Pet Supplies

People love their pets. Thats why young and old entrepreneurs alike may find success learning how to be pet shop operators. Whether your passion for taking care of pets started when you were eight-years-old and walking every neighbors dog on your block or you developed a love for pets later in life, there are a few basic steps you can take to operating your own pet store.

Instructions

1 Canvas your local area. Document all the pet stores -- both chain and boutique -- within 20 miles of the location where you want to open your pet store. Note what types of pet products the stores sell and on which types of pets the stores are focused.
2 Decide what products and services your store will offer. Conduct market research or purchase survey data that indicates the income level and other demographic data of the neighborhoods immediately surrounding your store. Think about the best types of products to sell to the people in those neighborhoods.
3 Try to carve out a niche for yourself. Think about what will make your store different than the others nearby it. Come up with a name for your pet store that reflects your products and expertise.
4 Stock your store with inventory. Display the inventory in a pleasing, organized and systematic way that makes it easy for your customers to find what they need. Carry inventory that matches your theme. If youre branding your store as the place to find unique pet products, make sure your inventory reflects that. If you advertise your store as a one-stop-pet-shop, make sure you carry grooming, feeding and bedding supplies for a variety of common pets, like cats, dogs, hamsters, gerbils, birds, fish and small reptiles.
5 Arrange for the installation of telephone lines, gas, electric, water, trash and any other utilities you will need, such as Internet service.
6 Hire trustworthy, hardworking, friendly and knowledgeable employees to work your store during its open hours. Decide what those hours will be and plan to be in for most of all of them during the early months of operating your pet store.
7 Open a bank checking account for your business. Keep detailed, accurate bookkeeping records. Consider hiring an accountant and tax professional to help you with the financial side of your business.
8 Build a website for your shop. Continue to advertise your store online, in newspapers, on community bulletin boards and at places and fairs or events where pet owners gather. Monitor which inventory sells best and make adjustments to what you sell as needed to keep your business flowing. Look for conventions that you can attend in your region which allow you to network with other pet shop owners to find out industry trends and tactics that can help you continue to be successful with your store.

Volunteers and donations are the lifeblood of animal shelters across the nation. Limited staffs care for countless animals on small budgets, grants and monetary contributions. They always need supplies, from toys to food to collars, and gratefully accept contributions. Contact your local animal shelter for a list of their most pertinent needs, although the basics are always welcome.

Food and Treats

Every creature needs to eat. Dog food and cat food in bags or cans are usually welcome donations to animal shelters. Dog treats, catnip and cat treats are also thoughtful items that help give the animals a little extra boost between bowls.

Household Goods

Animals get dirty and shelters need daily cleaning. Old towels, rags, brooms, mops, cleaning soaps, buckets, disinfectants and natural cleaners are always appreciated. Sponges and scrub brushes are also needed, as well as newspapers and trash bags.

Toys

A pet that is played with is a happy pet. Balls, chew toys, Frisbees, squeaky toys, pull ropes and stuffed animals ensure that shelter residents get some healthy play breaks during long days inside a crate or cage. Toys can help young animals through painful teething and they provide exercise the young and old.

Gear

Few animals arrive at a shelter with a collar and leash. Many shelters provide these items to adoptive parents. Collars, harnesses and leashes are in constant demand. Bedding and blankets also make the animals' temporary home a cozier place to live.

Litter Boxes and Litter

Shelters run through cat litter quickly. Bags are always welcome.

Flea and Tick Treatment

Animals often arrive infested with fleas and ticks. Medication is needed to keep a shelter from crawling with bugs.

While pet strollers may seem like a frivolous item used only to pamper your pet, they are actually quite useful in a number of situations. They are also available in a wide variety of styles, sizes, colors and even funky prints so your pet will be both comfortable and fashionable as he tags along in his little wheeled tram. Depending on the size, style and features, pet strollers can run anywhere from $40 to $200 or more.

Features

Pet strollers can feature three or four small wheels topped by a compartment in which to house your pet. The top compartment is usually some sort of rectangular basket in which your pet can lay or sit. Canvas is a popular material for the top of the stroller, which makes it durable and easy to maintain. Some strollers may have a full top and zippered mesh screen, much like a tent. Some strollers will be collapsible so they can be folded up for transport or when not in use. Still others have a lot of extras, such as the ability to turn into a shoulder pet carrier or car seat or attachments for food or water bowls.

