Woofie's

Woofies Founder Amy Addington on Scaling a National Pet Care Franchise

1851 Franchise

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Amy Addington, co-founder of the mobile pet care brand, shares how disciplined growth, premium service and the right franchise partners fueled expansion in a high-demand pet care category.

How Woofie’s Is Building a National Pet Care Brand Without Losing Its Local Heart

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Woofie’s Is Building the Full-Service Pet Care Franchise for Modern Pet Parents and Authority Brands Is Accelerating the Momentum

Woofie's Wraps Up 2025 With 25 Franchise Deals Signed, Expanding Into Major Metros Across the U.S.

How Woofie’s Rookie of the Year Franchisee Built a Thriving Pet Care Business in North Baltimore

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ASHBURN, Va.&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/">Woofie’s Pet Ventures</a>, the 95-unit pet care services franchise, closed out 2025 with strong franchise growth, signing 25 new franchise agreements and adding 27 territories across the United States. The growth reflects continued demand for Woofie's differentiated model and marks the brand's expansion into a mix of established and developing markets nationwide.Woofie’s remains the first and only franchise in the professional pet care services industry to offer a combined model of pet sitting, dog walking, and mobile pet spa services.&nbsp;“2025 was a productive year for our development efforts and for the brand as a whole,” said Woofie’s Co-Founder and President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amygerlacherreed/">Amy Addington</a>. “We were able to grow our footprint while continuing to focus on supporting our franchise owners and maintaining consistency across the system.”Throughout the year, Woofie’s added franchise territories in North Dallas, North Fort Worth, Cypress and Austin, Texas; Mesa and North Scottsdale, Arizona; Barrington, Illinois; Greater Warner Robins, Georgia; Farmington Hills, Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lakewood Ranch, Florida; Union, New Jersey; Frederick, Maryland; Fishers, Indiana; and the southeast Portland metro area in Oregon.In addition to development growth, Woofie’s received strong franchisee feedback in&nbsp;<a href="https://tour.franchisebusinessreview.com/franchisee-satisfaction/">Franchise Business Review’s 2025 Franchise Owner Satisfaction Survey</a>, outperforming industry benchmarks in areas including leadership, training, operations, and ongoing support.Woofie’s was also named a recipient of&nbsp;<a href="https://franserve.com/fran-tastic-brands/w/">FranServe’s 2025 FRAN-TASTIC Brand Award</a>, which recognizes franchise brands for overall performance and franchisee support. Addington was also named one of&nbsp;<a href="https://fdm.franchisedictionarymagazine.com/books/rqos/#p=73">Franchise Dictionary Magazine’s 2025 Women of Wonder</a>.“These recognitions reflect the feedback we receive directly from our franchise owners,” Addington said. “Their experience and engagement are central to how we evaluate our progress and make decisions about the future of the brand.”Looking ahead to 2026, Woofie’s plans to continue expanding its national presence while maintaining a measured approach to growth.“Our focus remains on responsible expansion and ensuring new franchise owners are set up for long-term growth,” Addington said. “We are continuing to see opportunities to bring the Woofie's model into additional markets.”ABOUT WOOFIE’SFounded in 2004 and franchising since 2018, Woofie’s is the first and only franchise in the professional pet care services industry to offer combined services of pet sitting, dog walking, and mobile pet spa services. Woofie’s is further set apart by its completely customizable services and focus on customer service. Today, there are 60 locations open and operating in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The first and only pet care franchise offering pet sitting, dog walking, and mobile pet spa services reported strong 2025 results and plans continued national expansion in 2026.

