Do people really understand or prioritise their dogs? Would you pay to improve their life?

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Ceverton

Ceverton

Winger
I have been looking at potentially opening a business in next few months, part of a service would be picking up dogs in custom van and taking them for walks in luxurious/various parks, going to someones house during the day to feed their dog and take them for a little walk, let them stretch their legs and break the day up for them and many more things.

I have a few people who have already wanted to have this service and be clients, this is from not even advertising. However the pattern with the clients I have so far are they genuinely adore their pets, like one of the kids and also earn quite a bit more than the usual worker, more disposable income per month than I used to earn full time in a call centre in some instances.

My prices would be undercutting everyone, but as it stands people are paying £12 a day 5x a week for their dog to be walked an hour per day, thats £240 a month. Even undercutting those prices I can see its bloody expensive and marketing to the ''richer'' areas is going to be a probable strategy.

One of my services which is better than anyone else is £6 a day for myself or colleague to go to someones house once per day for 30 mins. In that time would feed the dog, take for little walk and keep them company a bit. That 5x a week for £120 a month for a person would be best offer around and give dog a better life than sitting in a room on their own for 8+ hours a day (40+ hours a week).
Now even that personally I can see how thats still a dent on the normal person who on average gets £1200ish a month. By the time they pay bills and say have £400 left for themselves (being generous maybe), reducing that down to £280 for a dog that they are used to leaving indoors all day for is hard, even as a huge dog loving puff I can totally understand that.

Was talking to a lass last night and she has a gorgeous little mini dog that she dresses up and uses as a fashion accessory, told her about my business and she was like ''luckily my dog is only small and doesnt need anything like that, plus its too expensive''. Here lies the problem, she goes to work at 9:30am and gets home at 6:30pm, in which time her dog is kept between her back garden and her conservatory/wash house thing to keep warm and dry. She isnt the only person to think its fine to own a dog and give them a life like this, not to guilt anyone :lol:. The most frustrating thing is priorities in life and how dogs are viewed. This lass said it was ''too expensive'', yet spends at least £15 a week on her fingernails alone, not to mention hairdressers, other beauty treatments etc each month.
I dont mind her and others similar deciding they want to put themselves first in life, but before you get a dog, look at the quality of life you can give them and take into account dogs are like bairns, cant keep getting the luxuries you have had before you became a parent.

A mate of mine (client in future) runs a business and is saying that work hard etc and the business will work as its a great idea. However what I have explained to him is its a big cost. My mate earns on average £5k per month, he doesnt understand that even the lowest package of £120 can make massive difference to people. £120 to someone who earns £5k with maximum £1500 outgoings is hardly noticable, £120 to someone with £400 left after bills is setting themself short.

Expecting replies of ''fuck off they are just dogs man'' :lol:
 


I wouldn't pay anyone to look after my dog. Goes everywhere with either me or our lass and never left at home more than a couple of hours. Don't understand dog owners who get a dog and pay others to care for it. But good luck anyway.
 
Having your friends encourage you is good but friends are hardly gonna turn around and say it's shite.

How can you undercut everyone else?

I don't imagine dogcarers (?) make all that much charging £12 a day so I'm not sure how you can offer the same service at half the price, think of the all the overheads and shit.

Do you need insurance? Petrol costs if clients are miles away from each other? Fitting out your vehicle with cages/harnesses? Tax even?
 
Daughters boyfriend paid for such service and the dogs ended up with kennel cough, resulting in them giving ours it.
It's a no from me.
 
I'll do it for 50p cheaper and service the lady of the house for free. You're out of business marra.

In all seriousness, many sites exist where people who would love pets but don't have one will do this for free.
 
You also have to factor in that not all dogs require the same attention and walks.

5 years ago my Rottwieller would be out out for an hours walk a day. Now she's 10 she only needs half an hour and the rest of the time she lazes.

I detest paying for something a) I can do myself for free and b) I enjoy getting out the house with the dog.

It's not so much of a new idea mind as it's a fairly common service now.

The money sounds crap too, you'd need a lot of clients to start pulling a wage from a service like that and once you factor in travel time (if they're not dropped off at yours) it sounds like a no go to me. If you're serious don't think cheap think what you could do / offer that no one else does.
 
These type of things are what a lot people want these days. However as others have said you won't make a great deal doing house visits. A good idea if you had he space would be to use your garden plus a indoor shed area (or your house should you be okay with that) and have people drop them off on the way to work. That way you can look after a lot more all in one place and walk multiple dogs together too and could offer a pick up/drop off service for an extra few quid on a morning/evening. You will make good money that way you just need the space to start off.
 
Buzz said:
I wouldn't pay anyone to look after my dog. Goes everywhere with either me or our lass and never left at home more than a couple of hours. Don't understand dog owners who get a dog and pay others to care for it. But good luck anyway.
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The way I have always been too. People should not be allowed a dog if they leave it alone for 9/10 hours a day. You sound a good owner marra.

Discopants91 said:
Having your friends encourage you is good but friends are hardly gonna turn around and say it's shite.

How can you undercut everyone else?

I don't imagine dogcarers (?) make all that much charging £12 a day so I'm not sure how you can offer the same service at half the price, think of the all the overheads and shit.

Do you need insurance? Petrol costs if clients are miles away from each other? Fitting out your vehicle with cages/harnesses? Tax even?
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Its not £12 a day, charging for a day people charge £15/20 and need their own premises. Could not possibly undercut to half price. Instead of £12 I would be looking for £10. meaning £50 rather than £60 a week.

I understand friends wont turn around and say its shite, I am well aware of this, infact my frustration is one or two of them thinking its going to be easy, I am the one who is a realist here.

Goat Eyes said:
You also have to factor in that not all dogs require the same attention and walks.

5 years ago my Rottwieller would be out out for an hours walk a day. Now she's 10 she only needs half an hour and the rest of the time she lazes.

I detest paying for something a) I can do myself for free and b) I enjoy getting out the house with the dog.

It's not so much of a new idea mind as it's a fairly common service now.

The money sounds crap too, you'd need a lot of clients to start pulling a wage from a service like that and once you factor in travel time (if they're not dropped off at yours) it sounds like a no go to me. If you're serious don't think cheap think what you could do / offer that no one else does.
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Good points and agree.

This is just my first step, dont want to do this for rest of life but its something I can do whilst potentially training to be a dog groomer, cut their nails etc. Then could get premises and make much better living.

If I can get 5 people out of the thousands I can reach in my local area to do the 30 minutes per day of feeding etc that would give me £150 a week. I already have 3 people wanting 1 hour walks per day for £50 each a a week. That would give me £300 a week for working monday to friday finishing no later than about 3pm, would be similar to what I was getting spending 40 hours a week in a call centre I f***ing hated.
 
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One problem you'd have is the timings I suppose. Most people are out (for arguments sake) 8-6. They wouldn't want you coming at 10 and then leaving the dog for seven and a half hours. Most would want you no earlier than half 11 and would want an appointment no later than 1. That'd only give you enough time for 5 thirty minute appointments and that would be allowing no time for traveling or packing up or whatever. I know some will be on shifts and might therefore want a 10 o'clock or something but most would want the dog seen about lunchtime
 
You could target the dog breeders and sell it as an add on to people who are buying puppies that crave and need lots of attention?
 
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