Hi all. If you have some experience with daycares would you mind replying to some questions I had? In the future, I am considering owning and running a doggie day care on my own. I've already got plenty of experience, will soon be taking my pet first aid course, am planning on getting a bachelors in business and am only 15. I like to be prepared [
].
1)Since there will only be me there, how many dogs would you consider safe for me to have? I will have a very large indoor, rubber matted area separated into groups according to size, plus two rolling doors (you know, the kind that you pull up with a chain and pull down with a chain?) that will lead out to at least two or three acres of fenced play area outside. I've been told anywhere from 10-15 dogs per one handler is appropriate if run efficiently, but I've also been told no more than 5 [&:].
2)As far as schedules...Open from 7am to 5pm was my plan. Sort of like: 7-8am is drop off time and the dogs will be put in the right play pens, 8-11 would be indoor/outdoor play time (tvs, futons, playsets are some of the things that would be provided...if it's bad weather I'd close the doors, if it's sweltering hot weather I'd put out wading pools), 11-12 would be lunchtime (Now I have some ideas, but how would you go about separating dogs for lunchtime?), 12-2 would be nap time (once again, I have a rough idea, but how would you go about nap time? Putting them all in crates doesn't appeal to me...maybe you have to though), 2-5 is more playtime, but I suppose some dogs would be wiped out and just continue napping [
].
3)I'm also planning on offering a very small overnight option with 5 dogs max. in my home, not in the daycare building. Maybe it's wiser to do it in the daycare barn? Lol I think I'm gonna call it the barn, since I have the exact building (the one I'll be building at my future home/business acreage) on my parent's property right now and it's called the barn.
Okay I guess that's all the questions I had....oh, what experience/licensing/etc would you like to see in somebody taking care of
your dog all day/possibly night? Any other ideas/tips/suggestions?
Also, I know that there will be less profit in a one-person operated daycare, but there will also be less overhead and all/any profits would go to me, so I think I'd survive it [
]. Possibly do dog-walking/grooming services on Saturdays, but maybe not since my weekends will be my main horsey time. Anywho, going off topic here.
Thanks.