Dog School Franchises in the UK

Britain is a nation of dog lovers - 24 percent of the UK adult population owns a dog, which means there are approximately 8.9 million hairy hounds in UK households (PDSA). The pet industry is worth much more than you may think. Market research has demonstrated that Brits spend an estimated £14.9 billion on their precious pooches each year - over three times the amount that was spent a decade ago - making the pet industry a booming sector of the British economy. Dog training is a thriving trade all over the UK. With a surge in people of all ages having a social media presence and the rise in dog training television programmes such as ‘Dogs Behaving Badly’, training our furry friends is seen as a fun activity during which both dogs and owners alike can learn games and tricks.

Benefits of Opening a Dog School Franchise

If you love dogs, are tired of working nine till five and like the idea of being your own boss, a dog school franchise could be a very exciting investment opportunity. If you’re thinking about becoming a dog trainer in your local area, being part of an established franchise with a trusted brand name is a great place to start. You can hit the ground running with a tried and tested business model and an online presence, and before you know it you can be running your own dog school. Being your own boss allows you to be flexible around your lifestyle choices and hence promotes a positive work-life balance, not to mention how rewarding it can be; your skills can help encourage healthier relationships between dogs and their owners, which in turn should make owners happier in all aspects of life.

Dog school franchises provide much more than well-known branding for signs and vehicles - they provide help with training, building the website, and advice on vital insurance and legal compliance. Also, starting a franchise means you can benefit from the franchise’s preferential rates on supplies and equipment.

The prevalence of animal rights organisations and an increased political awareness regarding animal cruelty - for example, the ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ slogan advocated by Dogs Trust - means owners are taking more responsibility over their dog’s behaviour, realising there is an obligation to look after their dog, rather than giving up and taking it to the dogs home.

There aren’t currently any dog school franchises available through Point Franchise, however, let’s take a look at some of the best franchises that are available elsewhere:

Dog School Franchise Opportunities in the UK

Bark Busters

Founded in 1989, Bark Busters is a family business with 30 years of experience behind it. The dog school has become world-renowned for its dog training services. Having trained over one million dogs and operating three hundred offices across the globe, it is a brilliant franchising opportunity. As a franchisee, you can expect to run your own local Bark Busters business, offering one-to-one training in the owner’s own home - this convenience for the client is what makes the business so fruitful.

Dog behavioural problems can be resolved with fast and lasting results, supported by Bark Busters Worldwide Support Guarantee. This gives owners the reassurance that trainers will not give up on their dogs - even those with challenging behavioural issues.

Bark Busters has a large market, with previous experience indicating that once a dog school franchise is up and running in a local area, it’s not long till everyone has heard about the effective and professional services.

The ideal franchisee is someone who is dog-obsessed and has a genuine passion for making a difference in the lives of dogs and their owners in the community. Bark Busters franchisees share a common goal: ‘to build a successful and satisfying business and to help others experience the joy of a well-behaved dog.’

The minimum investment required is roughly £14,000. This incorporates all that is necessary to get the business up, running and thriving in no time - including exclusive territory in which to operate, franchise training manuals, three months paid online marketing and much more.

ADK9

ADK9 is dominating the professional dog training and suppling market. From puppies to highly-trained family protection dogs, ADK9 trains them all. For over ten years, the dog school has supplied quality trained dogs, even in high profile cases, such as the television gameshow, ‘Release The Hounds!’.

It provides intense dog training programmes, during which the dogs stay overnight at the training centre. ADK9 believes that intensive training results in longer-lasting results than other businesses that provide training sessions here and there.

At the moment, the business operates from a huge training centre in Derbyshire, where they are always booked up three months in advance. This results in clients being turned away because they live too far away or due to lack of availability. Therefore, the dog school has plans to open area-based franchises, where they can, under guidance, provide bespoke services nationwide. Thus, the dog school is on the hunt for dedicated entrepreneurs who care about dog welfare and fancy a go at being their own boss. The ideal franchisee doesn’t need to have kennels. With the support of ADK9, you can sublet a six to eight-block kennels to work from, and there will be advertising and training support. Under the right conditions, ADK9 can have franchisees up and running ready to start operating within a couple of weeks. In order to invest, you will need £20,000.

Puppy School

Puppy School is a network of training classes for playful puppies in the UK. Puppy School tutors earn the Puppy School Tutors certificate, which allows them to start a franchise in their specific area. Franchisees will run their own dog school business, with Puppy School providing extensive training.

It costs £1,450 to become a Puppy School tutor, and this includes the £100 deposit which is refunded after you lead your first class. As well as the training fee, tutors need to pay 20 percent of all bookings to Puppy School as a franchise fee.