What Made Jenny and Donny Castro-Conde Choose Our Dog Training Business?
Welcoming new dog training business Franchise Owners into the family is always a time for celebration here at Dog Training Elite! This time, we meet Donny and Jenny Castro-Conde from Austin, Texas. They tell us of their journey to become Franchise Owners and their first steps in their current paw-some adventure with Dog Training Elite.
For the last 10 years, Jenny and Donny have worked in non-profits and health administration, and enjoy traveling and scuba diving. However, their big passion for dogs led them to meet Dog Training Elite Founder, John Mestas, many years ago.
Jenny was familiar with DTE and Founder John Mestas through her non-profit work, and she became interested in DTE's training methods. Together with DTE, they trained an autism service dog, Indy, for a 14-year-old boy. Seeing the positive effect the dog had on the boy and his family was an unforgettable, rewarding experience for her.
Dogs aren't just pets for Donny and Jenny—they're a necessity. They've experienced firsthand the joy a dog brings into the house and the health benefits of dog ownership—lots of fun, less stress, and healthier hearts, minds, and bodies. More importantly, they've seen the huge positive impact dogs have on people with mental or physical disabilities.
This first positive experience motivated them to join thousands of dog owners in training their own dogs using DTE's proven methods, based on classical conditioning, and designed to succeed in dogs of all breeds and temperaments. After completing the program, they were delighted to see their dogs' personalities shine and their skills and obedience improve. Over time, Jenny and one of their dogs, Duke, started doing demonstrations for Dog Training Elite.
Following this positive outcome and the close relationship they formed with DTE, they found inspiration to help other dog owners achieve the same spectacular results and bring more joy to dogs and their families. But they also found something unexpected—through their work with DTE, they found they had what it takes to become successful dog training business owners.
Not Just a Business, But a Family
Slowly, an idea took shape. Why not combine their passion for dogs with their dreams of becoming dog training business owners? After all, Dog Training Elite offered everything they were looking for in a business.
In particular, they loved to find it's not just a business—it's a family that extends not just to the employees and franchise, but the dog owners and the dogs themselves.
And that’s not all. Franchise Owners can collaborate with our very own non-profit, the Malinois Foundation, to train and provide service dogs to military veterans with PTSD, physical disabilities, and other special needs. It is truly a dog lover’s dream business.
The best part of joining DTE? “They have provided us with the encouragement and the belief that we can be successful,” Jenny explained. We like to think of ourselves as more than just a dog training business- we’re a franchise family! Just like families support each other, Dog Training Elite supports their Franchise Owners in many ways. We have our Franchise Owners’ backs and want them to succeed. We’re there every step of the way from the day they sign their agreement to their Grand Opening and beyond, supporting them by phone and in person and with visits during their first six months in operations. With help from experts in digital marketing and SEO, we make sure Franchise Owners have everything they need for their dog training business to stand out in the local market.
With the support and encouragement from DTE every step of the way, Jenny and Donny experienced all the benefits of running their own business and do what they love—meet more people in a new area and help more dogs shine and bond with their families.
For them, having the flexibility to work in the comfort of their client's homes and in an environment that’s more familiar to the dogs they train, and give back to the community through the Malinois Foundation, were the biggest incentives.
With their previous background, their newfound confidence in their skills and the support they received from DTE, Donny and Jenny decided to go for it and take the big step.
Their advice to anyone looking into buying a DTE franchise is simple—“Go for it!” In their experience, passion and a strong work ethic can overcome any fear or discomfort. In the end, they remark it’s not about the business—at its core, it’s about contributing to the community and giving dog owners the knowledge they need to help their dogs thrive.
A Pawsitive Investment
On the business side of things, a DTE franchise is a fantastic choice to break into the pet care industry. As opposed to other businesses such as doggy day-cares, there’s no need to invest in brick-and-mortar facilities or lots of staff, which means lower overhead costs and higher margins and profitability potential.
With an initial investment as low as $159,050, Franchise Owners make an average revenue of $973,756* per year with a 92.6%* year-over-year sales growth. This is much lower than the average cost of starting a doggy day-care, with more opportunities for bigger profits.
Also, a DTE franchise boosts your ROI by providing multiple income streams with our wide range of training programs—obedience training, group classes, puppy webinars, personal protection, anxiety and aggression training, military and retired vet program, therapy training program, service dog training, and in-home training.
Dog Training Business Opportunity
For Jenny and Donny, becoming Franchise Owners has been a fantastic journey, not without its difficulties, but with plenty of excitement and fulfilling moments. The joy of giving back to the community and helping dogs by providing a nurturing, fun environment for them to thrive keeps them motivated and excited about what’s coming.
In its 40+ years in the pet care industry and its proven, balance-positive methods, Dog Training Elite has helped thousands of dogs and their owners in the comfort of their homes. Now, Founder John Mestas is bringing his proprietary method to cities all over the U.S. with low-overhead franchise opportunities for dog lovers. To find out more and follow Jenny and Donny’s steps in an exciting new business opportunity, visit our Dog Training Elite Website .
*Numbers obtained from our 2023 FDD