Grooming Franchise

Pet Grooming Industry Growth: How Large is the Market Size?

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Every year, the American Pet Products Association publishes the statistics in a comprehensive report that analyzes pet industry growth. As usual, it’s good news!

Pet parents and entrepreneurs alike can all agree, the pet industry is continuing its trending growth seen in the last three decades. Since 1994, the pet industry has seen U.S. expenditures rise a whopping 269%. The total expenditures ended at $66.75 billion for the 2016 year, a 10.7% growth. This number actually surpassed economic predictions by four billion dollars. Even marketing gurus like Ellen DeGeneres are hopping on the pet industry growth train.

If expenditures continue to rise at the rate of the current trajectory, the pet industry is expected to reach $96 billion within three years, according to Packaged Facts.  

The reason for these climbing numbers is no secret. The dog ownership statistics also show more Americans are apt to own a dog or cat. 65% of the population reports owning a pet with around 77.8 million dogs and 85.8 million cats being the most popular pet choices. In 2015, food sales alone grossed $23.05 billion.

These numbers show that the kinship between human and animal is stronger than ever and pet parents are willing to pay for the wellness and comfort of their animals.

Pet Grooming Industry Growth in the Dog Groomer Retail Segment

Breaking down the numbers of APPA’s market size report shows that pet groomers operating in the retail sector are the most profitable. With food, retail, and grooming sales making up $42.74 billion there are multiple opportunities to earn in this segment. Many workers have found huge financial success without the encumbrance of traditional corporate America bearing down on them.  

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 103,996 businesses are currently operating as dog groomers in the U.S. with an average growth rate of 8%. 189,384 individuals are employed in the grooming industry alone.

Trends beginning in 2014 and plateauing last year are continuing to diversify the range of service opportunities groomers can provide. Holistic services like aromatherapy, luxury spa experiences, and doggie facials are now an expectation.

Online shopping will continue to grow but adversely cannot abrogate pet retailing. Pet retailer experts state that just as groceries stores continue to provide for consumers that just ran out of milk, brick-and-mortar pet stores will provide for customers that just ran out of dog food.

Also, a side effect of the premiumization that led to pet industry growth in 2014 is the availability of high-quality products. Products like natural flea and tick repellents, dog toys made with natural fibers, and holistic or human grade dog food are all embellishing the marketplace options for pet owners.

Pet Industry Expansion

The pet business industry has opened and diversified into some lavish spending options for customers. One of the more traditional segments growing is dog training. Particularly in online dog training courses. One of the biggest names in cloud-based training is Wagfield Academy—a customizable online training course that meets the needs of all training goals.

Another sector experiencing pet industry growth is in medical services, predominantly physical therapy. Dogs with mobility complications can now get treatment in various holistic therapy programs. Treatments like acupuncture, herbal and nutritional therapy, and deep-tissue ultrasonic healing are all becoming more commonplace. Dog yoga is also an option with kits starting at $535 designed by yogi instructor Suzi Teitelman.

One of the more acrimonious but necessary sectors of the pet industry is providing for deceased pets. Many pet parents want to honor their passed loved ones and are more than willing to finance their lamentation. The oldest operating pet cemetery in America—Hartsdale Pet Cemetery—offers plots for $1,800 without upkeep charges.

These are examples of how exploring foreign territory in the pet industry has forged new segments in the marketplace. A prospect that is lucrative and less financially risky is franchising.  There are dozens of pet franchises that are growing strong, with Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique leading the pack.

What Future Franchise Owners Will Want to Know

From an investor’s standpoint, you can’t go wrong with the pet industry. During the Great Recession, the pet industry proved its resilience by being one of the few industries that grew during the hard economic times.

If you dream of one day opening your small business in the pet industry then please consider owning a franchise. Depending upon your situation choosing to own a franchise could be more viable than proceeding solo.

Operating a brick-and-mortar groomer and retail store requires a huge investment of time and money. Hiring employees, selecting a POS system, shop build-out, and stocking your shelves just scrapes the list of the tasks that need to be completed before opening. This is why many entrepreneurs favor franchising over going solo.

A good franchisor trains and supports their franchisees through the whole process. Every aspect of a prospect franchisees’ due diligence should be backed by the franchise. Your success should be the franchise’s success!

At Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique we aim for our shop owners to break even only six months after opening. We do this with proven business methods aimed for profits. We have a thriving company culture based on family centered core values. If you don’t believe us, please visit a shop, talk to an owner. See for yourself the difference Splash and Dash makes every day in the growing pet industry.

 

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Pet Industry Franchise: Do Not Brush Off Oral Hygiene

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A dog’s oral hygiene is a year-round task that contributes directly to a pet’s wellness. Many pet industry franchise experts like Chad Kocur, Pet Edge Director of Product Development, state that “retailers can expect the oral-care category to continue to grow as consumers learn more about the importance of routine dental care.”

