1851

Mike Gould, then NYPD officer, was sitting in his police cruiser one night in 1979 having the same argument he would have with his shift partner they had every night—what were they going to eat for dinner? An announcement came on that the NYPD was looking for officers to launch the city’s first-ever K9 Unit. “My partner and I were fighting like an old married couple,” Gould joked. “I thought to myself, ‘I’m never going to have to argue about what I have for dinner ever again if my partner is a dog.’”It seemed like pure happenstance, but Gould’s work with dogs evolved into both a true love for canine companions and a 40-plus year career. Since that fateful day, Gould has been working with animals in some capacity, from the NYPD, to the military, to his work today with the friendly canine care brand he founded: <a href="https://www.houndstownfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-founder-mike-goulds-rich-experience-in-military-canine-handling-and-k9-training-with-the-nypd-sets-hounds-town-usa-apart-2711668" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Hounds Town USA</a>. Thanks to Gould’s extensive background in canine psychology, behavior and training, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/houndstownusa">Hounds Town USA</a> has emerged as a doggie daycare franchise that’s way out in front of the pack.“Our approach to animal grouping and interaction is different, and we make it as simple as possible for franchisees,” said Gould, who, since founding Hounds Town in 2001, has overseen the care of over 1.5 million dogs. “I’ve essentially been working in a laboratory of dog behavior for the past 30 years,” he said. The franchise support team behind Hounds Town—which, along with Founder &amp; CEO Gould includes President Jackie Bondanza—is incredibly invested in the success of the brand’s franchisees.&nbsp;In 1973 and before joining the NYPD, Gould enlisted in the military toward the end of the Vietnam War. He spent two years in active duty and has been in the reserves ever since. Shortly after 9/11, Gould was deployed to Naples, Italy with the military dog program, where he spent almost a year working extensively with military working dogs.&nbsp;“Dogs are simple,” said Gould of his unique approach to doggie daycare. “Humans complicate dogs, but at Hounds Town we just want to give them a place where they can truly be dogs.” Gould went on to say that if there is anything he has learned from his extensive background in&nbsp; canine behavioral studies, it is that respect is key.&nbsp;“Dogs have been around for 500,000 years, and they really haven’t evolved much since then,” said Gould. “We share a lot of similarities, but dogs are much closer to wolves than humans. They have mammalian brains and expressive personalities, but dogs don’t have the same capacity for judgement, hate or discrimination that humans do. For this reason, social interaction with dogs is all about respecting them, not acting like their master,” said Gould. “At Hounds Town, dogs are grouped in such a way that that they can be themselves. They are free from the constraints of a domestic environment, and we never use corrections or prohibitions.” Gould said that the moment a dog steps into the doors of one of Hounds Town’s playrooms, they are relieved of any pressures of the outside world.Hounds Town USA isn’t just a fun and rewarding business, but a <a href="https://1851franchise.com/houndstownusa/husband-and-wife-team-sign-three-unit-deal-to-bring-hounds-town-usa-to-orlando-2710400#brand-latest-stories">great franchise opportunity</a> for <a href="https://1851franchise.com/houndstownusa/farmingdale-hounds-town-usa-franchisees-open-second-location-in-hicksville-2709640#brand-latest-stories">candidates who are interested in investing in a truly special doggie daycare experience</a>. Hounds Town USA offers services including doggie daycare, overnight boarding, grooming and pet transportation all within a tried-and-true business model with nearly 20 years of success behind it.&nbsp;Because of the training that Gould provides to franchisees, Hounds Town USA does not breed discriminate. “Really great animals that would be turned away from other daycare centers are welcomed at Hounds Town, which is ultimately great for the business of our owners,” said Gould. “The way that we group animals is not just based strictly on size or temperament, but on a more complex personality assessment. Many of our competitors don’t understand the fundamental behaviors of pack animals—that’s not the case at Hounds Town.”

How Founder Mike Gould's Rich Experience in Military Canine Handling and K9 Training with the NYPD Sets Hounds Town USA Apart

1851 Franchise

The doggie daycare concept is a leading franchise in the industry thanks to Gould’s 40+ years of experience in canine behavior training. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

how-founder-mike-goulds-rich-experience-in-military-canine-handling-and-k9-training-with-the-nypd-sets-hounds-town-usa-apart

Mosquito Squad Plus

How This Marine Corps Veteran Found Freedom and Purpose With Mosquito Squad

how-this-marine-corps-veteran-found-freedom-and-purpose-with-mosquito-squad

Spadea Lignana Franchise Attorneys

How The DeFelice Brothers Turned a $10,000 Loan Into an Award-Winning Franchise With Help From Spadea Lignana

how-the-defelice-brothers-turned-a-10000-loan-into-an-award-winning-franchise-with-help-from-spadea-lignana

Caring Transitions

How This Gilbert Entrepreneur Found Purpose Helping Families Through Life’s Transitions

how-this-gilbert-entrepreneur-found-purpose-helping-families-through-lifes-transitions

USA Ninja Challenge

Where Passion Meets Purpose: USA Ninja Challenge Gives Franchisees the Power to Change Lives

where-passion-meets-purpose-usa-ninja-challenge-gives-franchisees-the-power-to-change-lives

SweatHouz

From Finance to Wellness: Natalie Siewers’ Path to Leading SweatHouz in Northern Virginia

sweathouz-franchise-northern-virginia-natalie-siewers

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Thursday 1851 Franchise Agg - NASAA’s Noncompete Push

NASAA’s Noncompete Push Puts Franchise Growth on Uncertain Ground

franchise-noncompete-nasaa-advisory-reasonableness-standard

How a Steady Economy Could Help Franchisors Plan Their Next Move

how-a-steady-economy-could-help-franchisors-plan-their-next-move

Bed Bath & Beyond - Franchise Expansion - Retail Strategy - 1851 Franchise

Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Franchise Model as Part of Comeback Strategy

bed-bath-beyond-franchise-expansion-retail-strategy

Senior Entrepreneurship - Franchising - 1851 Franchise

Senior Entrepreneurship Is Rising — And Franchising Is a Key Outlet

senior-entrepreneurship-franchising-silver-startups

U.S. Government Shutdown - Impact on Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Government Shutdown Stalls SBA Loans: How the Shutdown Could Impact Franchises

government-shutdown-impacts-sba-loans-tourism-franchises

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Subway Franchisees Resist Expensive Remodel Directives

subway-franchisees-resist-expensive-remodel-directives

Friendly’s Parent Company Acquired by Multi-Unit Franchisee as More Owners Take the Lead in Brand Acquisitions 

friendlys-parent-company-acquired-by-multi-unit-franchisee-as-more-owners-take-the-lead-in-brand-acquisitions

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

How Founder Mike Gould's Rich Experience in Military Canine Handling and K9 Training with the NYPD Sets Hounds Town USA Apart

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS