Kennels saved my life
Apr 17, 2014 12:00:06 GMT -5
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AnnB (NE) and 40shadesofgreen like this
Post by robynsa on Apr 17, 2014 12:00:06 GMT -5
... in more ways than one!
I was casually boarding dogs for friends for years, and when I got ejected out of the corporate world soon after moving here, Rets and I chatted and decided that it would be a good idea to try and make the plot work for us, instead of BOTH of us working a 6-6'er. Which, with the Johannesburg traffic, is more like a 6-8'er. So, I decided I'd start a doggy daycare. I didn't really want to board dogs but it was a natural progression.
We had an already-fenced area, that I'd tried, and failed miserably, to turn into a veggie patch. So we hauled out all the old soil and boxes and started building kennels out of recycled and "found" materials. We decided to buy extremely good quality mesh, as second hand mesh wasn't going to do it, and ended up with kennels that are 3m x 2.5m, with 1 square metre wide, 1.8m tall, weatherproof houses, made of old concrete composite roof sheeting, and 3mm gauge mesh with apertures of 25mm x 13mm, recycled shade netting over the top both for shade and to deter climbers. The beds are feed bags stuffed with shavings on top of plastic pallets (we can then re-use the bedding for the livestock or if it's un-useable, it can be composted and the like). So they're warm in winter and cool in summer. While the kennels are rustic in appearance, they are incredibly strong and I'm proud of them. We built 4 of them initially.
Shortly after we finished them we had an armed robbery at the house (the same guy that helped me build the kennels!) and a few weeks later my mom passed away on Christmas Day. This was in 2012. I'd received a couple of boarding bookings for that period but I referred them to friends as I really couldn't deal with being responsible for other people's dogs over that period.
As a result, we only really got going with the business in April 2013. In December 2013 we were very full for the period. We have ad hoc bookings pretty much every week of the year, there's always a dog or two here. I have the most wonderful repeat customers - they are just incredible and SO supportive of us. We charge a rate in line with most kennels out there and we do our (paid for) collections and deliveries in our little van with doggy decals on it Our company is called Farm Girls.
The kennels have housed sick chickens, weak lambs, stray dogs and more. Also our own dogs when they need to be locked away for whatever reason.
We had a mad dash for the December bookings last year and we built two very large exercise pens. The dogs that are fine with our cats and chickens get to roam around with our pack, and those that aren't to be trusted spend their days in the pens with lots of other dogs, bones and chews, paddle pools made of upturned pump cover lids, and go for an extended off leash walk as a group at night when all our livestock is safely tucked in.
Our kennels don't have a concrete slab. Initially I wanted one but the cost was prohibitive. Then, the more I thought about it, the better dirt floors seemed to be for various reasons. We're glad we left them dirt because none of the boarding dogs go home having learned to eliminate on concrete, which the owners love, and the dogs can dig in the kennels to lie in a cool spot. They mostly spend from 6pm to 7am in their kennels.
I mostly adore the dogs that come to stay with us. Mostly Some are absolute rabid rats but all are manageable and the owners are always very happy when their dogs come home. And they love the convenience of the delivery and collection service - I have keys or access in some way to most properties and they just send me a request, I send them an invoice from my phone or computer (I have a cool invoicing programme optimised for phone use but it backs up to the computer and vice versa, and comes with a simple computer dashboard - it's very cool) and then I fetch their dogs. Everyone's happy.
I have around 10 dogs a week for daycare and a few boarders. But this Easter we are absolutely stuffed to the gills! We had to build another 3 kennels, and the money keeps trickling in. Owners are responsible for their own food (mostly because I don't want to be responsible for illness or death because of feed contamination) and they adhere to pretty strict terms and conditions so it all works like clockwork.
The coolest part about it all is that we get a good general income from month to month (daycare customers pay upfront at the beginning of each month for the whole month) and we get a great bonus a number of times a year, at the times we need it most! We have a strict policy of full payment upfront, and if people book for a peak period, they need to pay at least 30% to consider their booking confirmed. The bonus comes over Christmas, which is always a financially trying time, and then generally just before the change of season. Today I took Rets and we bought winter CLOTHES. Yes, CLOTHES! A luxury in these parts! We got some warm winter goods, I got a new pair of trainers... we spent a bit but the clothes will last and it felt GOOD to spoil Rets.
The kennels have paid for our winter hay, for vet bills, for so many things... and I LOVE what I do. I'm here at home, with my own animals, enjoying our home and the sunsets and being outdoors - and being paid for it By being at home I am also able to build relationships regarding our animals, so we have free grazing at 3 neighbour's properties and I get about a ton of free bedding (wheat straw and shavings) that I collect weekly. That saves us thousands each month. Money not spent is money saved!
For so many reasons, kennels saved my life.
I just wanted to illustrate that there IS another way to make your plot or farm work for you, if you live close to town. If you build good fences you can have it operate as a sideline and you hardly even know that the dogs are there. The risk is minimal if you know how to read dogs. We've never had a fight *touch wood* and the dogs are really happy. We've not lost stock to boarders, only fosters, but you learn as you go along and we keep minimising the risk as we learn. I find it less risky than selling milk and eggs (which we do, too) and FAR more profitable. Also a lot less dependent on the moods of chickens and cows!
Our website is www.farmgirls.co.za and we're on Facebook - Farm Girls Chartwell.
