In my previous article, I shared highlights from our 2025 Pet Boarding Pricing Study, including surprising state-by-state cost variations. Now, let’s focus on something equally intriguing: second-dog discounts. If you’ve been following our guides on revenue management and creating compelling offers, you know I’m a firm believer in tailoring your pricing strategy to match both operational realities and customer expectations.
This second-dog discount data offers a prime example of how small percentage differences can significantly impact your bottom line—and your relationship with multi-pet families.
Why Second-Dog Discounts Matter
Multi-pet households are often enthusiastic customers who bring in a higher overall spend. Not only are they boarding more than one dog, but they might also purchase extra services like grooming or training for each pet. Providing a meaningful second-dog discount can help:
Secure Multi-Dog Bookings
A family that sees genuine savings on their second dog is less likely to split their pets between different facilities or rely on informal pet-sitting options.
Encourage Upselling and Add-Ons
Owners who appreciate your discount may be more open to adding premium services and extras, such as spa treatments or one-on-one playtime.
Boost Customer Loyalty
Multi-pet families with a positive booking experience (and a fair discount) are likely to return and recommend your facility to other pet owners.
Data Highlights: Deep vs. Minimal Discounts
- Washington, D.C. stands out with an average 65% discount on the second dog, which is unusually high.
- Arkansas falls on the lower end with an average 13% discount, meaning the second dog costs almost the same as the first.
I suspect these numbers are also influenced by starting price. Facilities with a lower initial price may not need to discount as much. As usual, California just has to be different with a high average boarding price and a 14% average discount.
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Typical Discounts in the U.S.
Beyond the standout examples of D.C. and Arkansas, most facilities nationwide offer around a 30% discount for a second dog staying in the same room or kennel. Specifically:
- 10–30% range is the most common.
- 50% is also popular with many facilities.
- Discounts higher than 50% become increasingly rare.
This data suggests a sweet spot where you can still cover your operational costs while providing enough of a savings to make multi-pet bookings appealing. As always, local market factors play a big role. If you’re in a competitive urban area, you might see deeper discounts. If you’re located in a region with little competition, you might not feel the same pressure to reduce the second-dog rate.
Putting It All Together
Second-dog discounts aren’t just a line item in your pricing chart; they’re a reflection of how you value and attract multi-pet households. With multi-pet families more likely to spend on additional services, a well-calculated discount becomes a powerful tool to boost both occupancy and ancillary revenue.
If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at your local competitors’ discounts, analyze your operational costs for caring for additional dogs in the same space, and test different percentages to see which yields the best balance of profitability and bookings.
The 2025 Pet Boarding Pricing Study—when fully released—will include more detailed numbers on second-dog discounts by region, so stay tuned for a comprehensive look. In the meantime, reevaluating your multi-dog pricing strategy could be the next small change that makes a big difference in your facility’s success.
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