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Pet care is no longer a "nice-to-have" category - it's a lifestyle category. Pet parents want trusted professionals and services that fit seamlessly into their busy schedules. That's where&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/">Woofie’s</a>, the full-service mobile pet care franchise, wins.“One of the biggest differentiators is our full-service mobile pet care,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwilsoncfe/">Jordan Wilson</a>, Chief Development Officer at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.authoritybrands.com/">Authority Brands</a>. “Woofie’s blends pet grooming, dog walking, and pet sitting, so it stands apart from concepts that focus on only one service line.”And the timing matters. Woofie's is no longer a small but emerging concept proving its model - it's a scaled, award-recognized brand, positioned for accelerated growth with the support and infrastructure of Authority Brands behind it.<h2>A Brand Built on Trust, Grown Through Service</h2>Woofie’s was founded in 2004 in Ashburn, Virginia, by neighbors&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/blog/women-in-the-pet-care-industry/">Amy Addington and Leslie Barron</a>, two corporate professionals who saw a gap in their own community for reliable pet care. What began with walking a single dog for $10 quickly grew as word spread among local pet parents who valued trust, consistency, and personalized care. As demand increased, the founders expanded beyond dog walking into pet sitting — including overnight and 24-hour care — and later into mobile pet grooming.Over the next decade, Woofie’s earned regional and national recognition for service excellence, including being named one of the Top 100 Small Businesses in the U.S. by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and appearing on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2017/12/21/woofies-is-looking-for-their-next-dog-groomer.html">CNBC’s “The Job Interview”</a>.After years of refining the model in company-owned operations, Woofie’s launched franchising in 2018. A pivotal moment came in 2022, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/authority-brands-acquires-woofies-and-launches-emerging-brands-initiative-301467530.html">Woofie’s was acquired by Authority Brands</a>. Since joining the Authority Brands family, Woofie’s has accelerated development, expanded its national footprint, and strengthened its operational systems — positioning the brand to scale more confidently while staying true to the community-driven values that have guided it for more than 20 years.<h2>The Strength of the Woofie’s Mobile, Recurring Revenue Business Model</h2>One of Woofie’s greatest strengths as a franchise is the simplicity of its model. At its core, Woofie’s is a mobile, service-based business. That means franchisees avoid the expensive overhead and complex buildouts that come with traditional brick-and-mortar concepts. Instead of managing a storefront, owners focus on scheduling, staffing, and customer experience, allowing them to scale as demand grows in their territory.At the same time, Woofie’s is not dependent on a single service, nor is it selling a job as a groomer. The brand is explicit that aspiring owners do not need to be groomers to start. They need to be business-minded leaders who can build a team and follow the playbook. The brand combines&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/choosing-a-mobile-pet-grooming-franchise/">mobile pet grooming</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/dog-walking-franchise-opportunity/">dog walking</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/pet-sitting-franchise/">pet sitting</a> (including overnight and bed-and-biscuit care at a sitter’s house) to create recurring revenue streams within the same household. Grooming clients often become dog-walking or pet-sitting clients and vice versa, increasing lifetime customer value without requiring additional marketing spend. And because the brand serves recurring needs, customers have more reasons to stay engaged year-round.