Start a Dog Training Elite Franchise in 2025

2025 Franchise 500 Rank: #129 Ranked #146 last year

Initial investment: $174K - $203K

Units as of 2024: 395 234.7% over 3 years

When John Mestas got tired of being just another employee at a dog training company, he opened his first business, Arrow Kennels, in 1976. In 1980, he took on the mantle as a professional training director at his business, offering private training services. By 1995, John started offering his dog training services to the public under the Dog Training Elite business name.

Dog Training Elite offers seven standard and advanced training services to dog owners which include service dog training, therapy animal training, and anxiety and aggression training. Additionally, the franchise has training services for service dogs owned by veterans or retired military personnel.

Dog Training Elite began franchising in 2015 and now has over 50 franchises located throughout the United States.

Why You May Want to Start a Dog Training Elite Franchise

If you are a dog lover who wants to run a business that makes your best friend your business partner, then the Dog Training Elite franchise may just be the opportunity for you. Owning this franchise may offer a rewarding experience by allowing you to train dogs and create better communication between them and their owners.

A Dog Training Elite franchise has flexibility in that you may choose to be a hands-on trainer or have a team that does the actual work for you. If you choose to be a hands-on franchisee, you should be good with dogs and be ready to oversee multiple territories!

What Might Make a Dog Training Elite Franchise a Good Choice?

Dog Training Elite franchise is not just a business idea but an opportunity for a franchisee to spend time doing what they love; training dogs. It is a company that looks to make the community a better place for humans and dogs to coexist in harmony. Additionally, the franchise seeks to re-integrate dogs that have gone through traumatic events into loving homes.

Franchisees should be community-oriented with a desire to make a difference in the lives of dog owners and their pets. A franchisee should also be ready to scale the business up to the next level by overseeing the day-to-day operations. While a background in sales may not be necessary, it could come in handy. Experience in teaching, as well as great customer service, are welcome skills that franchisees should have.

How To Open a Dog Training Elite Franchise

Before starting a Dog Training Elite franchise, a potential franchisee should conduct their due diligence and research the brand fully. To be part of this franchise team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include royalty fees and advertising fees.

Dog Training Elite provides support in the franchise’s daily operations, including step-by-step coaching in training techniques. The company also may offer ongoing support in multi-day visits in the first six months of operation. With this franchise, you may receive marketing support with lots of exposure in the press.

Company Overview

About Dog Training Elite

Industry	Pets
Related Categories	Dog Training, Miscellaneous Pet Businesses, Pet Care
Founded	1995
Parent Company	Dog Training Elite Franchising
Leadership	Betsy Feaster, CEO
Corporate Address	9460 S. Union Square, #203 Sandy, UT 84070
Social	Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2015 (10 years)
# of employees at HQ	14
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	395 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Dog Training Elite franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$59,000 - $110,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$173,550 - $203,250
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$200,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$120,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	8%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	129-218 hours
Classroom Training	87-115 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes