Maybe even more important than permits is having the proper insurance.  Try to ask around from other doggy daycares (preferably outside your general area) or maybe even on a more specialized forum or discussion board.  Good luck!

It all depends on which state you live in. Different states have different licensing requirements for kennels and dog day cares.

Hi. Once you get going, you may want to consider using social media, especially Facebook, to promote your service. Most people with pets are pretty careful about who they leave their animals with and if someone finds you through a 'friend' on Facebook, they'll be much more likely to trust your service. Plus, it costs nothing to connect with others that way. We have a lot of stories on our web site (BusinessNewsDaily.com) about using social media to promote your small business. ---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.

As far as permitting goes, around here you need a kennel permit if you take care of more than 3 dogs at one time.   I am sure the regulations are different where you are, but locally there have been several pet sitting services that have popped up in the last few years, so there must be a demand for these types of services. Good luck!

What a great idea! Don't forget to set up a web page. Because just think of how many people now have smart phones. If they want to find something they just pull out their phone and search for what they want on line. Good Luck!

So you want to start a dog daycare? There're a few business decisions you need to make before you start a dog daycare. Where will you be running it from? What services will you offer? How much is all this going to cost and how are you going to pay for it all? . Networking is important to any business, and having contacts with other people in your line of work will be vital to its success. You can go to your contacts if you have any other questions, and they may even be able to send business your way, especially if you are willing to do the same for them. Here are a few types of people you may want to network with: Veterinarians Other dog care providers Dog trainers Dog groomers    

If you are good with dogs and can relate to them directly, this is a great idea. But dogs can be tempermental also. Just be sure you are prepared for the nips and attitudes!

As an animal lover which I perceive you are, you'll do a great job b/c you like what you do. There has to be a good amount of regulations which do make me feel better as this attempts to weed out the ones only for money. Giving a shot in the dark as I love marketing: 'We All Love Muts' 'Bark As Much As You Want It's Not Feeding Time, LLC' 'We Just Prefer Dogs' 'No Cats Allowed Doggy Daycare' 'Sorry Garfield, This Group is For Odie' 'Pooches with Love Doggy Day Care' 'Dogs Are Humans Too, They Just Require Bones' I hope I didn't go 0 for 7 on these. Please tell me what you end up with.

this type of industry has real growth potential I think.  many people are choosing to have children later in life or not at all, and are using pets to fill that void.  Most of these people work full time and sometimes can't give their pets the care they need all the time, and then there's cover on holidays!    In addition they tend to have a higher disposable income as well so price sensitivity isn't as great of an issue.  I think you'll want to focus on the safety and reliability aspect of your business, as these wiull be key considerations for people wanting to use your service.   I'd also suggest pushing your flexibility and availablility as this is often another key point.  people want convenience.