The UK is a nation of animal lovers, and there’s no greater obsession for many British families than their trustworthy and loyal canine best friend.
There are 9 million dogs in the UK. Over a quarter of the population own a hound pal. These stats are the reason the “petpreneur” has emerged; people monopolising on the exponential growth of the Pet Pound, making dog franchise an exciting franchise prospect.
Owning a dog is a huge commitment, and many professionals just don’t have the time to walk their pet during the working week. Which is where dog walking and dog sitting services come into the equation. In fact, 66% of pet owners are full-time workers and almost 60% of British consumers own a pet.
The pet care market was worth £1.7 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach £2.1 billion in the next three years.
Why Dog Walking Franchises Are Lucrative
According to research by MINTEL, three-quarters of the UK pet-owning population consider their pet to be a genuine member of the family; while a fifth of all dog owners feel guilty when leaving their pet at home during the working day. That’s 20% of 9 million dogs who need regular walkies, making dog walking franchises an ideal prospect for any animal lover.
Perhaps you love dogs but just can’t accommodate one in your home? Maybe you crave the affection of a loyal pup but don’t want the commitment of pet parenthood.
Dog walking franchises provide the best of all worlds: quality time with grateful pups, who you can hand back after their exercise.
Franchising FAQs
Franchising is the common-sense approach to starting up in business for yourself.
Of course, it’s easy enough to go into business independently, but franchise businesses have a range of benefits, with fewer risks.
For starters, there's no setting up of infrastructure when you invest in a franchise; no admin system to start from scratch, all the legals are in place, and there's no complicated constitution to create.
Franchising is a gateway into self-employment. Why slave away for someone else when you can be your own boss?
Franchising brings with it a secure and proven financial history, as well as a sustainable business model, making it more likely that you’ll secure the collateral required for getting started.
Associate yourself with a trusted brand, and you'll get access to a client-base, ready to subscribe to your dog walking services.
Setting Up a Dog Walking Franchise
Starting a business takes a lot of dedication and determination. If you choose to do it without the backing of a franchisor, you need to have skills and experience in all aspects of the business. Successfully setting up a company requires a practical business plan, commitment to your endeavour, a good work ethic, and a consistent stream of capital.
New businesses generally take many hours of personal time beyond the typical eight-hour day to profitably launch a start-up. To avoid spending your finances outsourcing different aspects of the company, you will likely need to manage them yourself.
This means that you should be skilled at the following:
- Accounting and Bookkeeping
- Advertising and Marketing
- Hiring and Training
- Insurance and Licencing
- Payroll and Taxes
- Scheduling
If you have opted to use franchising as your business model, many of these aspects will be handled for you. The home office may provide training programmes for the rest.
The Importance of Marketing Your Dog Walking Franchise
When a pet owner chooses a dog walking service, they often sign a contract securing the assistance for a certain length of time. As long as they are happy with the service provided and the price they are paying, they rarely replace their existing walker with another company.
Although dog owners often count on the recommendations of their friends and neighbours to choose a new dog walking company, as a fledgling business, you can not. If you start an independent service, you would need to have a clever marketing strategy. With an unmistakable, easily recognised name and a franchisor that manages the marketing, you can grow your business quickly.
Due to the advertisements provided by the franchisor, potential clients will view your dog walking business as a safe option for their beloved pet. They base this decision upon the reputation of the home office, which is represented by an identifiable brand name, logo, and signs.
Dog Walking franchises
There are several ways in which dog walking franchises "bark" for themselves.
One of the most attractive features of dog walking franchises is that they’re simple businesses to run. Most dog walking franchises can be operated from a home office. They’re scalable business models because it’s easy to train new employees and take on more customers. Get started with your new business after some basic training, and you’re up and running in no time - building an income stream almost straight away.
Dog walking franchises offer the business owner that elusive work/life balance. With flexible hours that you dictate, it's a way to have fun with entertaining animals AND earn a healthy living.
Pet-based businesses are considered to be reasonably recession-proof - dogs need walking regardless of the state of the economy.
The pet care business has become progressively legislation-heavy over the years - a franchise comes with all the necessary rules and regulations already in place, which means that you can just get on with the work that you love. And keep fit at the same time. Win win.
Franchising Vs Independent
Independent companies are more vulnerable to financial failure than franchises. Banks and money lenders tend to favour the franchise model because they come with a proven track record of sustainable growth and a stable economic history.
The first two years for independent companies are particularly challenging, with more than half of all UK-based independent companies going into receivership within their initial two years.
Franchising offers stability because the nucleus of the business is built upon a proven economic model.
Dog Walking Franchises
If you are excited about the prospect of owning a business and love spending quality time with dogs, franchising may be the right move for you. These opportunities represent some of the most potentially lucrative and on-trend franchises available.
Browse our exciting dog walking franchises and get set for a rewarding job that you’ll love every day.