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FDDs checked September 2026 · 14 min read

Dog Training Franchises Compared: 8 Brands, Their FDDs, Side by Side

There are at least 8 active dog training franchisors in the U.S. Their current FDDs put total investment between $40,175 and $1,099,450, and 5 of the 8 publish an average revenue figure. We are one of them, and we think ours is the best dog training franchise to own. That is exactly why every number here comes from each brand’s own FDD as filed with a state regulator, with its date, and why we left in every row where another brand leads. If you find a figure that is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.

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8
Dog training franchisors compared
5 of 8
Publish a system average in Item 19
6%
Our royalty, tied for the lowest (that’s us)
6 weeks
Our initial training, the longest in the set
FDDs checked · September 2026
Read time · 14 min
Topic · Dog training franchise comparison
On this page
The Comparison What the Numbers Say Where We Are Not the Best Fit The Case for Us Check It Yourself FAQ
The short version

The dog training franchises below differ most on four things: what it costs to open, what they take each month, how long they train you, and whether they publish what their locations earn. The in-home systems cluster between $40,175 and $137,250; the facility models climb well past $400,000. Royalties run from 6% to 11%. And 5 of the 8 publish a system-wide revenue average, each for a different group of locations. If you want the dog franchises that are not dog training, from waste removal to daycare, see our dog franchises comparison.

$40,175 – $1.1M

Published total investment across the brands with an FDD

Each brand’s Item 7

6% – 11%

Royalty range; ours is 6%, tied for the lowest

Each brand’s Item 6

5 of 8

Brands that publish a system average in Item 19

Each brand’s Item 19

$144,479 – $612,190

Published average gross revenue across those brands; cohorts differ

Each brand’s Item 19

2 – 6 weeks

Initial training; ours is six weeks, the longest in the set

Each brand’s Item 11

148

Sit Means Sit franchised units at the end of 2025, the highest count here

Its Item 20

The comparison

8 dog training franchises, side by side

Columns are sorted by published low-end total investment, lowest first; Always Faithful, which publishes no investment figure, is placed by a third-party estimate. Every competitor figure is quoted from that brand’s current FDD as filed with a state regulator unless labeled otherwise, and where a brand’s own website differs from its FDD, we use the FDD. Figures change every year, so confirm them in each brand’s current FDD.

The economics

Sit Means Sit

Source
2026 FDD (Minnesota filing received July 20, 2026)
Total investment (Item 7)
$40,175 – $137,250
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$30,000
Royalty (Item 6)
Greater of 6% or $800 a month
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
No central advertising fund; local advertising of at least 1% of gross each quarter
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
No financial performance representation
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
148 franchised
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Started 163, ended 148 (net −15)
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchising since
February 2009

Tip Top K9 (that’s us)

Source
2026 FDD (issued June 18, 2026)
Total investment (Item 7)
$53,175 – $104,735
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$48,000
Royalty (Item 6)
6%
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
$850 a month brand fund
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
2025 average gross $612,190; 9 of 19 franchisees at or above the average; median $585,446 (locations open the full year of 2025)*
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
Awaiting 2026 FDD confirmation
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Awaiting 2026 FDD confirmation
Audited financials (Item 21)
Awaiting 2026 FDD confirmation
Franchising since
Awaiting 2026 FDD confirmation

Canine Dimensions

Source
FDD issued April 3, 2026
Total investment (Item 7)
$73,450 – $79,750
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$45,000, plus a $12,500 training and protected-territory fee
Royalty (Item 6)
Greater of 11% or $250 a week
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
$1,000 a month internet advertising
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
Average $158,196; median $105,187; 7 of 18 above the average (calendar 2025 sales, units that operated all of 2024)
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
23 franchised
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Started 21, opened 3, 1 non-renewal, ended 23
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchising since
January 2008

Bark Busters

Source
FDD issued March 16, 2026
Total investment (Item 7)
$77,900 – $117,000
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$49,500, plus a $19,500 training and territory fee
Royalty (Item 6)
10%
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
None in Item 6; local advertising of 3% of gross
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
Average gross $144,479; median $127,718; 55 of 132 at or above the average (units open more than one year, 2025)
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
133 franchised
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Started 133, opened 3, 3 ceased, ended 133
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchising since
2013 (U.S. system)

