Let your love of pets off the leash
CAN your dog speak human? Barking Mad, a dog boarding franchise, is running a survey to find out how many words the typical canine can understand.
These include commands such as ‘drop it’, ‘leave it’ and ‘roll over’, as well as words such as ‘ walkies’ and ‘sausages’.
People can fill out the questionnaire at surveymonkey. co.uk/r/dogdictionary.
Barking Mad conducts this kind of market research to help promote franchisees’ businesses.
Alix Phillips, 34, of the Sevenoaks, Kent, franchise, started her business in January and arranges dog boarding by matching dogs with host families and transporting the pets. She says: ‘I could have set up the business on my own, but starting with a franchise is easier.
‘The franchisor provides nationwide marketing, looks after legal issues, offers specialist insurance policies and is always available to call for any help I need.
‘ If you are considering franchising, as well as being a pet lover, you must be businesslike and able to organise your time well.’
You should also be prepared for a few funny animal antics. ‘One Rottweiler that I transport refuses to jump into the car boot when I open it,’ Alix says.
‘Instead she just lies down in front of it playing dead, with her feet in the air. She thinks it’s hilarious — and it is, even though I have to pick her up.’
Lee Dancy, managing director of Barking Mad, says: ‘ We are looking for more franchisees who are dog lovers with a desire to work hard to achieve something of their own.’
The franchise costs £14,957.
Another franchise, Pets, Homes and Gardens, offers pet sitting, dog walking, boarding and creches, cat visits, small animal boarding and general house-sitting.
Franchise co-founder Peter Maxted says: ‘If you want to join our 23 franchisees, having pets of your own is a marketing benefit because we offer dog day- creches, where customers’ dogs can socialise with yours — demand for this is high.
‘If a franchisee has experience of looking after a range of pets, then their care experience can be used to market their service.’
The franchise costs £995.
BARKING Mad, 03333 444972; Pets, Homes and Gardens, 01403 268282.