By including pets as business patrons, you are offering something very unique to your customers. Many pet owners have something in common with their pets, they are loyal. By making your business pet friendly, pet owners will seek out your business, tell their friends, and will tend to buy from you or use your services simply because they appreciate your pet friendliness. 

Some businesses naturally lend themselves to being pet friendly and it is an easy step to become pet friendly while others may need help. If your business falls in the later category, here are some tools that may help. 

1.       Start slowly and small.

Consider limiting your pet friendliness at first such as being pet friendly only on certain days or during certain hours, limiting pets to only certain areas of your business, having a pet size limit, or limit the number of pets that can visit your location. 

Consider using pet friendliness as a part of promotional sale or event as a test case or consider allowing pets on a day where may have less business traffic with in your location . Restrict pet access to those pets that are potty trained, on-leash, non-aggressive, and obedient.

2.       Make a plan.

 

Most pet owners are responsible with their pets. However, with pets sometimes come potty accidents. To make this less of an issue, plan in advance for easily accessible cleaning supplies.

 

If you find a pet that is disruptive to your business in a way that is more than you are able to accommodate, you may need to ask some patrons to remove their pet. Take a few moments before you are in such a situation to plan how you will handle the situation. Consider being empathetic but firm with the patron, you may be able to offer help with the pet or an alternate solution.

 

3.       Make it fun.

 

Make your business pet friendly can be fun for you, your staff, and your customers. Consider ways that allowing pets can be fun, help your business and be a benefit to your staff. You may able to partner with other businesses to help make your business more pet friendly in such a way that benefits both businesses. Get creative and enjoy the experience.