New Survey Shows Pet Care Industry Is Growing and Powered by Loyal Customers With Room to Scale

Benchmarking data reveals an industry with strong momentum, steady revenue growth, and devoted customers — along with practical benchmarks to help small business owners and operators grow and scale.

TOLEDO, Ohio, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pet care operators are sitting on an extraordinarily loyal customer base, but most aren't investing in the marketing, pricing, or service expansion that can drive significant revenue gains. That's the chief insight from a new benchmarking report from The Dog Gurus, International Boarding & Pet Services Association (IBPSA) and PocketSuite designed to surface the business trends shaping today's growing pet care industry.

The survey gathered insights from 457 pet care operators to give owners a clear picture of what it takes to build and grow a thriving pet care business. Key findings from the report include:

• More than half of operators said at least 75% of their monthly revenue comes from repeat customers, underscoring the deep loyalty pet owners place in the businesses that care for their animals.
• 59% of operators currently utilize paid marketing minimally, pointing to an opportunity to diversify customer acquisition beyond word of mouth.
• Training and grooming businesses reported average annual utilization below 30% — a clear opportunity to grow existing services and increase revenue per customer.
• 60% of pet care businesses reported revenue growth over the past year, including more than one-quarter that grew by 11% or more — raising the question of how much faster the industry could grow if operators invested in filling those gaps.
• Boarding continues to anchor the industry's revenue mix, generating an average of 42% of total business revenue.
• Despite strong industry momentum, 14% of operators took no personal income over the past year and 25% said their income is not enough to meet their needs — an ongoing challenge owners work to solve as they scale.

"Pet care owners haven't had solid benchmarking data that really reflects what it looks like to run and grow a business in this industr," said Amber Burckhalter, Vice President of Pet Care at The Dog Gurus. "The foundation is incredibly strong — customers are loyal, businesses are growing — but what stands out is how wide the gap is between what this industry could be doing and the reality that most operators are facing day to day."

The report offers valuable insights for pet care operators, with data demonstrating high variability across revenue levels.

• Businesses already operating at $1M+ in revenue per location show the highest rates of add-ons per booking, as well as above-average repeat business.  They also invest in growth, with about half spending money on digital ads.  But it often took time to get there: they average 10+ years in business.
• Businesses operating at $500k-$1m in revenue per location saw the highest customer loyalty, but they trail the biggest providers in upselling add-ons.  They also were more likely to experience revenue declines relative to the tier above. 
• Smaller operators were less likely than larger peers to hit 60% occupancy for daycare or grooming.

"As the industry grows more sophisticated, operators are looking for clearer benchmarks around pricing, staffing, occupancy, and growth," said Carmen Rustenbeck, Founder & CEO of IBPSA. "This data helps business owners build on their strengths, identify where they can expand, and better understand where the industry as a whole is heading."

For more information, please visit www.thedoggurus.com.

About The Dog Gurus: The Dog Gurus is the pet care industry's leading provider of education, coaching, and business training for pet care professionals. Our AI-powered platform helps thousands launch, grow, and scale safe and successful businesses through proven tools, expert coaching, and best practices. Learn more at www.thedoggurus.com.

About International Boarding & Pet Services Association (IBPSA): The International Boarding & Pet Services Association is a professional business association that provides business resources, industry expertise, staff education and training, certifications, and legislative support for the pet care services industry. IBPSA Members include the owners and employees of pet boarding and daycare facilities, groomers, dog walkers, pet sitters, veterinarians, trainers and holistic care pet care providers. For more information, visit https://www.ibpsa.com.

About PocketSuite: PocketSuite is the maker of a business management software with a special edition configured specifically for pet boarding, daycare, training and grooming facilities, with tools for client onboarding, scheduling, payments, vet & vaccination record management, check-in and check-out, run cards, kennel management, icons, report cards, workflow management, and the day-to-day reports owners rely on to keep track of how their business is doing. Beyond the software, PocketSuite's leadership team brings broad experience in helping small and midsize service business owners understand their numbers and grow with confidence. PocketSuite.io.

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SOURCE The Dog Gurus

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