Raintree Aids Dog Training Elite in Growing to 243 Locations in Two Years, Exceeding Goal for 2022

Dog Training Elite, the home-based pet training franchise has seen massive growth in a short span of time — expanding from just three locations two years ago to the 215 units it has today. The hundreds of locations that the brand now has is due in part to its partnership with Raintree, the Denver-based Franchise Development Agency.

“When we first started selling nationwide, we quickly realized how much work it is to sell a franchise. Not only getting product in front of franchisees but also the screening and vetting. Our team was really small and new, and we couldn't dedicate the resources to hire an amazing franchise development person,” said Kelly Rosequist, CEO of Dog Training Elite. “We have far exceeded our goals since bringing on Raintree.”  

Raintree has handled the franchise development efforts for Dog Training Elite since 2020, and in that time the business has scaled to reach pet owners in 31 states — and is continuing to grow. The brand’s goal was to award 45 Territories in 2022, and they are already at 120 – with more to be awarded by year's end. It’s with Raintree’s expertise that these astounding results were possible. 

And it’s not just that Raintree is bringing the brand a plethora of leads; these leads are quality, suitable candidates that turn into franchisees. The company takes the time to understand the kind of person Dog Training Elite wants as an owner and connects them with those individuals. 

“Their vetting process is phenomenal. It's really exciting that we have a 100% closure and approval rate of everyone we wanted to bring on, which is only possible because Raintree is sending the right people,” said Rosequist.

“Some brands will try to turn any prospect into an owner,” whether they are a great fit or not, because “they invest a lot of time and money in talking with them,” Rosequist explained. But Raintree makes sure to be very methodical in who they select as an eligible franchisee candidate, which has led to amazing owners coming aboard.

“Other groups would not want us to deny clients if they are a bad fit. Raintree valued our brand more than others and understood we want to grow the brand with the right franchise partners,” said Rosequist.” If we just accept anyone, it could lead to validation challenges down the road, and Raintree was totally aligned with us on that.”

Rosequist appreciates that the franchise sales company is committed to forming a long-standing relationship with Dog Training Elite and getting to know the brand, its values and its visions. They have been working with the same account manager and development director since partnering with Raintree, meaning they are truly integrated in its operations. 

“Raintree’s approach is to go slow initially, and spend the time developing the dream franchise owner avatar. We want to make sure we only award franchises to people who are a clear match in terms of demographics, psychographics, skillsets and perhaps most importantly, culture,” Raintree Founder and CEO Brent Dowling notes. “Dog Training Elite shares our vision for playing the long game, and because of their initial patience, they are winning big in year 2. It’s a real honor to be able to play a small part in their success.”

To learn more about Raintree, visit https://raintreegrowth.com