Always Faithful Dog Training

Source
No current state-filed FDD found; third-party figures
Total investment (Item 7)
Not published; third-party estimates of $106,050 – $110,300 (Entrepreneur) and $91,850 – $101,300 (1851 Franchise)
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$49,000 (third-party)
Royalty (Item 6)
8% (third-party)
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
None (third-party)
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
No current FDD found
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
Not published
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Not available
Audited financials (Item 21)
Not available
Franchising since
2017 (third-party)

The Dog Wizard

Source
FDD issued June 4, 2026
Total investment (Item 7)
$112,400 – $423,850
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$65,000
Royalty (Item 6)
8% of weekly gross
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
2% brand fund, plus $1,500 a month local advertising ($454 of it paid to the franchisor)
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
Average $283,698; median $145,820; 18 of 56 at or above the average (franchisee businesses operating the full 2025 calendar year)
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
98 franchised
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Started 96, opened 16, 14 left, ended 98
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchising since
April 2020

Zoom Room

Source
FDD issued December 15, 2025
Total investment (Item 7)
$302,523 – $464,712 (single unit)
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$49,500
Royalty (Item 6)
8% of weekly gross
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
1% national fund, plus local advertising of at least 2% (minimum $1,000 a month)
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
Gross revenue: average $409,758, median $390,448. Net profit: average $33,663, median $24,155 (48 stores open the full fiscal year 2024 to 2025)
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
58 franchised (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025)
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Started 64, opened 7, 13 ceased, ended 58 (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025)
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchising since
August 2017 (predecessor 2009)

All Dogs Unleashed

Source
FDD issued April 3, 2026
Total investment (Item 7)
$691,950 – $1,099,450 (commercial training facility)
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$60,000
Royalty (Item 6)
7%
Brand or ad fund (Item 6)
Currently $0 (may rise to 2%); local marketing of $5,000 a month
Revenue disclosure (Item 19)
Per-facility figures for 2025; no system average
Units, end of 2025 (Item 20)
14 franchised, 4 company-owned
2025 franchised outlet movement (Item 20)
Started 14, ended 14 (no openings or closures)
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchising since
December 2021

The operations

Sit Means Sit

Model
In client homes and/or the franchisee’s own facility
Initial training (Item 11)
About 147 hours over about 21 days, at a franchisee-owned facility the franchisor designates
Lead handling
Its FDD states: “We do not currently operate a call center”
Territory (Item 12)
Exclusive “Trade Area” with a minimum dog population of 50,000

Tip Top K9 (that’s us)

Model
Home-based launch; facility and board-and-train optional as you grow
Initial training (Item 11)
Six weeks at our Tulsa headquarters, ten hours a day, with working dogs and paying clients
Lead handling
18-person call center that books lessons and handles billing
Territory (Item 12)
Protected territory based on population and market demand, sized before signing

Canine Dimensions

Model
In-home, home-based
Initial training (Item 11)
2 to 4 weeks in Las Vegas; the training table totals 38 classroom and 40 on-the-job hours
Lead handling
Its site says the franchisor “handles everything Internet related”
Territory (Item 12)
Exclusive “Protected Territory” of about 250,000 households

Bark Busters

Model
In-home
Initial training (Item 11)
2 weeks remote and 2 weeks in person; 189 classroom hours (33 remote) plus 40 on-the-job
Lead handling
Franchisees are not required to use a call center; its FDD says “we may require this in the future”
Territory (Item 12)
Protected, not exclusive; about 100,000 to 125,000 targeted dogs

Always Faithful Dog Training

Model
Mobile
Initial training (Item 11)
Not published
Lead handling
Not stated
Territory (Item 12)
Not stated

