7 Ways to Make Your Salon More Pet-Friendly

There’s nothing quite like a pet-friendly salon to really reach that dog-lovin’ and can’t-live-without-our-cats audience–and trust us, that audience is huge. According to Forbes, about 66 percent of U.S. households own a pet (that’s like, 86.9 million homes!). 

If you’re an animal lovin’ salon owner who’s absolutely clawing to make their salon pet-friendly, we’ve got good news–it’s totally possible. 

Pet-friendly salons (mostly dog-friendly spots) are popping up all over! These shops score big with the animal lovin’ crowd, but they also win points with environment-first folks who like to see businesses bridge the gap between eco-friendly and animal friendly. 

There are tons of pros to promoting a pet-friendly salon, especially if that means you can bring your four-legged BFF to work with you. But, of course, that all depends on your personal experiences and what you view as business savvy.

As with everything, though, there are some cons, too. In this blog, we’re going to briefly share a little insight from our end on the pros and cons, but we’re mostly going to focus on how to transition your space to a pet-friendly shop. 

So, paws in, everybody–we’re divin’ in.

The Pros & Cons of a Pet-Friendly Salon 

 As we said, no decision out there is going to be seamless or flawless–there’s always a con to balance out a pro. These are just some of the considerations we suggest if you’re weighing the good and the bad of a pet-friendly salon. 

The Pros of a Pet-Friendly Salon

• You’ll draw in a pet-friendly audience who loves that their fuzzy friends can join the party
• Pets are built-in marketing boosts (think about all the dog Instas you follow to confirm this point) 
• You’ll get PR points–pets inherently make you seem trustworthy and credible (in the eyes of most audiences)
• Consider it an environment upgrade 
• It’s honestly just really stinkin’ cute 

The Cons of  Pet-Friendly Salon 

• You might lose customers and employees–not everyone wants to be around animals (we get it)
• Tons of prep goes into this–including telling your customers about your choice 
• You’ll have to be prepared for accidents, issues, and potential problems 
• Clean-up is going to change–your routine is about to get more complicated 
• Your sanitization is going to be even more thorough (and a little more involved) 

7 Ways to Make Your Salon or Station More Pet-Friendly 

Ensure Everyone Knows Pets are a Possibility 

Before you dive wet noses first into a pet-approved policy, be sure that all of your customers are aware of the change.

Send out an email to your entire marketing list with all the details, post about it on your social media, and of course, hang up signs outside the salon so customers can get the memo ahead of time. Just as you want to be able to have a pet-friendly space, there are customers who will want an alert about this before they happen into the shop–and it’s your job to make sure they have it! 

Make it Comfy & Cozy 

You wouldn’t invite your customers into a salon space without any chairs, couches, or comfy spots to sit and wait, right? Decor and cozy spots matter!

Well, we’re willing to bet customers wouldn’t want to bring their pets to a place where they didn’t have a cozy spot, either. Make sure you’re decking out your salon with plenty of great places for pets to lounge, relax, and hang out while their owners get their service done. The comfier and cozier, the better. 

Double-Check You Don’t Have Any Poisonous Plants 

Flora and fauna are a must in a salon to bring a little life to the decor–but if you’re inviting pets into your place, you’ll want to be 100% sure that you’re not stocking the shop with anything poisonous or toxic for pets. Do a quick audit of your plants in the shop and make sure that you’ve removed anything that could do harm to a pet if they accidentally (or purposely, TBH) gobbled up a plant. 

Don’t Forget a Water Dish (& Treats) 

Naturally, make sure to have plenty of fresh water available for the dogs and cats who grace your shop. Regular refills are a must! And don’t forget to have treats in a secure spot for all good boys and good girls–just ask their pawrents if you can treat them first. 

Create a Strict Rule List for All Pets 

Being pet-friendly doesn’t mean you’ll welcome any old pet into your shop. There should still be some rules that everyone should abide by to make this process work. Here are just a few suggestions to consider (we highly recommend brainstorming more that apply to your specific shop):

• No aggressive pets allowed 
• Only housebroken and trained pets are welcome 
• Pets must be well-mannered and in control at all times 
• Pets are not allowed in staff areas of anywhere food prep is permitted 
• Customers assume the cost of damage done by their pets 
• Pets must be vaccinated 
• All animals must be clean and free of fleas, ticks, and other bugs 

Be Prepared for Accidents 

Even though you’ll likely only allow house-trained pets in your shop, the reality is that animals are unpredictable. Have everything you need on-site to handle accidents ASAP so you’re not having to run out and deal with the unexpected should something unpleasant happen. After all, you want to keep things 100% sanitary no matter who’s in the shop–even animals. 

Check How Your Insurance Covers You 

It’s likely there’s nothing legal that prohibits you from making your space pet-friendly–but you might want to peek into your insurance policy to ensure there’s language that protects you from liability issues. Not sure if this applies to you? The best thing you can do is chat with your insurance provider to get a straight answer!