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

Shawn Gantkowski 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 — 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 Dog Training Elite*, a 10-plus-unit dog-training franchise that empowers pet owners with the skills and resources to raise happy, well-mannered pups.

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.

1851 Franchise: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What did you do before franchising?

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.

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. 

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.

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising, and why did you choose Dog Training Elite?

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.

1851: How did you decide you wanted to pursue this opportunity?

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 Malinois Foundation, 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. 

1851: What excited you most about the potential?

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. 

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

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. 

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. 

1851: Have you seen much success with the business yet?

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.

1851: What do you do in your personal time?

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.

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, 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 https://dogtrainingelite.com/franchise.