The Dog Wizard

Model
Home-based, mobile, or facility
Initial training (Item 11)
Online modules plus 160 hours hands-on at an “Expert Training Location”
Lead handling
Lead management free for 90 days, then $12 per lead
Territory (Item 12)
Exclusive; population of 200,000 to 225,000

Zoom Room

Model
Indoor dog training gym (facility)
Initial training (Item 11)
About 46 hours online plus 48 hours in person (Culver City or a Zoom Room facility)
Lead handling
Its site cost table lists a “call center” among monthly fees
Territory (Item 12)
Protected, not exclusive; about 100,000 people

All Dogs Unleashed

Model
Training, daycare, boarding, and grooming facility; home-based no longer offered
Initial training (Item 11)
2 weeks in Carrollton, Texas
Lead handling
An affiliate call center serves corporate and two franchise locations and is “presently phasing out franchise locations”
Territory (Item 12)
Generally not exclusive

FDDs checked September 2026. Competitor FDDs: Sit Means Sit, 2026 (Minnesota filing received July 20, 2026); Canine Dimensions, issued April 3, 2026; Bark Busters, issued March 16, 2026; All Dogs Unleashed, issued April 3, 2026; The Dog Wizard, issued June 4, 2026; Zoom Room, issued December 15, 2025. We found no current state-filed FDD for Always Faithful Dog Training, so its figures are third-party estimates, marked third-party in each cell. Each brand refiles every year and figures change; where a brand’s own website differs from its FDD, we use the FDD.

*Tip Top K9 figures: 2026 FDD, issued June 18, 2026. Gross revenue is for locations open the full year of 2025, per Item 19. Not a projection of individual results. See each FDD for the only approved financial performance representations. Items shown as awaiting confirmation are being confirmed against our own 2026 FDD.

All trademarks belong to their owners; no affiliation is implied. Spot a figure that is out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.

The read-out

What the numbers say

Cost: in-home systems cluster; facilities do not

The in-home and home-based systems cluster between $40,175 and $137,250 at their published ranges: Sit Means Sit, Tip Top K9, Canine Dimensions, and Bark Busters. The facility models run far higher: The Dog Wizard’s range reaches $423,850, Zoom Room’s indoor training gym runs $302,523 to $464,712, and All Dogs Unleashed, which now offers only commercial facilities with training, daycare, boarding, and grooming, runs $691,950 to $1,099,450.

Royalty: 6% is the floor, and two brands sit on it

Our 6% ties Sit Means Sit’s 6%, which carries an $800 monthly minimum. The other brands with a published royalty charge 7% to 11%: All Dogs Unleashed 7%, The Dog Wizard and Zoom Room 8% of weekly gross, Bark Busters 10%, and Canine Dimensions 11% or $250 a week, whichever is greater. Always Faithful’s 8% is a third-party figure.

Disclosure: 5 of 8 publish a system average

Tip Top K9, Bark Busters, The Dog Wizard, Zoom Room, and Canine Dimensions publish a system-wide average in Item 19. All Dogs Unleashed publishes per-facility figures without a system average. Sit Means Sit’s FDD makes no financial performance representation, and we found no current state-filed FDD for Always Faithful Dog Training. Making no Item 19 representation is legal and common; it means you get your revenue picture from franchisees instead.

Revenue: read the cohort before the number

Our 2025 system average of $612,190 is the highest average gross revenue published by any brand in the set. Our home-based locations alone averaged $401,339 (7 locations), and our facility-based locations $735,186 (12 locations), all for locations open the full year of 2025. The other in-home systems published $144,479 (Bark Busters, units open more than one year), $158,196 (Canine Dimensions, 2025 sales for units that operated all of 2024), and $283,698 (The Dog Wizard, franchisee businesses operating the full 2025 calendar year). Zoom Room, a facility model, published $409,758 for stores open its full fiscal year.

Three caveats apply every time. The cohorts differ: units open more than a year, the full calendar year, or the full fiscal year. The business models differ: in-home, home-based, and facility. And gross revenue is not profit: royalties, funds, staff, vehicles, rent, and every other cost come out of it. Zoom Room is the only brand here that also publishes net profit, an average of $33,663.

