When a parent drops off their child for their first day at school, they spend the entire day hoping that their little one is safe, healthy, and happy. And the same can be said for pet parents when they drop off their precious pups at your daycare.
When your customers swing around to check on or pick up their dogs for the first (or second, or tenth) time, they want to see wagging tails and smiling faces.
Maintaining a safe, orderly facility with qualified staff is your first step to creating a good doggy daycare experience. However, if you want to truly take your doggy daycare to the next level and thoroughly impress your customers and pups, you’ll need to think outside of the box.
Consider these creative, simple ideas to make your doggy daycare more fun and engaging than ever before:
Whether you’re just starting your doggy daycare or you’re a longtime owner, these strategies will help any pet-care entrepreneur turn their doggy daycare into a favorite stop for pet owners.
Host Dog Daycare Games: 3 Ideas
Caring for your pooches means more than just grooming them, feeding them, and giving them belly rubs. Dogs are intelligent creatures that require a great deal of socialization and stimulation to be happy and healthy.
These games will give them something to wag their tails about. On top of that, these ideas may also engage your employees and customers!
1. Pup Pageant
A pup pageant is a multi-tier competition held in your very own facility! Owners should sign up in advance to participate in this silly tournament for the chance to win a special prize, such as a discounted grooming session or free merchandise.
Each round of the pageant is entirely up to you, though here are some popular ideas:
- A grooming and fashion contest
- Simon says for common training commands
- A find-the-treat scavenger hunt
Customers will be delighted to get to show off their pups’ skills, pamper their pets, and maybe even bring home the grand prize! Plus, it’s a great opportunity to build community among your customer base.
2. Water Day
Head outside and set up different water games for pups to play, drink, and get their paws wet! Be sure to break out lots of towels and schedule a bit of post-game cleaning for pups that participate.
You can include a variety of different water play stations, such as:
- A water gun spray station for pups and owners
- A bobbing-for-treats tub
- A shallow “puppy pool” for pets to swim
Of course, remember that not every dog is going to love your water day. Don’t force any pups to get involved if they’re not fond of getting wet and be sure to keep some extra treats and tennis balls on hand for pooches that want to spend their time outside a little differently.
3. Frisbee Toss
Frisbee tosses are a great way to mix up classic games of fetch. The rules are simple and every dog breed can enjoy this timeless activity. Contact pet owners to participate in an official frisbee toss tournament or incorporate frisbee toss into your regular activity times for pups.
You can even break out a bit of branded merchandise to play the game. Use frisbees with your dog daycare’s logo, promoting your brand and enticing customers to pay for a frisbee to take home with them!
Sell Dog Daycare Merchandise: 3 Products
Offering customized pet business merchandise is a lucrative way to both increase brand awareness and engage potential buyers.
Set aside a corner of your facility and your website for customers to peruse your collection of cute, comfy items, take their pick, and bring home a fun reminder of their daycare experience!
1. Dog Daycare Toys
Between puppies tearing into their tennis balls and dogs burying their rubber bones in the backyard, there’s no wrong time for pet owners to invest in new toys.
Do a bit of research into the most popular pet toys in general and in your local area. Toys like frisbees, balls, and chewie plush animals are a few good choices, to begin with.
2. T-Shirts, Caps, and Clothes
Why should dogs get to have all the fun? Give pet owners something to take home for themselves by branding popular clothing items such as t-shirts, hoodies, socks, and caps.
Don’t forget to seasonally update your collection to keep up with consumer demand, bringing out warmer clothes for winter while tank tops and water bottles come out for the summer.
3. Collars, Leashes, and Bandanas
Pups and customers alike will love having something extra to add to their doggy wardrobes.
This merchandise will not only bring in greater revenue for your doggy daycare, but it also doubles as a walking advertisement that people will see every time one of your customers’ pups goes out for a walk.
Share Pet Report Cards
Like mobile pet grooming or pet insurance, pet report cards are a major pet industry trend that many dog daycare owners and pet-care software providers have begun to incorporate into their businesses.
As we’ve mentioned, it’s almost impossible for many pet parents to drop off their furbabies at your facility and go the entire day without trying to check in on their pups. This is where the pet report card comes in handy.
On a basic level, pet report cards provide updates on individual pets’ behaviors and experiences throughout the day. However, some pet-care software’s report card feature goes the extra mile, offering:
- Customizable comments and notes about pet health and demeanor
- Attachable photos and videos of pups’ experiences
- Compatibility with email and SMS communication platforms
These easy-to-use, easy-to-send reports do far more than just allow you to satisfy customers’ curiosity on how their pets are doing. It also enables you to share a fun portfolio of memories with your customers that they will happily share with family, friends, and even coworkers throughout the day!
In order to continue developing and nurturing your doggy daycare business, you need to step out of your comfort zone and brainstorm new ways to keep your customers (human and canine) happy. By adding a stronger element of fun and playfulness to your business, you enrich the customer experience and give them something to look forward to every time they use your services.
Still curious about other ways you can strengthen your doggy daycare business? Check out these resources:
- 15+ Pet Business Merchandise Ideas to Wow Your Customers. Spark your imagination and diversify your revenue with these top pet merchandising ideas.
- Starting a Dog Daycare: Everything You Need to Know. Brush up on your pet-care knowledge and solidify your doggy daycare business plan with our master guide to starting a dog daycare.
- How to Wow Your Customers and Keep Them Coming Back: 5 Tips. Want to learn even more ideas about how to impress and engage your customers? Take a look at our top tips for wowing your clientele.
