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28 Replies Last post: Nov 25, 2008 3:27 PM by val_cards

Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business!

Oct 29, 2008 4:52 PM

searosepetal 7 posts since
Oct 28, 2008

My name is Laura Ruppel and I currently run a local dog walking company called Happy Tails. However, now I feel is the time to get my own Self Wash Dog Wash up and running since the Pet Market is drastically expanding. I grew up around animals with my father being the local veterinarian. Unfortunately he has come down with Alzheimers well before his prime and had to quit practicing. I want to carry on his love for animals with my own business and give back to the community thru it as well.

There is a prime retail space available next to the successful Petsmart. This would allow the wash to prosper right from the opening. I am looking for $45,000 to get all up and running . Costs would be recouped within 2 years according to the simple math of client forcast and low overhead costs associated with this business. I am working on applying for a federal grant but thought I would reach out to the public to see if there was any interest in helping Happy Tails Dog Wash get up and running. Let me know if you'd like to help.

Laura

Tags: starting_a_new_business, animals, dogs, community, investors, funding, alzheimer, new Report as inappropriate

petpro 9 posts since
Oct 30, 2008

1. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Oct 30, 2008 4:56 PM

Hi Laura,
Although I cannot help you with your financial start up costs, I do have a business opportunity that you might be interested in adding to your pet wash. Before I go on, I am sorry to hear about your father.
The name of my company is AJ Pet Products. Please go to my website; www.ajpetproducts.biz to see in detail how we can help you with additional income. We sell natural, holistic pet food. The formulator, Dr. Jane Bicks, has been a holistic veterinarian for 30 years. She has written several books and helped Mayor Rudolph Gulliani open the largest animal shelter in New York City. We all have such a love for pets.
When you get your business up and running, you could sell food out of your salon. You might be interested in starting to sell the food first and build that business up as well. We have great business opportunities with no overhead, no inventory and little or no paperwork. We also do not have territories. You can sell the food to whoever, wherever.
Good luck with everything.
I would love to hear from you.
Regards,
Tracy Robinson
AJ Pet Products
(775) 750-6754

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Labsrgr8 2 posts since
Oct 31, 2008

2. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Oct 31, 2008 11:50 AM

Laura,
I too am looking into a cannine friendly business. Due to zoning and permitting regs it has been an uphill fight to say the least. Can you tell me what part of the country you are in and perhaps I can be assistance.

Chuck

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

3. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Oct 31, 2008 2:46 PM

I have a website that may be of interest to you seeing that like myself, you are a dog lover.

The website is http://www.PuppyDogPhoto.com.

Good luck in your business venture, and I wish you Canine Success!

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wanaloan 8 posts since
Oct 3, 2008

4. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Oct 31, 2008 3:01 PM

Why don't you write me an email and we can go over some ways of how we may be able to make this possible.

kinneyinvest@gmail.com

Talk to you soon,

Mario

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searosepetal 7 posts since
Oct 28, 2008

5. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Oct 31, 2008 3:36 PM

in response to: Labsrgr8

Thank you for your reply. I am looking to start up in Greeley Colorado since that is where most of my contacts are currently which I feel would lead to success rather than starting cold slate.

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Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

6. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Oct 31, 2008 3:59 PM

Regarding PetPro's offer -- Petsmart has its own lines of holistic natural pet food, so carrying competing products may not be permitted under the terms of a lease in that strip center -- or if it is permitted, it could make Petsmart an enemy that hurts your business rather a supportive neighbor that helps it. Just something to consider. Of course, if that location doesn't work out for other reasons, then carrying healthy food products (which typically have healthy profit margins, too!) could boost the profits in your shop (so I'm not knocking PetPro's idea or products -- just pointing out a possible issue with selling those products next door to Petsmart). Welcome to the community and best wishes.

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searosepetal 7 posts since
Oct 28, 2008

7. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 1, 2008 11:12 AM

in response to: Lighthouse24

I definitely understand that point. I went and looked yesterday at the retail space and talked to the agent. Unfortunately the same person ownd those as well as Petsmart and has blocked any other animal retail from going in at that complex. Smart for them bummer for me.

