Start a The Dog Stop Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $543K - $1M

Units as of 2024: 31 47.6% over 3 years

Jesse Coslov and Chris Kane founded The Dog Stop in 2009 after doing extensive research on the pet care industry and the needs of local pet owners in an effort to plan an all-inclusive facility.

The Dog Stop offers a variety of dog grooming options including:

Dog daycare, where dogs can enjoy physical activity and socialize with other dogs.
Dog boarding, where dogs are welcome 365 days a year.
Training services, where classes vary from group settings to one-on-one at The Dog Stop facility or the client’s home.
Pet Retail, where The Dog Stop is committed to carrying products that keep pets safe and healthy.

Why You May Want to Start With a The Dog Stop Franchise

If you are a dog lover with a disciplined entrepreneurial spirit, opening a The Dog Stop franchise could be an excellent decision for you. Franchisees should be community-oriented and willing to follow a system that has been tested and proven by a franchisor devoted to brand success. Having dog boarding experience is not necessary, though some business experience can be highly beneficial.

Opening a The Dog Stop franchise could offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that may struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive industry.

Customers have given The Dog Stop many positive reviews on Google. Pooches and their owners may feel comfortable visiting a The Dog Stop franchise.

What Might Make a The Dog Stop Franchise a Good Choice?

The Dog Stop may be considered one of the better dog care service franchises because of its established business model. Their business plan may allow them to give franchisees the attention they deserve on an ongoing basis, not just during the franchise sales process. The Dog Stop franchising team consists of executives and management personnel with decades of experience building franchise programs.

As you decide if opening a The Dog Stop franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a The Dog Stop franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

To be part of The Dog Stop 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 advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company’s set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a The Dog Stop Franchise

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, it is crucial that you perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask The Dog Stop franchising team questions.

If awarded a franchise, franchisees may receive support from The Dog Stop brand throughout the franchising process. In addition to pre-opening training, franchisees could receive support through brand awareness, marketing, research, and construction. Franchisees may also receive hands-on training and continued support after opening their franchise location.

Company Overview

About The Dog Stop

Industry	Pets
Related Categories	Pet Care
Founded	2009
Parent Company	The Dog Stop Franchising LLC
Leadership	Jesse Coslov, CEO
Corporate Address	1632 William Flynn Hwy. Glenshaw, PA 15116
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2013 (12 years)
# of employees at HQ	14
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	31 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a The Dog Stop 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.	$49,500
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.	$543,000 - $1,037,300
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.	$750,000 - $10,000,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$125,000 - $2,000,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	15% 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.	6%
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.	2%
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

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	The Dog Stop has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable

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	35 hours
Classroom Training	24 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line 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 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.	No
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
# of employees required to run	8-12
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