Among pets, dogs are one of the most common animals when it comes to choosing a pet.. If you’re one of the dog lovers and just can’t get enough of their cuteness, owning a dog business is such a perfect job. Ever thought of dog business ideas for your own? Not only can you spend your working time with dogs, you can also take care of them, make valuable connections with other animal lovers and gain decent pay out of your precious labor
Dogs are simply too cute and fluffy to handle with their fluffy hair and always-down-to-play-time energy. That’s why it’s only natural for dog owners to spoil them with only the best of the best, which caused the dog segment to account for 39% of the total global market’s revenue share in 2021. In this article, you will discover easy fun dog business ideas you can start from the comfort of your home.
Is Running A Dog Business Profitable?
The answer to this question is YES. As the global pet industry was valued at USD 150.67 billion and an increase in dog ownership, investing in a dog business is a wise idea since pet parents nowadays are more willing to splurge than ever.
Photo by Elisabetta Bellomi
Beyond dog treats and dog accessories, dog business ideas are more diverse than you think with dog grooming, dog boarding, dog training, dog photography,... Based on your strengths and preferences, you can start a dog business that helps other animal lovers and earn considerable profits from it.
Still having doubts whether starting a dog business is a good idea or not? With the help of Ecommerce, you can easily create a dog business, promote and operate it from the comfort of your own home. That being said, the most important thing you need is a dog business idea. Don’t worry, here’s a list of dog business ideas for you to choose from!
10 Easy Business Ideas You Can Start Now
Dog Photography
That’s right, you didn’t read me wrong, you can get paid hefty prices to take photos of dogs. As fun as it sounds, dog photography is also a serious business as it requires patience and customer service skills since not all furry models are easy to work with. In such high demand, dog photography rose to popularity because pet owners nowadays want to capture them in various moments:
- Family photos
- Holiday cards
- Commercial shoots
- End-of-life shoots
Photo by Sarah Richter Art
To be a dog photographer, all you need are:
- Photography skills
- A decent working camera (which can start at $200)
- Pet training skills to handle difficult furry friends
For example, Dogexpression is a mobile studio and travels to clients to take pictures. This is such a brilliant idea because they can save on location renting and save the traveling hassle for pet owners.
Dog Fashion
Love animals, fashion and handy around needles and thread? Dog fashion might be the right business idea for you! You can design and sell pet clothing, collars, toys and cushions,... that you make or from suppliers. You can even create custom orders for pet owners with specific different tastes and charge with your own rates.
Just like fashion for humans, dog fashion has a variety for you to choose from: casual wear, Halloween costumes, formal attires,.. A dog business could focus on a single type of fashion or cater all doggy fashion needs.
Photo by Freepik
However this fun business idea is also competitive with rivals from big brands and other merchants. It’s important that you find out that niche market and target it.
Check out how Roxy Dogs provides stylish dog accessories to big framed dogs.
Homemade Dog Food
Ever thought of using your cooking skills to create paw-fect treats? Well you should consider it now. As pet owners are becoming more pet health conscious, there’s a growing market for homemade dog food for dogs with health conditions or simply spoiled puppies.
Photo by Vecteezy
To kickstart, you need basic kitchen equipment such as an efficient food processor (prices starting at $85), food containers (they get cheaper when buying in bulk at $0,32 each) and killer dog food recipes. Beware of storage and shipping issues as well as experiment with recipes since not all dogs have the same taste.
For inspiration, have a look at Dog Bakery, a pet bakery specializing in dog treats for special occasions such as seasonal flavors, decorative treats, party boxes,..
Dog Grooming Services
Are you one of those people who actually have a way with grooming pets? You’re actually one of the rare ones since most people struggle with showering their dogs. Dog grooming business is quite flexible because you can do it at home, open a salon or go to the owner’s home.
Photo by J.Balla Photography
To start a grooming business, we must have some pet training skills and invest in grooming equipment such as scissors, dryers, tubs,.. But your investments are worth it since most pet owners are willing to pay extra to make their dogs pretty and they need your services quite often. However, the cons of this business is the risk of accidents with violent furry friends.
A great example is A Bark in the Park - a mobile grooming business. With this business model, clients don’t have to travel to the salon or have pets groomed at home, which can be messy.
Dog Training
If you’re known for being a “dog whisperer”, being a dog trainer can definitely be your hustle. Not all dogs can follow orders and know how to behave, which is why the dog training business is in demand.
Photo by Charlotte Strzelecki
You can train dogs anywhere, either at dog parks, your backyard or your client’s at flexible hours to match your own lifestyle. Even though a dog trainer doesn't need qualifications, it’s best to take some courses and brush up knowledge often to serve the best services.
Yet not all owners want other people to train their dogs, so Dogs4MotionAcademy is a business that offers online training courses for dog training.
Dog Walking
Not all pet business opportunities require huge investment and dog walking business is a perfect example. To start, a dog walker needs some marketing skills to promote your dog business. If possible, you can invest in leashes and bags for collecting their poop but in most cases, a dog walker doesn't have to spend money on them.
Photo by Viktor Hanacek
It’s crucial that you leave your first customers a long lasting impression to keep them coming back. While dog walking business sounds like a lot of fun, dog walkers face the risks of the dogs getting hurt or worse, losing the dogs so a dog walker must pay all of their attention while working.
Want to make your service stand out? Learn how Rufus and Delilahdoes it, beyond regular dog walking, they also offer hiking services for owners who want to add more exercise.
Dog Sitting
Love dogs and a flexible working schedule but not exactly an outdoor person? Try a pet sitting business then! You can either look after dogs at your own place or go to a customer's house and get paid for playing with dogs. While the pet sitting business is easy to start, you should have some dog training tricks on your sleeves in case they disobey and pet health knowledge.
