As GoDog expands its new franchising platform in Texas, the company’s CEO hopes to make Dallas one of the first locations in which to grow its pet-boarding and hospitality business.
“Texas, specifically, is very busy-friendly,” Amy Nichols told The Dallas Express in a recent interview. “I’ve operated a franchise in the past in Texas, and it is one of the easiest states to deal with as far as operating and owning one. Dallas is fast-growing, especially with millennials, and a lot of factors play into that.”
That includes dogs. Ninety million people in the United States own dogs and 75% of millennials own at least one pet, the company’s website claims. The pet care industry is valued at $120 billion, according to GoDog.
“People love to watch football with their dogs and have a beer,” Nichols said. “Knowing the culture and understanding how people like to spend their time, I’m just happy to give back to all the pet parents out there.”
GoDog is a “comprehensive pet hospitality concept” that offers various pet services, including daycare, boarding, bathing and grooming, and a “membership-based dog park and bar,” according to a news release.
With 10 campuses in development, including one in Houston, Nichols told The Dallas Express she hopes Dallas will become the next city to have a GoDog franchise.
GoDog, which was founded in 2018 by Jess and Ben Eberdt, has received interest from prospective franchisees in multiple Texas cities. Outside of Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio are also potential growth markets in the Lone Star State.
Consumer growth equity firm Level 5 Capital Partners revealed a significant investment in GoDog last year to help kick-start the pet company’s franchising operations. The investment is for up to $50 million, according to GoDog’s website.
Nichols’ own background includes founding the dog daycare and boarding franchise Dogtopia in 2002 and guiding the concept through its franchise journey starting in 2006. She sold the company in 2015.
“I lived in Prosper for two years, and we just recently moved back to the East Coast,” Nichols said. “We are so excited about this. We’ve got some interest [for a Dallas franchise], and we’d love to get more people.”
Many of the GoDog stores are 12,000 square feet, but furry visitors also have plenty of room outside the building to play and remain active during their stay.
“One of the biggest differences with GoDog is that we provide all-day daycare,” Nichols said. “The dogs can stay in the suites or not, and there are no crates or cages. We have a membership-based dog park and full bar and kitchen at Texas locations.”
Humans may enter the business for free, but the dog fee is $10.
“We have alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and the dogs get to run around and have fun,” Nichols said. “It’s super fun. There’s really nothing like it out there as far as this full-service treatment. We know that millennials these days want to spend as much time as possible with their dogs.”