OverDog: Dog Daycare & Boarding Business Tips

Hosted by Fernando Camacho

Business Management Education

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Episodes

259

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

This is where dog daycare and boarding businesses can learn the top tips and business strategies to grow. Discover what the top dog daycares are doing to overcome challenges, improve everything they do and keep their staff and customers happy. Learn the latest in marketing pet businesses as well as creative ways to increase your brand's image and move your business farther, faster. Running a pet business can be difficult and often leave you feeling like an underdog. Not anymore - together we'll make you the OVERDOG.

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 26037 min

260: Are You Busy or Are You Profitable?

This episode of the Overdog Podcast digs into a trap that a lot of pet resort owners fall into: being slammed busy but still not making the kind of profit they should be. Fern breaks down why packed daycare rooms, nonstop chaos, and exhausted teams don’t automatically mean you’re running a healthy business—and how some facilities with fewer dogs are actually creating calmer operations, better customer experiences, and significantly stronger margins. From pricing mistakes and discount addiction to staffing inefficiencies and missed revenue opportunities, this conversation is all about uncovering the hidden leaks that quietly drain profitability.The episode also touches on the importance of having the right financial systems and advisors in place for pet care businesses, including why proactive bookkeeping and tax planning can make a massive difference long before tax season rolls around. If you’ve ever felt like your operation is growing more chaotic instead of more successful, this episode will challenge the way you think about growth, systems, staffing, pricing, and what a truly sustainable pet resort should actually look like.

June 9, 2026Episode 25932 min

259: AI Receptionist vs. Front Desk Staff: Where AI Wins and Where Humans Still Matter

AI is changing the way pet resorts handle customer communication, but where’s the line between helpful automation and losing the personal touch that makes your business special? In this episode, Fern breaks down the real-world pros and cons of AI receptionists for dog daycare and boarding businesses. From missed calls and after-hours lead capture to customer trust and staff burnout, you’ll hear what’s actually working inside pet resorts right now — and where owners are getting it completely wrong.This isn’t a “replace your staff with robots” conversation. It’s a practical look at how smart operators are using AI to support their teams, improve response times, and create a better customer experience without sacrificing hospitality. Fern also shares the biggest mistakes facilities are making with automation, why some AI systems frustrate customers instead of helping them, and how to build a hybrid model that protects both your brand and your team culture as technology continues to evolve.

June 2, 2026Episode 25831 min

258: 12 Small Habits That Can Transform Your Pet Resort

In this episode of the Overdog Podcast, we’re digging into the small habits that quietly separate thriving pet resorts from the ones constantly stuck in chaos. It’s not about massive overhauls, expensive software, or flashy marketing campaigns — it’s about the little things your team does every single day that shape customer loyalty, staff culture, and long-term growth. From creating stronger emotional connections with pet parents to building a more aligned and motivated team, this conversation breaks down how consistency beats intensity when it comes to running a successful business.We also get into the habits owners need for themselves — because burnout, reactivity, and constantly putting out fires will eventually catch up with you. If you’ve ever felt like you’re working nonstop but still not gaining momentum, this episode will challenge you to rethink where real progress actually comes from. None of these habits are complicated, but stacked together over time, they can completely transform the way your business operates.

May 26, 2026Episode 25757 min

257: Dealing With The Worst Situations In Pet Care

Not every day in pet care is easy—and this episode goes straight into the situations most owners hope never happen. Joined by industry veteran Rich Schlatter, we dig into the uncomfortable but necessary side of running a dog daycare or boarding business: the moments when things go wrong and the pressure is on. It’s not about avoiding every problem (because you can’t), it’s about whether you’re actually ready when something serious hits.Rich brings over two decades of real-world experience to break down how strong operators think, prepare, and lead in high-stakes situations. From handling intense client interactions to navigating true emergencies, this conversation is all about building the kind of business that can take a hit and keep moving. If you’ve been putting off thinking about worst-case scenarios, this episode will change that—and probably make you rethink how prepared you really are.