One of the existing tenants did give me some advice about being a tenant in the same area as the giants. He said one of the previous tenants was thinking the same as myself and opening a rock & tile store thinking Home Depot would drive business his way. It didn't do that at all and he only made in a year what he should have made in a month to be profitable or even break even.

Thank you for the advice!

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searosepetal 7 posts since
Oct 28, 2008

8. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 1, 2008 1:40 PM

in response to: Topsy1

Thank you! I will!

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petpro 9 posts since
Oct 30, 2008

9. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 1, 2008 7:33 PM

My office is out of my home and I don't have to carry any inventory, so that is interesting to learn about the marketing restriction when you are in a strip mall. Thank you for that information. I was just thinking to have a few bags to get people feeding the food to their pets. We don't believe in having huge inventory. Our food is freshly delivered to the customers door from the manufacturer.
The American public has become aware of holistic pet products especially since the recall that killed thousands of people's family members (pets).

When you find a pet food on the store shelf, many times it has been in a tractor trailer for up to two years without any temp. control. There is no nutritional value in that food. That is even before it hits the store shelves.

With our food, it is shipped directly to the customers door from the manufacturer (which is human grade).The big pet food companies buy what they are going to put in the food, (which is another whole story), at the cheapest time of the year, in bulk. They feed our pets garbage, and they mark up their prices 200%. If a person is concerned about cost only, then this is not an issue. If a person loves and wants their pet family member(s) to live longer and healthier they want the best, healthiest food. Ask any chief, you need good ingredients to have a good meal.
Everybody has to make a profit, or they can't stay in business, obviously. But our charge is for premium, natural, fresh ingredients. I mention this because of the healthy markup comment that was posted. I am not offended. I just had to reply.
Thank you.

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searosepetal 7 posts since
Oct 28, 2008

10. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 1, 2008 7:50 PM

in response to: petpro

Thank you for the input. Any advice is appreciated. I like to learn about everything and anything to take care of our beloved canines!

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

11. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 2, 2008 12:19 AM

in response to: searosepetal

???

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Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

12. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 2, 2008 1:54 AM

in response to: petpro

PetPro, I'm not seeing the "healthy markup" comment you mentioned -- just the "healthy profit margin" comment that I made. Premium pet food products have higher profit margins (around 50 percent above wholesale for this type of product is the norm for brick and mortar retailers -- in part because of reasons you pointed out). So are you saying that the retailers you supply with your products would make LESS profit or that your products don't offer retailers the potential for a healthy profit margin? Just wanted to clarify. Thanks.

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

13. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 2, 2008 2:10 AM

in response to: Lighthouse24

Yes I was needing this clarification as well, I apologize that I did not clarify my question marks.

Also, I was curious if the writer of this thread had a chance to look at the website I mentioned, puppydogphoto.com.

Thank you.

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searosepetal 7 posts since
Oct 28, 2008

14. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 2, 2008 9:51 AM

in response to: intechspecial

Yes I did get a chance to look at it. Very nice principle behind it. Only a minor typo at the top with the word "there" should be "their"?

When I get a chance I will post to the site.

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

15. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 2, 2008 5:51 PM

in response to: searosepetal

Thank you.

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petpro 9 posts since
Oct 30, 2008

16. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 4, 2008 1:35 AM

Lighthouse,
Thank you for the question. We don't sell to retail stores. We sell directly to the public, we will never sell to the big retail outlets. They have to have the markup because of the overhead. Also, their food is stale and old. Our food is fresh. I appreciate you asking. I didn't mean to come off so strong.

I haven't looked at the dog website yet, but I will ASAP.

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petpro 9 posts since
Oct 30, 2008

17. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 4, 2008 1:42 AM

I just went on PuppyDogPhoto.com, thank you so much for telling us about it.

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

18. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 4, 2008 3:46 AM

in response to: petpro

You are very welcome, thanks for supporting the website.

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Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

19. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 4, 2008 9:19 AM

in response to: petpro

Thanks for the clarification, petpro. When you responded to searosepetal with "We sell natural, holistic pet food . . . you could sell out of your salon," I thought that you were a small wholesaler with your own product line. I didn't pick up on it being an MLM pitch. My mistake. Again, thanks for clarifying, and good luck to you.

