Research Paper on "Dog Day Care and Training Center"

Research Paper 10 pages (3342 words) Sources: 15

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Dog Day Care and Training Center

Millions of people in the United States must go to work and leave their dog at home. Many owners either risk coming home to a destroyed house or messes due to separation anxiety. Other dogs must be housed in cages for long periods of time due to the need to prevent such occurrences. Either way, this solution leaves both the dogs and dog owners unhappy. This problem is the reason for a growing number of dog day care centers in the U.S. The proposed business will differentiate itself from the standard dog day care by providing training services where the dogs will be taught tricks by retired circus performers. This will allow owners and pets to form stronger bonds when they are together.

Background of the Problem

According to statistic compiled by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association between 2009-2010, there are approximately 77.5 million owned dogs in the United States. Nearly 39% of all U.S. households own at least one dog. Of these 67% own only one dog, 24% own two dogs and 9% own three or more dogs (Humane Society of the United States, 2011). According to the same survey, Total expenditures were estimated to be approximately $47.7 billion. Just the amount spent on grooming and boarding in 2009 is close to $3.36 billion (APPA, 2011). According to the same report, this number increased to $3.45 billion in 2010.

The amount that pet owners are spending on grooming and boarding their dogs is on the rise and it can be expected to continue to do so in the long-term. Aside from the special bond that humans feel with their dogs, several reports have found that these bonds have significant health benefits that go beyond the emotional attachment. For instance, petting a dog can help to lower our blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate (Friedman and Thomas, 1995). Several studies indicate that dog owners who play with their dog for at least 1/2-hour per day experience positive biochemical effects that can increase the immune system, mitigate the effects of stress, and help reduce the occurrence of depression (Coren, 2009; Odendaal & Meintjes, 2003; Stribling, 2003).

Pet owners pamper their pets and many consider them to be as much a part of the family as their human counterparts. The average dog owner spends $273 on kennel and boarding and $225 on routine vet care. This does not include the amount spent on food, grooming aids, vitamins, food treats, and toys. These numbers tell the tale of how much Americans love their dogs. Kikusui and associates found that when owners play with their dogs, their levels of oxytocin increase. Oxytocin is the chemical responsible for producing feelings of nurturing and caregiving (Callaway, 2009). Dogs produce loving feelings that have a real physical impact on their owners.

Many dog owners are faced with the decision of what to do with their dogs while they must go to work. For many, the only choice that was available to them was to leave their dog at home. This can create lead to several problems in both the dogs and the humans. Dogs (and humans) are social animals. They crave the attention of their family members and of those who love them. When owners must leave their dogs alone, the dog can experience separation anxiety. This syndrome can manifest in many ways. The most common are digging and scratching at doors, chewing on themselves or other objects such as furniture, howling, barking, and eliminating in the house (Humane Society of the United States, 2009). These behaviors can occur even if the dog is housetrained and mannerly when the owners are home. Some dogs have this condition more than others. It is part of a panic response over being left alone. According to animal behaviorists, this can be a result of a dog who is spoiled with attention by their owners, or who is used as a replacement for other social contact by the human (Paw Rescue, 2011).

As a solution to the problem of separation anxiety, owners will often crate train their dogs to stay in a cage while they are gone. Many dogs feel safe in their cage and respond very well to being crated during the day. However, for some dogs, being crated added to the stress already present from separation anxiety. Separation anxiety might first appear or worsen under certain circumstances. For instance, a move to a new home, change in work routine, a new baby, or time spent in a veterinary clinic can all increase separation anxiety in dogs (Woodward, n.d.).

Empirical evidence supports the claim that dogs feel increased stress while being left alone in a cage with no contact for hours. Experiments with military dogs found that being caged for long periods of time with no contact with humans or exercise produced high levels of stress hormone in these animals. When the dogs were released from the cage and given time to play with their handlers their stress hormones decreased (Lefebvre, Giffry, & Deidrich, 2009). For dogs that adapt well to crating, the answer to the problem is easy, but for dogs that do not adapt well to crating, owners are often desperate to find a solution to the problem that will give both themselves and their dog's peace of mind.

