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Dog Training Elite - Our Pet Franchise is Making Headlines!
What’s it like to own a thriving dog training business in the surging pet care industry in 2023?
If you are part of the Dog Training Elite family, you can expect your pet franchise to often find itself front and center in the local news. Part of the reason for this is the expert marketing support our Franchise Owners receive, thanks to our impressive public relations network and years of industry experience that independently-owned dog training businesses simply can’t match. Add to that the success our Head Trainers have experienced with their canine clientele – thanks to our proven, proprietary dog training method that has been four decades in the making –, and you’ve got a winning recipe for excellent press!
Dog Training Elite Franchise Owners receive a lot of attention in their local markets for being an authority on dog training and behavior, and it’s not unusual for them to find themselves in the spotlight for TV news segments, news articles and more. This past month was certainly no exception. In case you missed it, here are the top DTE stories featuring our dog training Franchise Owners and their human colleagues.
Grand Opening- Panama City, Florida
New Dog Training Elite Franchise Owner Tina Ruffin, whose official Panama City, Florida grand opening will take place in March, was spotlighted in a feature article in local newspaper the Panama City News Herald at the end of January. The engaging story, penned by USA Today journalist Ebonee Burrell, is exactly the type of promotional material that DTE Franchise Owners can look forward to helping them launch their dog training businesses in their markets when they join our pet franchise.
In the article, Ruffin, who held a soft launch in December 2022 and has already been meeting with clients for in-home appointments with her canine co-Owner, Bobo, talks about why she chose Dog Training Elite to turn her lifelong passion for dogs into a successful business. “I’ve always had a passion for training dogs, so I looked into Dog Training Elite. I loved their program, support and family atmosphere they had, so I decided to work with them,” Ruffin said.
Ruffin, who moved to Panama City from Oregon last April to be closer to her elderly parents, plans to kick her already-thriving dog training business into high gear with a grand opening at the Emerald Coast Boat and Lifestyle Show at the city’s Aaron Bessant Park from March 3-5.
This high-profile grand opening comes on the heels of another public appearance on February 19 at the SEG Spring Bridal Show at Bluegreen’s Bayside Resort and Spa, where she will demonstrate different ways dogs can be included in wedding ceremonies and events. Both of these local appearances are mentioned in her News Herald article, giving her additional leverage for meeting new prospects and building her dog training business.
Dog Training Elite isn’t Ruffin’s first rodeo when it comes to owning a business in the surging pet care industry, something she discusses in the News Herald article. Before choosing our pet franchise, Ruffin owned a mobile dog supply store, which ended up leading her to fill an unmet need for pet training in the Panama City’s local community. She says, “Owning that supply store exposed me to a need in communities that I didn’t know existed. People didn’t know how to train their dogs. So that’s how I got to where I am today, and I decided that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Ruffin’s featured article included two photos that showcased her personality and passion for dogs. In one of the photos, Ruffin’s mobile DTE truck is proudly displayed as she poses with her canine co-Owner Bobo. A second photo of Ruffin and Bobo at home offers a glimpse into her personal life and shows that she loves taking her work home with her! In addition, Ruffin was able to share her aspirations to open a brick-and-mortar DTE pet franchise location this spring, as well as to promote her available services to potential customers along Florida’s Emerald Coast, from Panama City to Pensacola.
The News Herald article does an excellent job of introducing Tina Ruffin to the Panama City community, not just as the owner of a brand-new dog training business in town but as a person. Panama City dog owners had the opportunity to learn something about their new neighbor via the power of news media. Now, when they see Ruffin at her official debut in March, or at any other upcoming appearance or event, they can feel as if they know her, which might spur them into striking up a conversation that leads to a brand new dog training client on her roster! This is the kind of pet franchise marketing that helps Dog Training Elite Franchise Owners stand out from the rest of the pack. You can read the article here in its entirety.
