1851

Lauren Duffy still remembers feeling nervous the first time she dropped off her four-month-old puppy, Willy, at doggie daycare. At the time, Duffy worked as a medical sales representative for Quest Diagnostics Inc., and like many hard-working pet owners, she looked to <a href="https://www.houndstownfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-former-hounds-town-usa-client-became-a-franchise-owner-2707214" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hounds Town USA</a> for help when it came to giving Willy the attention and care he deserved.

Over the past decade, doggie daycare and boarding facilities have grown in popularity due to the fact that &lsquo;man&rsquo;s best friend&rsquo; has evolved from being a wonderful distraction to an integral part of the family; many professionals who commute to the office, work long hours and hold rigorous travel schedules could not afford to keep their furry family members without the help of facilities like&nbsp;<a href="http://www.houndstownfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-former-hounds-town-usa-client-became-a-franchise-owner-2707214" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hounds Town USA</a>. &ldquo;I remember being apprehensive the first time I dropped Willy off at doggie daycare because of how young he was, but I quickly became comfortable because I could see how excited he would get when we would pull up to the front door,&rdquo; remembers Duffy.

For five years, daily daycare drop off become a regular activity for Duffy and Willy; in October 2016, an interesting opportunity came knocking on Duffy&rsquo;s door that redirected their routine. Through word of mouth, Duffy discovered that her doggie care center, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/houndstownusa" target="_blank">Hounds Town USA</a>, was expanding through franchising and her interest was piqued.

&ldquo;At the time I was considering a different career path and relishing in the chance to think outside the box,&rdquo; said Duffy, &ldquo;and when I heard they were opening more locations on Long Island, NY, I became interested in learning more about Hounds Town USA from the perspective of a potential franchisee.&rdquo;

Hounds Town USA&rsquo;s founder, Mike Gould, started the doggie daycare and boarding facility in 2001 &ldquo;almost by accident,&rdquo; recalls Jackie Bondanza, President of Hounds Town USA. When Gould retired after 40 years as the Commanding Officer of the Nassau County Police Department and the head of the Military Working Dog program, he quickly identified a unique business opportunity that would allow him to continue his work with dogs while supporting his local community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gould&rsquo;s experience, coupled with the brand&rsquo;s focus on community support, were among the deciding factors that helped Duffy invest in herself to become one of Hounds Town USA&rsquo;s first franchisees. Since opening her location in September 2017, Duffy has seen firsthand how owning a Hounds Town USA quickly became less of a job and more of a lifestyle. &nbsp;

&ldquo;I had originally planned to keep my medical sales job and run my location, but two weeks after opening, I decided to completely focus on&nbsp;Hounds Town USA and I&rsquo;ve never looked back,&rdquo; said Duffy.

Gould began franchising his doggie daycare and boarding facility in 2014 after selling two of three of the original Hounds Town USA locations to former employees, and a former customer. &ldquo;I think it speaks volumes about the brand that our first two franchisees were former employees and a former customer,&rdquo; said Bondanza. &ldquo;Giving someone who started as an entry-level pooper-scooper the opportunity to realize their dream of becoming a business owner and seeing them run a location that will gross nearly one million dollars after several years in business is exciting; there is no better validation for the brand in our eyes.&rdquo;

With six current locations and three scheduled to open over the next several months, the brand continues to see great growth momentum; Bondanza attributes the brand&rsquo;s success to reasonable pricing and Hounds Town USA&rsquo;s focus on the &ldquo;true client,&rdquo; the dogs. &ldquo;A lot of other pet care places are focusing on lavish d&eacute;cor and not the needs of the dogs. We will pet your dog for free! The concept of requiring an upcharge for something like a belly rub is not something we do and our customers appreciate that,&rdquo; said Bondanza.

Another differentiator that sets Hounds Town USA apart from competitors is the choice not to discriminate against dog breeds that have been coined as &lsquo;aggressive.&rsquo; In fact, &ldquo;bully breeds&rdquo; account for nearly 20 percent of the entire dog population. A significant portion of Hounds Town USA&rsquo;s dog population is breeds that are otherwise rejected from other doggie daycare facilities. &ldquo;We accept any dog no matter the breed, as long as they pass our temperament evaluation. Some of our most friendly dogs are the breeds that are discriminated against like Pit Bulls, Dobermans, and German Shepherds,&rdquo; said Duffy.

