Dog Training Elite, the dog training franchise founded in 1995, has successfully expanded to over 340 franchises across the U.S. by adopting a unique, in-home personalized training model. Unlike traditional dog training services that focus solely on the pet, Dog Training Elite emphasizes educating the owner, as well. 

"We found that keeping the one-on-one training was the secret," Dog Training Elite's CEO Mark Mestas told Entrepreneur Magazine. "The way we found is super successful is in-home, teaching people as much as you're teaching the dog."

The Dog Training Elite franchise has diversified its offerings to include seven standard and advanced training services, such as service dog training, therapy animal training and anxiety and aggression training. It has also ventured into adjacent revenue streams like dog daycare, which focuses on keeping dogs active rather than training them. This diversification has helped the company stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Dog Training Elite's approach to training service dogs is also noteworthy. According to KC Owens, the Director of Training, the company's personalized approach shortens the time it takes for the owner and the dog to get familiar with each other. This is especially crucial for service dogs, which require specialized training that can take up to two-and-a-half years to complete.

"So if you get a service where somebody else trained the dog for that two years, you're going to spend most likely another year and a half to two years, learning how somebody else trained your dog,” Owens told Entrepreneur. “But if you are doing the legwork day in, day out, you've learned as your dog learns."

Today, the dog training franchise market remains highly competitive, with low barriers to entry and varying state-by-state licensing requirements. However, Dog Training Elite stands out with an interesting franchisee selection criterion: They often prefer individuals with no prior dog training experience. In fact, 99% of Dog Training Elite franchisees have no prior training experience.

"When we get someone who comes in with no dog training experience, it's actually a lot easier, because they don't have bad habits and they are not stuck in a way that they can't get out of," Mestas told Entrepreneur. "A lot of trainers will come in and they have their own thing and they've developed their own way. We have developed a way that makes the training a lot easier on the family and the dog and has sped up the process, and a lot of trainers might not necessarily like that way."

Read the full article, here. 

The total investment necessary to begin the operation of a 3-territory Dog Training Elite franchise is $159,050 to $185,750. This includes $124,150 to $125,000 for a 3-territory franchise that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit www.1851franchise.com/dogtrainingelite/info