May 19, 2026Episode 25633 min

256: Stop Doing More. Start Executing Better

Inspiration without execution is just a really good feeling that fades. In this episode, Fern breaks down why so many pet resort owners leave conferences and coaching calls fired up — only to find themselves back in the same patterns two weeks later. It's not about effort. It's about focus.This episode covers the Focus Shift Exercise (5 questions that create more clarity than a 3-hour planning session), the 6 most common execution killers in pet resort businesses, and a simple framework for building a 90-day momentum plan that actually sticks.What you'll learn:Why adding more almost always slows you downThe 5-question Focus Shift ExerciseThe 6 execution killers hitting pet resort businesses right nowHow to build a simple 90-day momentum plan

May 12, 2026Episode 25531 min

255: Embracing The Future While Preserving Your Brand

If you’ve been feeling the pressure to “modernize” your pet resort but secretly worry about losing what made your business special in the first place, this episode is going to hit home. We’re diving into that tension between keeping up with changing client expectations—faster communication, better systems, more polished experiences—and holding onto the relationships, personality, and trust you’ve worked so hard to build. The truth is, growth doesn’t have to mean becoming cold, corporate, or generic . . . but there is a right and wrong way to evolve.In this episode, we break down how to actually move your business forward without creating chaos, overwhelm, or identity drift. You’ll start to rethink automation, systems, and even your service offerings in a way that strengthens what already makes you great instead of replacing it. Plus, we get into the common traps that quietly sabotage a lot of facilities—and how to avoid them before they cost you. If you want to grow smarter, stay relevant, and still feel like you, this one’s worth a listen.

May 5, 2026Episode 25429 min

254: What the Past, Present, and Future Can Teach You About Growing a Better Pet Resort

This episode digs into a deceptively simple idea that most pet resort owners overlook: real momentum doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from aligning how you think about your past, present, and future. The conversation unpacks why so many operators feel stuck or overwhelmed, even when they’re busy all day, and challenges some of the usual ways people approach growth. There’s a strong push to rethink what’s actually holding your business back—and it might not be what you think.You’ll hear a fresh perspective on how to stop carrying old baggage into your day-to-day decisions, get brutally honest about what’s really happening in your business right now, and start shaping a future that actually fits the life you want. It’s not about hustle or adding more to your plate—it’s about clarity, intention, and making the kind of moves that quietly build real traction over time. If things have felt heavy or directionless lately, this one will hit.

April 28, 2026Episode 25339 min

253: How to Finally Stop Guessing on Your Schedule

What if the biggest drain on your profits isn’t your pricing, your marketing, or even your staffing… but the way you schedule your team? In this episode, we dive into one of the most overlooked (and frustrating) parts of running a pet resort—and why most owners are unknowingly leaving serious money on the table. Fern brings in Sean Felty, an expert who’s helped scale multiple locations and uncover hidden inefficiencies, and together they unpack why “winging it” with your schedule is quietly wrecking your margins.You’ll hear a totally different way to think about labor, staffing, and daily operations—one that replaces guesswork with clear, measurable targets. If you’ve ever felt like your schedule is a constant juggling act, or like you’re busy but not actually profitable, this conversation is going to hit. It’s not about working harder—it’s about finally understanding what your numbers are trying to tell you… and what to do about it.

April 21, 2026Episode 25245 min

252: Turn Demand Into Dollars: Dynamic Pricing for Pet Resorts

If you’re still charging the same price every day of the year, this episode might make you a little uncomfortable—in a good way. Joined by Chris Tilson from Goose, we dig into the idea of dynamic pricing and why sticking to flat rates could be quietly capping your revenue. There’s a smarter, more flexible way to price your services that aligns with demand, and once you see it, you can’t unsee it. This conversation pulls back the curtain on how other industries have been doing this for years—and why pet care is finally catching up.You’ll hear how Chris breaks down the mindset shift behind dynamic pricing and how it can unlock growth without adding more dogs, more staff, or more chaos. It’s not about gouging or overcomplicating things—it’s about being intentional and strategic with the demand you already have. If you’ve ever felt maxed out during peak times but underwhelmed during slower periods, this episode will get you thinking differently about how you run your business—and what you might be leaving on the table.

April 14, 2026Episode 25141 min

251: Smart Money vs Fast Money: Financing Growth in the Pet Care Industry

When growth opportunities show up in the pet care industry, they rarely wait around. In this episode, Fern sits down with financing experts Claire Cronin and Jacqueline Pait of Live Oak Bank to unpack a topic that every daycare or boarding owner eventually faces: how to fund your next move without putting your business under unnecessary pressure. From expansions and acquisitions to hiring ahead of demand, they dig into why the type of money you choose can shape the future of your facility more than you might think.The conversation breaks down the difference between “fast money” and “smart money,” and why the easiest option isn’t always the one that sets you up to win long-term. You’ll hear how strategic financing can support growth, the common traps pet care owners fall into when they need capital quickly, and how to think about borrowing in a way that actually strengthens your business. If you’ve ever wondered when it makes sense to use financing—and when it doesn’t—this episode will give you a clearer framework for making those decisions.