One way to increase your business’ revenue is to look for ways to increase the spend of your current customers. A common way of doing this is to host a “Yappy Hour”! The perfect recipe for a doggie happy hour does not mean stirring up canine cocktails in between playtime and bedtime. A “Yappy Hour” is an extra service that your customers pay for where their dog will be taken to a separate area with other dogs who are participating for a group play and a special treat. The most common treat is a kong. The classic Kong is a three layered, beehive-shaped rubber toy for dogs. It is a cognitive toy, non-toxic and helps with a dog’s natural instinct to chew on objects. Because kongs are made for chewing, they do not harm a dog’s teeth or gums. Just keep in mind that there are special kongs made for puppies to seniors!
What You Need for a Basic Kong
KongHalf Banana
Biscuit, Kibble, or Canned Food
Peanut Butter or Cream Cheese
Directions for Filling and Sealing a Kong
Filling: You can fill a kong several ways using the banana and dog food.Here are three different ideas to try:
1. Freeze a half banana beforehand so that it doesn’t get mushed as you insert it into the kong. Take the kong and squeeze it in order to change the shape and fit the banana all the way inside. Fill in the rest of the space with wet canned food and sprinkle a few kibble pieces for some crunch.
2. Put two whole dog biscuits inside the kong. Mash a banana and scoop it into the kong to fill up the rest of the space.
3. Crush some dog biscuits and mix with cream cheese and kibble to make a savory textured treat!
Sealant: A Yappy Hour should be fun, but still present a challenge for the dogs, so you don’t want the food to fall out in mere seconds. After filling the kong, use the peanut butter or cream cheese to seal the contents inside. This will force the dog to lick the entire outer layer before discovering the different textures and flavors inside.
Tip: Freeze the kongs in order to keep them ready for dozens of customers during the day. Always have a few in stock to make them accessible to customers who want to add a last-minute Activity or Extra to their dog’s stay. Freezing also makes the kong more of a challenge for larger dogs that tend to finish their kongs quickly.
Dogs with Allergies
Use your PawLoyalty kennel management software to track dogs with allergies and special diets. Kongs are accommodating and allow for creativity! Use a kong as an opportunity to add a dog’s medication to their food or substitute your facility food with a customer’s prescribed kibble. Have your customers fill out their Pet Health Record with their vet’s list of approved food.Here’s a list of ingredients to use instead:
Filling: Steamed vegetables, Hypoallergenic Biscuits and Kibble
Sealant: Refried Beans
Take a look at the Kong website for more yummy recipes so that your regular customers will never get bored!
Make the Yappy Hour into a game by playing fetch. Throw the kong to the dog like you would a tennis ball or stick. Wait to see if the dog wants bring it back or if they are content with sitting and enjoying their snack.
Instead of fetch, let the dog sniff the kong and then hide it. This can be a group activity as well. Hide a few Kongs in the playroom and let the dogs loose until they all find their prize!
Take a look at the Kong website for more yummy recipes so that your regular customers will never get bored!
Spice up Yappy Hour with an Activity
Instead of simply handing the kong over, remember that dogs like a challenge!Make the Yappy Hour into a game by playing fetch. Throw the kong to the dog like you would a tennis ball or stick. Wait to see if the dog wants bring it back or if they are content with sitting and enjoying their snack.
Instead of fetch, let the dog sniff the kong and then hide it. This can be a group activity as well. Hide a few Kongs in the playroom and let the dogs loose until they all find their prize!
Remember to take special notes on the exact kong ingredients in your pet resort software so you can share that information with your customer. Also add this Yappy Hour to your kennel software’s printable feeding report so that pet owners will be aware of what and how much their dog eats at your facility. These notes will serve as a reminder for the next time that same customer orders a Yappy Hour and you can prepare their kong ahead of time!
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