If anyone is thinking about giving it a go I would be very happy to help you out with any questions you have!
I was casually boarding dogs for friends for years, and when I got ejected out of the corporate world soon after moving here, Rets and I chatted and decided that it would be a good idea to try and make the plot work for us, instead of BOTH of us working a 6-6'er. Which, with the Johannesburg traffic, is more like a 6-8'er. So, I decided I'd start a doggy daycare. I didn't really want to board dogs but it was a natural progression.
We had an already-fenced area, that I'd tried, and failed miserably, to turn into a veggie patch. So we hauled out all the old soil and boxes and started building kennels out of recycled and "found" materials. We decided to buy extremely good quality mesh, as second hand mesh wasn't going to do it, and ended up with kennels that are 3m x 2.5m, with 1 square metre wide, 1.8m tall, weatherproof houses, made of old concrete composite roof sheeting, and 3mm gauge mesh with apertures of 25mm x 13mm, recycled shade netting over the top both for shade and to deter climbers. The beds are feed bags stuffed with shavings on top of plastic pallets (we can then re-use the bedding for the livestock or if it's un-useable, it can be composted and the like). So they're warm in winter and cool in summer. While the kennels are rustic in appearance, they are incredibly strong and I'm proud of them. We built 4 of them initially.
Shortly after we finished them we had an armed robbery at the house (the same guy that helped me build the kennels!) and a few weeks later my mom passed away on Christmas Day. This was in 2012. I'd received a couple of boarding bookings for that period but I referred them to friends as I really couldn't deal with being responsible for other people's dogs over that period.
As a result, we only really got going with the business in April 2013. In December 2013 we were very full for the period. We have ad hoc bookings pretty much every week of the year, there's always a dog or two here. I have the most wonderful repeat customers - they are just incredible and SO supportive of us. We charge a rate in line with most kennels out there and we do our (paid for) collections and deliveries in our little van with doggy decals on it Our company is called Farm Girls.
The kennels have housed sick chickens, weak lambs, stray dogs and more. Also our own dogs when they need to be locked away for whatever reason.
We had a mad dash for the December bookings last year and we built two very large exercise pens. The dogs that are fine with our cats and chickens get to roam around with our pack, and those that aren't to be trusted spend their days in the pens with lots of other dogs, bones and chews, paddle pools made of upturned pump cover lids, and go for an extended off leash walk as a group at night when all our livestock is safely tucked in.
Our kennels don't have a concrete slab. Initially I wanted one but the cost was prohibitive. Then, the more I thought about it, the better dirt floors seemed to be for various reasons. We're glad we left them dirt because none of the boarding dogs go home having learned to eliminate on concrete, which the owners love, and the dogs can dig in the kennels to lie in a cool spot. They mostly spend from 6pm to 7am in their kennels.
I mostly adore the dogs that come to stay with us. Mostly Some are absolute rabid rats but all are manageable and the owners are always very happy when their dogs come home. And they love the convenience of the delivery and collection service - I have keys or access in some way to most properties and they just send me a request, I send them an invoice from my phone or computer (I have a cool invoicing programme optimised for phone use but it backs up to the computer and vice versa, and comes with a simple computer dashboard - it's very cool) and then I fetch their dogs. Everyone's happy.
I have around 10 dogs a week for daycare and a few boarders. But this Easter we are absolutely stuffed to the gills! We had to build another 3 kennels, and the money keeps trickling in. Owners are responsible for their own food (mostly because I don't want to be responsible for illness or death because of feed contamination) and they adhere to pretty strict terms and conditions so it all works like clockwork.
The coolest part about it all is that we get a good general income from month to month (daycare customers pay upfront at the beginning of each month for the whole month) and we get a great bonus a number of times a year, at the times we need it most! We have a strict policy of full payment upfront, and if people book for a peak period, they need to pay at least 30% to consider their booking confirmed. The bonus comes over Christmas, which is always a financially trying time, and then generally just before the change of season. Today I took Rets and we bought winter CLOTHES. Yes, CLOTHES! A luxury in these parts! We got some warm winter goods, I got a new pair of trainers... we spent a bit but the clothes will last and it felt GOOD to spoil Rets.
The kennels have paid for our winter hay, for vet bills, for so many things... and I LOVE what I do. I'm here at home, with my own animals, enjoying our home and the sunsets and being outdoors - and being paid for it By being at home I am also able to build relationships regarding our animals, so we have free grazing at 3 neighbour's properties and I get about a ton of free bedding (wheat straw and shavings) that I collect weekly. That saves us thousands each month. Money not spent is money saved!
For so many reasons, kennels saved my life.
I just wanted to illustrate that there IS another way to make your plot or farm work for you, if you live close to town. If you build good fences you can have it operate as a sideline and you hardly even know that the dogs are there. The risk is minimal if you know how to read dogs. We've never had a fight *touch wood* and the dogs are really happy. We've not lost stock to boarders, only fosters, but you learn as you go along and we keep minimising the risk as we learn. I find it less risky than selling milk and eggs (which we do, too) and FAR more profitable. Also a lot less dependent on the moods of chickens and cows!
Our website is www.farmgirls.co.za and we're on Facebook - Farm Girls Chartwell.
If anyone is thinking about giving it a go I would be very happy to help you out with any questions you have!