Jason Strohmaier has always loved dogs. He grew up on a farm where they had more than a dozen at a time, running off-leash and forming the backdrop of his childhood. Over the years, no matter what else he was doing — helping with his family’s construction business or working in e-commerce — dog training was something he kept coming back to.
When he discovered Dog Training Elite through his work as a franchise consultant, everything clicked. It gave him the chance to combine his experience in franchising with something he truly enjoyed. Today, Strohmaier owns seven Dog Training Elite territories across Southern Connecticut, with two more in development. With a growing team and a strong connection to the brand’s community, he’s building something that’s both fulfilling and built to last.
1851 Franchise spoke to Strohmaier about his franchise journey and plans for the future. Here’s what he had to say.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Jason Strohmaier: Before franchising, I did a multitude of other things. My family owns a contracting firm. They do general contracting for private custom homes, residences — those sorts of things. I’ve worked with them on and off over the years. In between, I worked for an e-commerce company selling supplements online and running nutrition challenges throughout the country. But I’ve always done dog training on the side, just kind of as a side hustle. I really enjoyed it.
I grew up on a farm during the first part of my life, and at one point, we had 10 or 15 dogs running around off-leash. I’ve always had a love for animals and all the different types of breeds we had on the farm. That love for dogs just carried over after we moved — I’ve always had dogs throughout middle school, high school and beyond. I’m also a graduate of Fairfield University here in Connecticut, so I’m educated in the state.
1851: How did you decide a Dog Training Elite franchise made sense for you?
Strohmaier: One of my side hustles — because I like to keep busy — was franchise consulting. That gave me the chance to see a wide range of franchise opportunities. I’ve always been infatuated with the franchising space and the numbers I would see on the back end, how things worked and so on.
I’ve always wanted to run and own my own business. With my love for dogs, my experience helping people with their dogs and training dogs in the past, I decided to give this a full-time shot. It just felt like the right fit.
1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Strohmaier: My perception was always what most people think of when they hear the word “franchise” — McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's. I always thought those were franchises — and they are — but I didn’t really think beyond that. Once I became a franchise consultant and started seeing all these other franchises, it really opened my eyes. There’s a whole world of businesses out there operating under the franchise model that people don’t even realize.
It piqued my interest to see what else was out there beyond the typical restaurants. Even just driving around after I became a franchise consultant, I started noticing businesses that I never knew were franchises. It really changed the way I saw the industry. I was always interested in it, and being on calls with people exploring franchising gave me a deeper understanding of how operations work and what it takes to be successful.
As for what I want people to know now that I’m in it — franchising is like any other business. You still have to put in the work. There’s no easy path. Franchising doesn’t mean automatic success, but it does mean you have more support. You have people who’ve done this before — your corporate team and fellow franchisees — who you can turn to for insight, help fixing problems or speeding up solutions. That shared knowledge really helps with the growing pains.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Strohmaier: I picked Dog Training Elite because they were an up-and-coming brand at the time I joined. Being able to get into the dog training space without having to open a facility right away really stood out to me — that was a big factor in my decision.
What really sealed the deal was getting on the phone with other franchisees and listening to their recorded calls. Hearing their answers to certain questions, getting their perspectives and learning about the level of support they received — it all showed me that this was more than just a business. It felt like a real community, and that definitely solidified my interest in Dog Training Elite.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Strohmaier: Well, like any entrepreneur or business owner, I hope to grow the business beyond just myself — and I’m already at that point. I’ve got an admin and other trainers on board. The next step is eventually opening a physical location, and from there, expanding to multiple locations throughout the state.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Strohmaier: I just really love training dogs. I love helping people and seeing the smile on their faces when we finish training — seeing how far their dog has come throughout the process. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also hard work.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Strohmaier: Make sure you find something you really love to do — something you’re passionate about. Like I said, there’s no easy path. It’s going to be work, so be ready for that. But if you enjoy what you’re doing, it makes the hard work worth it.
ABOUT DOG TRAINING ELITE
With more than four decades of experience in dog training, Dog Training Elite is one of the country’s leading obedience and specialized training franchises. Offering a comprehensive suite of customizable training programs, Dog Training Elite works with dogs and owners to meet any and all training needs, including therapy dog training and advanced service dog training for PTSD support, psychiatric support, mobility support, autism support, diabetic alert training and an array of other services. In addition to the wide breadth of services offered, Dog Training Elite differentiates itself from competitors through a uniquely human-focused approach to dog training, which focuses on helping owners and their families learn to effectively and consistently support their dog’s training needs. To learn more about franchising with the Franchise 500 Dog Training Elite, visit https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise.