“Our franchisees are very heavily community involved,” Wilson said. “Sometimes they’ll go set up at events and have their mobile service. In other words, it’s not just a service business — it’s a neighborhood brand.”Just as important: Woofie’s isn’t selling a job as a groomer.&nbsp; Woofie’s positions itself as a lower-cost entry into pet services — the estimated initial investment ranges from approximately $180,423 to $294,651, as reported in Item 7 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. For many candidates, this hits the sweet spot: a business you can build and scale without the heavy buildout and long construction timelines of traditional brick-and-mortar concepts.<h2>The Backing and Support of Authority Brands</h2>Looking ahead, Woofie’s is well-positioned to leverage the emotional pull of pet care, along with the operational support of a multi-brand franchisor. As part of Authority Brands’ portfolio, Woofie’s can lean into shared resources, proven playbooks, and growth expertise to support franchisees."The operations and support team is very in tune with our network and works one-on-one with our owners,” Wilson said. “They involve their franchise owners, and they utilize them for best practices to ensure we’re offering the best product to our clients." And in pet care, the product is trust. Woofie’s protects that trust with training and standards designed to professionalize service delivery across markets. The brand’s partnership with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.akc.org/">American Kennel Club (AKC)</a>, for example, gives Woofie’s teams and franchisees access to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.akc.org/products-services/akc-safe-grooming-program/">AKC S.A.F.E. Grooming Program</a> and standardized safety training and certification pathways. Additionally, the brand also has premium strategic partnerships with Vet Telehealth and The Farmer’s Dog, elevating service quality and brand trust.“The fact that all of Woofie’s support team is so accessible has exceeded our expectations, and this gives us great confidence,” said Teferi Dejene, owner of Woofie's South Riding, Virginia.<h2>Why Now: The Category Is Rising and Woofie’s Is Still Wide Open</h2>The<a href="https://americanpetproducts.org/industry-trends-and-stats"> amount spent on pets in the U.S.&nbsp;</a>(products and services) in the last year was over $128 billion. Pet grooming, once an afterthought, has become a consistent, high-value service. The United States&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-pet-grooming-services-market-report">pet grooming market&nbsp;</a>is now worth over $2 billion, with the global market topping $6.89 billion.&nbsp;And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics">with over 96 million households owning at least one pet</a> and pet care spending continuing to climb, pet parents are spending more on services, not less. Convenience is also becoming a deciding factor. Woofie’s is built to capitalize on that shift."The mobile grooming spa concept has exploded in popularity, largely driven by the shifting work landscape,” said Wilson. “The need for a convenient service like this is highly correlated with people transitioning back to the office after working from home."At the same time, Woofie’s remains in an expansion phase with meaningful territory availability, giving early- to mid-stage owners the chance to enter while whitespace still exists, but with a concept that’s already proven and supported at scale. The brand is currently prioritizing expansion in Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; San Antonio, TX; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; and Charlotte, NC.So, who is the brand looking for?&nbsp;“Woofie’s is a fantastic business opportunity for the right person — someone who loves pets but understands that success comes from running it like a professional operation,” Wilson said. “You don’t have to be a groomer, but you absolutely have to be ready to be a business owner. If that sounds like what you are looking for, Woofie’s is an amazing opportunity in the booming pet care industry.”For more information, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/">https://ownawoofies.com/</a>.

