The Great Franchisee | Henderson, Nevada Locals Open Dog Training Elite to Support the Veterans and Pet Owners of the Community

After 16 years in the construction industry, Colin O’Keefe was ready to transition into a career that allowed for more time with his family and opportunities to give back to the Henderson, Nevada community they lived in. It wasn’t long after Colin and his wife, Celeste, began researching franchise opportunities that they discovered Dog Training Elite*, the dog obedience and specialized training franchise. The brand stood out to them because of its customizable training programs, community involvement, and specialized training for service dogs for veterans with PTSD.

The couple immediately connected with the brand. Their own family had a dog for 15 years, and they knew the struggles of having a dog that isn’t properly socialized and trained. The O’Keefes are excited to use their experiences and training to help others with dogs in the Henderson and Boulder City communities correct behavioral issues similar to what they faced. 

1851 Franchise spoke with Colin and Celeste O’Keefe to learn more about their franchising journey with Dog Training Elite. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Colin O’Keefe: I’ve been in construction for the last 16 years. The last nine of those have been in with Solara plants as a safety manager. My job requires me to travel a lot, and that doesn’t work well for our family unit. We are very tight-knit and wanted a career that could be done closer to home. So Celeste and I started looking into business opportunities. Franchising was enticing to us because we would have the ability to be with the business day-to-day or be semi-absentee. 

Celeste: I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for the last 11 years for our two kids. We have an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old. I liked franchising because of the corporate support. Franchise brands also have systems in place that make the business models easier to execute. Not having to start a business from the ground up and learning as we go is a major leg up. 

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?

Colin: We thought of franchising as a business you pay for but still have a boss. It seemed very restrictive to us, but recently we’ve learned that there is a lot of flexibility with some brands. Dog Training Elite allows us to have the flexibility of business owners but with a support team behind us.

1851: What makes you stand out as business owners in your local community?

Celeste: We are family owned, and because of that, we will keep our customers’ families in mind as we train. We know how important the health, safety and happiness of family pets are to people, and we can’t wait to help people provide those things to their dogs. 

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Colin: We really loved their business model and everything the brand encourages, like volunteering and giving back to the community. They really care about their franchisees and not just collecting a paycheck. Dog Training Elite was small enough that we could have a one-on-one approach. I’m just excited to apply those concepts to the community here. The training we can provide gives dog owners much more freedom and confidence. It can change the lives of not only the dogs but the owners as well. 

Celeste: What really stood out to me was Dog Training Elite’s affiliation with the Malinois Foundation. Their support and connection to the communities they are a part of are just amazing. Dog Training Elite gives back and encourages that sense of community in its owners. I’m excited to be a part of my community with that mindset and to give dogs here a better life. We had a family dog for 15 years that recently passed away. We could hardly take them on walks because they pulled so much. We will be able to provide training and support to people in similar situations and that will allow them to better connect with their pets. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Colin: We really want to focus on contributing to the Malinois Foundation and helping local veterans find dogs that can support their PTSD. I want to be able to help them as much as we can. We’ll start with a few dogs for basic obedience and grow from there. 

Celeste: Ultimately, we would love to have a facility where we could have training camps and indoor group classes. That would give us the ability to help even more people. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Colin: Be teachable. The whole purpose of a franchise is to have a business while gaining support, so make sure you’re willing to take advantage of the support offered.

Celeste: Dog Training Elite is so welcoming. They truly make it easy to work with. When you choose to buy with Dog Training Elite, they welcome you with open arms. I would encourage people to franchise with them in a heartbeat.

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 Dog Training Elite, visit https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise.