Thinking Of Building A Dog Resort

Life Pets & Domestic Animals
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Thread title edited by moderator.

Hi,
I’m thinking of building a good quality dog boarding facility - large cages with runs, exercise yard, trees,grass, daily walking option, etc etc - kind of “average” when compared with dog hotels back home.

Can anyone let me know what the usual going rate is to board a dog here? I’m trying to figure out a realistic budget for building, and getting a return.

Any suggestion of what facilities/options/extras you’d like if you wanted to board your dog?

Welcome to pm or email me.

Thanks,
Sue

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prices range but the average is $300 for small to medium size and $400-500 for larger size dogs (there are cheaper and more expensive places but this is the averge price range)
I believe what most dog owners want is a safe place where their beloved dogs will get attention and exercise and of course food and water ;-).
Emergency services i.e the dog will be taken to the vet if need be.

A pick up and delivery service would be a plus (can add on a base price for this according to distance).

Many people here have more than one dog, so discount for dogs that can be kept together in one kennel etc.

Also you could have a data base of staff/volunteers that you trust that could do live ins. I have 7-9 dogs at a time (6 of my own and 1-3 foster dogs at a time) so i couldn’t possibly affort to board them and afford to go on holiday so i forsake holidays unless i can find someone to live in my house for a reasonable fee per day to take care of them.

safety is no 1 priority (other than food and water), comfort and exercise is a great plus. most places don’t offer this. Dogs must be watched so there isn’t fighting, dogs need to be checked regularly for problems, fleas, ticks, wounds etc. Dogs must not be able to escape.

Just a few ideas, Good luck and please let us know how things go, i believe this would be great and you’d have the customers. When AT adopts out dogs the first question we get is “Do you know of any good boarding facilities?”

As a side note, when people book in their dogs i would ask for a returnable deposit and also a copy of their flight details, proof of return basically. Unfortunately there are a few people out there who do dump there dogs at these places both foreigners and locals.

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Man, I’ve thought about doing this as well. Most places just throw your pooch into a cage with food and water.

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My wishlist:

-Daily walks (at least; twice or thrice daily would be ideal and cut back on cleanup costs)
-A nice shady grassy area where they can “run free” for an hour or two each day
-Nice ventilation, elevated beds, clean (nonwire) floors
-True TLC; where I know they’ll get the right food, their own medicine, etc.
-Indoor/outdoor runs
-Maybe a splash pool for hot days (some of our pooches love to lie in the water to cool off!)
-Good quality food with some fresh food every day (fresh real meat, veggies, etc)
-Close to the airport for easy drop-off/pickup
-Emergency contracts/ “power of attorney” (if the dog is sick or ill, with my signature, you’ll be able to authorize emergency treatment)
-FRESH WATER several times a day!!! (So many places we’ve visited look as though they only give fresh water when the bowl’s empty. Of course they won’t drink as much as they should if it’s disgusting; you wouldn’t either!)
-Rawhide chews or Kongs or something to keep the dogs from getting too bored
-Regular baths; I hate getting my dogs back and needing to wash them after spending almost 20 hours in airplanes and airports!
-Reports of any abnormal activities (most places don’t mention them)
-Empathy; yes, maybe we’re caring too much about little things, but these are members of our family, and they will be away from everything they know (and everyone, if they’re “single pets”). They will be stressed and afraid, and this worries us. Show us that you want to make them as happy and comfortable as possible and we’ll reward you with continued business.

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Great! Thanks Nemesis and Bikerchic for your ideas!

Bikerchic, very good point about deposit. I hadn’t thought of the problem of no returns, but I should have.

Nemesis, most of the things on your wish list are on my wish list too. Although I think I may have some trouble convincing the relevant authorities to move the airport closer.

I have a few more specific questions:

Daily walks - on leash? Off leash? Would you prefer to have the choice? With other boarders or solo?
Shady grassy area - Do you imagine it being totally escape proof? Or just reasonably fenced and monitored, or free and easy? Would you want your dogs to have it to themselves for their time, or would you expect them to be able to share with other boarders?
Concrete floors throughout or packed earth in run and concrete/rubber mats in kennel?
Indoor/outdoor runs- do you mean permanent access run attached to kennel? How many ping would you hope for?
How often is a “regular” bath? (Our dogs live outdoors and are clean without baths except when they swim in the mud pool, so I’m not a good judge, but I know kenneled dogs get smellier…)

Given that a “normal” boarding situation is a wire cage stacked in a windowless room, usually without walks, and costs between 300 - 500, what would you be willing to pay for a service that better meets your needs and wants?

