T
thedoghouse
Guest
Hi there Shooting Star, I think I'll be able to give you some advise as i am / was in a similar position to your daughter!
I am, after five years of planning, in the process of opening a doggie daycare / grooming parlour / boarding alternative in Cork City.
I decided five years ago to open a doggie daycare as I think it is a service that is needed for many dog owners in Cork.
Since then, I have received an honours degree in Zoology from UCC, I have a fetec certificate in Animal Grooming, I have done a "Start your own business" course with the Cork Enterprise Board, and I have a certificate in Canine First Aid. I think it is VITAL that your daughter receives some qualifications after school before she starts her business, It will give her time to grow up, and, if she is still keen to go ahead with it after that, then she is more likely to succeed.
If she does some animal related courses it will give her an opportunity to decide if this industry is still what she wants to do.
I have years of dog handling experience, which really is the MOST important thing to have, if she wants to work with dogs. I have been dog walking for a few years, starting off walking just one dog at a time, then introducing my own dogs to the dogs I walk (as I know my own dogs will behave) then introducing dogs I walk to each other. Perhaps your daughter should start doing dog walking now? It will give her a chance to understand dog behaviour a bit better, and once she has experience, she can practice introducing dogs to each other.
Starting up a business is by far the most stressful thing I have ever done, especially as I am going to have major costs with renting / staff etc. If you are providing a premises for your daughter's business, then it will reduce her costs greatly. Insurance will not be too much, around €1000 for kennelling / groomers insurance, then another €1000 if she will have a business van (which she should, people are more than willing to pay for collection / delivery).
Her grooming equipment will be around €5000, and a good kennel set up could set you back quite a bit. She will also need to ensure that the land is VERY secure, and that dogs cannot dig under or jump over her fencing.
The biggest thing your daughter needs to realise is the amount of dedication and commitment that is needed when running your own business. She has to be available at the drop of a hat to care for people's dog, as once she has regular clients, they will be depending on her. Also, she can not turn down new customers, so weekends away / nights out etc will need to be cancelled frequently.
The benefits of working for yourself will outweigh this hopefully, but in her late teens / early twenties, she will miss out on a lot (summer holidays / weekends away etc.).
That's some info off the top of my head. If you have any questions, just pop me an email (info@thedoghouse.ie) and I'll see what I can do!
Once i am set up, she's more than welcome to come to me for work experience.
All the best,
Nanci Creedon
I am, after five years of planning, in the process of opening a doggie daycare / grooming parlour / boarding alternative in Cork City.
I decided five years ago to open a doggie daycare as I think it is a service that is needed for many dog owners in Cork.
Since then, I have received an honours degree in Zoology from UCC, I have a fetec certificate in Animal Grooming, I have done a "Start your own business" course with the Cork Enterprise Board, and I have a certificate in Canine First Aid. I think it is VITAL that your daughter receives some qualifications after school before she starts her business, It will give her time to grow up, and, if she is still keen to go ahead with it after that, then she is more likely to succeed.
If she does some animal related courses it will give her an opportunity to decide if this industry is still what she wants to do.
I have years of dog handling experience, which really is the MOST important thing to have, if she wants to work with dogs. I have been dog walking for a few years, starting off walking just one dog at a time, then introducing my own dogs to the dogs I walk (as I know my own dogs will behave) then introducing dogs I walk to each other. Perhaps your daughter should start doing dog walking now? It will give her a chance to understand dog behaviour a bit better, and once she has experience, she can practice introducing dogs to each other.
Starting up a business is by far the most stressful thing I have ever done, especially as I am going to have major costs with renting / staff etc. If you are providing a premises for your daughter's business, then it will reduce her costs greatly. Insurance will not be too much, around €1000 for kennelling / groomers insurance, then another €1000 if she will have a business van (which she should, people are more than willing to pay for collection / delivery).
Her grooming equipment will be around €5000, and a good kennel set up could set you back quite a bit. She will also need to ensure that the land is VERY secure, and that dogs cannot dig under or jump over her fencing.
The biggest thing your daughter needs to realise is the amount of dedication and commitment that is needed when running your own business. She has to be available at the drop of a hat to care for people's dog, as once she has regular clients, they will be depending on her. Also, she can not turn down new customers, so weekends away / nights out etc will need to be cancelled frequently.
The benefits of working for yourself will outweigh this hopefully, but in her late teens / early twenties, she will miss out on a lot (summer holidays / weekends away etc.).
That's some info off the top of my head. If you have any questions, just pop me an email (info@thedoghouse.ie) and I'll see what I can do!
Once i am set up, she's more than welcome to come to me for work experience.
All the best,
Nanci Creedon