“Pet oral care is a significant market segment that pet retailers should look to for potential profit,” Kocur advises the pet industry franchise. “Offering oral care products in your retail store can provide outsized benefits.”

As the pet industry grows the number of products available diversifies and correspondingly expands. This article explores the impacts of dog dentistry within the pet industry franchise.

Dental Disease is Rising

Pet owners are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of neglecting their pet’s oral hygiene. The number of cases of pet dental disease is expanding as this new found awareness circulates.

Since 2006 there has been a rise in the prevalence of dental disease in dogs by 23.3%, according to a Banfield Pet Hospital “State of Pet Health Report 2016.” The prevalence of cat dental disease has also risen by 23.1% in the past ten years.

The report goes on to state that “periodontal disease has been linked to chronic kidney disease,” with “68 percent of cats and 76 percent of dogs” being affected by dental disease since the beginning of Banfield collecting data.

The findings of this report call on the pet industry franchise to help not only disseminate information to pet owners, but also provide ways to combat the problem.

Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique is a place where pet parents can be confident that problems like tooth fractures we’ll be caught before they become problematic. Routine brushing and preventative care are what our dog groomers provide against this rise in pet dental disease.

Increasing Number of Available Products

Expansion in oral hygiene pet products is making it easier for shops in the pet industry franchise to help pet parents. Toys, chews, and even water additives are widely available.

Teeth brushing, like other dog grooming procedures, is best left up to professionals, but there are tons of dental products that can keep a pet’s mouth healthy. Many of these products aid with the at-home dental care that pet owners can administer themselves.

“There’s likely more than a few guilt-ridden parents who strive to brush their pet’s teeth at least thrice a week, but fall short of that goal,”  Kocur tells the pet industry franchise. “That’s why we work year-round to develop products to make dental care as easy as possible. We carry a wide assortment of dental  products for pets, offering consumers choices to meet their individual preferences and goals.”

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental gels are the most common dental products ordered from Pet Edge. The company’s most popular items are the peppermint-flavored Top Performance ProDental Disposable Finger Wipes. The company also offers a water additive that whitens and breaks down plaque. A spray is also available that requires no rinsing. These products are part of Pet Edge’s ‘Top Performance ProDental Solution’ line.

Of course, these aren’t the only dental care products available on the market. The pet industry franchise has a wide assortment of manufacturers to choose from.

Make the Best Selection of Your Shelves

Dr. Taylor Truitt, Medical Director of The Vet Set, advises retailers to stock their inventory with effective products for cats. Cats are much more finicky about their oral hygiene than dogs and are thus used as the model to provide dental care products.

“With cats, it’s all about how you can get the product into the cat and have everyone survive the experience,” Dr. Truitt said. “If the cat  doesn’t want to accept something, it’s not going to happen.”

To avoid the unpleasantness of fighting with your pet for their oral hygiene, Dr. Truitt suggests Oratene water additives for support with at-home dental care. Dr. Truitt does point out that if an animal builds up a tolerance to various dog grooming like teeth brushing at an early age, the animal will be acclimated to the process, and will not be as temperamental.

To ensure your customer is getting the most effective products, Dr. Truitt advises providing customers with something they can use every day.

Dr. Truitt recommends that the pet industry franchise look for products that have the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of approval. The VOHC is a board of veterinary dentists that test products and recommend the ones best for maintaining good oral care.

Pet Industry Franchise Options: Doggie Dental

For both dogs and cats, Dr. Truitt suggests Greenies Chews as a supplementary oral hygiene product. The doctor stresses supplementary in this products case because the chews alone cannot replace brushing. This applies for all dental chews. Brushing is still the most effective way to stop dental disease.

Another type of water additive pet owners might be interested in is BREATH-LESS Plaque-Zapper by ArkNaturals.  The formula “helps neutralize the pH level of saliva, deter the growth of bacteria, and control plaque, tartar, and bad breath,” which is posted on the manufacturer’s website.

Another product Dr. Truitt recommends is Petsmile, a VOHC approved toothpaste. The London broil flavored paste “is clinically proven to remove and inhibit plaque, and no toothbrush is needed. Instead, the toothpaste is applied either by finger or by an  Applicator Swab. Activated by saliva, the formula is put to work by your  dog licking the paste around in its mouth.”

There is a large number of pet oral care products to choose from so do your due diligence in research before selecting, but many pet industry franchise experts agree on these products and brands.

 

Oral Hygiene Products and Manufacturers:

  • Fido Naturals Doozie Bone
  • Barkworthies chews
  • Natural Balance Dental Chews
  • BREATH-LESS Chewable Brushless-Toothpaste from ArkNaturals
  • SmartBones Dental Formula Chews
  • Merrick’s Brush Bones.  
  • Fresh Smileezz by Emerald Pet
  • WHIMZEES by Paragon Pet Products  
  • DentaDish
  • TropiClean

 

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