One idea I’m considering is to have a bottom line service at a base price - eg, fully enclosed, roofed outdoor,kennel and attached run, 4.5 square meter, with cosy kennel and cool rooftop veranda -
and optional extras which can be chosen and paid for accordingly. (Bathing, leashed walks, special food, fan) What do you think?

Bikerchic, I have the same prob you do… Eight dogs of my own currently and always a couple of hangers on looking for a new home. I also promise adopters that I’ll take care of their dogs in holidays if needed, so figured as long as I don’t GET a holiday, I may as well turn it into a business :unamused: :laughing:

cheers,
Sue

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Of course the outdoor area has to be totally escape proof! If that means putting wire fencing a few feet into the ground too for diggers, it should be done.

Why is “free and easy” even an option? Even if you become friendly, strange dogs under your temporary care are not likely to return reliably when you call.

In case you didn’t realize, nice dog resorts already exist in Taiwan, BTW. With no-cage time throughout the day and individual sleeping quarters at night, air conditioning at no extra cost (really? you want to charge extra for a fan?), some have large lawns/pools, 24hr webcam access for owners, pick up/drop off services, grooming.

Most places bathe dogs for free if they are boarded for a certain number of days (every 10 or so). Prices range from the same as any other boarding service to a 10-20% markup.

If you’re thinking of this as a business venture, don’t expect a return on your investment any time soon. If you want to be competitive at all, the initial cost will be significant. Are you going to hire a whole stable of workers? From what you have described, it sounds like you want to run this as a side job for yourself. What will set you apart from other boarding facilities? Are you going to have a 900-ping lawn for my dog to run freely on throughout the day? Do you have the resources to offer the same services the other pet hotels do? Are you going to be able to acquire the proper licensing? If not, why would anyone choose to give you business? Apart from building a “good” dog kennel, are you planning to fill some sort of niche market or are you just trying to compete with the boarding facilities currently available? What competitive advantages (if any) can you claim?

If you are running a kennel, please be serious about it. You need to ensure to the best of your ability that the dogs in your care will not escape/infect other dogs/fight/etc., and that probably means round the clock supervision. You need to construct a comfortable, spacious maximum security prison, basically.

I’m sorry if all of this sounds harsh to you, but when there are such a variety of great, well-monitored boarding options available in Taipei, the seemingly “relaxed” attitude you have towards opening up a kennel in these posts makes your potential business appear really unattractive. I am not willing to pay any amount of money a day to have my dog run off into the mountains due to negligence or die from heat stroke because I did not pay extra for a fan.

http://www.petsdreampark.com/en/index.htm

http://www.yoyodogs.com.tw/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119663971392091&ref=search#!/group.php?gid=119663971392091&v=wall

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/mywoofs

http://www.mml.com.tw/block/forum/index.php?action=forum_topicdetail&f=408&page=forum_topicdetail&t=114832

http://www.doggy-house.com.tw/company/store/DH_A/store05.php

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[quote=“kaipakati”]I have a few more specific questions:

Daily walks - on leash? Off leash? Would you prefer to have the choice? With other boarders or solo?[/quote]
I think it should be up to the people leaving their dogs; perhaps put it into perspective: forty minutes with others or fifteen alone. Some dogs can’t be trusted to get along with any other random dogs, so you’ll need to ask full disclosure from people using your facility, perhaps with a contract clause making them liable for any issues caused by lack of full disclosure. A lot of dogs love the distraction of other dogs, but some aren’t well socialized and can’t be trusted in such situations.

Again, I think it would depend. I would love to have a choice. Perhaps have individual time and communal time. Again, safety is a concern, but most dogs seem to get along fine on “neutral ground”.

[quote]Concrete floors throughout or packed earth in run and concrete/rubber mats in kennel?
Indoor/outdoor runs- do you mean permanent access run attached to kennel? How many ping would you hope for? [/quote]
I personally prefer packed earth in the run, with concrete floors and a rubber mat or two in the kennel. You may find the rubber mats difficult to keep clean, as most are porous, but they are more comfy. Not sure how you’d work the packed earth with the dogs’ need to urinate; would it be raked regularly. I’d like my dogs to be in a clean but comfortable space.

