Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies vs Dogs Love Running! Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies vs Dogs Love Running! including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies Franchise
Dogs Love Running! Franchise
Investment $718,500 - $1,457,500$15,500 - $46,200
Franchise Fee $50,000$12,000
Royalty Fee 7%5%
Advertising Fee 1%0
Year Founded 20002008
Year Franchised 20032010
Term Of Agreement 10 years5 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years5 years
Renewal Fee $5K50% of the then-current franchise fee


Business Experience Requirements

 
Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies Franchise
Dogs Love Running! Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Some general business and marketing/sales experience will be beneficial to you, but is not mandatory. Other Experience: We are looking for people who truly love animals. We prefer people who understand and appreciate the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and why exercise is a fundamental part of a balanced life for both humans and pets. Experience running for pleasure/fun (or even competitively) is helpful, but not mandatory

    Financing Options

     
    Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies Franchise
    Dogs Love Running! Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/Yes-/-
    Payroll No/Yes-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies Franchise
    Dogs Love Running! Franchise
    Training Unlike other business opportunities, becoming a Camp Bow Wow franchisee provides you with the most comprehensive and applicable training program available in the dog care industry. You will gain immediate knowledge on how to operate your Camp efficiently, as well as learn the emerging science of dog behavior, group play dynamics, sanitation, pet first aid and safety. Joining Camp Bow Wow will dramatically reduce your investment risk and put you on the right path to success! On-The-Job Training: 36 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours Additional Training: Home study: 1 week; online training Absentee Ownership Allowed Approximately 3 days of in-person classroom and in-the-field instruction. You may bring an additional person to the entire training program.
    Support Our turn-key franchising program does not end when you open your doors for business. When you join our pack, you become our most important asset and we are committed to providing you with the marketing, training, operations and systems support necessary to help you succeed. Whether you are our most profitable Camp or are a Camp in need of some help, our goal is to work with you to proactively identify areas to improve, innovate and become better than ever. Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet PlatformAfter the initial training, you'll receive continual help and guidance in operating and growing your business.
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingOur marketing program is simple and effective: we build relationships in person and online. There are very few costs for "traditional" advertising. Instead, you'll jump on board our state-of-the-art website to gather most of your leads and new customers. Plus, in addition to the support we provide you directly, we have a marketing partner with a huge library of information, videos, pre-recorded webinars, and data that you'll have full access to whenever you want to learn more about modern marketing strategies and tactics.
    Operations

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 8 - 20

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Franchise is home-based and designed to be a full-time job

    *Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1 (yourself or an appointed manager)

    *This business is designed for you to delegate your pet visits to team members (which allows you to grow faster in less time), but you can also make some/all of the pet visits yourself

    *Absentee ownership is allowed with our prior approval


    Expansion Plans

     
    Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies Franchise
    Dogs Love Running! Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion Yes-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Camp Bow Wow/Home Buddies

    In the spring of 1994, my husband Bion and I put the finishing touches on a dog business plan that represented our dream of owning a dog franchise together and our wish to create a happier place for dogs to stay for the day or night. The thought of leaving our furry "kids" in a kennel just wouldn't suffice, so we created a plan for a fun and safe Camp version of the traditional dog kennel. Soon after we began our search for the first Camp Bow Wow location, Bion died tragically in a plane crash. I never gave up on our dream and I eventually opened the first Camp Bow Wow in 2000. Since then, Camp Bow Wow has grown into the country's premier dog day care and boarding establishment with over 90 current locations and another 115 Camps under development in the U.S. and Canada. While maintaining a mom-and-pop feel, we have advanced and standardized our concept into the most sophisticated doggy day care and overnight operation in the country. Utilizing technology, state-of-the-art facility design, and intensive employee training,
    Camp Bow Wows are operationally the best run and safest environments for dogs to play, romp, and receive lots of love and attention. In early 2009, we launched our newest pet care concept, Home Buddies by Camp Bow Wow! This in-home pet sitting service leverages our years of experience leading the dog services industry and channels these efforts into a new opportunity targeting a rapidly growing market. As a Home Buddies franchisee you will manage a team of devoted pet lovers who cater to a unique segment of the population who demand the highest levels of quality and service. Home Buddies will offer dog walking, pet sitting for dogs, cats, birds, fish, small mammals and reptiles, shuttle service to and from vet offices and Camp, grooming and training services, care for special needs pets, pet food delivery and pet waste clean-up services.
    Veteran Incentives  10% off franchise fee
    "Entrepreneur
    #248 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #172 in Franchise 500 for 2021.


    About Dogs Love Running!

    Dogs Love Running!

    We've got pets of our own and Dogs Love Running! know how important they are. And, to us, it's a really big deal to put our pets in the hands' of others. It's probably a big deal to you, too. That's why we want you to get to know, like, and trust us.

    And although it just naturally takes time to get to fully trust someone, perhaps the facts that Dogs Love Running! has tons and tons of raving fans and a "Small Business of the Year" award will help us earn your faith that you can put your trust in us.

    On top of all that, you should know that we started this company with the mission to Make Pets Happy and to make a difference by helping pets live longer and behave better. If you like the sound of that, then you're probably a lot like us in what we value and how we conduct ourselves and our business.

    You should join Dogs Love Running!'s happy little "tribe" of people.  

    You'll be glad you did. And so will your pet.