1851

<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-gantkowski-3132681b6/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-shawn-gantkowski-dog-training-elite-charlotte-nc-2715169" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Shawn Gantkowski</u></a> built a 20-year career in the car business, working in service management for a dealership. But Gantkowski’s true passion — one he shares with his wife and two daughters —&nbsp;has always been for dogs. Now, Gantkowski is leaving his career in cars to turn his love for animals into his own business as one of the newest franchisees with <a href="https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-shawn-gantkowski-dog-training-elite-charlotte-nc-2715169" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u><span class="brand-highlight">Dog Training Elite*</span></u></a>, a 10-plus-unit dog-training franchise that empowers pet owners with the skills and resources to raise happy, well-mannered pups.</p><p>The Gantkowski family opened their Dog Training Elite business in Kannapolis, North Carolina on February 4, and they have already found an enthusiastic customer base of eager dog owners throughout the Charlotte Metro area.</p><h4>1851 Franchise: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What did you do before franchising?</h4><p>Shawn Gantkowski: My family and I live in Kannapolis, North Carolina. My wife Sharon and I have two daughters, Angela and Addison, and three dogs. Our oldest daughter, Angela, just graduated from Appalachian State University. Addison is working hard in middle school and loves all the puppies she gets to be around.</p><p>I grew up in a blue-collar family, and we did not have a lot. As a result of that, I knew that I wanted to provide my family with everything I could. I worked in the automotive industry most of my career at car dealerships and I would find myself working six-to-seven days a week. Car dealerships are a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of career, so when success is measured on a spreadsheet, I felt like I always had to perform better and work harder.&nbsp;</p><p>I felt like I was going down a road that allowed me to provide for my family and give them the best life possible, but I saw my family starting to go in separate directions, and I felt like my work was taking me away from them. I lost my job in July of 2020 and wanted to start fresh and find a career that would allow me to have a better work-life balance. We’ve always wanted to do something as a family, and knowing how much we love our own three dogs a business surrounding dogs seemed like the perfect fit.</p><h4>1851: How did you initially find out about franchising, and why did you choose Dog Training Elite?</h4><p>Gantkowski: I was not in a rush to get back into the day-to-day grind of work. However, I did spend time on Indeed and was looking for roles where I would be comfortable, which was really just in the automotive industry. I realized that going back to what I was doing did not make a lot of sense, I wanted to have a better work-life balance. I sent my resume to different industries, but the one that caught my attention was a local dog trainer with a franchise brand in the area. We began to look into various dog training franchise opportunities until we came across Dog Training Elite. After we came across Dog Training Elite, our search ended — we knew we found what we had been looking for. The family-structured franchise with over 45 years of successful training theory, the support for their franchisees, and a philosophy of giving back to the community was just what we were looking for.</p><h4>1851: How did you decide you wanted to pursue this opportunity?</h4><p>Gantkowski: They have a very strong model, and the corporate support made us feel welcomed as first-time franchise owners. We then were connected with other franchise owners and had the chance to hear their stories. That’s what made us realize how special of an opportunity this was. The real deciding factor was the brand’s charitable efforts and the proven training methods that have allowed service dogs to save lives and who have helped veterans, first responders and children with special medical needs. The brand supports the<a href="https://www.themalinoisfoundation.org/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-shawn-gantkowski-dog-training-elite-charlotte-nc-2715169" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> <u>Malinois Foundation</u></a>, which heals and empowers these individuals with a specialized service animal who can become a partner in life and a new best friend. Naturally, having three dogs of our own we thought this would be a perfect fit for our family. I found that most dog trainers in the area had a three-month backlog, so I knew we would have an eager customer base.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: What excited you most about the potential?</h4><p>Gantkowski: We started this entire franchising process with Dog Training Elite before Thanksgiving 2020 and have noticed a drastic change in our family’s togetherness. We are all motivated to work together and get out of our comfort zones, which is good for us. It shows that we can do anything if we put our minds to it and strengthen our family bond. At the end of the day, my wife and I see this as an opportunity to help build and establish a legacy business for our daughters.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?</h4><p>Gantkowski: For us, this wasn’t a financial decision, but rather an opportunity for us to get out of our familiar pattern of life and do something we have always wanted to do. Dog Training Elite provides superior services that allow people to live their lives to the fullest. We have already been able to help people get out of their homes who were concerned about reintegrating into society after traumatic experiences with the help of their service dog. My wife Sharon’s favorite part of the business is the therapy aspect. Therapy dogs can go into rehabilitation centers and liven up the day for the whole facility. Dogs are also excellent listeners and are nonjudgmental. They can be a savior to anyone that needs someone to talk to. For us, our dreams are to bring a smile to the faces of as many people in our community with the assistance of our furry four-legged friends.&nbsp;</p><p>Charlotte is also growing like crazy. While we do have most of the Charlotte market covered, there could be opportunities further down the road to expand within the state.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: Have you seen much success with the business yet?</h4><p>Gantkowski: We had our soft opening on February 4, 2021, and we already have clients who we have helped reconnect with their dogs and push through their disobedient behaviors. One client said that he was going to rename his chocolate lab Tucker as it was a completely different dog after only one session! We will be hosting a grand opening later this spring or early in the summer.</p><h4>1851: What do you do in your personal time?</h4><p>Gantkowski: I really enjoy studying human consciousness. I am into yoga and meditation, which allows me to learn a lot about myself. I also spend lots of time with family and always like a good book to read when the house is quiet, which doesn’t happen often. And of course, taking in a Kannapolis Cannon Ballers baseball game whenever I can. I also enjoy educating my two daughters about life, even though they don’t always enjoy it so much. I think the appreciation for that comes later in life.</p><p><strong>ABOUT DOG TRAINING ELITE</strong></p><p>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, personal protection 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 <a href="https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-shawn-gantkowski-dog-training-elite-charlotte-nc-2715169" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise</u></a>.</p>

