Membership programs are becoming a critical tool for pet care businesses looking to create predictable revenue while improving customer retention. Recently, I sat down with Britt, owner of The Bark Yard, to talk about how she implemented memberships, the challenges she faced, and the adjustments she made along the way to make it successful.
From Rescue to Pet Care Facility
Britt’s journey into pet care started through her dog rescue, Pittie Posse Rescue, which has served over 800 dogs in Maine. Through her work, she saw gaps in the local dog daycare market—many facilities didn’t align with her philosophy of fear-free, force-free care. That led her to open The Bark Yard, a full-service daycare offering boarding, training, and grooming.
The journey wasn’t easy. She faced major delays with zoning, permitting, and the state fire marshal, but after two years of persistence, The Bark Yard opened its doors.
Structuring a Membership Model That Works
The Bark Yard operates with two primary membership structures:
Enrollment Program
Modeled after childcare, where customers commit to a weekly daycare schedule at a discounted rate. Payment is auto-billed, even if they miss a day.
Tiered Memberships
Paid monthly for additional perks such as priority scheduling, waived late fees, and other exclusive benefits.
The Power of Predictability
The enrollment program provides stable revenue and predictable staffing needs. With 70% of dogs on an enrollment plan, Britt can project daily attendance with high accuracy, reducing overstaffing or understaffing issues. Customers benefit by securing consistent playgroups for their dogs, reinforcing social bonds and improving behavioral stability.
Refining the Offer: Lessons Learned
Britt emphasized the importance of iterating based on customer feedback:
- Initially, they overloaded memberships with unnecessary perks, particularly food-related items like extra treats. Customers didn’t want their dogs receiving so many treats daily, so they scaled back.
- They removed grooming perks from the mid-tier membership, making the highest tier feel like a more compelling upgrade.
- Pricing adjustments played a key role—raising the price gap between enrollment and drop-in rates ($13/day difference) significantly increased enrollment numbers.
Operational Challenges & The Role of Software
One of the biggest challenges The Bark Yard faced was the work required to track and fulfill membership benefits. Without an automated system, staff had to manually track perks like free baths and treats, which sometimes led to mistakes—such as a customer missing out on a promised benefit. These types of errors can create frustration and require additional administrative effort to resolve.
To simplify the process, Britt and her team are looking forward to transitioning to Goose, which will allow them to automate membership management, reducing manual work and ensuring customers always receive their benefits without errors.
Optimizing for Upsells
Beyond memberships, The Bark Yard has excelled at upselling enrichment services like agility and puzzle sessions. Instead of pushing sales aggressively, they focus on educating pet parents:
- Many dogs don’t thrive in all-day play, so they frame enrichment as a way to prevent behavioral issues and keep dogs mentally engaged.
- They compare daycare to different education models (e.g., structured activities vs. free play) to help parents understand the benefits.
- Upsells are framed as a customized experience for each dog, based on behavior and energy levels.
Key Takeaways
Predictable revenue is a game-changer
The enrollment model reduces financial uncertainty and staffing challenges.
Customer feedback is invaluable
Avoid assumptions when structuring memberships. Ask customers what they value.
Pricing strategy matters
A $13/day price difference between drop-in and enrollment significantly boosted enrollment rates.
Automate where possible
Manually tracking membership perks can lead to operational headaches and missed benefits.
Upselling should feel natural
Frame enrichment as a personalized benefit for the dog’s well-being, not just an extra expense.
The Bark Yard’s approach proves that a well-structured membership program can transform a pet care business. By balancing customer value, operational feasibility, and automation, facilities can drive loyalty while stabilizing their revenue.
For those looking to implement or refine their own membership program, these insights serve as a valuable roadmap. If you’re ready to take it to the next level, consider how a software solution like Goose can simplify and enhance your approach.
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