Don’t think dogs. Think fur children.
“We are in the child care business,” said Alex Samios, a franchise development director for a company scouting the Springfield area. “Most people are leaving their furry, family friend with us, and that’s a responsibility we take very seriously.”
Phoenix-based Dogtopia is one of a growing number of boutique boarding facilities in the $5 billion U.S. pet services industry. The company is testing the waters in the Springfield area, where over half-a-dozen others provide similar specialized services.
“There is a niche. People love their dogs,” said Caroline Rose of Caroline’s Pampered Pet Motel in Ozark. “They worry themselves sick about their safety and them not being stuck in a crate.”
And pet owners are willing to spend. According to the American Pet Products Association, the industry generated $60 billion in sales last year, and another $2.45 billion is projected this year. Ten years ago, pet industry sales were at $38.5 billion.
Rates and perks
Pampered Paws Pet Resort & Salon owner Denise Hughes has been in the pet-services business for 27 years.
“Dogs have always been my life and my love,” said Hughes, who transitioned from grooming to a full-service care provider 13 years ago when opening a boutique boarding business at 1416 E. St. Louis St. “My goal was to have one of the nicest places in Springfield.”
The center city space about a mile north of the Rountree neighborhood is fitted with murals and portraits of pets and landscapes. Individual dog rooms come with themes and cushy beds. The facility has a small bone-shaped pool in the yard, indoor and outdoor play spaces, organic flea baths and doggie moisturizer among its offerings.
When Rose started her pet motel about 18 years ago after relocating, she wasn’t aware of anyone providing an upscale-boarding option.
Rooms at Caroline’s come with blankets, rugs, music and a television. All rooms – no rows of cages here – have air conditioning and heating. On-site laundry is offered in case one’s pup has a favorite blanket or bed that gets dirty during their stay.
Rose said her business has grown every year since opening – even though spending was stymied during the recession – and she projects 5 percent growth this year.
Boarding at Caroline’s starts at $25 a day for one dog and $38 daily for two, Rose said, declining to disclose revenue.
Pampered Paws Pet Resort boarding rates are $30 a night, $50 a night for double occupancy and $70 for triple occupancy. A workweek’s worth of day care, aka “playcare,” costs $92.
What about toenail painting? You bet. It runs $5 per pet. Space is limited, though. The 4,000-square-foot facility has just 24 rooms.
“We’re more interested in quality than quantity,” Hughes said.
Market moves
Like many child care providers, Pampered Paws Pet Resort clients can check in on their dogs through an online webcam, accessed with a password.
Camp Bow Wow in Kansas Plaza has cameras, too, called “camper cams.” Petsmart PetsHotel on South Glenstone Avenue offers private suites with TVs tuned to pet-themed shows, and a separate ventilation system for dogs and cats. The Big Dog House on East Bennett Street has a warm-water pool for exercising and sells such accessories as sweaters, life jackets and seatbelts.
Now, companies such as Dogtopia are seeking to capitalize on new markets.
“We really want to focus on the Midwest,” Samios said of the pursuit for franchisees. “There is room for a strong leader in this category, and we feel there is incredible opportunity and demand for services.”
Dogtopia started in 2002 on the East Coast and began franchising in 2005. With 43 locations currently and 40 new agreements in place this year, Dogtopia has a goal to reach 500 stores within five years. Franchise costs to get up and running are just under $500,000, Samios said
“The company grew organically over the last the last 11 years, and then last summer, it was acquired by a strong franchise investment group,” Samios said. “We’ve got a whole new leadership team in place and an aggressive growth plan going forward.”
Facilities are climate controlled and playroom floors are fitted with compressed rubber to protect paws. No chain-link fences at Dogtopia, but no individual, themed rooms, either. The company offers “home-styled” crates. Nail clipping and teeth brushing also are available.
Rose, who like Hughes also was a groomer before opening Caroline’s, said the industry is changing as people become more pet-focused, in general. That means more competition, but it also means more potential customers for companies willing to go the extra mile.
“The vet clinics offer concrete runs for the most part, and, growing up, that’s what people used,” she said. “But dogs have become more like family members and are pampered a lot more. People will spend their last dollars on them.”