Training: six weeks is the longest in the set

Our initial training runs six weeks at our Tulsa headquarters, ten hours a day. The other FDDs describe programs of about two to four weeks, or state their training in hours: 189 classroom plus 40 on-the-job hours at Bark Busters, about 147 hours over about 21 days at Sit Means Sit, 160 hands-on hours at The Dog Wizard, and about 94 hours at Zoom Room. Always Faithful does not publish its training length.

Lead handling: the widest spread on the page

Sit Means Sit’s FDD says it does not operate a call center. The Dog Wizard provides lead management free for 90 days, then charges $12 per lead. Zoom Room’s cost table lists a call center among its monthly fees. Bark Busters does not require one today. Our 18-person call center answers the phone, books lessons, and handles billing for franchisees.

Want our FDD to check these yourself?

Where others lead

Where Tip Top K9 is not the best fit

Lowest cost of entry

Sit Means Sit: a $30,000 franchise fee and a $40,175 low-end total investment, both below ours.

Tightest total range

Canine Dimensions: $73,450 to $79,750, the narrowest spread of any brand here.

System size and track record

Sit Means Sit (148 franchised units), Bark Busters (133), and The Dog Wizard (98) are several times our size, and Canine Dimensions and Sit Means Sit have franchised since 2008 and 2009.

A facility from day one

If you want an indoor training gym with classes and agility from the start, Zoom Room is built for that model.

Our brand fund is a fixed cost

Our $850 a month brand fund is due in slow months too, so it weighs more on a first year than a percentage fund would.

The case for us

Why we think Tip Top K9 is the better business

Every point below is already in the tables. Here is what we think they add up to.

The highest published revenue, with the cohorts shown

In 2025, the average gross revenue for the TTK9 system was $612,190, with 9 of 19 franchisees meeting or exceeding the average. The 2025 TTK9 system median gross revenue was $585,446. In 2025, the average gross revenue for home-based units was $401,339, with 4 of 7 home-based locations meeting or exceeding the average. Gross revenue, not profit.*

The longest training, built for beginners

Six weeks at our Tulsa headquarters, ten hours a day, with working dogs and paying clients. Many of our top-performing owners had no dog training background before it.

A call center that fills the calendar

Eighteen people answer the phone, book lessons, and handle billing, so your hours go to the dogs, not the inbox.

A low royalty and a low door

A 6% royalty, tied for the lowest here, and a home-based launch from $53,175, with room to add trainers and a facility as demand grows. Franchise Business Review named us a 2026 Top 200 Franchise, a Top Low-Cost Franchise and a Top Franchise for Women in 2025 and 2026, and gave us its 2026 Franchisee Excellence award.

“What I really enjoy about owning a Tip Top is I can now, after putting in a few years of hard work, create my own schedule and spend more time with my wife and my daughter. And I love the client interaction part of the business. It is so rewarding to train a dog with behavioral issues, see the transformation, and watch mom and dad in tears because of how happy they are with the training.”
Seth Flint, Tip Top K9 franchisee

Do not take our word for it. Read our Item 19 against theirs, then call five franchisees from each brand’s Item 20. The dog training franchise guide walks our model in full.

Take the Fit Quiz

*Tip Top K9 gross revenue figures are for locations open the full year of 2025, per the 2026 FDD, Item 19. Not a projection of individual results. See the FDD for the only approved financial performance representations. (2025 results · 2026 disclosure)

Your due diligence

How to check any of this yourself

01

Ask each franchisor for its current FDD. It must give it to you at least 14 calendar days before you sign anything or pay any money.

02

In registration states, FDDs are public records: Minnesota’s CARDS database and California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation both let you read filings for free.

03

Compare Items 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, 20, and 21, in that order: fees, ongoing costs, total investment, training, territory, revenue, outlet history, and the franchisor’s own finances.

04

Call five franchisees per brand from Item 20, including at least one who left the system.