WJHG Channel 7 News Feature (NBC)
Tina Ruffin was back in Panama City’s news spotlight again for a WJHG-TV news segment on February 8, thanks to a special appearance at local elementary school University Academy. In this segment, we see Ruffin educating second graders on service and therapy animals with the help of her dog training business co-Owner and certified service and therapy dog, Bobo.
The young learners were excited to meet Bobo, and had a wonderful time giving him lots of pets and love; however, the main purpose of Bobo’s visit was to teach the students the importance of letting service and therapy animals do their jobs when they are on the clock.
“In talking to our clients I felt that maybe the best way to head this off is by starting with young children, explaining to them and making them cognizant of what this dog does and carry that through their life and teach their own children to share it with their friends [and] share it with their family,” Ruffin explains in the segment.
This type of television exposure does two important things for a Dog Training Elite Franchise Owner: it highlights their vast experience and knowledge when it comes to dog training, and it also makes them appear approachable, friendly, and willing to act as an advocate for pets and their people. When potential customers see this segment on the local news, the Dog Training Elite name will stick in their mind and they will view the owner of the dog training business as a reputable authority. Then, when they decide their own dog could use training, or if they aspire to get their dog certified as a service or therapy animal as well, they will know just who to call!
Ruffin’s TV segment is a great example of the type of local exposure our Franchise Owners often receive in their markets. We’ve had numerous Owners representing our pet franchise and promoting their local dog training business on news broadcasts across the country with training tips and tricks, demonstrations and more. Tina Ruffin’s phone no doubt has been ringing with requests for initial evaluation appointments since she was featured on Panama City’s NBC news affiliate!
WCNC Charlotte News Feature (NBC)
Speaking of TV news features, our Franchise Owners in Charlotte, North Carolina received prime exposure on a local morning news show on January 24. Sharon and Shawn Gantkowski teamed up with Charlotte Today host Mia Atkins in a WCNC-TV segment to demonstrate top dog training tips for PAW-sitive pet behavior. Watch it here.
Together with canine co-Owners Rocky and Gracie, the Gantkowskis discussed ways to help Charlotte dog owners and their furry friends keep their New Year’s resolutions for better manners, demonstrating basic tricks such as “sit/stay” by using positive reinforcement, and even shared strategies for helping dogs socialize better with other pups, as well as people.
As a top-rated Charlotte morning show that focuses on local lifestyle and entertainment news, Charlotte Today is an important platform for Shawn and Sharon to showcase their dog training business and share their expertise and knowledge. Charlotte residents watching from home will take note of the Gantkowskis’ obvious enjoyment and understanding of canine behavior and keep Dog Training Elite top-of-mind when they want to find a reputable training service for their dogs.
This type of promotion can go a long way toward elevating our Franchise Owners’ profiles in their markets, helping them generate more leads and build a thriving dog training business. The ability to secure TV appearances on local morning shows is something that other, independently-owned dog training businesses don’t tend to have.
By partnering with Dog Training Elite, Franchise Owners like the Gantkowskis can be assured of stellar marketing support that leads to opportunities like this, which can make all the difference when it comes to owning a successful pet franchise. Check it out here.
Wanna Be in the News?
As a Dog Training Elite Franchise Owner, you’ll have access to marketing experts that can put you in touch with local newspapers, magazines, TV news stations and more for opportunities to showcase your passion for dogs and knowledge of what makes them tick. You’ll be able to share what you know about keeping dogs and their people happy and harmonious in a variety of situations, and you’ll even get to showcase the proven Dog Training Elite method that spells success for our four-legged graduates, no matter where they live. That’s something that owners of smaller, independent dog training businesses just can’t always pull off. With the power of a well-versed dog franchise executive leadership team in your corner, you can find the success you dream of as an entrepreneur in the booming pet care industry!
Ready to learn more about what makes Dog Training Elite so much more than a typical dog training business? Visit our pet franchise website today to find out how to qualify for our Franchise Discovery Process.
