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so, you want to make a living working with dogs?
What a great idea! You’d be joining a booming industry. The fastest growing sub-category in the recession-defying pet industry is service-based businesses like dog trainers, walkers, pet sitters, doggie daycares, dog boarding kennels, and day spas—even doggie massage therapists and acupuncturists.
Source: The American Pet Products Association’s consumer spending report, released March, 2009. |
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what we can help you with
Figuring out a direction in the pet-services industry. What’s right for you: A job or self-employment? A one-person business or an empire? Dog training or pet sitting or a service nobody else has thought about yet?
Starting, streamlining, promoting, and growing any type of service-based dog- or pet-related business, from dog training & daycare centers to canine aquatic fitness facilities.
Learning more. Over the years, we have helped thousands of dog lovers swap offices, shops, courtrooms, or concert halls for a life with furry friends. This section of the website answers some of the questions we hear most often—and we’ll continue to expand it, so check back soon. |
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pet & dog-services industry trends
The pet services sector keeps growing. The American Pet Products Association estimates more than $3 billion were spent in 2008 on the manners, exercise regimes, spa visits, play time, and vacation care of the nation’s dogs. This number is expected to grow, despite the recession, in 2009.
Dogs may be gaining on cats. Cats have so far been the more popular US pet—there’s a solid 10 million more kitties than pooches in American households. Experts speculate dogs may eat into this lead over the next few years, not least due to overwhelming interest in Bo, the Presidential dog.
Pet health care interest is on the rise. We have come to view pets as our furry children, and this attitude translates into greater spending on our pets’ health and general wellbeing. Premium foods, alternative health therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc.), and expensive procedures like MRIs and hip replacements are surging.
Pet-related businesses are getting Internet savvy. After years of homemade websites with broken links, barking dogs, and paw print wallpaper, pet businesses are catching on to the commercial advantages of professional design, content, and usability.
The rise of pet blogs. Hot-button issues like food recalls and training methodology has given rise and prominence to a number of blogs providing high-quality commentary and news.
Source: Laura Bennett, Small Business Trends, released January, 2009. |
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