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With mobile grooming, dog walking, and pet sitting under one brand, Woofie’s delivers multiple revenue streams and a convenience-first customer experience.

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When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-he-him-gludt-01476741">Rob</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelley-gludt-9813862b7">Kelley Gludt</a> decided it was time for “one more chapter,” they realized it didn’t mean they had to start from scratch. Instead, they could return to something that had always been part of their story: entrepreneurship.Before joining&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/">Woofie’s</a>, Rob and Kelley built diverse and complementary careers across multiple industries. Kelley worked as an editor before spending 20 years as a rabbi. Rob’s career spanned a wide range of hands-on and operational roles, including fire prevention, meat cutting, tour guiding, delivery driving, and product specialization. Together, they also had prior experience as small-business owners and franchisees early in their marriage.“Rob and I owned a franchise when we first married back in the early 1990s. We had already been small business owners,” Kelley said. “Then our careers went in very different directions. One day we looked at each other and said: ‘It’s time for something new.’”That decision led them to launch their&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/woofies/info">Woofie’s</a> franchise in North Baltimore in the summer of 2024, and less than a year later, they earned the brand’s Rookie of the Year award.<h2>A Family-Driven Return to Business Ownership</h2>For the Gludts, the decision to return to business ownership was about intention. “When we decided we wanted to get back into business together, we had some experience in franchising,” Kelley said. “Since this is going to be the last hurrah for us, we knew we didn’t have two to five years to figure it out ourselves. We wanted the turnkey business, the support, and someone who would get us up and running as fast as possible.”Their search was deliberate. “We did a lot of research. What we were looking for was something that wasn’t brick and mortar and was somewhat recession-proof,” Kelley said. “It had to be something we enjoyed doing and something we could do as a family.”That search ultimately led them to Woofie’s —&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/woofies/woofies-franchise-opportunity-2731735">a modern pet care brand whose values aligned closely with their own</a>.“From the first time we reached out to Woofie’s, they had a relationship-focused vibe, which is what we wanted coming from the nonprofit world,” Kelley said. “They were relationship-focused toward clients and franchisees.”That connection was also personal. “We are urban farmers, we have a flock of chickens, a border collie, and we’ve always had dogs,” she said. The Gludts were already living the lifestyle that Woofie’s serves, making the transition into pet care both natural and meaningful.<h2>Rapid Growth and Community Momentum</h2>Since launching, the North Baltimore territory has seen impressive traction. “So far, the business has been great,” Kelley said. “We have a lot of pet sitting on the books. We are busy, and it’s a lot, but it’s been great.”But for the Gludts, success is less measured by numbers and more by the ability to build something together. “Our son is incredibly involved in the business, and we are hoping he takes over the business one day,” Kelley said. “He is very involved, walks a lot of dogs, and does a lot of the back-end paperwork.”Another major factor in their success has been&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/woofies/woofies-amy-addington-pet-care-franchise-growth-2731646">the support from the Woofie’s team and network</a>.“The support has been great from the Woofie’s team. They have been incredibly helpful,” Kelley said. “Big or small things, they are always there. We had the company's founder visit to ensure we had the support we needed.”That level of accessibility has made a difference. “We’ve never felt like we were on our own… Our fellow owners have also been so supportive,” she said. “It’s a culture that they are very intentional in creating.”<h2>Recognition That Came as a Surprise</h2>Despite their rapid growth, the Rookie of the Year award wasn’t something the Gludts were chasing.“I was at the convention in Nashville, and I was shocked,” Kelley said. “It was very unexpected. You put your head down and get through it all, so it was really nice to have the hard work appreciated.”While their early success is significant, the Gludts are already thinking about what comes next. “Big picture, the goal for the business is to potentially fill out the territory and move into the city of Baltimore and crack the urban model,” Kelley said. “We have a lot of ideas on how to make an urban Woofie’s work.”Reflecting on their journey, Kelley said the biggest lessons go beyond the numbers.“If I could talk to myself from two years ago, I would say trust your gut, and it would be OK,” she said. “Of course, I probably wouldn’t have believed myself! Finding a good match is really important as well. You have to look past the number to both the product and the team.”In the end, success in franchising is about more than the investment. “You are going to be spending a lot of time with the product and with the team,” Kelley said. “Don’t just look at the bottom line number. You need all of it to work.”For more information on buying a Woofie’s franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/woofies">https://1851franchise.com/woofies</a>.

After wide-ranging careers, Rob and Kelley Gludt launched their Woofie's pet care franchise in North Baltimore in 2024, earning Rookie of the Year recognition in their first year.