Photo by Dominic Buccilli
Providing a full package is a great dog business idea, that’s why Mary’s Pet Squadoffers pet sitting, house sitting and garden care services - a perfect combo customers can’t say no to even though it costs extra.
Doggy Daycare
Doggy daycare is the solution for anyone who loves animals too much and wants to make dog walking and pet boarding business their full-time gig. Of course, this dog business idea requires more funding and commitment than the others since you need investment in dog food, cleaning supplies and facilities. You can either renovate your home into one if you have enough space or rent a new location. Another thing to consider is getting an animal permit and potential noise and environment complaints from neighbors.
Photo by Pierce-Andre Roy
For more revenue, you can offer multiple services and sell dog supplies at your doggy daycare and that’s exactly how CampBowWow runs their business - an all-stop-shop for all dog-related needs
Dog Supplies Store
Setting up a dog supplies store is a great way to earn money without having grooming and training skills. Owning your own business means you have flexible hours and the ability to work anywhere.
Photo by Burst by Shopify
To start selling, you need to invest in inventory and licensing (this depends on the local authority). It’s important to choose the right products and suppliers to suit the local market as independent stores face competition from big, established stores.
As a new business, targeting a specific niche market is the key to stand out. EcoDogsAndCats is a great business idea as they target vegan pet owners by selling vegan and nutritious pet food.
Social Media Dog Personality
Admit it, we all secretly follow at least one profile on social media. Because of the cute and addictive nature of pet content, animal bloggers are spreading on social media accounts.
Photo by Nancy Guth
With a consistent posting strategy, pet owners can build up a following and generate income from sponsored posts and selling merch. Keep in mind that building a social media personality requires more than taking photos of your dog, creativity and staying up to date to trends are also needed from dog owners.
Gaining popularity as a dog traveling with his owner on TikTok,@madmax_fluffyroad is a successful business with 4M followers and a line of backpacks designed for carrying pets named Little Chonk.
How To Choose The Best Dog Business Idea That Fits You
After seeing all possible dog business ideas, you may wonder which on in mentioned dog business ideas fits you best. In reality, there isn’t any 100% perfect dog business for you. But you can choose one that fits you the most by following ways:
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses to ensure the business category is within your expertise. Ask yourself some questions such as: Are you patient with naughty dogs? Do you enjoy spending hours inside or outdoors? Have you got any experience in sales/grooming/training/photography,..? Are your skills advanced enough to charge people for your time? If not, can you learn new skills and improve your weaknesses to serve your business?
- Check your funding and resources needed for that business, which can be materials, equipment, qualifications, human resources,... as well as plan to purchase them (renting, buying new or used ones,..)
- Experience the products/services you’re intending to provide. If you never used the products or services of others, it’s impossible to sell yours since you’re unclear of the current standards.
6 Steps To Launch Your Dog Business Ideas
Launching a dog business is a big deal. Here’s 6 steps to launch a dog business:
Step 1 - Conduct market research
- Define the current market size, demands, trends and your competitors
- Decide the suitable segment, sales channels and your business’s unique selling point
Step 2 - Build the brand story and materials
Think of a compelling brand story, a unique brand personality and create a logo, slogan and photos/videos to promote your business ideas. Open Farm is such a great example of an inspiring brand story as they focus their business on local ingredients and sustainable development for pets, humans and the environment.
Step 3 - Think of a catchy dog business name
Get inspiration from your own pets, your nickname or dog wordplay are the most common name choices. The ideal name should be unique, short and personal to you.. Still struggling to choose the right name for your business? Have a look at our free shop name generator here for inspiration.
Step 4 - Create hard to resist products and services
We can’t say no to a good deal so consider releasing attractive deals and high quality products to get your very first customers. Depending on your business, think of a buy 1 get 1 program, membership cards, private soft opening, free shipping,.. to capture your customer’s attention and hearts. At the end of the day, it’s all about bringing in revenue so think carefully before selling anything to make sure there’s a market big enough for your business to thrive.
Step 5 - Build your online store
Creating online presence to promote your products to the right people, build reputation and boost conversion rate. It’s important that you establish your business to your target customers so research who they are and their purchase behaviors to align your online store. To start selling, create a Shopify store and use PageFly to build high converting websites on your own without spending big bucks on web design services.
Step 6 - Promote your dog business
Utilize all possible channels (word-of-mouth, paid advertising, social media,..) to sell your business. Check out this guide on how to make your very first ecommerce sale to gain some sales basics.
Tips To Start A Dog Business
The thought of starting a dog business can be overwhelming with plenty of things to be taken into consideration. That’s why you should consider apply some of the following steps from us:
Gain some business knowledge before starting a pet business
Just like any other business, you need to write a business plan and think of all possible scenarios. Gaining beforehand business knowledge will help you save time and prevent possible rookie mistakes, which can be gained through:
- Short term courses
- Self researching
- Working at other pet businesses
Get a helping hand
It’s impossible for you to do everything and be good at everything. Outsourcing certain tasks that cost too much time or tasks outside your comfort zone will help your business run more efficiently.
Conclusion
The pet industry is constantly growing and has plenty of branches for you to start a business. The most common business ideas are: pet photography, dog grooming, dog supply store, dog boarding, dog food, dog walking, dog training,...
Before starting a pet business idea, you should identify which business idea suits you, your resources and the surrounding market best. After choosing your dog business ideas, comes the market research, brand story and brand materials creation, product development and marketing. A formula for successful dog business doesn’t exist so it’s all about trials and errors to come up with the most effective business plan.