Size

Pet strollers are available in a number of different sizes to accommodate a variety of pets. Some of the smallest can range about 15 to 20 inches long with capacity to hold 10 pounds. Larger strollers can carry pets that weigh up to 150 pounds and run 30 or more inches long. Smaller strollers are ideal for small cats and dogs as well as rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas and other teeny creatures.

Types

Some strollers are specifically designed for faster activities, such as jogging, while others are definitely for more leisurely walks. Those that are meant for speed usually have three wheels instead of four for easier maneuvering. Another type looks more like a dog or cat carrier on wheels, with a rectangular enclosure, constructed of canvas and mesh and held erect with wire bars. These are ideal for airports and other longer trips. Just like some baby carriages are designed for twins, pet strollers, too, come in varieties that feature two separate compartments to haul around more than one pet at the same time. Some of the fancier strollers will play on the pampering aspect and be outfitted with pink, frilly lace or animal print. Canvas strollers usually come in blue, red, black and sometimes tan.

Benefits

Pet strollers are ideal for pets that are elderly, ill or unable to walk. Pets can relax, and even sleep, in the stroller while you ramble about or take a long walk. They get the fresh air, sights and sounds of the great outdoors without the burden of having to keep up with you. Strollers also keep pets contained, safe and out of the sun and other elements.

Misconceptions

Just because your pet is in a stroller doesn't mean the pet will immediately be welcomed to places pets are not allowed. This holds true for supermarkets and other food stores or places that specifically do not allow pets unless they are service animals. Pet strollers may also become a hassle on public transportation if bus rules state the strollers must be folded up during transport. This means you will be stuck with a cumbersome stroller at your side and pet in your lap.

The pet care market is huge -- and growing. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), $45 billion was spent by U.S. pet owners in 2009. Pet Care Services Association (PCSA) estimates that annual pet care revenue will grow to $70 billion in 2014. To ensure that your pet store benefits from the increase in spending on products and services, devise innovative promotional strategies and utilize the print and electronic media, Internet and direct marketing to get the word out.

Instructions

1 Go to the local park for a walk with your pet and interact with other pet owners. Ask them about their pet care experiences and any unfulfilled pet care needs. Hand over your business card and invite them to your pet store.
2 Enroll as a member in the local branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Conduct a free service such as dog grooming one day a month and donate money received on that day to the SPCA. This will enhance your visibility, increase your social network, foster goodwill in the community and benefit your pet store business in the long run.
3 Visit the offices of local veterinary doctors and work out a mutually beneficial arrangement. You can offer to supply pet products at discounted rates and refer pet owners to the veterinarian's clinic in return for permission to place brochures and posters of your pet store in his waiting room.
4 Get your pet store affiliated with the local municipal council. Most city and town councils encourage pet owners to have their pets neutered and vaccinated. You can promote your pet store by offering a discount with proof of spaying, neutering and vaccination.
5 Form a pet owner's club and schedule meetings once a month in your pet store. Invite experts such as pet trainers and veterinarians to deliver talks on various aspects of pet care such as breeding, health care, housing and feeding.
6 Hire a professional web designer to create a website for your pet store and include provision to make online purchases. Publish informative articles on pet care to attract more pet owners to your site and get higher ranking in the local search engines.

Before starting any business, you'll need to calculate the startup costs. This way, you'll know the entire amount you'll need, and have a detailed breakdown of the costs. When starting an exotic pet store, the specific costs may vary but the idea is the same.

Instructions

1 Decide how much you want to pay a building to house the exotic pet store. You can lease a place or you can get a loan to purchase a building. You need to find out how much the deposit is before you make an offer.
2 Determine the costs of electricity, water and Internet for your exotic pet storefront. Some or all of these utilities will require a down payment to make the service operational.
3 Estimate the cost of obtaining the inventory of exotic pets from the store. You will need to obtain the price and relative demand for each type of exotic pet to determine what types of animals and how much of each you need to purchase.
4 Calculate the total labor cost of running an exotic pet store. You will also need to determine the pay rate for all of the employees, and how many employees you are going to hire. In a start up calculation, you will normally estimate one month of labor expenses.
5 Obtain pricing for other services and products you'll need to operate, such as business insurance, legal fees, licenses and permits, office supplies and furnishings.
6 Establish a salary for yourself. Too many times when people calculate startup costs for a business, they forget to pay themselves. You need to determine just how much money you will need for the first few months of operation.
7 Explore how much advertising and marketing you'll need to publicize the opening of the exotic pet store. These marketing and advertising expenses can include banners, signs, commercials, ads, websites and the like.
8 Estimate what you'll owe in sales, property and other taxes.
9 Add in an extra 10% percent for unexpected expenses and petty or operating cash.
10 Compute the cost of all the equipment and supplies you'll need that are specific to exotic pets. These costs can include cages, aquariums, pet food, and other direct exotic pets costs.
11 Combine the costs you calculated in Steps 1 through 10 and add them together to calculate the total startup cost of an exotic pet store. Make sure you calculate for at least one month of operation.