Answers

Dog training franchise comparison FAQ

What is the best dog training franchise?
It depends on your budget, the model you want to run, and whether you want a published Item 19 before you buy. The three biggest differences between the brands are the investment (from $40,175 for an in-home system to over $1 million for a facility hybrid), the royalty (6% to 11%), and revenue disclosure (5 of 8 publish a system average). We think it is Tip Top K9: the highest published average gross revenue in the set, a royalty tied for the lowest, the longest initial training, and a call center that books and bills for you. Check that claim the same way we built this page, by reading each brand’s current FDD.
How much does a dog training franchise cost?
Across the brands with a state-filed FDD, published total investment runs from $40,175 to $1,099,450. The in-home and home-based systems cluster between $40,175 and $137,250 at their published ranges; the facility models run to $423,850 (The Dog Wizard’s high end), $464,712 (Zoom Room), and $1,099,450 (All Dogs Unleashed, whose commercial training facility starts at $691,950). Franchise fees run from $30,000 to $65,000, and two brands add a separate training or territory fee.
Which dog training franchises publish earnings?
Five publish a system-wide average in Item 19: Tip Top K9, Bark Busters, The Dog Wizard, Zoom Room, and Canine Dimensions, each for a different cohort. All Dogs Unleashed publishes per-facility figures without a system average. Sit Means Sit’s FDD makes no financial performance representation, and we found no current state-filed FDD for Always Faithful Dog Training. Gross revenue is not profit; Zoom Room is the only brand here that also publishes net profit.
Is Dog Training Elite still franchising?
The most recent franchise disclosure document we found for Dog Training Elite is dated December 4, 2025, and is registered in Maryland (effective February 25, 2026). Minnesota’s records show an order of cancellation dated September 9, 2025, and its California filing was last renewed in 2024. Its website’s franchise page currently redirects to its consumer homepage. A lapsed state registration can reflect a renewal decision and is not by itself a finding of wrongdoing; ask the company directly whether it is offering franchises in your state. It is not in the tables above because its newest FDD reports 2024 results and sells three territories as its entry offer, so its figures do not line up with the other brands’ single-unit, 2025 figures.
How long is training at a dog training franchise?
Per each brand’s Item 11 or franchise materials: Tip Top K9, six weeks at our Tulsa headquarters, ten hours a day; Bark Busters, two weeks remote plus two weeks in person (189 classroom hours plus 40 on-the-job); Canine Dimensions, two to four weeks in Las Vegas; Sit Means Sit, about 147 hours over about 21 days; All Dogs Unleashed, two weeks in Carrollton, Texas; The Dog Wizard, online modules plus 160 hands-on hours; Zoom Room, about 46 hours online plus 48 in person. Always Faithful does not publish its training length.
How does Tip Top K9 compare on royalties and fees?
Our franchise fee is $48,000, inside a total initial investment of $53,175 to $104,735 (2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7). The royalty is 6% of gross, tied with Sit Means Sit for the lowest in the set, plus an $850 monthly brand fund (Item 6). In 2025, the average gross revenue for the TTK9 system was $612,190, with 9 of 19 franchisees meeting or exceeding the average. That is gross revenue, not profit, and a historical result of specific locations, not a projection.

Or skip the franchise entirely

How to start a dog training business on your own: real costs, licensing, and how it compares with the franchise route.

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Dog Training Franchise Guide Business models, costs, ROI, and how to choose a franchise. Franchise Fit Quiz A 2-minute self-check on goals, capital, and timeline. Best Pet Franchises Six pet segments compared with published investment ranges.

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*Financial Performance Representation Disclosure: The financial performance information presented on this website is derived from data contained in Item 19 of the Tip Top K9 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document ("FDD"). The information reflects historical results of certain franchised and/or company-owned locations during the stated reporting period. These results are not necessarily representative of the results that any particular franchisee will achieve, and individual results will vary based on factors including location, market conditions, management ability, operating expenses, competition, and effort. There is no assurance that you will achieve results similar to those presented. Prospective franchisees should review the Franchise Disclosure Document, including Item 19, for important details regarding the number and type of locations included, reporting period, calculation methodology, assumptions, exclusions, and other information necessary to understand and evaluate these results.

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