Experts offer many solutions to the problem of separation anxiety. One of the most beneficial solutions to the problem is to engage the services of a doggy daycare (Paw Rescue, 2011). Doggy daycare can provide the dog with human and dog contact, mental stimulation, exercise, and a safe place to run and romp. In addition, doggy daycare can help ease the strain of the busy schedule of the owner by providing grooming services and access to veterinary care. These solutions can be the foundation of a good relationship between owners and their dogs. The demand for doggy daycare is on the rise as more dog owners take advantage of the benefits that dog ownership can provide. This is considered to be a recession proof business as the pet industry does not react economically to recessionary economies. The demand for new dogs and supplies is steady (Doggy Daycare Tips, 2010).

From a managerial standpoint, the benefits of placing a dog in daycare, as opposed to kenneling the dog alone or risking destruction or health problems for the dog are excellent marketing points that could be the key to the marketing campaign. These points could be used to convince new clients to use the business. Research demonstrates that owning a dog has many health benefits for the humans and the dogs. Evidence supports the detrimental effects of kenneling at home. All of these issues could be used as marketing points to help owners solve these problems with their canine counterparts.

Objectives of the Business

The proposed business intends to serve and underserved market segment in an existing market. It will be a for-profit venture and would be a new business set up with its own financing. It will feature direct sale of dog day care to pet owners, who are the end users of the service. The purpose of the business will be to provide a service to dog owners to help prevent the adverse behaviors caused by separation anxiety

The mission of the business is to help provide pet owners who must leave their dogs to go to work for extended times an alternative to crating at home. The vision of the company is to provide doggy daycare services that are full-serve and that provide additional amenities beyond those of competitors. The primary goal of the company will be to provide excellent service that will allow the business to build a steady and growing clientele.

The objectives of the doggy daycare facility will be:

To provide a local day care center for dogs focusing on:

To provide a safe temporary haven for dogs during the day.

To provide a long-term haven for dogs whilst their owners are on holiday or, for other reasons are unable to care for them over an interval of time.

To provide an option to teach dogs etiquette skills,

To care for them, and to entertain them whilst their owners are at work or otherwise occupied.

To provide a professional groomer for grooming needs

To Link up with a vet to provide emergency medical services

To provide optional training of performance tricks on the level of circus performance

To provide an atmosphere that helps owners and dogs bond on a deeper level.

Competitive Environment

The new business will be in direct competition with any other doggy daycare provider in the area. Competition will include both those that offer doggy daycare in the dog's home, or those that provide centers offering similar service. Kennels will be other sources of competition. Of these competitors, those that offer similar amenities such as grooming and vet care will pose the greatest competitive concerns.

A survey of local doggy daycare services… READ MORE

How to Reference "Dog Day Care and Training Center" Research Paper in a Bibliography

Related Research Papers:

Marketing Plan for Opening a Doggie Day Care Term Paper

Marketing Plan for Opening a Doggie Day Care

City Paws: The Daycare with a Heart

Profile of Other Doggie Daycare Facilities in Boston Area.

In spite of, or perhaps because… read more

Term Paper 25 pages (6854 words) Sources: 20 Style: MLA Topic: Animals / Nature / Zoology

---

Pet and Dog Business Term Paper

Pet business [...] business in America in general and doggie day care services in particular. The pet business in America is booming, and shows no signs of slowing down anytime… read more

Term Paper 10 pages (3289 words) Sources: 4 Topic: Animals / Nature / Zoology

---

Program Evaluation Home and Community-Based Waiver Services Essay

Program Evaluation

Home And Community-Based Waiver Services (HCBS) program is an assistance that allows reimbursement for certain chronically ill, disable and elderly people who are not otherwise covered by the… read more

Essay 25 pages (7215 words) Sources: 7 Topic: Healthcare / Health / Obamacare

---

Jungian Phenomenology and Police Training the Methodologies Term Paper

Jungian Phenomenology and Police Training

The methodologies selected for this study were the meta-synthesis approach developed by Noblit and Hare (1988) and a content analysis technique described by Neuman (2003)… read more

Term Paper 70 pages (23346 words) Sources: 25 Style: APA Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Pets Term Paper

Some detractors of spaying and neutering do point to the business of purebreds. There is a consumer demand for purebred cats and dogs. While there is nothing wrong with wanting… read more

Term Paper 8 pages (2551 words) Sources: 6 Topic: Animals / Nature / Zoology

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>