Duffy has enjoyed the flexibility that comes with running her own business and plans to use her seasoned sales skills to start creating more brand awareness within Island Park and surrounding communities. &ldquo;I get to see the hard work I put in pay off on a daily basis by seeing how happy my staff is and how happy the dogs are when I walk through the door,&rdquo; said Duffy.

How A Former Hounds Town USA Client Became a Franchise Owner 

1851 Franchise

After eight years in medical sales, Lauren Duffy opened her first business with doggie daycare brand

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-a-former-hounds-town-usa-client-became-a-franchise-owner

Right at Home

photo featuring Right at Home caregiver walking outdoors with a client

Right at Home Pilots 24/7 Virtual Nursing Support for Dementia Patients

right-at-home-pilots-247-virtual-nursing-support-for-dementia-patients

Sola Salons

photo of a hairstylist, wearing all black, blow drying a client's long, blonde hair

How Franchisees Create Legacies With the Solapreneur Model

how-franchisees-create-legacies-with-the-solapreneur-model

Preservan

photo of JW Ferguson, wearing khakis and a blue shirt, standing in front of his Preservan vehicle

Business Observer: Entrepreneur Aims To Restore Rotted Structures With New Franchise

business-observer-entrepreneur-aims-to-restore-rotted-structures-with-new-franchise

Melting Pot

photo of an iphone showing a melting pot tiktok ad

How Melting Pot’s Digital Innovation Drives Franchisee Success

how-melting-pots-digital-innovation-drives-franchisee-success

Senior Care Authority

Why Senior Care Authority Is a Great Franchise Option for a Family Business

why-senior-care-authority-is-a-great-franchise-option-for-a-family-business

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 Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

Login

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Proposed Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China Could Reshape U.S. Franchising Landscape

proposed-tariffs-on-mexico-canada-and-china-could-reshape-us-franchising-landscape

DeepSeek - Is DeepSeek Coming for Your Franchise? - Editorial - 1851 Franchise

Editorial: Is DeepSeek Coming for Your Franchise? 

is-deepseek-coming-for-your-franchise

1851 Agg - Empower Brands 6 Franchises Named to FBR's 2025 Top Franchises List - 1851 Franchise

Empower Brands Celebrates Six Franchises Named to Franchise Business Review’s 2025 Top Franchises List

empower-brands-celebrates-six-franchises-named-to-franchise-business-reviews-2025-top-franchises-list

DOJ FTC Antitrust Guidelines - Franchise News - 1851 Franchise

DOJ and FTC Issue New Antitrust Guidelines with Implications for Franchising

doj-and-ftc-issue-new-antitrust-guidelines-with-implications-for-franchising

Paris Baguette Ranks Among Top Franchises on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Paris Baguette Ranks Among Top Franchises on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® for 2025

paris-baguette-ranks-among-top-franchises-on-entrepreneurs-franchise-500-for-2025

Navy Supply Officer Purchases Right at Home Franchise in Virginia Beach 

navy-supply-officer-purchases-right-at-home-franchise-in-virginia-beach

Newlyweds Open Paris Baguette Franchise to Serve Up Fresh Baked Goods in Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania

Newlyweds Open Paris Baguette Franchise to Serve Up Fresh Baked Goods and Community Spirit in Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania

newlyweds-open-paris-baguette-franchise-to-serve-up-fresh-baked-goods-and-community-spirit-in-upper-dublin-pennsylvania

Lucas Hamm Brings Compassionate Care to Eagan, Minnesota with Right at Home Franchise

lucas-hamm-brings-compassionate-care-to-eagan-minnesota-with-right-at-home-franchise

Right at Home Comes to Long Beach, Driven by Franchisee’s Personal Experience in Caregiving

right-at-home-comes-to-long-beach-driven-by-franchisees-personal-experience-in-caregiving

How A Former Hounds Town USA Client Became a Franchise Owner

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS