennels in your area “as if you were a prospective client,” she says. “Ask for a tour and a list of any additional services they offer, and ask about the pricing for all of it.”

Find out if these kennels charge extra for bathing, grooming, walking and giving medication. Remember: When opening your facility, you want to be competitive but comparable.

Patience is key, according to Cavill, who cautions, “Making a success of running your own boarding establishment is more likely to be a long-term proposition than an overnight accomplishment.”

Advertising costs, equipment and licensing — all large expenses — will come before you see a single client walk through the door, so it’s just as important to plan financially as it is to understand how you will physically set up your facility.

It’s a delicate balance. But remember that all businesses face these challenges, and many of them not only get by but also thrive.