“Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.” — George Eliot


Many pet owners are opting for pet sitting, dog walking, and other services that provide care for their pets when they cannot be home. With the rise in popularity of pet services, it is a great time to start a business in this industry.

A pet care business is an excellent start-up opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to get into the pet care industry. The start-up costs are lower than most businesses, and the profit margin can be up to four times higher. After all, the U.S. pet care market generates over $109 billion annually and is expected to grow by at least 4% over the next ten years. 

So if you’re interested in getting started in the pet care business, here are some helpful tips.

Pet Business Ideas

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.” — Josh Billings

Dog Walkers: you can earn quite a bit if they work and market in large cities where housing is mostly apartments or condos and where people work outside the home all day. The national average, however, is just under $30,000 per year. Check out this state-by-state breakdown to gauge how much you can earn where you live. A big perk is also how much exercise you’ll get as a dog walker, no need for the treadmill at the gym if you’re walking dogs all day. 


Pet Sitting: excellent for anyone who is attending school or has work they do from home. Aside from the time spent actually providing care, the rest of the time is your own to study, read, or whatever you like with the time the pet is sleeping as pets do with most of their day. You’ll need to understand pet care and pet first aid. It’s possible to get certified by taking online classes. 


Dog Grooming: before you begin a dog grooming business, you’ll want to practice a lot first. Take an online beginner’s course in dog grooming to get the basics and practice on your own dog or get a job working with a professional dog groomer and apprentice that way. 


eCommerce: selling pet products that you’ve made or are reselling is a huge business. A great many pet owners are looking for unique boutique-type products and treats that are free of many of the ingredients they worry are harmful to their pets’ health. 


Make Some Noise!

“It’s difficult to understand why people don’t realize that pets are gifts to mankind.” — Linda Blair

Okay, you’ve got your business idea – so now what? First, you’ll want to find a great name that reflects what you do. You can do a quick online search to make sure that name isn’t already in use. Next, you’ll need to file paperwork to make your business official. You can look up this information or use a formation service to complete it all for you. Note that you’ll need to appoint a registered agent if you’re filing an LLC. Review what this person does at Registered Agent Ready before you add your name or someone else’s to your documents. Now, you need to get your business license and all state and local paperwork in order. Go to your county or city business permit office to find out exactly what’s required.

Once you've done all that, it's time to advertise. Luckily, social media makes that a lot easier! You can also do plenty of promotions via email. Quick tip, though: different situations call for different file formats, so as you communicate with your advertising team or customers. Remember to take advantage of free online tools rather than spending a small fortune on software, which is money you can better direct toward advertising on platforms such as www.online4thepets.com!

View Images