Preparing Your Pet-Care Business for the Upcoming Holiday Demand

December invites in more than just twinkling lights and jingling bells, it brings a rush of pet parents needing a safe, loving place for their furry friends while they travel, host family, or simply take a much-needed break. For pet-care businesses, this is the often busiest (and most profitable) time of the year. But without the right tools and strategies, that extra demand can quickly become overwhelming.

Whether you run a dog daycare, a cat-boarding suite, or a full-service pet hotel, preparing your facility for the holiday boarding surge is essential. Here’s how to keep your staff calm, your operations smooth, and your customers filled with joy.

Get Ahead of the Rush: Plan for Holiday Pet Boarding Early

Most pet boarding facilities book out well before the holidays, so your calendar should fill fast. Make sure your system allows you to:

• Set holiday capacity limits to avoid overbooking.
• Enable peak-date pricing to reflect increased demand.
• Use automated reminders to prompt customers to schedule early.

Encourage returning clients to book their overnight stay as soon as their holiday plans are confirmed. Pet parents might wait until the last minute. Don’t let their pup miss out on a spot!

Make Dog Daycare Drop-Offs More Merry and Less Messy

Lobby chaos? Not this year! Offering convenient drop off options, including curbside check-in, help reduce stress for both your staff and pet parents.

With Gingr PreCheck, customers can fill out all necessary forms before their arrival, including food preferences, medications, and bedding needs. Staff will have immediate access to updated records, vaccination proof, and emergency contacts, all before the pet even walks in the door.

This smooths out morning traffic, improves customer satisfaction, and increases your dog daycare team's efficiency.

Offer Purr-fect Cat Boarding & Pet Hotel Packages

While dogs may be the majority of your guests, we all know pet parents who nearly worship the cats in their homes! If your facility serves feline guests, be sure to offer quiet, comfortable private suite options for cat boarding, away from the barks and rambunctious zoomies of the dog boarding realm. A cozy blanket, some toys, and a spot near a window can make all the difference.

Pet hotel offerings can also include spa services, treats, or one-on-one playtime for pets who don't enjoy group activities. Think holiday-themed packages with names like "Fur-st Class Festivities" or "Meowy Christmas Retreat."

Don’t be afraid to upsell to clients who want to spoil their pets, especially during the holiday season.

Boost Your Pet Boarding Efficiency with Automation

If your staff is still juggling paper forms, manual invoicing, and phone-tag with customers, it's time for an upgrade.

Here’s how automation helps during the December crunch:

• Online booking gives customers 24/7 access to your schedule.
• Automated vaccination reminders and health updates reduce back-and-forth.
• Digital agreements let pet parents fill and sign required forms in advance.
• Integrated payments make it easy to pay, apply deposits, or tip.

Automation not only reduces errors and no-shows, it frees up your team to spend more time doing what they love: providing great care for pets!

Support Your Staff for a Smoother Pet-Care Season

While lucrative, we all know the holiday rush can be exhausting. Your boarding facility might see double the guests, and your team needs support. Keep staff morale high with:

• Clear communication about roles, schedules, and expectations.
• Cross-training so anyone can jump in where needed.
• Tip prompts at checkout to increase gratuities (staff typically see up to an 80% bump!).

Let them know their work is valued. A small treat, gift, thank-you card, or team lunch can go a long way. Consider a bump in pay for holiday time as well.

Promote Your Services Early to Secure Repeat Customers

Marketing matters. Don’t wait until mid-December to remind pet parents to book! Enhance your planning with a Social Media Holiday Calendar so you're providing ongoing updates that keep clients in the loop.

• Email your list with available services, reminders, and deadlines.
• Post on social media with festive photos of guests enjoying their stay.
• Offer a limited-time discount or bonus (like a free photo update or report card).

Focus on how you provide great care, a safe facility, and a fun vacation for pets because, this time of year, families need peace of mind.

Keep Pets Happy and Safe While They Stay

A few quick tips for ensuring every pup and kitty enjoys their overnight stay:

• Group play based on temperament and size to avoid issues.
• Monitor for signs of illness and isolate quickly if needed.
• Provide enrichment: toys, balls, cuddles, or music.
• Keep owners updated with report cards and ready-for-pickup notifications.\

Your customers will feel confident knowing their pets are safe, social, and cared for just like they would be at home. You can further strengthen this confidence by partnering with local businesses to expand your reach and build community trust.

Make Room for Last-Minute Bookings (Without the Mayhem)

Even with all the prep in the world, you'll get those last-minute calls: "Hey, can you watch Luna this weekend? We’re heading out of town." A friend who dabbles in pet sitting may be able to clear their schedule to help, but as any pet-care business knows, these types of exceptions just aren't feasible, especially during peak seasons.

However, you can maintain customer loyalty and accommodate (especially for your VIP customers) in the following ways:

• Block a few suites for late planners.
• Have a waitlist and notify them of cancellations.
• Set up auto-responses with Gingr to handle high inquiry volume.

This ensures you maintain safety, loyalty, and quality care, without avoid overcommitting and overextending your team.

Encourage Tours and First-Time Visits Before the Rush

First-timers are more likely to commit to their appointments if they can visit your facility ahead of time. Offer:

• Holiday-themed open houses.
• Shorter, trial daycare visits for dogs who aren’t used to being around other pets. 
• “Meet the Staff” and guided tour days to build trust.

Let customers see how clean, friendly, and organized your space is. Show off your private suites, play areas, and maybe even include a little gift for the pet parent and their furry friend.

Don't Forget the Follow-Up

After the holidays, keep your momentum going to increase a steady flow of business year-round. 

• Send thank-you emails with photo recaps or report cards.
• Ask for reviews on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. (Hint: Use Gingr's Broadly integration to automate this!)
• Invite customers to book their next overnight or daycare stay.

You’ve made their pet’s holiday fun and stress-free. Now, keep them coming back as lifelong customers.

Run Lean and Achieve More this Holiday Season (and Beyond)

The holidays are hectic, but they don’t have to be hard. With Gingr, you can manage every guest, suite, and customer detail in one place. Automate the busywork, elevate the pet experience, and give your team the gift of time this season.

Need help preparing your boarding facility, dog daycare, grooming salon, or training business for December? Let Gingr lend a paw. Book a free demo today to see how we can help you handle the holiday rush with ease.