Dog Training Elite
SPONSORED
After growing up on a farm surrounded by dogs, Jason Strohmaier now owns seven Dog Training Elite territories in Southern Connecticut — with two more on the way.
Jason Strohmaier has always loved dogs. He grew up on a farm where they had more than a dozen at a time, running off-leash and forming the backdrop of his childhood. Over the years, no matter what else he was doing — helping with his family’s construction business or working in e-commerce — dog training was something he kept coming back to.
When he discovered Dog Training Elite through his work as a franchise consultant, everything clicked. It gave him the chance to combine his experience in franchising with something he truly enjoyed. Today, Strohmaier owns seven Dog Training Elite territories across Southern Connecticut, with two more in development. With a growing team and a strong connection to the brand’s community, he’s building something that’s both fulfilling and built to last.
1851 Franchise spoke to Strohmaier about his franchise journey and plans for the future. Here’s what he had to say.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Jason Strohmaier: Before franchising, I did a multitude of other things. My family owns a contracting firm. They do general contracting for private custom homes, residences — those sorts of things. I’ve worked with them on and off over the years. In between, I worked for an e-commerce company selling supplements online and running nutrition challenges throughout the country. But I’ve always done dog training on the side, just kind of as a side hustle. I really enjoyed it.
I grew up on a farm during the first part of my life, and at one point, we had 10 or 15 dogs running around off-leash. I’ve always had a love for animals and all the different types of breeds we had on the farm. That love for dogs just carried over after we moved — I’ve always had dogs throughout middle school, high school and beyond. I’m also a graduate of Fairfield University here in Connecticut, so I’m educated in the state.
1851: How did you decide a Dog Training Elite franchise made sense for you?
Strohmaier: One of my side hustles — because I like to keep busy — was franchise consulting. That gave me the chance to see a wide range of franchise opportunities. I’ve always been infatuated with the franchising space and the numbers I would see on the back end, how things worked and so on.
I’ve always wanted to run and own my own business. With my love for dogs, my experience helping people with their dogs and training dogs in the past, I decided to give this a full-time shot. It just felt like the right fit.
1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Strohmaier: My perception was always what most people think of when they hear the word “franchise” — McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's. I always thought those were franchises — and they are — but I didn’t really think beyond that. Once I became a franchise consultant and started seeing all these other franchises, it really opened my eyes. There’s a whole world of businesses out there operating under the franchise model that people don’t even realize.
It piqued my interest to see what else was out there beyond the typical restaurants. Even just driving around after I became a franchise consultant, I started noticing businesses that I never knew were franchises. It really changed the way I saw the industry. I was always interested in it, and being on calls with people exploring franchising gave me a deeper understanding of how operations work and what it takes to be successful.
As for what I want people to know now that I’m in it — franchising is like any other business. You still have to put in the work. There’s no easy path. Franchising doesn’t mean automatic success, but it does mean you have more support. You have people who’ve done this before — your corporate team and fellow franchisees — who you can turn to for insight, help fixing problems or speeding up solutions. That shared knowledge really helps with the growing pains.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Strohmaier: I picked Dog Training Elite because they were an up-and-coming brand at the time I joined. Being able to get into the dog training space without having to open a facility right away really stood out to me — that was a big factor in my decision.
What really sealed the deal was getting on the phone with other franchisees and listening to their recorded calls. Hearing their answers to certain questions, getting their perspectives and learning about the level of support they received — it all showed me that this was more than just a business. It felt like a real community, and that definitely solidified my interest in Dog Training Elite.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Strohmaier: Well, like any entrepreneur or business owner, I hope to grow the business beyond just myself — and I’m already at that point. I’ve got an admin and other trainers on board. The next step is eventually opening a physical location, and from there, expanding to multiple locations throughout the state.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Strohmaier: I just really love training dogs. I love helping people and seeing the smile on their faces when we finish training — seeing how far their dog has come throughout the process. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also hard work.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Strohmaier: Make sure you find something you really love to do — something you’re passionate about. Like I said, there’s no easy path. It’s going to be work, so be ready for that. But if you enjoy what you’re doing, it makes the hard work worth it.
ABOUT DOG TRAINING ELITE
With more than four decades of experience in dog training, Dog Training Elite is one of the country’s leading obedience and specialized training franchises. Offering a comprehensive suite of customizable training programs, Dog Training Elite works with dogs and owners to meet any and all training needs, including therapy dog training and advanced service dog training for PTSD support, psychiatric support, mobility support, autism support, diabetic alert training and an array of other services. In addition to the wide breadth of services offered, Dog Training Elite differentiates itself from competitors through a uniquely human-focused approach to dog training, which focuses on helping owners and their families learn to effectively and consistently support their dog’s training needs. To learn more about franchising with the Franchise 500 Dog Training Elite, visit https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise.
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