Ep. 107 – All-Inclusive vs Add-Ons: Which Dog Daycare Pricing Model Builds a Stronger Pet Business?

Should your daycare or boarding facility offer one simple all-inclusive price… or a menu of optional add-ons clients can choose from?

Is charging for enrichment, upgrades, or premium services genuinely unethical… or is it actually better for dogs, staff, and your long-term business health?

And could sticking to an all-inclusive model quietly limit your profit, your service quality, and your ability to stand out in a more competitive pet care market?

In this week’s episode of the Pet Boarding & Daycare Podcast, host Dom Hodgson dives into one of the most debated topics in the pet care industry: all-inclusive pricing versus add-on service models, and why many owners are unknowingly leaving money, opportunies, and client satisfaction on the table.

Drawing on years of consulting with dog daycares and pet resorts across the world, Dom breaks down the emotional, ethical, and strategic arguments owners use to justify all-inclusive pricing before unpacking the real business, behavioural, and customer-experience reasons why structured service ladders often produce better outcomes for all.

Along the way, Dom shares lessons from Disney storytelling, cruise ship revenue models, airline seating structures, and real-world enrichment programme implementation to show why offering choice isn’t about charging more but rather about delivering better.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The All-Inclusive Pricing Myth – Why offering everything for one price often limits profitability and service quality.
Care vs Commercial Reality – How charging for premium enrichment doesn’t reduce care… it improves outcomes.
Volume vs Margin Thinking – Why the most successful pet businesses shift from more dogs to higher-value services.
Client Psychology and Choice – Why dog owners actively want upgrade options (and often feel disappointed without them).
The Hidden Power of Backend Sales – How add-ons, upgrades, and experience enhancements quietly drive sustainable growth.

Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Discover if you’re a good fit to work with Dom by going to www.petbusinessmarketing.com/audition

Remember, the next big Barkleigh event is the PB & D Expo West which this year is in Phoenix, Arizona! You can register for the event and be the first to find out when tickets go on sale by clicking here now

Grab a copy of Dom’s latest book Mission ENRICH by clicking here now

Episode Highlights:

[00:51] – Dom opens the episode and introduces the all-inclusive vs add-on pricing debate dominating the pet care industry.
[03:00] – Lessons from masterminds and Disney’s Animal Kingdom: why storytelling and experience design create standout businesses.
[11:54] – Dog News: debunking common dog training myths and how simple, localised content builds marketing authority.
[17:30] – The emotional argument behind all-inclusive pricing and why many owners link charging more with caring less.
[21:00] – Why enrichment consistency often fails inside volume-based business models.
[23:30] – Good, Better, Best pricing ladders and how service tiers increase profit without adding new clients.
[26:53] – The fear of upselling and why most sales resistance is actually a communication problem.
[29:00] – Cruise ships, airlines, and luxury hospitality: how premium upgrades drive massive backend revenue.
[31:30] – Front-end sales vs backend sales and where long-term business profitability is really built.
[33:30] – Why choice, personalisation, and optional upgrades lead to better dog experiences and stronger client loyalty.

Huge thanks to our fantastic show sponsors Canine Lab Testing. You can learn more about their fast, reliable parasite testing solutions at: www.caninelabtesting.com