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Dog Bakeries – Are They Good Pet Franchises?

Unique pet franchises are a great opportunity as you try to figure out which franchise you want to buy. A unique idea that is taking the country by storm is dog bakeries. There are several franchises out there already and more and more franchises are incorporating this into their business model. But does this mean that it is a lucrative option? Here are the things you should know.

 

The Newest Trend with Pet Franchises

doggie daycareDog bakeries are a fairly new trend in the pet industry. They are even newer than the trend of doggie daycares. While there are some that have been around for years, it has only become popular in the last few years. This, unfortunately, is a two edged sword for these businesses. On one hand, they are new and exciting and have a devoted following. On the other hand, they are new enough that they are not as popular as other pet franchises. Also, many people do not understand what they offer.

 

Because this is still such a new business, many people have misconceptions about what a dog bakery is. They tend to think they sell baked goods, such as chocolate, that are not good for dogs. While in truth they sell a wide range of baked goods that dogs can safely eat, educating your local community can be difficult.

 

Disadvantages of Owning a Dog Bakery Like Wolf Gang Bakery

pet industryWhen looking at pet franchises, you will need to look at the drawbacks that a certain business offers. The biggest drawback with dog bakeries, just as with a traditional bakery, is waste and germs. Just about any business will experience waste to some extent, but it is even worse for bakeries. This is the constant battle of dog bakeries: making enough product to showcase without over producing and creating waste or having food go bad. Along with this, marketing and educating your local community on your business can be time consuming and expensive.

 

Even people in your community who know what you offer will generally only buy for their pets on special occasions. This can make it hard to find consistent and abundant income  from these types of pet franchises. For this reason, many dog bakeries will run constant promotions and sales on their products in order to increase foot traffic and get people spending. While there is nothing wrong with promotions and sales, relying on this to make a profit is a dangerous game to play.

 


Final Verdict

A dog bakery is a fun way to make a living. If you love pets and you love baking, then you may find that you love this. However, if you are looking for reliable income when considering different pet franchises, then this is not the best option and you may look for something that allows you the comfort of recurring revenue while interacting with pet and pet parents. Dog grooming is one of those options and in many cases, there are dog grooming boutiques that also offer baked goods to some extent. If you really want to sell doggie cookies, this might be an alley you should look into.

4 Things Pet Franchises Need to Stop Doing

Sometimes less is more, even in business. Many owners of pet franchises find themselves implementing a slew of tactics and practices in an effort to boost sales and increase efficiency. However, they tend to overlook the practices they should stop doing to focus on new things they can do. Here are 4 things pet franchises should stop doing right now:

 

Stop Using Outdated Technology

Most people think of outdated technology as old office equipment, such as computers that still run Windows 98. While older equipment is an issue, if the tools pet franchises use are outdated, then they can be just as much a hindrance as an old, slow computer. It may be out of your budget to update everything in the location at once, make technology a priority. Even if you have to work on it slowly, it is still worth the investment. You may even find you can consolidate your technology as well. For instance, newer printers offer multiple functions so you do not need an additional scanner, fax machine, or copier. Most newer printers are even wireless and Bluetooth enabled as well as integrate with cloud storage.

 

Stop Competing With National Retailers

Many pet franchises think their main competition is big name companies, such as PetSmart or Petco. While some of your demographic may shop there, you are fighting a losing battle when you’re just starting out. The best thing you can do is focus on the small to medium sized companies within your area. They are the biggest competition and threat to your business. Watch what these companies do and then find a way to compete at this level. In all reality, you should focus your marketing on people within five miles of your location.

 

Settling for Sub-Par Social Media

There is no denying that social media is huge for pet franchises. However, this does not mean you can just throw anything up on your accounts and expect success. Some of the biggest mistakes include posting the same thing to all your social media platforms, posting too much at once, and/or being too sales oriented in your postings. Do not assume that just because you use these social media platforms for your personal account that it means you know how to post for business. Take the time to understand how business social media works so you can see a better return on investment for the time you are putting into this. If this seems like too much work, hire someone to handle this for you.

 

Wasting Time

Wasting time is not only bad for productivity, it is also bad for the bottom line in pet franchises. There are many ways that people waste time in business. Think about ways that you can be more efficient during your day. What can you cut out? Look for ways that you can improve on your existing operations to keep from wasting time.