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Remember when pet care was simple? You'd ask the neighbor's kid to walk the dog, schedule a groomer visit when convenient and hope for the best when you traveled. Things are different now. Pets are family. Lives are busy. And a casual, unplanned approach isn't sufficient when entrusting a sitter with your home and your beloved companion.&nbsp;That’s the space,&nbsp;<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/">Woofie’s</a>, the fast-growing pet care franchise, was built for. Not transactional, not one-size-fits-all, and definitely not “we’ll call you back in six weeks.”“This is not a transactional business,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/woofie-s_amy-addington-woofies-activity-7275193351790907392-V5sT">Amy Addington</a>, president and co-founder of Woofie’s. “It’s all predicated on the relationship with the client.”<h2>A Premium Pet Care Company That’s There for Its Clients and Their Furry Friends</h2>Woofie’s started in 2004 in Northern Virginia with pet sitting and dog walking, then expanded as demand grew. “We just knew that there was a need for an upscale premium pet services business in our local community,” Addington said. “And it was just something that we were so committed to building.”The brand didn’t grow by trying to be everything to everyone. The brand built its service on being reliable and connecting with people, especially when pet parents are dealing with major stress—like going out of town, working late, last-minute changes or just feeling bad about not having enough time.“You can’t ever underestimate the value of the relationship,” Addington said. “We are going into people’s homes. We are taking care of their pets. Their pets are members of their families.”<h2>One Call Covers the Big Stuff</h2>Most pet care services only fix one problem at a time. But Woofie's was built to handle everything a pet needs. Why does that matter? Because it means a smooth experience. Dogs won't have to keep adjusting to a rotating cast of people and routines. It also means Woofie’s can support pet parents through different seasons of life, from puppy chaos to senior dog routines.&nbsp;“One of the biggest differentiators is our full-service mobile pet care,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwilsoncfe/">Jordan Wilson</a>, Chief Development Officer at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.authoritybrands.com/">Authority Brands</a>. “Woofie’s blends pet grooming, dog walking and pet sitting so it stands apart from concepts that focus on only one service line.”Woofie’s services include:<ul><li><a href="https://ownawoofies.com/pet-sitting-franchise/">Pet sitting</a> for more than just dogs and cats.</li><li><a href="https://ownawoofies.com/dog-walking-franchise-opportunity/">Dog walking</a> with different visit lengths, plus feeding and playtime as needed.</li><li><a href="https://www.woofies.com/services/overnight-pet-sitting/#~2984c71a-2f21-4c01-8c46-17d7a7370347">Overnight care</a> with in-home options, plus Bed &amp; Biscuit Overnight Care in select locations.</li><li><a href="https://ownawoofies.com/choosing-a-mobile-pet-grooming-franchise/">Mobile Pet Spa</a> with grooming that comes to your driveway.</li></ul>And because those services can overlap, the experience tends to get stronger over time. “When you have that stronger relationship and they’re using multiple services, it just adds to that loyalty,” Addington said.<h2>The Mobile Pet Spa: Convenience That Feels Like a Treat</h2>Let’s be honest: grooming is one of the biggest pain points for pet parents. Not because people don’t want to do it, but because it’s hard to get in, hard to schedule, and hard to fit into the rest of life.Woofie’s mobile grooming flips that. Instead of you carving out half a day, the spa comes to you with the equipment and setup already handled. It’s a convenience play, sure, but it also tends to be a calmer experience for many pets because it avoids a busy salon environment.And for consumers, the biggest perk might be the simplest one: you’re not stuck in the endless loop of calling around and waiting.Convenience is just one of many reasons why consumers love Woofie’s. The brand also has strategic partnerships with Vet Telehealth, the American Kennel Club, and The Farmer’s Dog, elevating its offerings and building trust with its pet parents.<h2>Community-First Is More Than a Nice Message</h2>Woofie’s also shows up in local communities in ways that feel aligned with why people love pets in the first place.“Our franchisees are very heavily community involved,” Wilson said. “Sometimes they’ll go set up at events and have their mobile service. In other words, it’s not just a service business — it’s a neighborhood brand.”That “local presence” piece matters because trust is local. Pet parents want to know who you are, what you stand for, and whether you’ll be there next month, not just next week.“With this kind of business, people have to know who you are — to have that trust to give you the keys to their home and allow you to take care of their pets,” Addington said.<h2>Why This Consumer Love Story Translates to Franchise Growth</h2>When a brand really connects with people in a service industry, growing is less of a headache. It's not that the work is suddenly simple, but the need is definitely there and the benefit is crystal clear. And Addington knows exactly why Woofie's stands out: top-notch service, real connections, and people who truly give a darn about what they do.“You really have to have that,” she said. “You’ve got to be a business person, but you also have to have that passion and that love for animals and that willingness to go above and beyond.”That's the magic formula that lets Woofie’s use the same playbook in different places. When people know what to expect and have a great experience every time, they start telling their friends. Good reviews pile up, and soon it’s the brand everyone recommends. And the next community starts asking the same thing Woofie’s heard early on: “I need a Woofie’s in our area.”“When we started hearing that, we knew we had something special here,” Addington said. “That’s why we continue to replicate our success in other markets all across the country.”Woofie’s is currently targeting Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; San Antonio, TX; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; and Charlotte, NC.For more information on Woofie’s, visit your local Woofie’s provider page or explore the brand at Woofies.com. For franchise information:<a href="https://ownawoofies.com/">&nbsp;https://ownawoofies.com/</a>.

Built around trust and relationships, Woofie’s delivers reliable, premium pet care with mobile convenience and a consistent team that gets to know you and your pets.

How Woofie’s Is Building a National Pet Care Brand Without Losing Its Local Heart

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