For us, it’s every couple of weeks, more often if anyone rolls in “stinkies” on an outing… some dogs I know get bathed every other day, but for us, it’s unnecessary.

Good question. Most of us aren’t rich, but are willing to pay a bit extra for comfort for our loved ones. Trouble is, the more “loved ones” we have, the less money we are able to spend per dog. We have three dogs and three cats, and kenneling is one of the major expenses for which we pay. We currently pay $500/dog/day at this place, where at least they get a bit of personal time, some communal time and some run time, but the “VIP” treatment consists primarily of them being shut indoors in cages with no access to their outdoor runs, except at certain points during the day. It seems reasonably clean and is close to the airport, and is by far the best place that we’ve encountered yet in Taiwan. The dogs are all bathed weekly and the runs and cages are thoroughly disinfected daily. On the downside, we left blankies from home for our dogs their first time, and they were never given to the dogs, who seem to sleep on the hard floor. Not a good experience for being away from the family. That’s what I mean about the little things. Maybe it is more for us than for them (though in that case, I don’t think so), but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of love there. Again, I won’t be too critical; it’s run by a competent guy, but he’s first and foremost a dog trainer; I think the kennel pays the bills.

I think it would appeal to most of us, but again, stay within a reasonable budget. The kennel sounds great, as does the rooftop veranda, provided it is truly cool. In Taiwan in summer, though, a fan should not be optional, especially for those confined to fur coats. (Or do you mean private fans?) I think include a minimum of one bath per stay of over a week and two for over a month, and after that, consider charging. I would pay for leashed walks, but for me, the cost could not go over $600/dog/day with three dogs. I agree that it makes sense to have slightly larger runs for two or more dogs in groups and to reduce the price accordingly.
One thing I neglected to mention in my original post is that each dog should have one-on-one time with a human every day, for at least a few minutes. Particularly for those dogs used to being parts of a group, it’s very important.
I wish you all the luck in the world with your venture and my pack and I may be seeing you soon!

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Hi Lupillus,
:laughing: Yes, your reply does sound rather harsh! The “seemingly relaxed attitude” that I display in my posts probably has a lot to do with the fact that I’m “THINKING” about building boarding kennels. Not “building”, or even “planning” at this point in time. :wink: So dogs in Taipei can rest assured that they are safe from my carelessness/callousness for the moment. :laughing:
My questions are just that ; questions to foster discussion.

So thanks, you have given me some things to think about. And thanks for the links.

You asked about what niche I might be aiming at. One thing that I am sure of, is that IF I get to the planning stage, it will be for a facility that is NON-aircon, and I will be absolutely up front about this, to prevent potential discomfort or disasters. In fact, I imagine (here I go again, THINKING about things, not planning :wink: ) that I would ask potential customers to sign something to show that they understand this, and to say that their dogs are accustomed to living through Taipei summers without. You may be surprised to know that there are PLENTY of well cared for dogs (and humans) that do, and don’t suffer from heat stroke. :slight_smile: The key factor is in the planning of the facility… and I IMAGINE - pre planning stage - that I would build “green” kennels, that make best use of natural airflow, materials that cool, shade, water etc… So, non-AC dogs, such as my own, and others that have already boarded with me, would be very comfortable.

Some of the links that I looked at are for facilities that seem to offer a level of pampering that I would not be interested in providing. I would also be quite up front about that. (NOTE - I didn’t say CARE, I said “pampering”.) Sofas to sleep on, state of the art doggie toys, pastel painted walls, meals that wouldn’t look out of place on a restaurant table, web-cams - definitely not in my current thinking. That’s what some people want - there are obviously places available where they can have their expectations met. Great! I’m thinking along the lines of something more focused on the basics of space, fresh air, exercise, empathetic handling, etc … once again that vague etc… I hope you will understand and forgive.

o be honest, I really don’t have the time at the moment to be even putting much thought into this idea… But there will come a time in the future when I do have time, not just for the thinking, but for making this business a priority in my life, if I do decide to follow through with it. In the meantime, I’m just gathering stray thoughts and tucking them all away in my brain to percolate. :slight_smile: So, thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Nemesis,
thanks VERY much for your thoughtful answers to my questions. Really helpful. If I ever do go through with this, I OWE you! Your pack most welcome!

