4 Tips for Building a Business Plan for a Successful Dog Training Franchise

Who said you can’t combine business and pleasure? If you’re looking for a career change with a job that has you excited to wake up every morning, look no further than starting your very own dog training franchise. 

Man’s best friend is one thing, but dogs can be a franchisee’s best friend, too. If you’ve got the drive to succeed paired with a love of animals, then the dog training industry will be the one for you. Want to get serious about the next steps? Then read on, as we take you through some top tips on building a business plan for a dog training franchise. 

How to build a business plan for a dog training franchise

Being a certified dog trainer is one thing, but being a dog training business owner is a whole different ball game. Before you take any action, you need to know how to write a dog training business plan.
- Top Dog Tips

So, you’ve got a love of dogs and the ambition to start your own dog training franchise. These two things are absolutely necessary - and timely, too. With a rise in pets arriving in homes throughout the lockdown comes more people wanting their furry friends to be house-trained and well behaved. Spending on pet care and pet products in the UK was around £7.5 million in 2020 [Statista], so there’s certainly a market to tap into.

Once you’ve spent time looking into how to choose the right dog franchise for you, it’s time to think about your business plan - as this will set you well on your way to becoming the successful owner of your dog training business. 

For starters, all franchise business plans tend to cover the following points - regardless of the industry or company: 

• An executive summary
• A business description
• Product/service descriptions
• A management summary
• Market analysis
• Operational details
• Business premises details
• Sales and marketing plans
• Financial projections and requirements

While accounting for these core components of a business plan, prospective dog training franchisees should prioritise the important points below, which will prove a surefire way of making your dog training business plan a success. 

1. Premises-based, or at home?

With plenty of ways to set up your dog training business, you’ll need to make a decision about whether you want your clients to come to your franchise premises, to your home - or whether you operate from the road, and go to your clients. 

There are pros and cons to all of these options. With a premises comes higher overhead costs, but you’ll simultaneously be cutting any travel costs associated with travel - and you’ll need to spend less time and resource planning viable timetables for your clients. If you’re willing to operate from your own home, then great - but do you have enough space to deliver the best service possible?  

2. Costing

Have you sussed out how much starting a dog training franchise is going to cost you? This is an integral part of your business plan - especially if you’re going to be seeking additional financial support in the form of a loan. Your costing and financial projects go far beyond the initial investment fee. You’ll also need to think about franchise fees, as well as ongoing costs. From kennels to collars, bowls to bedding, there will be plenty of equipment that you’ll need to include in your business plan. 

To get a better idea of costing up a dog franchise, check out some of the franchises below - along with their costs. 

• Barking Mad - this dog daycare franchise requires a minimum initial investment of £10,000, with a total investment cost of £14,995.
• Dog Knows - to franchise with this dog walking business, you’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £7,500, with a total investment cost of £15,000.

3. Market Research

The dog training and care industry is packed with businesses helping people look after their furry friends. With this in mind, it’s important to check out the competition and see where your business will stand among the crowd. 

Ask yourself:

• What are my competitors doing?
• How are they marketing themselves?
• Which areas in the market can my business occupy, that others aren’t?
• What does my ideal customer look like? 

While you’re at it, it won’t hurt to find out more about marketing your dog training franchise - particularly when your potential audience is a nation of dog lovers! 

4. Your background

One very important aspect of your dog training franchise shouldn’t be overlooked: You! How much money will you need to make a success of your dog training business? And, while it’s the dogs that you’ll be training - is there any business training that you’ll need before you begin your journey as a franchisee? 

Most franchises will have comprehensive and ongoing training as part of your franchisee package, so if you need support then don’t be afraid to ask. Keep your needs front of mind, so you’ll be in the best possible position to be running your own business. 

Start building your dog training franchise business plan today 

Once you’ve taken the above on board, you can establish a well-organised and comprehensive business plan. You’ll be well on your way to kick starting your journey as a dog training franchisee in no time. 

If you’ve found the above to be helpful and you’re starting from square one, it’s worth looking into how to be a dog trainer or what a day in the life of a dog trainer looks like.

But if dog training isn’t for you, then never fear. There are thousands of other franchising opportunities waiting for you, so check out the UK franchise directory for some inspiration.