Schnoodle dogs, a schnauzer and poodle mixture, inherit fur that is a cross between two breeds. Schnoodle coats range from a soft, wavy fur to a coarse, curly coat. Whatever the combination, most schnoodles have low maintenance fur. You can groom your schnoodle dog at home with the right grooming supplies. Here is a guide to help you select quality grooming tools.

Instructions

1 Determine your schnoodle dogs fur type. Examine the fur to see if the strand texture is fine or coarse. Fine fur has thin strands and feels silky. Coarse fur is thick in diameter and may feel soft, rough or wiry. The texture and the degree of curl or wave in the schnoodles coat determine the type of grooming tool needed.
2 Select a slicker brush with smooth, tapered ends to avoid scratches. Many schnoodles have a fine, wavy coat. Fine fur requires a slicker brush with gentle metal pins designed for sensitive skin. If your schnoodle has a coarse coat or a lot of curls, use a regular slicker brush with stiff metal pins. Before you purchase a slicker brush, carefully run the brush across the back of your hand to check for scratchy pins.
3 Choose the appropriate type of metal dog comb. A schnoodle with a fine coat needs a fine-tooth metal comb to effectively comb thin fur. Dogs with coarse or extremely curly coats require a wide-tooth metal comb to detangle fur.
4 Look for a natural bristle brush with stiff bristles. Natural bristles are gentle to a schnoodle's sensitive skin and distributes natural oils through the coat to add moisture and create shine. You can use a natural boar bristle brush designed for humans on your schnoodle dog.
5 Buy a professional pet grooming clipper. You can safely create many different fur styles with a grooming clipper. Choose professional grooming clipper with two speeds, a self-cooling unit and requires detachable and rust-free blades.
6 Pick a dog nail trimmer compatible with your dogs nail size. Use a guillotine style nail trimmer on puppies and toy and miniature schnoodles. The trimmers metal loop head makes it easier to grip and trim small nails. Standard schnoodles require large dog nail trimmers that are sharp and strong enough to cut thick nails.
7 Purchase a mild dog shampoo and a moisturizing cream rinse. Schnoodles often have sensitive, dry skin that is easily irritated by harsh shampoos. Hypoallergenic shampoo is the gentlest type of shampoo available. Always follow a shampoo with a moisturizing conditioner or cream rinse to moisturize your dogs fur and skin.
8 Use extra virgin olive oil to moisturize your dogs fur and skin between groomings. Pour a pea-size amount of olive oil in your palm and rub your hands together. Smooth the olive oil into your schnoodle dogs fur and skin. Brush his fur to distribute the oil thoroughly.
9 Buy pet grooming scissors with blunt tips. To create a variety of cuts and styles, purchase a 7 1/2 inch straight scissor, a 7 1/2 inch curved scissor and a 4-inch ear and nose fur trimmer.
10 Consider a blowdryer designed for pets. They have quiet engines and dry with cool to warm air. Pet dryers may be gentler to a schnoodles sensitive skin. If you prefer to use a regular blowdryer, select a low wattage to avoid injuring the dogs skin.
11 Choose an enzymatic pet toothpaste. Small schnoodles have tiny teeth that are hard to reach during a toothbrushing session. Pet toothpastes with cleaning enzymes clean all teeth completely even if your dog will only allow you to touch the back teeth with the brush. Select a toothbrush that is compatible with the size of your dog's teeth. Finger brushes are best for small schnoodles.
12 Wash combs and brushes after four groomings or whenever they get dirty. Pour a capful of dog shampoo in a bowl of warm water. Soak the combs and brushes in the solution. Remove shed fur from the brushes with a comb. Rinse out any shampoo residue. Lay combs and brushes, facedown, on a towel to dry.