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petpro 9 posts since
Oct 30, 2008

20. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 4, 2008 9:47 PM

in response to: Lighthouse24

No it is not my own product. I wouldn't take on that responsibility!
The formulator of our food is Dr. Jane Bicks. She has been a holistic vet for 30 years. She has been on Animal Planet, had books published and helped Mayor Rudolf Guliani open the largest animal shelter in NYC. We are a bunch of pet lovers who want ours and other peoples pets have longer, healthier lives. Actually, Dr. Bicks has worked with all of the big pet food companies in the past and they would love to have her back.
Thank you for welcoming me here.

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Labsrgr8 2 posts since
Oct 31, 2008

21. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 5, 2008 7:41 AM

I think the topic digressed from the original topic into a very interesting discussion of dog food.
Back to Laura's initial topic. I am in GA. Laura so I am not really familiar with Colorado. Initially I did not feel comfortable offering advice on proximity to Petsmart. They do offer good products at good prices. However they offer the same products and services they you are proposing.
In the community I am in which is a bedroom community of Atlanta there is a small company offering the same type of service you are planning. She is located 5.5 miles from the Petsmart but has nearly 7500 single family homes with in a 4 mile radius. That equates to nearly 12k dogs within that radius based on some industry statistics.
Her business is a self serve dog wash as well as drop off grooming. Her business is in a strip mall with a Publix grocery as the anchor. From discussions with her and casual observation, the grooming does well Mon-Fri and the self serve does very well on the weekends.
I hope this helps as you launch your dream.
If you have not already done so I may suggest you join the Pet Care Services Association. Very good organization with members from all areas of the pet care industry.

Chuck

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petpro 9 posts since
Oct 30, 2008

22. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 5, 2008 6:31 PM

in response to: Labsrgr8

I apologize for getting off the subject. Lara, I wish you all the best in your business endeavor.

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

23. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 23, 2008 2:19 AM

in response to: petpro

PetPro -

I think this is ok to a degree, as it encourages though and insite to other areas that might help the original subject.

I do not think you need to apologize, and we hope to see you back in the community soon.

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My_Lan 69 posts since
Nov 21, 2008

24. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 23, 2008 9:34 AM

in response to: intechspecial

Since your going to be brick and motar, 'location, location, location' is very important to you.

I agree it would not be wise to open up to a store like PetSmart because they could simply out price you.

This may or may not be true, but its just my obsersation. It seems that pet stores, especially pet grooming does a lot better in affluent communities. One such example is a place called "Best Friends Grooming" location in Scarsdale,NY. The community around it is very affluent(if you haven't already heard of Scarsdale) and the place is always booked for appointments. If you run up or down the street to Yonkers are White Plains, PetStores/Salons down there do not get as much attention.To put it blunt, 'rich folks' take care of their pets.

In addition, if you want a website done for business as well, you can how to get it started here:
http://www.my-lan.us/services/web_design/faq.php

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

25. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 25, 2008 12:11 PM

in response to: My_Lan

I would have to agree that your observation seems to be accurate.

The upper class and wealthy have a dire need that their pets are given only the best care.

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intechspecial 1,457 posts since
Jan 6, 2008

26. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 25, 2008 12:12 PM

in response to: intechspecial

This is not to say that middle class, lower class or the poor do not, they just cannot extend the same amount of finances to do as such.

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My_Lan 69 posts since
Nov 21, 2008

27. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 25, 2008 1:12 PM

in response to: intechspecial

Sorry, my comment may have come off wrong when I said 'rich folks take care of their pets'. What I am trying to is a good pet owner, no matter what class they are in, takes care of their pets. But it seems people who are more wealthy have the extra funds available to put into their pets. So their pets my go to a salon to get a special haircut every month, regardless if they need it or not.

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val_cards 166 posts since
Nov 1, 2008

28. Re: Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business! Nov 25, 2008 3:27 PM

in response to: My_Lan

Here's a comforting thought for folks getting a puppy for the holidays...no matter how much or how little money one has...everyone will be able to afford Potty Trainer For Pups only available at official web site: http://www.pottytrainerforpups.com We Luv Pups!

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Looking for help to start up a canine friendly business!

Oct 29, 2008 4:52 PM

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