The Great Franchisee: Shawn Gantkowski, Dog Training Elite, Charlotte, NC

1851 Franchise

From car dealerships to canines: the Gantkowski family is turning their love for Animals into their next business venture.

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

the-great-franchisee-shawn-gantkowski-dog-training-elite-charlotte-nc

Shuckin' Shack

Photo of Shuckin' Shack team member and guests in restaurant

Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar Enters Q3 With 3 Openings on the Horizon, Growing Buzz Around Upcoming Fresh & Raw Tour

shuckin-shack-2025-growth

Pet Wants

The Power of Personalization: How Custom Nutrition Plans Drive Business Success at Pet Wants

the-power-of-personalization-how-custom-nutrition-plans-drive-business-success-at-pet-wants

Griswold

Griswold Franchisee Beth Copeland Featured in Entrepreneur Magazine

griswold-franchisee-beth-copeland-featured-in-entrepreneur-magazine

Fresh Coat

Photo of two Fresh Coat franchise owners wearing branded polos

How Fresh Coat Franchisees Scale Through Commercial and Multi-Family Projects

scale-painting-franchise-commercial-projects

Beansquad

Franchise Financial Health Check: BeanSquad’s Diagnostic Approach to Bookkeeping

franchise-financial-health-check-beansquads-diagnostic-approach-to-bookkeeping

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

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

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

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Keurig Dr Pepper Splits in $18 Billion JDE Peet’s Deal, Creating Global Coffee Giant

keurig-dr-pepper-splits-in-18-billion-jde-peets-deal-creating-global-coffee-giant

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

Young Entrepreneur Parth Patel Is Bringing Paris Baguette to the Cleveland Area

young-entrepreneur-parth-patel-is-bringing-paris-baguette-to-the-cleveland-area

graphic for a spotlight from 1851 franchise featuring Kevin Rarick from caring transitions

Army Veteran Returns Home To Launch Caring Transitions Franchise in Reading, Pennsylvania

kevin-rarick-caring-transitions-reading-pa

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Cleaning Franchises Offer Stability and Scalability in a Changing Economic Landscape

cleaning-franchises-offer-stability-and-scalability-in-a-changing-economic-landscape

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

The Great Franchisee: Shawn Gantkowski, Dog Training Elite, Charlotte, NC

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS