Does an All Dogs Unleashed franchisee receive an exclusive territory?
All_Dogs_Unleashed Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
TERRITORY**
Franchise Agreement
You will operate the Franchised Business within a "Service Area" that we will select before you sign the franchise agreement. Your Service Area will be identified on a map attached to the franchise agreement Summary Page. It may be identified by reference to streets, natural boundaries, or ZIP codes, or may be comprised of one or more cities or counties.
You may relocate the Facility, only with our prior written consent. We may consent to relocation if your lease expires or terminates through no fault of yours, or if the Facility premises is destroyed or materially damaged by fire, flood, or other natural catastrophe and the new location meets our then-current standards and criteria and you are not in default of the franchise agreement or any other agreement with us.
Except as described below, you will not receive an exclusive territory. You may face competition from other franchisees, from outlets that we own, or from other channels of distribution or competitive brands that we control.
In most cases, your Service Area will consist of a 5-mile radius around your Facility. In more densely populated urban areas, your Service Area may consist of an area encompassing a population of approximately 150,000 people.
You also may market and provide services in other areas, except for areas that fall within the "Service Areas" granted to other franchisees.
During the franchise term, we agree not to grant anyone but you the right to provide dog training, grooming, and boarding services in your Service Area under the ALL DOGS UNLEASHED name. We and our affiliates also will refrain from providing similar services under the ALL DOGS UNLEASHED name in your Service Area. However, we may develop, operate, and offer other similar concepts that may compete with franchisees under different marks, although we have no current plans to do so. We reserve to ourselves all other rights, including the right to own and operate and to grant others the right to own and operate ALL DOGS UNLEASHED Facilities outside of the Service Area, regardless of their proximity to the Franchised Business wherever located. We also have the right to distribute products and services identified by the Marks, such as books, videos, instructional materials, pet products, dog toys, foods and treats, leashes, collars, apparel, and other retail items, through alternative channels of distribution including retail stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, and via mail order, catalog sales, and/or the Internet. We are not required to compensate you if we exercise any of the rights specified above inside your Protected Area.
We do not grant any additional rights of first refusal to obtain additional franchise rights. If you wish to develop additional franchises, you must enter into a new franchise agreement and meet all of our current requirements for franchisees. There are no circumstances that permit us to modify your Service Area without your consent.
Area Development Agreement ("ADA")
Under the terms of the ADA, we grant you the right to establish, according to a schedule, three (3) or more Facilities within a geographical territory ("Development Area"). A Development Area is usually defined by zip codes or other boundaries such as streets, city, county, or state limits or by other reasonable boundaries. The number of Facilities to be developed may be adjusted depending on demographics and other characteristics of a Development Area, including population density and other characteristics of the surrounding area, natural boundaries, extent of competition and whether the proposed Development Area is urban, suburban or rural in nature.
Source: Item 12 — TERRITORY (FDD pages 26–27)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to All Dogs Unleashed's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees generally do not receive an exclusive territory under the standard franchise agreement. The FDD specifies that a franchisee may face competition from other franchisees, outlets owned by the franchisor, other distribution channels, or competitive brands controlled by the franchisor. However, franchisees are granted a "Service Area," which is defined before signing the franchise agreement and is identified on a map attached to the agreement.
The Service Area typically consists of a 5-mile radius around the franchisee's facility. In more densely populated urban areas, the Service Area may encompass an area with a population of approximately 150,000 people. All Dogs Unleashed agrees not to grant anyone but the franchisee the right to provide dog training, grooming, and boarding services under the All Dogs Unleashed name within their Service Area. The franchisor and its affiliates also agree not to provide similar services under the All Dogs Unleashed name in the franchisee's Service Area.
While franchisees can market and provide services outside their designated Service Area, they cannot operate in areas granted to other franchisees. The franchisor retains the right to develop, operate, and offer similar concepts that may compete with franchisees under different marks, although there are no current plans to do so. They also reserve the right to distribute products and services identified by their marks through alternative channels, such as retail stores, the internet, and mail order, without compensating the franchisee, even if these activities occur within the franchisee's Service Area. For franchisees who sign an Area Development Agreement, they will be granted a Development Area in order to open three or more facilities.