Yes, I would also personally prefer the idea of packed earth, not cement, for my own dogs, in the run area. Not sure yet whether it would work re hygiene though. Concrete is easy to sterilize and clean.

The link you posted looks pretty good. (I think I know this guy - he used to be in our area some years ago but moved.)
The cages inside is the thing I want to avoid. I’m tossing around various different design ideas of how best to utilize space so that dogs have permanent access to SOME amount of free outdoor space of their own. Weighing up whether it’s better to give each dog (or group of dogs in cases like yours) a larger private run, or put more resources into the communal area, with limited access. How much space does a dog need when he’s on his own with little stimulation? How much is he going to utilize?
One place I looked at years ago was at one end of the extreme: had long, possibly twenty five meter individual runs, only 1.5 wide, attached to the kennels, with the gate at the far end opening out onto a fully fenced play enclosure. It was definitely high security!

Ah… the blankie issue! Yep! That’s definitely a niche we could fill. :laughing: While I’m not interested in turning dogs into little four legged people (booties, raincoats, human food) I DO recognize that dogs have feelings and needs for emotional and psychological security, comfort, etc. We would be providing the personal touch, where we do what we can to help a dog feel happy, relaxed, and safe - including providing affection and personal attention. The LOVE word! :laughing: I totally agree with your suggestion of one on one human time every day.

Yes, I meant private fans. Two of my dogs feel the heat and LOVE to come inside and sit right in front of a big fan (preferably after they’ve waded in the mud pool. :laughing: )

Our situation is such that normally healthy and acclimatized short coated dogs can find cool, breezy, shady areas outdoors that do not need additional cooling. However, our dogs are not caged or confined at all, so they can always help themselves to find the best situation, including going swimming for a cool down. As I mentioned above, I would want as much as possible to use natural ways to keep the facility as cool as possible. (Having a two tiered roofing system, open at the top for airflow, and overplanted with trees works well. ) However, boarded dogs would not have the freedom that ours currently do, and would be in more of a confined space, so I would need to plan for a cooling system for the whole area. I would probably use a mister, as is used in better horse stables here. They drop the actual air temperature more than a fan.Then I also have to think about protection during typhoon…

Okay…
Better get back to what I’m supposed to be thinking about. My CURRENT line of work. :laughing:

Thanks again for your ideas and encouragement.

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Well sorry if what i said has already been said but i am a bit busy now to read all and i to comment before i forget !!!

I know of a place where they charge something like 5k per month to keep your dog, the best part is that you pay the 5k in advanced and you can use the month spread during the year… its good because you get the money in advanced for any rebuild or project in mind. as business is good because if someone pays for a month and only uses 20 days then the other 10 are lost… but you need a stable place where people can trust that if one weekend they will go abroad you will have place for their dogs… maybe with a call at least a week before the trip would be fine i think… anyways its good to hear that since i have a dog and i sometimes need help when i travel…

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[quote=“omerojs”]Well sorry if what I said has already been said but I am a bit busy now to read all and i to comment before i forget !!!

I know of a place where they charge something like 5k per month to keep your dog, the best part is that you pay the 5k in advanced and you can use the month spread during the year… its good because you get the money in advanced for any rebuild or project in mind. as business is good because if someone pays for a month and only uses 20 days then the other 10 are lost… but you need a stable place where people can trust that if one weekend they will go abroad you will have place for their dogs… maybe with a call at least a week before the trip would be fine I think… anyways its good to hear that since I have a dog and i sometimes need help when i travel…[/quote]

Details on this place?

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[quote=“Belgian Pie”][quote=“omerojs”]Well sorry if what I said has already been said but I am a bit busy now to read all and i to comment before i forget !!!

I know of a place where they charge something like 5k per month to keep your dog, the best part is that you pay the 5k in advanced and you can use the month spread during the year… its good because you get the money in advanced for any rebuild or project in mind. as business is good because if someone pays for a month and only uses 20 days then the other 10 are lost… but you need a stable place where people can trust that if one weekend they will go abroad you will have place for their dogs… maybe with a call at least a week before the trip would be fine I think… anyways its good to hear that since I have a dog and i sometimes need help when i travel…[/quote]

Details on this place?[/quote]

A friend of mine recomended it, its some kind of temple and they treat the dogs really good… all i have is the number, maybe you can check it out if you can speak chinese:
Dog Hotel # 03/5297874